susej1981

Ah man, I'm in Chicago and have been looking for a Caterham a while now. If this was an S3, I'd be all over it. Shame you're selling it, looks like a great car!

Wow, seeing that first photo makes an S3 with Tilletts/lowered floors look roomy for a tall driver like me!

I think I'm ultimately going to decide on an S3 and find a way to make it work even if it means drastic measures like deepening the pedal box an inch or two/get a molded foam seat to fit my long legs. Shouts out to Astrobob for letting me try his lovely new Superlight R, the biggest issue I had was legroom (clearly having an inseam of 35''). We were unsure what position his pedals were in and the Tillett seat was maxed out backwards.

Attached are some photos of me in his car, a lowered floor would definitely get my knees away from the dashboard crossbar- only problem I've got left is finding a way to straighten out my ankles as they're really bent backwards. There's a guy on the UK forum pistonheads who is 6'5'' with the same inseam as mine/size 13 feet and much heavier than I am who supposedly fits in his S3/Tilletts/lowered floor and the pedals are set midway from the three settings. Hearing that gave me hope.

image3 by Amir Prses, on Flickr

image2 by Amir Prses, on Flickr

I was blessed with Caterham-perfect dimensions, but I can only imagine your pain.

Don't rub it in, lucky you! Even the motorcycles I lust over I don't fit well on ergonomically and look stupid with my torso and legs super folded over.

Not giving up on the dream yet. Would still consider an S3 if it meant lowered floors/foam seats/adjustable pedals maxed out forwards.

If all else fails and I don't want a possibly better fitting replica or an SV- I'd move onto finding a series one Lotus Elise or a TVR Tuscan/Tamora/T350 once they're legal in the states.

Ah a fellow Illinois-ian! I'm located by the O'Hare area (when I'm not all over the nation for work haha). Congrats, really digging how well the red and silver work together.

That’s a great looking car. And, how much is knee surgery? :jester:

I'll get it done by Dr. Clarkson

May I suggest you try sitting in a Birkin S3? Same overall dimensions as the Cat S3, but the pedal box has a large adjustment range.

Just don't have an interest in a Birkin unfortunately, if I did it'd make things easier for me but my want for a Caterham S3 is irrational. :willy_nilly:

Welcome to the club....I'm 6' 4 1/2" and I don't fit in a small Seven. I do fit in the big Birkin and the Westfield that I ended up buying and building.

 

dave

Get me out of this tall people club. Sucks when someone reclines their seat on the airplane in an already tight seat layout with my knees rubbing against the seat table tray.

I won't be able to revisit the Caterham I sat in for a little while, but I'll be in Florida for work (Palatka, ~25 min. from Jacksonville) from the 5th to the 12th. Are there any forum members who wouldn't mind me sitting in their S3 with a lowered floor or tillet seats/SV for a few minutes? I'd be willing to drive out a few hours to meet up with someone, would really appreciate the gesture.

My thoughts are that you should have your knees cut off for calling the SV "...goofy...."!

 

Maybe if you tried one, your opinion would change?

Taber

Maybe, not totally throwing the option of an SV out the window, but it's the original smaller chassis I fell in love with. If I got an SV, I'd immediately want to start customizing it to make it look less wide (ex. stripe down the middle, black fenders, etc.) Cut my knees a foot shorter and we have a deal?

To be honest I don't know. This is the exact car I sat in, maybe someone can tell looking at the car?

Specs. say it has a lowered floor but pretty sure I remember the salesman saying it didn't have one. Also the for sale photos look like it isn't equipped with one.

https://www.hillbankusa.com/vehicles/211/caterham-seven-280

Finally got a chance to sit in a newer base spec. S3 chassis Caterham at a dealership and was utterly dissapointed. It's been a dream of mine to own one but having tried one on for size, I don't think that'll happen.

Albeit this base model didn't have lowered floors and standard cloth seats, my knees were pressed hilariously against the dash. My hopes were to fit like a glove, nope. Width was perfect, toe box was a little snug but bearable, but my long inseam was at fault. I'm 6'5'' 170lb with most of my height in my legs.

Been set on an S3 specifically, don't like the SV much for how goofy it looks compared to the original S3, and just don't want a possibly more spacious replica.

Thoughts?

http://www.usa7s.net/vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=14248&stc=1

Not a must have, but I'm a bit of a tool snob and really appreciate well made handy tools;

Knipex makes some really great pliers (reasonably priced, made in germany, available amazon prime). The cyan doo-hickey is a Wiha magnetizer/demagnetizer, think I paid like $9 on amazon. You shove a screwdriver through the positive hole and it magnetizes the tool so whatever hardware you're working with sticks to the tip. Don't want the tip magnetized? Run it through the negative hole. Lifesaver working with screws on small applications.

http://www.usa7s.net/vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=13971&stc=1

http://www.usa7s.net/vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=13972&stc=1

That, and whatever chassis I end up with will need an obnoxiously tall custom roll bar haha.

Beautiful car! Have you considered color matching the roll cage, IMO I think it'd look pretty good like in this case:

Been lurking for the past few years, but now that buying a Caterham is a realistic goal for me- it was time to register onto USA7's.

From Chicago, originally from Bosnia, 23 and unfortunately very tall (here comes the "will I fit in one" question haha)

I'm a travelling mechatronics technician who goes to various food/beverage/product plants servicing their equipment. How I ended up in the field is a long story, but I'm incredibly thankful for how life folded out.

My plan is to buy a Caterham in the next few years, it's "dream car" status not counting a Mclaren F1. I remember being 10 or so on vacation with my parents in Holland, Michigan and as we were driving down the street, a yellow Caterham drove past us on the opposite side of the road. I begged my parents to make a u-turn so I could look at it some more, but by the time we turned around it was long gone. It was unreal to see one on the streets given how rare they are.

That being said, I'd love to have the chance to see another one in person and try one on for size. I travel all the time for work, if anyone can help me get in touch with someone who has a S3 (preferably with a lowered floor) or an SV, I'd greatly appreciate it. I'm in Chicago every other weekend, but currently I'm in Baton Rouge for the next three weeks.

I'm 6'4'', 34'' inseam, wear a 11.5, 170lb and regarded as skinny. When it comes time to buy one I wouldn't mind an SV, but it's hard accepting the front fascia is noticeably wider than a regular chassis.

Glad to be part of USA7's!

-susej1981

Remember once seeing a friend assembling an engine without a torque wrench and the perfectionist in me cringed. Ever since I broke a stud tightening a nut I promised myself I'd never assemble anything without one (given I can find the torque spec. to begin with haha).

Beautiful caterham, love how fun the color is! LSD and a 6 speed sound like great options. What wheels are you replacing the prisoners with?