Al N.

The current dilemma: Option A) Custom Made "Michael D" style trailer in Aluminum. 6 or 6.5 x 12 Wood deck Beavertail Single Axle Upgraded frame and tongue ( larger box tube) a beavertail at the back Approx 500-600 lbs unloaded Electric brakes, slide in ramps $3100.00 Full Aluminum deck: Add $500 Double Axle (brakes on both): Add $600 Option B) Steel utility trailer with 12" sides (I like this because I could carry junk in it too) 8.5 x 12 Wood deck Single Axle No Brakes 5 foot mesh ramp (I'm worried if a car will even roll on at this length) Approx 1300 lbs unloaded $1800 est. Option C) Enclosed HaulMark Transport 6 x 12 Single Axle Brakes 6 foot ramp door Approx 1580 lbs unloaded $3400 est. I find the Steel utility very tempting because of price. But the whole brakes/no brakes issue has me confused. The enclosed is within spitting distance of the aluminum open bed option, but I'm concerned about towing the enclosed in terms of stability/wind gusts. Note that there are at least 2 other guys from the forum who are interested in a similar trailer, so perhaps a group buy would get the custom option down in price even further...additionally, we'd know that it works for our types of cars. Sorry to beat a dead horse, but 7-7-7 is coming up fast...:ack:

Jerry-Thanks for sharing the story and pix. Isabel is pretty bright and into science...so I could easily see a repeat of your friends' story.

Can someone tell me if a 5 foot ramp will work with a 19" bed?

In the part that we could see, he only nipped you at the end of the straight, so I figured you ran out of gear. Good stuff. See you in just a few months.

I cried when the Porsche passed you. Was it a GT3?

So last night, I'm paging through the latest issue of Low Flying while my kids are brushing their teeth. And there's this article about a guy who built up a new Caterham to look like a Series 2 Prisoner. With narrow fenders, narrow tires, the frame painted in grey not black (to be period correct!), and so on. Admittedly pretty nutty. So I tell Laura about it, and my older daughter Isabel comes over and asks "Pops [yes, that's what they call me], can we build a Caterham?" And I said, "Well, maybe in a few years, Isabel...maybe about 20. But yeah, that would be fun." It's the first time I've ever wished for my kids to grow up faster.

I think I'm forbidden to do anything additional that's car-related until after 7-7-7.:cry: But perhaps in Sept. we could do a semi-large USA7s NY/NJ/PA/MD/DEL/VA meet at my house...have some great routes mapped out already. I'm only about 10 minutes from that Clinton NJ exit where we met.

Skip- Great vid. I think it's an especially good primer for folks considering an alternative engine set up. More of us should take the time to do a little walk around. Thanks for sharing.-Al

Looked like a lot more fun than looking at Trailers in North Jersey! Did you school the Elise?

There are a few options I'm considering, but need to nail down a few points first. If we go with a custom-built one like Michael D's, we'll have one of those slanted tail parts. However, there are a few good (more affordable) non-custom options that don't have this feature...hence my question on the ramps.

Trailer Ramp length. Given an average height of the trailer's bed, how long a ramp do you need for a Seven (I have a Caterham Superlight with 15" wheels). Would 4 feet do it? Would 5? Or do I need 6 footers? --- Because the front overhang of our cars is pretty short, I am hoping I can make do with the shortest ramps possible.

http://super7store.com/ Totally unrelated to cars, but I heard about this place from another guest at a wedding I attended on Sat. If Jon C. can get a shot of his car at 77th and 7th in Manhattan, then I think someone from northern California should try and get one in front of this shop.

Tom- Could be the silver SV that had been listed by Mid-Atlantic Caterham recently (I'm pretty sure this car had been offered by GT-Classics a few years back...it sold before I could make the mental/financial commitment to our little hobby).

KitCat- If I were to come to the event "a la carte", I'd shoot for coming over to Tapoco Friday night. That's the more "casual" meal (not that the Saturday night pig roast is going to be formal) and the "car show". You will have to pay for any food and beverage you consume, of course. As for piggybacking on any of the open drives, I say that would be frowned upon unless you also paid the insurance fee that was part of the package registration fee. We should be announcing something later this month regarding opportunities for non LSiS owners to be involved. We may even need some volunteers to help. Stay posted. -Al

I watched it last night, and realized that I had seen it before...some other Se7ener had mailed me a bootleg back when blown hose clamps were but a glimmer in my eye. It's funny that the car that Reynard might have made looked a lot like an Atom. IMHO, the CSR has been a great evolution of the original, front engined concept. I don't love the squared off from fenders though, no matter how aero they are.

Bruce- He is guestimating that the weight of the aluminum single axle will be 500-600 pounds, and the double axle will be about 900-1000. -Al

Just a reminder that the official deadline for registration for the 777 Event is Monday, May 7th. We're trying to give the organizers enough time to finalize arrangements and not have it be too frantic at the last minute (after all, we are Se7en enthusiasts too!). -Al P.S. If you paid for the Auto-X, don't forget to pre-register online using the link above...so far only 1/3 of paid Auto-X registrants have used the ETR SCCA's online form.

Wow...since February, the forum has added 50 more members! That's pretty amazing growth for our little niche hobby. I do hope more of the new members take a second to introduce themselves in the "So tell us a little about yourselves" thread...it's nice to know a little more than a handle and avatar. http://www.usa7s.com/aspnetforum/Default.aspx?g=posts&t=168

Some feedback from my recent visit to the trailer place... Aluma is too busy at the moment to build any "Michael D" specials until the end of the summer. So they looked into other makers... "A trailer 6 1/2 , or 6' wide on the deck, (same price either width) by 12 ft long deck, with upgraded frame and tongue ( larger box tube) a beavertail at the back, electric brakes, slide in ramps , slide under trailer, most likely from the side, so the ramp carriers do not drag the ground when going up driveways or up entrance driveways. This trailer in an Aluminum frame with 5/4 treated wood decking would start at $3100.00 Upgrade to a full aluminum deck, and it will cost $500 more. Upgrade to 2 axles both with electric brakes $600 more. In a steel frame trailer, the price with a wood deck, single axle with electric brakes would be $2700.00 double axle $600 more. steel deck add $300 Lead time for Aluminum about 4 to 5 weeks. In steel 8 to 10 weeks, (all the steel manufacturers are very busy right now). Would anybody else be in for a Se7en-specific trailer at these prices? Please advise ASAP. If we go this route, I'll want to place the order in the next few weeks so that I have the trailer in hand a few weeks before 7-7-7 to practice towing. Chime in or write me directly.

FWIW, I love the dash-mounted toggle on my Cat. I find that it, and the other horn/light buttons, fall quite easily to hand and have become really second nature.

Plastic baggie kept in desk drawer with keys. Baggie goes in pocket before keys go in ignition.

REVISITED... Dual axle vs. single? Treated wood floor vs. aluminum or steel floor? Do we need a beavertail and/or long ramps? --- I got some prices in for a seven-sized trailer...but want people's opinions on the above choices before sharing the quotes. Keep in mind that for my particular needs, I will be alternating use between the Seven and a Polaris Ranger (Golf Cart size ATV). FWIW, the prices aren't as low as I'd hoped. Makes getting a simple utility trailer look like a very good option.

REVISITED... Dual axle vs. single? Treated wood floor vs. aluminum or steel floor? Do we need a beavertail and/or long ramps? --- I got some prices in for a seven-sized trailer...but want people's opinions on the above choices before sharing the quotes. Keep in mind that for my particular needs, I will be alternating use between the Seven and a Polaris Ranger (Golf Cart size ATV). FWIW, the prices aren't as low as I'd hoped. Makes getting a simple utility trailer look like a very good option.

Got a wedding that day, sorry.

Any other new members care to chime in here?