athens7

Cap and Trade legislation, perhaps?:toetap05:

I'm sure Pig-face Waxman will be outraged at the emissions given off by the power source (either foot odor or skin flakes) and want to regulate/tax them! :banghead:

According to my friend the Ford technician, 15 lb.-ft.

There's a lot of attractive work in this car. Having had an Alfa, I wonder if the choice of an Italian engine in a British car isn't dancing with the Devil from a reliability standpoint? Of course, about a month ago I got smoked by a D Modified '74 Spitfire with a 1750 cc Alfa twin cam motor, so it may just be sour grapes!

Assuming you have an SVT motor, not a Zetec with ITBs, I would share these thoughts with you. Other than the claims made by Caterham USA, I can find no documentation that the Kent cams are worth 20 hp. Kent Cams refuses to make any statement about these cams, other than to say they are bespoke designs, specified by Caterham USA, and they (Kent) make no representations about any performance gains or problems. How's that for a ringing endorsement? Based on my research comparing the documented performance of stock- and Kent- camshaft equipped motors, I would say the hp gain is more like 8-10, and it will be above 4000 rpm where the benefits are realized. That said, I am happy with the Kent cams, as well as the power of my car. On the stock Avons, I can break the rear tires loose at will in 1st gear, as well as in 2nd under a variety of conditions. Absent very grippy tires, I think any more power would be counterproductive. Mike, before you pursue upgrades, have you had the motor in front of a good tuner? If not, there is likely more to be had from the motor as it sits. The first 2 upgrades I would recommend on an SVT would be a 180 degree thermostat and an adjustable exhaust cam gear. Both are relatively inexpensive, and the thermostat will increase peak torque by allowing the ECU to advance timing further under load due to reduced detonation, while the +2 degree advance in exhaust cam timing will slightly increase power and torque by increasing exhaust scavenging, helping airflow. Air flow is a weakness of this engine set up, due to the pi$$ poor (for this engine) stock exhaust. These 2 items, plus a custom tune from a knowledgable tuner, likely using a Diablosport or SCT programmer, can help realize noticable gains in the performance you feel in the seat of your pants, e.g., an engine more free revving and responsive to throttle input, with torque and hp peaks at lower rpm than the stock engine.

+1

Here for the gauge and hose (US source): http://64.202.180.37/files/gauge.pdf If one wants to add a low pressure switch and a warning light, here: http://www.merlinmotorsport.co.uk/OIL-SYSTEMS-Oil-System-Spares/c162_165/index.html?osCsid=391cd622dc971c6ad72b5395cd935769 Think Auto doesn't want to ship to the US, but Merlin will, and BAT is run by a relative of the Think Auto owner.

Jim, unfortunately history has proven you right, especially in larger metro markets; however, one of the benefits of cyclical capitalism is that recessions cull ineffecient and poorly operated businesses. Bill Heard Chevrolet was the biggest Chevrolet dealer in the US, at one time responsible for 10% of Chevrolet registrations nationwide. His business practices were reprehensible, to the point that the Florida Attorney General's office had a full time staffer assigned just to his Florida stores. At the time of his group's bakruptcy, he was being sued by the Georgia Office of Consumer Affairs for $50 million in a deceptive advertising case. GM lauded this man as one of their best dealers (because he moved the metal, never mind the methods), and consumers continued to buy from him, in spite of appalling treatment, to save a few bucks or because they just had come to expect to be treated that way. When the recession hit, he couldn't manage to maintain his business model, or his lifestyle, on the smaller volumes and declared bankruptcy (I understand one could get a good deal on his $17 million lakefront home). No business that serves the public can survive if people refuse to spend their money to be treated badly/dishonestly.

Also, most anyone who has sat in a Seven will tell you that the heat from the paint pales in comparison to the heat from the driveline!

I think cones are much more harmful to my car's fiberglass than the heat is!

I like to think that my company is populated by some of the *few*, but you folks would have to be the judges of that-come visit us, or find us on the web: http://www.athenscars4less.com The average car salesperson today makes the same income they did 20 years ago. Think about how willing you would be to choose a field where the inflation adjusted wage has dropped 50% in the last 2 decades. Over-dealering by the manufacturers, the internet, and the disclosure of our cost structures unmatched in ANY other industry has driven the profit out of the new car business. The average dealership loses money on every new car, after floorplan interest, advertising, and commissions. We sell new cars to acquire trade ins and establish service relationships. The average new car dealership had a net profit of 1% of sales in 2008 (a razor thin margin). Much of the current problem in the retail industry today can be attributed to years of poor practices by both the manufacturer and the dealer body. Our cost structures would not be so readily available were there not a market for such information-nobody cares how much mark up is in their iPhone, because the price is consistant from outlet to outlet and the consumer sees fair value in the purchase price. Years of questionable practices by dealerships regarding the pricing of hard to find vehicles, coupled with shoddy products offered by many manufacturers, topped off by government regulations that increase vehicle cost while reducing reliability and limiting consumer choice (I will gladly provide specific examples if anyone is really interested) have resulted in a belief in many customers that they are being ripped off, even when they are buying a quality product at or below the dealer's cost to procure it. Not surprisingly, it can be tough to find good people to work in such an environment. I pay my people well, provide better benefits than many of my competitors, and support and pay for their continuing education. Accordingly, we have little turnover and a knowledgeable staff, and many repeat and referral customers. Consumers have much control over the future of our industry; if car buyers refuse to be jerked around by dealerships practicing dishonest sales tactics and buy from professional organizations, even if it costs $200-500 more (on a $30,000 purchase, only a 1.6% higher price), the professional stores will thrive, and the dubious ones will fail. This is particularly important in large markets, where high populations lead to a "buy, die, or get out of town" mentality on the part of some retailers. Just my $.02

I know this is kind of lazy, but here's the link to the relevant info: http://www.californiacaterhamclub.com/chat/showthread.php?p=9214#post9214 It's been a long day, but at least the car business is getting a little better this month, and with this year's budget, this qualifies as a big upgrade!

The push button would be nice vs. the magnet, but I like the lights meeting in the middle. The size seems good, but I wouldn't want it any bigger. I would rather program it remotely if it meant a more compact unit. All in all, a really neat bit of kit!

8 years of President Clinton ignoring the increasingly aggressive acts by Muslim fundamentalist terrorists; IMHO, the table was well set by the time W got there. Just the feelings of one of the conservative (on some issues) brethren.

Gert, that's pretty sharp looking. I've come to realize when I'm autocrossing, I never look at my gauges, and only tell revs by sound and exhaust smell. How is your device wired in to the car? Would you consider a production run?

Well spoken, Jerry. The torture debate aside (seeking to avoid political hot button debate threads-yes, Mazda, I read the rules:D), I believe we live in a country with a population/government (we get what we ask for) that is very reactive, combined with a short attention span. Regardless of the issue, the result is most likely poorly reasoned, short term decision making, with little or no regard for the long term consequences. Unfortunately, as my CPA is fond of saying, "It's a lot easier to get in to something than it is to get out of something", and the price we as a country will pay down the road for this type of behavior is potentially very high. I was taught when you are angry, take some time to calm down before you respond, as your response will be more rational and will be less likely to cause regret. It's funny how we as adults often forget the lessons our parents taught us as children.

Wiley-X SG-1s with polarized and clear interchangable lenses.

Uh, let's see. Including mine, 1. I sat in an S3, but lost interest in driving it after a pry bar and shoe horn were required to extricate me.

That is one beautiful plane, those guys clearly know what they are doing, and I am SO glad my car is painted!

I'm 5'9", 190 lb., 36 inch waist, size 9 shoe. I was NOT comfortable in a Caterham S3. The SV has a little room on each side for my backside, and plenty of room in the foot box. I found the S3 foot box to be very narrow, to the point my shoe hit the gas, brake, and tranny tunnel when I went for the gas. In my SV, I have the seat all the way forward. I am very happy with the visibility through the windscreen, but I would expect taller drivers would want the lowered floor option, to avoid looking over the glass. The removable Momo wheel is a mixed blessing; It makes ingress and egress easier, but it cuts off the top of the gauges. I don't know how readable the gauges would be for taller drivers.

Ok, that's a funny visual image!

Amazing! I have 244 pictures relating to my car, and not a single one includes the aero cap. I'll shoot one and post.

Cheers!

Yeah, the 1st purist edition looked good, but kind of portly, and talked too much.

Thanks for the link to the original episodes-I watched the 1st one last night. Who cares about the new ones? (of course, I may be the only 7 pilot who had no interest in The Prisoner series prior to my purchase)