JimmyG

This question is resolved Guys, Thanks! Empti, I mounted my seats to the floor without the heavy steel sliders, to get them lower down and to save weight. Plus I'm safer in lightening storms. ;)

Just posted in Hemmings today - https://www.hemmings.com/classifieds/listing/caterham-portland-or-2709638?utm_medium=email&utm_source=saved_search

Just talked to John - All his wheels have been sold. 4/2023

Hi Phil, The regular production Caterham 7s up to and including the 420 only offer suspension adjustment for ride height by turning the spring preload collars on the shock bodies. But even with the base Bilstein spring/shock setup they are dialed-in up really well for spring rate and damping, so you won't need to change anything between street and occasional track days and autocross. You do want to keep the ride height as low as possible for a lower center of gravity and better handing, but in my case I have a lot of speed bumps and rough canyon roads where I live, so I have to keep the ride hight set fair high to not hit and bottom my engine sump. Unless you are tracking and autocrossing your car full time, you won't need or want to make any other suspension changes to stiffen up your car. Better tires like Toyo Proxies R888R will give you a big handing advantage.

I stand corrected, it is cm - not mm.

I'm running wider Toyo Proxies R888R tires on my 360R's standard 15 x 7.0" Orcus wheels, 195/50s Front and 205/50s Rear. Incredibe tires and better traction than the stock Avons. But the rear wheel rims feel a little too narrow with less sidewall support for the wider tires. So I like to get two (2) wider (2) 15 x 7.5" ORCUS Anthrite Dark Silver Wheels if anyone has a set in new or nice used condition. posted 1/12/2022 Thanks, Jim Gianatsis ph 818 223 8550 Los Angeles / JGDesign@FastDates.com

The Catterham Tillets Carbon Fibre Seats I ordered and installed are wider than the Composite Seats by about 1-in overall. Makes the car more usable and comfortable for us big guys. Suprising the Carbon seats are about 2 pounds each heavier than the Composites, in part because of the additional padding. But I got the weight saving back by not using the heavy steel adjustable seat sliders, but just bolting the seats solidly to the floor with the stock aluminum seat mounts.

I have ordered the Caterham exclusive Carbon Fibre Race Seats with padding and less inside contour which my Caterham dealer assures me have about 1in / 2.5mm more inside room than then R model Composite Race Seats. Just what I wanted. Expensive $3500 for the pair with mounts and runners. Here is their photo:

Thanks DS. I did find here and buy a nice 2013 300R a couple of weeks ago. I like your Elan as well! But I now have a buddy who saw mine, and is interest in getting one too, and I will forward him this link. Cheers, Jim ")

My stock seats are 42 cm External at the shoulders.My floor is 37cm wide. 36cm internal /38cm external at the waist w/rolled edge. There is room on the car to go to 37 internal / 38 cut external at the waist. I can't find anything in the Tillott Catalog that offers a slightly larger 37cm waist internal, but keeps the external at 42 with a cut edge, except maybe the B7XL w/43cm cut edge is close. But the XL base is too wide at 38mm. My floor is 37mm. So nothing is resolved without talking to Tillett. Thanks.

Thank Croc, The Tillotts catalog link you gave me shows different available widths and options, which the seat page on their website did not show. So I probably can go up from my current 37cm wide seat to a 40cm, seat with the rolled edge removed to still fit the fit the cockpit. If only we were all size XSmall and weighed 120lbs My S3? cockpit measures 37-38cm on the floor and 41cm at the side rail. I'll wait a few days for Tillot to reply to my inquiry for their suggestion. Like most British companies, they are really backed up right now because of the pandemic and Brexit. Their seat deliveries are 3+ months. I hear Caterham is a year behind in car deliveries.

Thanks Vovchander.A pad liner may be the easier solution. I've written to Tillett Seats to see what they have to offer. All the seat on their website are 40-44mm wide, and my Caterham seats are 37mm wide at the waist to the outside of the rolled edge. There is no room in my Cat to go with these wider seats at the rolled edge. The shoulder belt cut outs on my drivers seat have the plastic edge trim missing, that's why it looks different.

2022 Update - I ordere and installed the newer eider Carbon Fiber Tilots (shown right) seats from Caterham ordered through by Caterham dealer, and they are the way to go. About 1/2-inch wider across and an easier fit for my 230 lb 40-inch wait. Snug, but comfortable and perfect for hard cornering. Hi Guys, Just got my new used Caterham with the Caterham Plastic Race Seats and the fit is really tight with pinching on my ribs and butt. It is obvious the seats are molded plastic and were formed with a plastic sheet, heated on a mold. In looking at the clearance between the seat sides and the car interior there is almost 1-in of clearance on each side. So I'm looking to buy a heat gun and open up the sides of the seat back and botton around 0.5in. on each side which should be perferct for me. I'm asking if anyone has tried or heard of doing this? Thank you! Jim Gianatsis

SOLD! I am in the processing of buying Marks Beautiful Caterham. :) Jim G

Looking for a nice later model Caterham 7 R Duratech powered with Limited Slip and Race bucket seats, full windshield. Preferably already California registered, or with vintage pre-smog registration out of state. Price range $30-$40K. Thank You! Jim G. 8/2021 - Purchased a '13 Caterham 360R from a form USA7s member - I love it!