scannon

From the FM website: "The heart of the kit is a custom casting that incorporates an intake manifold, an air/water intercooler and the reliable and popular MP62 supercharger. " I believe the intercooler is a laminova type.

Gert, You may remember from the Yellowstone trip that I have to have the truck along to carry my LOx tank. We will trailer the Se7en to Custer then take turns driving it and the truck. Tom's Seven is in Alaska and Jeff doesn't have one at this time so we share. If this trip turns out as well as the last time it will be a great time.

Cosworth makes a supercharger for the Duratec engine. It won't increase the height by much but I can't say if the extra width would fit in a Se7en frame. http://www.flyinmiata.com/Store/images/03-90010a.jpg Flyin Miata sells this one for the 2.0 Duratec in the 2006 and up Miatas. http://www.flyinmiata.com/Store/images/03-90010.jpg

Hopefully there will be a Se7en version coming soon. http://sites.google.com/site/cruisincaskets/home

I emailed Ben at Caterham USA asking when he would have a demostrator ready for me to test drive. Also asked what they would cost. Here's his answer: Sorry but the SP300.R will not be coming to the USA. I am waiting for clarification, but apparently there are some contractual obligations on Lola’s side of things. I have not seen pricing, but I’ve heard it will be in the range of £70K + options. -Ben Caterham USA

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/05/automobiles/collectibles/05EGO.html?ex=1308632400&en=83e4f38940e6d608&ei=5087&WT.mc_id=AU-D-I-NYT-MOD-MOD-M183-ROS-0111-HDR&WT.mc_ev=click

This might explain some of my passion for Miatas: http://www.miata.net/motm/2011/cannon2.html It tells what I went through to find the perfect yellow Miata, one I have owned for about 14 years, far longer than any other of the 341 cars I've owned. At 4 years and 4 months the Caterham holds second place in longevity of ownership. The only Miata I have owned that I did not particularly like was a 2004 Mazdaspeed Miata with the factory turbo. I bought it new and sold it with 3,400 miles on it. I didn't like the six speed transmission and the lower rev limit. It needed way too much shifting and I was always running into the rev limiter, especially on the track. It was rather gutless with only 153 RWHP compared to my turbo'd '92 which has 270 RWHP. I also prefer the NA Miatas to the NBs and I don't like the current NCs at all.

The first three years of Miatas had optional viscous LSDs which are basically useless after about 20k miles. The rest of the NAs (1st generation) had an optional Torsen LSD which is great on the track but also almost useless in the snow as unless both wheels have a minimum of grip, they act as open diffs. A gentle application of the handbrake will sometimes get you going. Most of the NBs (2nd gen) also had optional Torsens with the later ones having the Toguchi (sp?) type LSD. I don't know if they work well in the snow or not. With or without the LSD, if you have real snow tires, the Miatas do very well in the snow unless it gets deep enough to high center the car.

Having owned 24 Miatas over the last 19 years I feel like I should respond to this thread. First, read this http://www.miata.net/faq/usedmx5.html on how to check out a used Miata. Note that 1990 and early 1991 Miatas have a tendency to eat their crankshaft keyways resulting in an overhaul or replacement of the engine. More than you ever wanted to know about that problem is here http://www.miata.net/garage/crankshaft.html along with the VIN cutoff where they changed to a different crankshaft. Many of these cars have had a new engine with the better crankshaft compliments of Mazda even though they were way past the warranty. Others have been upgraded to the later '94+ 1.8 engines. The link will show you how to identify whether the car has the bad crankshaft. $3k should buy you a decent car with around 100k miles, just barely broken in. Some of these cars have gone over 300k miles without an overhaul. If you are willing to pay a few thou more, very low mileage early Miatas for sale pop up frequently all over the country. The classified ads on Miata.net is a good place to watch for these. If you are planning on driving it in the snow, put four dedicated snow tires on it, studded if you have a lot of ice. Do not put extra weight in the trunk, it makes them tail happy on slick surfaces. Do not attempt to lower the top or scrape frost or snow off the rear window, they get brittle at about 40F and will crack or just get one of the factory removable hardtops. There is a world of info on Miatas at http://www.miata.net. Of course, if you buy one and admit you did on this forum Hank is going to infer your masculinity is suspect.

Tom/Gert, I've also invited Jeff Ball to come along on this adventure. Its a big truck so plenty of room for all of us. He hasn't committed yet but I hope he can make it. For those who don't know Jeff, he is a long time Se7en builder/owner and it was in his garage here in Colorado that Alaskossie's Caterham ESL was built. He also built bsimon's and 75twincam's Caterhams. He has owned several other Sevens as well.

Welcome aboard Angus, I hope you can bring your Se7en with you, I look forward to drifting up Pikes Peak along with you. I live a couple of hours from Pikes Peak and if you get to Colorado you and Tessa have a place to stay at my home.

Another reason for low Caterham sales here is an almost complete lack of advertising. People I talk to who know of Caterhams and Se7ens in general are unaware that there is a dealer and importer here in Denver. Caterham USA doesn't even have a sign on their business, no show room and nothing to indicate something special resides inside.

Turns out this is a hoax, at least the bit about selling the truck to Ford for $800,000. http://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/showpost.php?p=9689783&postcount=10

http://www.thetruckersreport.com/truckingindustryforum/car-and-truck-talk/130489-1947-ford-truck-sells-800-000-a.html

He grasped me firmly but gently just above my elbow and guided me into a room, his room. Then he quietly shut the door and we were alone. He approached me soundlessly, from behind, and spoke in a low, reassuring voice close to my ear. "Just relax." Without warning, he reached down and I felt his strong, calloused hands start at my ankles, gently probing, and moving upward along my calves slowly but steadily. My breath caught in my throat. I knew I should be afraid, but somehow I didn't care. His touch was so experienced, so sure. When his hands moved up onto my thighs, I gave a slight shudder, and partly closed my eyes. My pulse was pounding. I felt his knowing fingers caress my abdomen, my ribcage. And then, as he cupped my firm, full breasts in his hands, I inhaled sharply. Probing, searching, knowing what he wanted, he brought his hands to my shoulders, slid them down my tingling spine and into my panties. Although I knew nothing about this man, I felt oddly trusting and expectant. This is a man, I thought. A man used to taking charge. A man not used to taking `no' for an answer. A man who would tell me what he wanted. A man who would look into my soul and say ... "Okay, ma'am, all done." My eyes snapped open and he was standing in front of me, smiling, holding out my purse. "You can board your flight now."

Brandon Fitch at Flyin Miata has a flat black BEC powered Locost. I couldn't find any pictures of the car but if you call him at 800-359-6957 I think he would send you a few.

Yeah, Al was a couple of millennia late to claim that one.

Glad I could help you out with that decision.

Any idea who in Colorado bought it?

In ancient Israel, it came to pass that a trader by the name of Abraham Com did take unto himself a young wife by the name of Dot. And Dot Com was a comely woman, broad of shoulder and long of leg. Indeed, she had been called 'Amazon Dot Com.' And she said unto Abraham, her husband, "Why doth thou travel far from town to town with thy goods when thou can trade without ever leaving thy tent?" And Abraham did look at her as though she were several saddle bags short of a camel load, but simply said, "How, dear?"And Dot replied, "I will place drums in all the towns and drums in between to send messages saying what you have for sale and they will reply telling you which hath the best price. And the sale can be made on the drums and delivery made by Uriah's Pony Stable (UPS)." Abraham thought long and decided he would let Dot have her way with the drums. And the drums rang out and were an immediate success. Abraham sold all the goods he had at the top price, without ever moving from his tent. But this success did arouse envy. A man named Maccabia did secrete himself inside Abraham's drum and was accused of insider trading. And the young man did take to Dot Com's trading as doth the greedy horsefly take to camel dung. They were called Nomadic Ecclesiastical Rich Dominican Siderites, or NERDS for short. And lo, the land was so feverish with joy at the new riches and the deafening sound of drums that no one noticed that the real riches were going to the drum maker, one Brother William of Gates, who bought up every drum company in the land. And indeed did insist on making drums that would work only with Brother Gates' drumheads and drumsticks. And Dot did say, "Oh, Abraham, what we have started is being taken over by others." And as Abraham looked out over the Bay of Ezekiel, or as it came to be known "eBay" he said, "We need a name that reflects what we are." And Dot replied, "Young Ambitious Hebrew Owner Operators." "YAHOO," said Abraham. And that is how it all began. It wasn't Al Gore after all.

This one qualifies as just about right. 700+ WHP per liter X 2 liters. Check out the titanium billet crankshaft and aluminum billet block. http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1575817

Too much horsepower is just about right.

Had my last blat of the year on Wednesday. Temps were high 50s. Winter finally arrived on Thursday with 6" of snow and temps in the single digits. More of the same today but the forecast is for mid 40s and sunny skies starting in a couple of days. More blatting ahead for the new year. Yea!

YouTube - FIA Gala 2010 - F1 Season Highlights! Rumor has it that it is about to be taken down by FOM (Formula One Management) and everyone concerned with putting it together will be shot at dawn...

http://www.michaelprophet.com/News_articles/Skytrucks.html