Alaskossie

MoPho, Your rally images are really stunning! Some of them capture moments that go by so quickly that they seem almost imaginary. It's great to have your talent on board our list. Looks like you have covered the Pikes Peak race -- what a spectacular event! I was a Devil's Playground at 13000 feet on July 4, 1988 when Vatanen and Kankkunen drove their 650 hp Peugeot 405 T16 Evolution rally cars to the summit through a snowstorm. Alaskossie

Ed, Are you shipping your own car, or locating a Seven to borrow or for hire in Scotland (or are you to be a passenger)? My wife and I hiked the Wet Highland Way in Scotland (96 miles from Glasgow to Fort William) in August six years ago, and we had only 10 minutes of drizzle the entire 8-day trip. Saw enough sheep for a lifetime, though.... A beautiful country, all in all. Alaskossie

What issue of 0-60 Magazine was the famous orange Deman 7 featured? I must have missed it..... Alaskossie

Keith, That Moab mud photo is of Mike Biddle and the Dubai V8 Seven, one of the most potent Sevens on the planet, and perhaps the most powerful naturally-aspirated Seven. Alaskossie

Here's another autumn-themed photo, taken on the same "How the West was driven 2005" tour: http://www.usa7s.com/aspnetforum/upload/1979935691_Sevens-Ouray.Colo.jpg

Here is one of my own favorite Seven photos, with Bob's VX Evo -- the complementing colors just worked in this one: http://www.usa7s.com/aspnetforum/upload/1813690820_Autumn in the Rockies.4.jpg

Slngsht; I have been attempting to upload an image for a day now. When I go through the "upload image" process, nothing seems to happen for about 30 seconds, then the chosen image cancels out. I haver downsized the image but that had not helped. Did something change with the loading of the new site format?

I got it! I don't know what I had before -- a mix of old and new and illegible. But I'm now no longer the bad "Apple." Alaskossie

I'll correct one sentence of my critique, which should have read: IMHO this is an unnecessary and unjustified step backward --the triumph of presumed "design" over function -- in other words, the antithesis of the "Seven" philosophy. There, I've said (and written) what I think, and I feel better now... Alaskossie

It sure is difficult to read the black heading and category titles against a dark grey background. Any logical reason for this -- except to make things less legible and less accessible? IMHO this is an unnecessary and unjustified step backward --the triumph of presumed "design" over function -- other words, the anthesis of the "Seven" philosophy. The other changes I've seen so far look fine.

Slomov was right -- my plan to order a Caterham Seven in late 2006, assemble it in Colorado in the early summer of 2007, and finish it in time to join the California Seven Club’s PNW2007 Tour in August 2007 was a bit optimistic. In fact, WAAAY optimistic. After seven trips (to date) to Greeley, Colorado to assemble my Seven in a Seven-experienced friend’s garage, beginning in early July 2007, we were about to dry-fit the Cosworth Duratec 2.3 for the first time, earlier this month. The engine had arrived from Cosworth in California in May 2007 and was uncrated at that time, but it stayed on its shipping pallet in the heated garage, with the exhaust ports remaining taped with the original tape from the engine builder. When Jeff Ball, scannon and I moved the engine from its pallet to an engine strand, we un-taped the exhaust ports for the first time. We could not believe the amount of heavy corrosion inside, on the exhaust side of the engine -- the steel parts (valve stems, spark plugs) red with rust, with feathers of rust on the spark plug tips, and all of the aluminum exhaust ports and machined surfaces oxidized with a heavy residue that rubbed off as a gritty powder. No explanation at all -- certainly, exposed steel and aluminum simply do not corrode in Colorado’s dry climate, unless left outdoors in the rain and snow. The intake side seemed fine, in our restricted examination (no disassembly). I contacted Cosworth, and was told that they had seen something similar in some of their Formula Atlantic engines. They suspect it was caused by residues from the fuel they used for the dyno test. I’ve contacted Sean in California who is building a very similar Cosworth Duratec Seven -- his engine is in his car, but the exhaust ports have remained taped. After learning of my experience, he untaped them, and found very similar corrosion, but not quite as sever as mine. Sean apparently also has some corrosion on the intake side. So my gem of a Seven engine is already crated up again, and ready to go back to Cosworth for teardown and examination. Rats! Wonder if I’ll have the car finished and running by the end of summer 2008?? I’m not placing any bets.

I think that front cycle fender clearance is a problem only if you try to fit 15-inch wheels and tires on a Caterham that was originally supplied with 13-inch wheels and their corresponding cycle fenders and mounts. If you fit 15-inch wheels and tires on a car with the appropriate 15-inch cycle wing mounts, there should be no problem. At least that's my assumption -- I ordered my Caterham with 15-inch wheels, and no one said the proper cycle wings and mounts would not work. Dry runs with this combination show no interference.

Ian7, What could have possibly delayed your finishing a new Caterham kit for 3.5 years? (Traces of anxiety in my question, since I started assembling my new Caterham kit in July of '07, and it is still a work in progress -- I'm 65 years old this year; I haven't GOT 3.5 years for a Seven build!). You've got a beautiful Seven, though!

Al, I believe that I am your "mystery lister." The wheels and tires are still en route, and my Seven is still up on sawhorses, so it may be a while before I can give you a first-hand report. Alaskossie

With this much power, what the "ultimate Seven" desperately needs is four-wheel-drive (something I've long believed is the most effective answer to anything over about 350 hp). Dax Rush offers such a chassis setup, using Ford Escort Cosworth trans/transfer case and front diff bits. Any weight penalty incurred by 4WD would, I think, be more than made up for by the distinct traction advantage Now, combine 4WD with traction control and an electronic launch mode, and you'd have the ultimate streetable 0-100-0 machine... Alaskossie

Congrats to scannon for the nice-sized photo in the latest (Feb. '08) Lowflying (UK Seven Club Magazine), of him and his concours-winning Seven SV with turbo Miata power, at Log 27 in Aspen last September! Too bad the text describes it as a "supercharged "Mazda engine," but the photo tells the story of one clean and highly-detailed Seven and its proud owner. Skip, take a bow! Tom

Kitcat, I have subscribed to Road & Track Magazine since August 1958. I have since filled out the year 1958. I have kept every monthly issue of R&T dating from January 1958. Most of them are on a shelf 10 steps from where I am now typing. So it's easy for me to "refresh" my old memory any time I need to... Tom

I meant to mention (obligatory car content) that Robb Stewart, the master craftsman who built my custom cornet, is an old-car enthusiast and restorer owns a 1912 Hupmobile touring car, and who recently completed the restoration of his rare 1914 EMF Speedster, which looks like it must have been the "Seven" of its time -- see photo. Tom http://www.usa7s.com/aspnetforum/upload/1754004362_R.Stewart 1912 EMF.jpg

Steve, I like your upgradeitis avoidance strategy. Mine is very similar: By pure coincidence, today I received the first photos of the finished custom cornet that several years ago I had commissioned master brass instrument maker Robb Stewart in California to build for me. He will be sending the horn up to me tomorrow. This cornet is a combination B-flat/high E-flat rotary valve cornet with both a conventional bell and an echo bell that can be selected to function in either key. Since Robb had built a slightly similar one one for another player a few years ago (that had the same concept but not the refinement), we dubbed this one the "Improved Duplexcho." The photos show the level of pure craftsmanship that can go into a one-off like this. No problem in tracking the money that might have otherwise gone to Seven upgrades! Tom http://www.usa7s.com/aspnetforum/upload/862782350_echomeacham 011.jpghttp://www.usa7s.com/aspnetforum/upload/1449805973_echomeacham 015.jpghttp://www.usa7s.com/aspnetforum/upload/2000969742_echomeacham 017.jpg

Kitcat, The Lotus Elite photo and tribute you are recalling in Road & Track was June 1964, p. 52. The car was actually a cream color, on a red brick floor. This same photo is on the cover of Brooklands Books' "Lotus Elite 1957-1964." Many Elites came with a light-colored roof (usually silver) over a darker body. Some believe this denominated the Super 95, Super 100, and Super 105 limited-edition models tuned by an independent UK tuner, but I'm not sure about that. The biggest car-related mistake I ever made in my life was passing up a disassembled 1964 Lotus Elite in Anchorage for $10,000 in 1986. Turns out is was a Super 95 with ZF gearbox, oversized aluminum racing fuel tank and snap-top filler, and oil-cooler scoop under the nose (as well as the NACA duct in the bonnet). I was just getting interested in them at the time, and felt I didn't know enough to take the plunge. I even visited Mike Ostrov in California to discuss it, but was too chicken (and had two kids in junior high at the time). Attached are a few Elite photos from LOG 27 in Aspen last fall. Tom http://www.usa7s.com/aspnetforum/upload/1912336817_DSC_0337.JPGhttp://www.usa7s.com/aspnetforum/upload/2019797841_DSC_0217.JPGhttp://www.usa7s.com/aspnetforum/upload/1813408570_DSC_0313.JPG

Kitcat, I hope you'll admit, though, that the blue-green and silver original Lotus Elite in that photo is exquisitely beautiful -- not as a car, but as a piece of rolling sculpture! And, as Peter Egan wrote, "a fragile ecstasy." Tom Meacham

Bob, Congrats to you (and your Seven VX)! Your car looks great in the lead photo in Peter Egan's March R&T article on LOG 27, and it's indisputable proof that we made it to the top of Independence Pass (12,095 ft. altitude, by the sign). That was a great trip! Tom

Bob, The Pierats comment about coolant flows through the overflow tank under full throttle that you quoted involves Tom Jones's Duratec, so apparently it "does apply to Duratec." Tom

After seeing Skip Cannon's expansion tank mounted on the scuttle, I decided to go with two small rectangular Canton aluminum tanks, mounted on the scuttle side-by-side. One will serve as the expansion tank and the other the overflow bottle. (I'll bin the Land-Rover sourced "flying saucer" overflow bottle mounted on top of the front frame cruciform). I will plumb the expansion tank into the heater hoses. It will easily be the highest point in the cooling system. It would be nice if the expansion tank had a sight glass, but I guess one could be added. No photos yet, since much of the layout is still in my mind's eye, but I'm working on the bracketry right now. In my build, I have tried to maximize the available space on the scuttle, instead of following the haphazard, wasted-space Caterham layout. In other words, a smaller battery (Odyssey) down in front of the driver's footwell, the ICU mounted inside the roof of the passenger's footwell, the windshield washer bottle mounted to the side of the heater housing, etc. I'm even hoping to have room left over to mount a modified aluminum Coleman camping stove container on the scuttle, to hold a basic toolkit. Sorry for the digression.... Tom Meacham