Anaximander

Shane, Thanks for the follow-up. Actually, I don't think I misread you and did not think for a moment that alcohol was anywhere near the track during runs and it did not sound like you all were having wild parties. I think I just moved the goal posts a bit for myself in deciding that alcohol and certain foods prior to grueling days at the track seem less interesting to me after thinking about the fatigue factors that can affect both driving performance and all of the other tasks required to have a successful day or two. With my Storker, I use that rapier sword for autox and find that here in the Deep South, hot days at solo events almost turn me into a rag doll from the heat and difficulties in staying hydrated. I find that when it is my turn to do solo runs, I am half in the bag in terms of fatigue and so I am thinking about modified strategies for staying as fresh as I can. This coming Fall, I hope to get my first couple of track days with my new-to-me Caterham Superlight 300r and will be very mindful of the ETOH/food issues to enhance rather than detract from my first track days. Unfortunately, even through November here in South and Central Florida, the heat can be quite intense and I am surprised at how much cockpit heat the 400r spec engine is making in my Cat. Bob

Shane, Thanks for sharing about the fatigue issues that set in and the events that took place over the two-day fun-filled USA7's day. Of course hind sight is usually 20/20 and something in your story really jumped out at me. I love fine alcohol spirits but given the risks associated with dehydration and the desire to operate our machines at peak performance, I think that when I participate in activities like this in the future that alcohol will not be part of the celebration before, during or immediately after an event. Additionally, I love fine food but also think that along with hydration issues that food as fuel for our bodies become even more critical and I will be mindful of trying to stay with foods that will help in physical/mental recovery after strenuous/exciting activity and not impair physical/cognitive functioning. You as a current pilot and me as a former pilot know all too well about physical/mental fatigue and how it affects our decision making and overall motor skills performance. Trying to stay ahead of the airplane and/or our 7's is a daunting enough task even when we are in tip-top condition. Thanks again for sharing a tough story. It has really helped to clarify some issues via "cheap wisdom" (wisdom not paid for dearly) that will likely make my upcoming track experiences more enjoyable and less filled with drama. Bob

Shane, I would same the same thing about your trailer experience. I am dying to find out how fatigue played a factor? BTW, I am also dying to find out why your BEAUTIFUL Storker quit on you? :toetap05:

Shane, Sorry for the dinged bumper. A pretty good outcome given that your beautiful Storker was cruising free of your tow vehicle at a rather high rate of speed without a pilot (pun intended). What comes to mind is the question of whether or not you utilized a safety bolt going through the ball latching device? I never leave home without one.

I ain't no wazowski meme! I am a Stork who can't flap his wings pinned to the front of astro boy's grill. Thanks a lot Shane:mad: "Suave Less"

What a really delightful video! Very well done and excellent accompanying music. It makes me wish that we just hadn't moved 3 weeks ago and that I just acquired a beautiful Caterham Superlight 300r two days after the move that I would have loved to have gotten onto that track. Seems like a very nice time was had by all! Kudos to Tom and Mike for organizing such a nice event! Bob

In terms of "vehicular conspicuity", if you are not WAY behind a large pickup truck or SUV at a stop light or stop sign so they can see you in their mirrors clearly and they decide to back up and move over to another lane, you can imagine the driver of said trucks/cars commenting "Did I just run over a large beer can?" :leaving: .

Andy, I just purchased a 2004 Caterham Superlight 300r last week and the toe box is rather small compared to my Brunton Stalker Classic. However, I ordered a pair of Simpson high-top racing shoes from Summit Racing that make my feet narrower in profile and they fit fine. I can also use slip on narrow canvas Crocs. Bob

Shane, Don't encourage the man to be unsafe at any speed lest Ralph Nader will come out of retirement. What Pickles needs to do now is add humungous and ugly big rubber outer coverings on those metal spears to conform to DOT regs like the Brits had to do in the early 1980's to the MG and Triumphs.

Very nice look!

Croc, maybe I did confuse those folks from Seattle who are growing webs between their toes from all of the typical rain and run wet weather tires most of the year? The NJ HPDE you all are set to run and the social events sound like a good time will be had by all. Hopefully next year it will be on the calendar and I will have had a few HPDE'S under my harness to not embarrass myself. Please keep my fellow Storker owner Shane from flapping Suave's wings and taking any short flights. Having Less Suave, I keep telling him that he would be better off staying on the ground. Storks were fundamentally not meant to fly and we need Flyboi sticking to Terra Firma. You all have a great time at NJMP and I look forward to joining you all next year. Bob and Less Suave.

Ok, so I have wanted a Lotus 7 my whole life and didn't get a Caterham until this past week. Went down to the local Florida DMV and got a license plate for it so I could finally go on a blat. What a very different machine than my 300hp plus Stalker. I can see how the Storker is perfect for autox and the K8-trum is going to be a ball doing an HPDE in the Novice ranks over at Sebring. I am using the phonetic pronunciation of Caterham since I am a Storker owner and have been the butt of Croc's jokes given that I haven't been a "true" officianado until today. Mike, I forgive you because I didn't realize how visceral a true Lotus 7 is. The engine sings and the tunnel cooks meat so it must have an enclosed engine compartment unlike my Stalker? The cars are so different and so much fun that I suspect I will have a difficult time deciding which to fool around with on any given day. Thanks to the eclectic and eccentric breathren on this forum for absolutely scrambling my sensibilities in choosing very fun sports mobiles. Bob

Shane, The folks Hayes and his twin sons Hamilton and Hunter are very nice people in person. I drove my Stalker the 1.5 miles to their facility to meet them and Hayes sons gave me the nickel tour. Very impressive collection of cars for sale. Today I stopped by to advise that I had bought a Caterham and they wouldn't have to consider throwing me off the premises for not owning a correct Brit mobile. Turns out that both of Hayes sons are track driving instructors and I plan to request them when I do my first HPDE over at Sebring which is less than two hours from the house. Bob

What are you asking for your tricked out E Mod hotrod?

Ron, thanks for identifying the wheels provenance. I have Wirewheel just a couple of miles from my new home that likely has or has seen these steering wheels on some of the actual former race cars they sell. I visited last week and they have the last Acura NSX 11/11 which is about a work of vintage racing art/technology that they refurbished to like new and will be selling shortly. It is a stunning example of racing with significant factory sponsorship money. BTW, the autox car you are selling with your accompanying youtube.com videos show what appears to be an amazing purpose built car. Nice job. What class is it running in in SCCA autocross?

Croc, If you had not been on the ball as well as you are, I would have missed Mike G's Superlight that is resting in air conditioned comfort in my storage facility waiting to get some road time after I transfer the title.

Are you kidding me??? People here are making fun of my new to me Caterham's steering wheel that was suggested was heisted from a dune buggy. Suave Less or aka Less Suave, Suave's evil twin said to me that the Racetech steering wheel was too small for his wings and he is a minature stork. Now I have two animal type cars. A storker and a cat. What fun!

Pickles, I can rest easier knowing that your "bumpers" have made your Caterham a non death trap (grin). Much good luck finishing the licensing process! BTW, it would be best from a regulatory standpoint that you not exceed 50 mph and only drive it very early in the morning when there are fewer cars on the road.

Jcerier, I am sorry that MA has such stringent titleing requirements. Fortunately, we had moved further South in Florida after selling our 4 car garage home (sob). Fortunately, there is a secured air conditioned storage facility 1.3 miles from our home that had a space available for my tilt trailer and the Caterham. Like yourself, I have been wanting a Lotus /Caterham since getting talked out of buying a pristine 1962 Seven when I was a Senior in high school in 1967. I am on my third Stalker which is a superb performer with terrific support from the factory in Clearwater Florida but I still had this itch from 51 years ago to apparently scratch (grin). Thanks for indirectly helping me to get into my first Caterham. Mike G. is a great guy with a terrific sense of humor and a keen understanding of all things mechanical and I feel very fortunate to have moved an hour away from the car just two days earlier. It feels like Kismet or something? I know you will find just the right Caterham that you can get past the DMV in short order. Croc as you know provides us all with the invaluable Seven listings most Sunday mornings for those of us needing caffeine or nursing hangovers.

Mike, I will be taking delivery of the car this Friday and I will see if this Mike wants to share what he is playing with. I am so tickled as he seems to be a perfectionist (not unlike yourself from what i can ascertain ) it comes to maintenance and he is so incredibly skilled in the mechanical/fabrication world. He shared some of what he is up to and I was simply amazed at his skill sets. Not even mentioning that his videos show a very skilled driver. I forgot to ask him if I can get an honorary national championship just owning the car? I am sure he would just let out a loud roar of a laugh. I guess I am going to have to learn how to drive better. Glad that I have a past that included fast sport bikes and airplanes. Will be very interesting to drive with a revvy race-tuned 2 litre engine vs the L67 3.8 litre supercharged engine that has less revs but more torque down low.

Poor Suave Less and Pee Wee are still in packing boxes but I am sure that Pee Wee would swoon for that red candy flake steering wheel.

John and Shane, I have decided to leave the steering wheel on the Superlight I bought yesterday and likely will not put mud tires on it since we moved from red neck North Florida to Vero Beach two days before I bought Mike's superb Superlight that has 400r plus engine performance in the 300r package. Mike G. is an extremely passionate autophile with an impressive performance history with this Caterham. Shane, as you and Croc know, Mike is also a very fun guy who ran with you all up in New Jersey a few years back. I now have to decide if I am going to do some HPDE days with the car and will definitely need some instruction. Bob

I would love to accept that assignment! You know, Wirewheel buys and sells all kinds of racecars so if you are really serious, give them a call and see what you can work out. That Caterham with the BDR looks like a beauty.

Shane and Mike, It is funny but when I first saw it I wanted it as well. I called an autocross friend and explained the car to him and he said that it was not particularly useful for any sporting events and would be lumped into the A Mod category for autox which is uber competitive with a PAX=1 and the car would not be. He advised that it would be fine for a Cars and Coffee morning or to put up on a web page but other than that, he could not see any earthly reason to own that interesting car. If I had a stable of exotic cars, I too would love to own it just for the fun factor. We are moving next week to Vero Beach and will be about 1.4 miles from the Wirewheel compound. I already scouted out where it is located and can occasionally spend some time drooling over their inventory. If anyone needs for me to physically check out a car for them visually or driving, I would be delighted to do it in the future. My wife thinks that they are too conveniently located for my crack=car addiction :drool: