breezy7

If anyone is interested there will be a LOG kickoff BBQ on July 31http://www.lotustalk.com/forums/f200/log-28-bbq-57207/. How many USA7 members are planning on attending the LOG?

Badges on Ebay UK http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Caterham-Super-7-Self-Adhesive-Union-Jack-Car-Badge_W0QQitemZ190223100067QQihZ009QQcategoryZ100921QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem#ebayphotohosting

Did a little research and Caterham introduced the upper A arm in 1989 according to the John Tipler book "Lotus and Caterham Seven". All the pictures I have show it mounted the same as it is now.

I think that is the front anti roll bar, it is just mounted in a different location than what is being used now. If you look close in runs through a block on the chassis and continues over to the right hand side of the car.

Thinking about making the trip down. Any recommendations for hotel near the track? Anyone between Illinois & Georgia considering going? Guess I better get the map out and look for some good roads.

I talked to a Hagerty rep today concerning using my car for occasional trips . I explained to her that the car is used for trips of 2-4 days and that obviously the car would not be kept in a locked garage when not in use. She said that type of usage was fine and their concern is that the car is not left ouside on a permanent basis. I would think they would put the garage restriction into the policy, it is not in mine and would seem hard to enforce if not written into the policy.

I went with Hagerty since they were the only company I found that would cover the Caterham during the build process. State Farm told me they would cover the parts under my house policy if I left them in the boxes they came in but once I started the build I was on my own. Hagerty's coverage was in effect once I got the car 50% completed. I also told Hagerty that I would be using the car for occasional trips and the car would be left out overnight and they said "no problem" but seem to get conflicting answers on that point. I don't see where my policy addresses the issue, anyone have experience with that ?

1: Need suggestions for oil filters for a Zetec. I have been tried a few that are used on a Ford Focus SVT but the body of the filter is too long and run into problems getting the filter off for an oil change. I can't get a cap wrench on the filter because of the engine mount and my strap wrench is not much better,it crushes the filter if not in the right spot. The body of the filters is around 5 inches long so am looking for something shorter. First time I got lucky(?) by sticking a screwdriver through the filter and turning it off but yesterday ended up pulling the intake manifold off and working from above. Such language on a Sunday. 2: Am getting ready to change engine coolant but do not see a block drain. Where is it? Hope its not under the intake manifold!

Chapman's inspiration for 7 aerodynamics?http://usa7s.com/aspnetforum/upload/1313313805_IMG_1623.jpghttp://usa7s.com/aspnetforum/upload/1087781250_IMG_1882.JPG Note the year in the concrete near the tire. It is fuzzy but is 1957 This is my parking spot at a motel near Road America, we were staying in room #7. The 7 has aged much better than the motel room has.

Road & Track magazine has a small bit on the Westfield XI on page 23 of the May 2008 issue and online at http://www.roadandtrack.com/article.asp?section_id=12&article_id=6653

Found this today if ayone is interested https://www.caterhamparts.co.uk/product_info.php?cPath=123_125&products_id=2512 It is a different 3rd brake originally for Austrailian spec cars. Looks like they have gotten away from the Y adapter used on the spare tire light too. They are using the clamshell connectors that Southwind 25 used.

Al: The installation instruction says don't make the cut with a saw. I used the corner of a flat file to put the mark on my dipstick. The size of the oil puddle underneath the car is a good indicator of oil level too, if the puddle is too big to jump across then the oil level maybe down a little ! Mike

Looked at Raceline website and the installation guide says precisely 5 liters of oil and just lightly scribe the dipstick,a cut may lead to breaking of the tip.

Caterham USA says 5 liters for my SVT with the Raceline wet sump, 5 quarts = 4.73 liters. I had a problem with my dipstick rubbing on the crankshaft first time I started the engine. If I remember right I had to put a 5/8" spacer between the bracket on the dipstick tube and the cylinder head where the tube mounts. The spacer puts the tube in at an angle .I looked at a post from Al dated Jan. 25th and it shows his tube bolted straight to the head so maybe the spacer would cure your problem. I do recall Cody at Caterham USA saying that it is a close fit, a call to him might be in order.

I am looking at adding a 3rd brake light on my Caterham and wondering what wiring connectors others have used to hook up to the vehicle wiring harness. Caterham UK sells a kit with the light and adapter but the adapter dosn't seem to be available seperately. Any suggestions? Thanks

When I came across the fitting I didn't know what to make of it and neither did Nathan at Rocky Mountain. He wasn't aware of the change to the radiator and contacted Caterham UK who told him to use the set up I described earlier. I took the cap off of the overflow tank, filled the system and ran it till I had warm air from the heater and all the hoses were hot, adding coolant as needed. I went to The Caterham Project site and looked at his setup and it looks like it is plumbed the same as your diagram but he does have a bleeder port in the radiator. How were you told to bleed the system? Would guess that once coolant comes out of the fitting that the system is bled and cap off the nipple.

I looked at the radiator picture on your blog and I don't think you have the bleed screw that shows up in your diagram. There is just a nipple instead of the bleed screw.The assembly guide talks about the bleed screw but seems Caterham changed the radiator (years ago) but not the installation instructions. Hey what do you expect at these prices? Following the directions I got from Rocky Mountain Sports Cars I put a short length of hose on the nipple coming out to a T fitting and then the T goes in the line between the expansion bottle and the top of the thermostat housing. The Caterham USA engine supplement shows different connections at the submarine but I don't see how that could matter since it is just a tube.

Meant to put this with my previous post. You can download the assembly guide from http://www.caterham.co.uk/assets/html/showroom/build_manual.html Should have pictures of everything in the torque table

Here is the list from my assembly guide.http://usa7s.com/aspnetforum/upload/1183676584_image1.jpghttp://usa7s.com/aspnetforum/upload/1034342414_image2.jpg

Hal : There may be sensors and connectors that are used in the UK that don't get used on a Zetec powered US 7. I have a connection that is B+ but it is a lug connection that goes to the positive side of the battery but it is part of the harness that is supplied by Caterham USA. I have always assumed it feeds a constant current to the ECU since it doesn't seem to be switched to come on with the ignition. There is a fuel pressure switch on the fuel rail feeding the injectors on my engine, it senses when the engine needs fuel and cycles the fuel pump on and off through the fuel pump control module. The UK 7's(at least when I bought my car) constantly ran the fuel pump and the extra fuel was returned to the tank, I had to cap the return fitting on my tank. Looking at the pictures for your engine it looks like the fuel rail has a cap on the rear end so may not be an issue but I would get in touch with your engine builder and ask. I can supply the directions if you need to cap the line. I sourced my engine through Caterham USA and the harness that comes with the engine is set up to connect with the harness supplied with the chassis so I didn't have these issues. Can you give me a description of the wire colors on each connector and where they are located so I can do a little more digging ? Take a look at your assembly guide, there is a wiring diagram in the back and maybe try posting this question on BlatChat.

If you mount the sensor near the charcol cannister you will need to use all the length of the hose that Caterham supplies. I split some vinyl tubing and covered the braided hose for a little extra protection from debris coming off the road and to keep from chaffing the powder coat where I zip tied to the frame. Curious about what you have for a wiring harness, is it a Caterham USA harness? If so have do you expect to run into any problems with things matching up with your engine? Some engine details and pictures would be nice. I would suggest putting some Teflon tape on the threads for the oil pressure components and the sensor for the temp gauge. Since you may be getting close to installing you engine take a look at this from the California Caterham Club if you haven't already seen it,http://www.californiacaterhamclub.com/chat/showthread.php?t=991. It is a way to put a filler and dipstick on your transmission and avoid the trouble of filling through an almost inaccessable fill port once the drivetrain is installed. Wish I had thought of it before I built my car.

Maybe these pictures will help with the oil sender. The T fitting mounts on the chassis near the charcol cannister as mentioned before. I can take a picture if needed. The assembly guide is not much use at times http://www.usa7s.com/aspnetforum/upload/1402063058_image1.jpg http://www.usa7s.com/aspnetforum/upload/594597635_image2.jpg My water gauge connects on the left side of the thermostat housing. The other fitting you show is a mystery to me, there is a knock sensor on that side of the block but don't think that is what I am seeing. A call to your engine builder may be due. I had to find some of the fittings for the oil pressure locally

I have a set that I didn't install on my cycle fenders. If you want them send a mailing address to mikeyguard2000-fidget@yahoo.com and I get them in the mail this week. I don't think there is any difference from cycle fenders to clamshells.

wasn't someone wondering what happened to this car? Seems like I saw a post a while back but can't find it now. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/290-HP-and-1140-Pounds-of-Automotive-Insanity_W0QQitemZ270210222959QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item270210222959

Here is the casting on my engine. Seems to me a water rail won't work with this setup,what do you guys think? Anyone using the water rail with a SVT and this tensioner ?http://usa7s.com/aspnetforum/upload/1253700970_IMG_2261.jpghttp://usa7s.com/aspnetforum/upload/725629056_IMG_2262.jpghttp://usa7s.com/aspnetforum/upload/178152974_IMG_2263.jpg