ukchris

The connector for the tail lights... does it have a lock/latch? It looks like it does but for the life of me I cannot get it to disconnect. ‘13 Caterham SV

Anyone have experience with this upper column for QR? http://www.plays-kool.co.uk/acatalog/Caterham-Top-Half-Steering-Shaft-358.html ? i like the rapfix hub, after clicking the picture to see a larger version it looks as if the column is ready for the rapfix maybe. I have emailed them to check as the page is sorely lacking in info.

Excellent, thanks guys.

I'm missing one of the DZUS nose cone fasteners, just the screw/bolt piece - does anyone know if these are generic? The part on the Caterham site is here https://caterhamparts.co.uk/fixings/3156-dzus-fastener-short-lower.html?search_query=76012&results=2 - I have an option to order and have some brought oevr from the UK in about 6 weeks but wondered if it's quicker/easier to find some here. Anyone know if these are easy to find? There seem to be variations on Amazon, eBay etc, just not sure if they are the same.

I decided on Hagerty in the end, I was going to go with Grundy but the application process was painful, it said I could apply online then they tell me that's wrong and you can't, also Hagerty seem much more understanding of things such as occasionally taking the car to work or the store. Fair chance that the price with Grundy may have gone up, they were apparently cheaper but the process was so painful I never truly got to a final, firm price.

Thanks Dave, inside the entry there is a foam filter, are you suggesting removing it for cotton, I suppose even before extending it? are the cotton filters anparticular “thing”? For example I have pool filter socks which are designed to catch cunnks prior to the filter, or am I looking for a specific fabric filter?

We’re taking about the nut at the bottom of the shank the light is on, correct? Toward the rear of the signal/indicator shroud.

Heehee you’re welcome any time, I think it’s the angle I took the picture at makes it look crooked although I misplaced my circle cutter so my new clock face could be askew too!

*sigh* I could be out driving but no, I'm customizing a clock for the garage! http://www.usa7s.net/vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=13977&stc=1

Car has Jenvey ITBs installed, I'm curious about airflow and its importance. As it stands there is a plastic cover over them, the entry at the left has a foam filter in it and basically juist points forward. While I'm no expert I was under the impression that good airflow is important, isn't this likely to impede the flow or is the entry point forward going to increase it? I have a set of little foam hats for the ITBs too, curious as to the pros and cons of the plastic shroud vs. individual foam "hats" if anyone has any thoughts to share. http://www.usa7s.net/vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=13976&stc=1

Well, I want black headlights, after a lot of reading I think I'm going to try painting them with plastidip, from what I have read it will spray over clean chrome without issue, lasts well and if it doesn't work out you can basically peel it off. This brings me to my question, remove the lights or paint in situ? I read an article on swapping the headlights and it was pretty involved to remove the whole assembly, wondering if anyone has any guidance on whether it is realist to remove the cover, unhook cables and ultimately get the light off without removing the mount? I figure it's better to ask before attacking it the wrong way. Otherwise I'm contemplating trying to plastidip in place, remove the lens, tape everything up and get at it, other than masking my concern is the spray likes to be applied with the can vertical, getting underneath could be a challenge but with such a small area maybe not a big deal. Any thoughts / opinions / suggestions? http://www.usa7s.net/vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=13975&stc=1

Got it, thanks, mine are very similar, it's the one underneath that's proving troublesome.

This is exactly my issue, on the underside of the floorpan there are two bars running front to back aligned with the seat runners, the runners and the sub belts are bolted through the floor and through these on the underside. The mount for the sub is behind the rail so I can't move it back without removing the bolt for the sub belts. So, I think my options are.... 1. Bolt through the runner, the sub belt bracket, floor and underside bracket, this seems to be questionable at best. 2. Drill new holes in the floor for the sub belt mount inside the rails and add a similar strengthener underneath running between the ones for the runners and attach the sub belts an inch or two further in. 3. Dispense with the sub belt. Seems option 2 is the sensible one, basically all it would mean is that the bolts for the sub belts are an inch or two further in, does that make sense?

Thanks John, is that the belt that comes across your thigh or up between the legs? It looks like that is the join where the back meets the base of the seat and the belt comes up and over the seat?

Thanks Paul, not too bothered about the heater. There’s a glass shop down the road so I’ll see what options they have. The crack isn’t significant so I’ll hold on as I’d like to combine replacing it with paint/powder the frame and headlights black. Registration issues are much more significant just now, lots of feelers out there just hoping for good leads or I need to head to the DMV to plead my case for Classic or Hot Rod status.

For now I took the lower harness out and moved the rails back. I’m hesitant to drill holes, there’s a steel bracket runs underneath on the underside of the car that the seat rails bolt to. To anchor the belts I think I’d either have to fasten them to one of the seat bolts or extend a bar across, attached to the current bracing bars then drill through inboard of the rails. I need to look at how the Kirkey rails fit and whether the seat would slide beyond the end of the rail (over the belt mounting bolts). If so I might just get a wider Kirkey and go that route. The cloth seats are pretty faded and one has a hole cut for the sub belt.

Beautiful car. Congratulations! Where abouts in MA are you? I’m just over the line in NH.

Seem there's a crack at the top of mine, not major, can they be purchased in the US or as I read in the wanted forum is the best plan to go visit a glass shop and ask them to cut a piece to size? No desperate rush to replace but when I do I want to either powder coat, paint or plastidip it black too.

Humm... so many terms! there is is an anchor like that on both rails, that belt joins and has a buckle that comes up through an ugly hole in the seat cushion. Left belt is secured shoulder and side as is the right which has a five point buckle. Does that answer it? I *think* you’re asking if I have five or six points? id be quite happy with a four point harness like I had in my last car, can I safely just remove the anti-sub belt?

This is what I have going on... the submarine belt for the harness is bolted in behind the rails, I can clearly see there are alternate mounting holes but obviously the bracket isn't going anywhere while the harness belts are bolted in there. Can I / should I move where/how the belts are fastened in? The assembly guide looks very similar to what I have but it seems to eat up a lot of leg space that I use. http://www.usa7s.net/vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=13958&stc=1

Well, it's finally here so the real questions begin, I figure it's probably better to have separate topics as separate posts so first, seat positions. I have two Caterham cloth seats and a Kirkey, the Kirkey isn't going to work, clearly I'm broader than the original owner, might consider getting a wider one later. The standard seats though are installed yet the passenger seat slides back a good couple of inches further than the drivers seat. Clearly the rails are bolted to the floor but during assembly is the position set or should I be able to unbolt them, move them back and fasten them in again giving me more leg room?

Qualifying as a "hot rod" has it's own set of requirements, talked it through with the DMV and the answer was basically not it's not a hot rod it's a car.

Great minds...! I just sent them an email outlining my situation and whether they feel swapping the Omex for an Emerald would be a viable and sensible solution.

When the car arrives (Saturday morning!!) ir has the original intake and ECU with it, the engine is a Sigma/Zetec 1.6 so I assume whatever was "standard". We're going to have a look at what's what and try to figure out the best way forward. It seems based on a lot of web surfing there are potentially three options: 1. Remove the ITBs and OMEX ECU and put the original intake and ECU back - original owner estimated 30 hours of work to install them. 2. Look for an ECU that can replace the Omex, keep the ITBs and provide OBD - there seems to be a lot of support for the Emerald ECU which while it doesn't have OBD does have some sort of breakout adapter that adds an OBD port, not sure if this would give me the ITB's + IBD 3. Figure out whether there's an option to "piggyback" the ECU, seems there is various discussion about this but a lot of it goes over my head right now. I'm hoping that consulting with a local Lotus aficionado this weekend will help

Good question, you mean can I keep the ITBs and replace the ECU? It's an OBEX600 that is on which has an RS-232 interface, I checked with them and there's no adapter or what not, far from my area of expertise but I'll do some searching and see what I can find.