sdca7

Welcome, and good luck! I also went from a C5 vette to a caterham. I do miss the power, but the overall driving experience is so much better! Take your time finding one, and ask lots of questions. As I'm sure you know with your vette, the cost of restoring/upgrading to what you're satisfied with can be more than the initial investment, so find out what you want before you buy. Justin

I take the petty strut off for street use - it is right in the passenger's face. I catch a lot of gravel to the face when racing too, but so far nothing on the road. Those darn EVO's and WRX's like to cut corners on our tracks, putting up a cloud of sand every time they do! I only drive it short distances on the street, and not too much on the highway. Justin

I replaced my windscreen with an aeroscreen. It is much quieter and smoother driving with it than with the windshield. I can even wear a baseball cap while driving! Of course, I'm sure I'll eventually catch a rock in my teeth, so I can't recommend it for highway use! Justin http://www.usa7s.com/aspnetforum/upload/2066208726_Caterham in OB.jpg

http://www.lotustalk.com/forums/f94/79-caterham-seven-sale-58770/ Saw this on LotusTalk - looks nice!

I tracked C5 Z06's for 4 years before selling my last one to get a Caterham. I still have a great love for those cars - right off the dealership floor they are very capable on the track, and with a few inexpensive upgrades are very fast and reliable track cars. I love my Caterham even more, but do miss the horsepower as well as the aerodynamics of a more modern design. It seems like I hit a wall of wind at about 80 mph in the Caterham that takes forever to accelerate in! Justin

From someone who spent time in the big sandbox, thanks for your supportive words! I am a medical provider in the Navy, and have seen up close the extent of the sacrifice that many of our good folks have made. Many have come back, also, with life changing injuries, both physical and mental, as was stated. My only thoughts are respect and admiration for those who choose to put their lives on the line. It has been rewarding to me that despite the complexities of the world, that lead to many different opinions on our involvement, there has been overwhelming support for the individuals serving in the military. It means a lot to us and our families.

My Dad said he spotted a seven in Fort Collins yesterday. Just curious, as I grew up there and am out visiting now. Anybody in Fort Collins with an aluminum seven with red fenders? Justin

Been wondering the same here! I've seen one for the original Lotus seven, but not for Caterhams.

I don't know too much about the cost of a new caterham when it's all said and done, and all that is required to put one together. But having just bought a used one I can say I must be close to the cost of a new one with the engine rebuild, replacement parts, etc. And the car still has a lot of worn out bushings, cracked body parts, pitted windshield, bent suspension parts, rust, non-functioning gauges, and who knows what else. My decision was made largely, though, on the basis of it being registered in California already, and that was nice to have. My only advice would be that if you buy a used one, make sure it has been well cared for, or it may not cost that much less by the time you get it back in shape. Justin

I just got my car back from the dyno after a new engine rebuild today. I posted the results here: http://www.californiacaterhamclub.com/chat/showthread.php?p=6699#post6699 I'm satisfied! Justin :7fume:

I just put the Freestyle Road/Track damper and springs on my seven, and it seems extremely stiff in the rear. The springs I have are labeled "Freestyle silver" in the rear, and "Freestyle green" in the front. Anyone else using these same springs? Thanks, Justin

The parts interchange list for lotus sevens on GGLC is great. Anyone know of a similar reference for caterhams? In particular, for suspension parts - hubs, uprights, bushings, bearings. Thanks, Justin

I'm going through this myself right now. I just had a ZX-1 zetec rebuilt, with jenvey intake, and had to get a new ecu to use with the jenveys. I still don't know too much, but in my case they had to build a new wiring harness. Since I had a shop rebuilding the motor, I had them install the ecu, and build the harness once they found out that the original one wouldn't work well with the new ecu and sensors. The wiring harness ended up costing a fortune in labor! At this time they still haven't figured out how to make it run! I at least know that you'll need a proper ecu (I chose the emerald), proper sensors (if you buy from emerald they can supply these), and possibly a new wiring harness (find someone who has built one for a caterham before or you'll spend a fortune). Justin

Just as an example, I bought a 98 caterham superlight this summer in the $20's. It had a lot of miles on it, but looked like a great deal, with a Zetec, and many options. I took it to the shop after buying it and found that the valves and cylinders were leaking pretty bad. So, I decided to rebuild the Zetec. $12,500 (upgraditis) and four and a half months later the engine still doesn't run. Between that and all the expensive suspension and chassis parts I've replaced and upgraded, I'm coming awfully close to the price of a new one! I am sure I'll love this car, but in hindsight I probably should have bought a new Caterham, or at least a used one in better shape. I'm setting it up for the track, and therefore am spending a lot more than I would need to drive it around town. My advice is to decide what you want, and figure the cost of making whichever car you buy into your car. It looks like there are some cars out there that have a lot fewer miles and are in much better shape than the one I bought. One factor in my decision was that I wanted a California registered car that I could take to the track this summer, so I kind of rushed into a car that wasn't the best deal for me. If you want a Caterham with the latest suspension and drivetrain, they don't come cheap! Justin

I'm interested in the wheels and tires. Sent you a pm.