Taber10

Gert, As Croc said, good to hear from you, and hope you are doing well also. Joan and I can't forget the plexiglass "wind wings" you had at the Grizzly Bear Blat.

Bought my Caterham at 56 years old, having first test driven one at the age of 27, in 1978 in the town of Caterham. Took many years to put together garage, financing, time, etc. Now I am 72, and I don't drive it as often as I would like. I trailered to the British Car Festival in Covington, Louisiana recently and drove around on both Friday and Saturday. I find that if I have lots of stops, i.e. getting in and out, I tend to choose another vehicle, although I don't have any problems getting in and out--Weather equipment hasn't been installed in about five years! I intend to keep driving it as long as I remain able. I know older drivers who have limited mobility and slow reaction times and I WON'T be one of those. But when I have to stop driving, I will probably be in such a depressed state of mind that it will greatly hamper my quality of life!

Plus one on what Vovchandr said: Wonderful garage! Too bad you are so far away or I could house the Evora for you to give you room for the build! Good luck. Taber

I strongly recommend NOT using the Caterham supplied gasket on the side of the tank. The "square" holes apparently allow the gasket to be used in a wider variety of tanks, but the larger than necessary bolt holes lead to failure and leaks! Find some fuel resistant gasket material--I found it at a local hardware store--and cut out a gasket then punch holes for the bolt that CLOSELY match the size of the bolts. I'm thinking 1/4 inch but that was years ago. I used THREE of the "mini" gaskets and they didn't last long. The gasket I made and sealed with marine grade sealant, has lasted for over ten years with no leakage.

Billy, First, CONGRATULATIONS on your purchase of a new Caterham! Second, be advised that my advice and/or experience may have NOTHING to do with your registration process, due to the years (16) that have transpired since my registration in 2007 and due to the "idiosyncrasies" of different DMV offices within Florida, and I only have experience in TWO counties in the Panhandle! But the process--at least prior to the changes for "limited" vehicle manufacturers which occurred years ago but was not implemented by either the DOT or the state of Florida, you must show to the inspector at the DMV the source (e.g. Bill of Sale) for at least two parts from separate providers. In my case, the chassis (in the Caterham kit) and the motor were separately procured. The inspector--a uniformed, armed State Trooper assigned to the DMV for this purpose--was very impressed with the pictures of my Caterham as it arrived in various crates and boxes, definitely proving that it was imported as a "kit." Every DMV office does not have an inspector assigned; in my case I had to travel to Pensacola after being turned down in Crestview. In my case, the fact that I had previously registered the car in Colorado, where I assembled it (wink, wink) was a big help, although it was only a temporary registration. I was informed that "previously registered" meant "PREVIOUSLY REGISTERED" and I should not argue with the inspector's interpretation. In Florida, you must certify that YOU assembled your "specially constructed vehicle", and you did NOT hire someone to do that for you, although you are allowed to hire as much "assistance" as your abilities may require. I found that the "Cobra" clubs and web sites can offer assistance, as apparently in Florida many more Cobras fall under the "specially constructed vehicles" than do Caterhams or other LSISs. Good luck. Taber

I was really surprised--and greatly DISAPPOINTED--to realize that I only drove the Cat7SV for 626 miles in 2023! NO EXCUSE, but this was the hottest summer since we moved to Florida 18 years ago! I computed my annual average mileage since I bought the Caterham in 2007--average 1308 miles per year.

Croc, Yes, I left out the K--my reading/typing are POOR but otherwise doing well! Thanks for asking! Taber

Croc, CharlesG, Thanks for the information!

Wow, great information here. Thanks. I guess I had never thought about decoding my VIN--which is SDKLDK5NS7xxxxxxx The 5th digit "D" would indicate? The seventh digit "5" would indicate the chassis type? It is an SV chassis. The ninth digit "7" might indicate 2007 when the kit was assembled. Thanks for the information. Taber

Wow, 8 inch wide wheels seems impressive! I just replaced my original wheels (14 X 6) with VTO wheels (15 X 6) because I thought I'd have better tire choices at 15 inches. I was told by VTO that the 2007 Caterham 7 SV uses a 4 1/2 inch backspace. I had been told that "offset" was +15mm. I couldn't find either marked on the wheels. As you found, online you may read lots of numbers. Of course my car could be ordered with a choice of three wheel diameters, three different sets of front wing stays and at least two sizes of front wings, so that can lead to a variety of choices. My new tires are 195/50 R15 and JUST BARELY--less than 1/4 inch--clear the inboard wing stay. Good luck!

OK, I should have replied because I enjoyed the pictures and thought that the prep work was very thoughtful and innovative. But I try to AVOID the whole Halloween thing--you know, tempting children to misbehave with candy and treats.....

Does that mean I should get my 2007 Caterham with its Zetec SVT upgraded to the "standard" Duratec and NOT burn my leg on the Driver's side exhaust ever again?

My Seven is an SV, but I am 71 years old, seriously overweight, 6 ft 3 in, one hip replaced, second hip is a candidate, and I can get in with the top up. MV8 "Nailed It" with the procedure posted. I try not to get my 7 wet, but some car shows, long-scheduled club events, Florida's unpredictable weather, etc. and it just happens. I don't carry the doors very often, but I always have one of the two tops with me when I go out.

I have to agree with JohnCh--I have now 20477 miles on my 2007 and I kick myself every time I look at it because I have SO FEW miles on it! But each of those miles have been with a smile on my face!

Wow, the idea of being able to operate all four Dzus fasteners without getting underneath the nose is really appealing. Thanks for posting.

CarlB, Interesting. I had not heard that before. Thanks for posting. From a contemporary (I think 2004) Ford document: John Coletti's [chief engineer at Ford SVT Engineering] team for the 2002 SVT Focus powertrain included his SVT engineers and Cosworth Technology. Document goes on to say: "The SVT Focus powertrain starts with a 2.0-liter Zetec Ford engine." In many places the document refers to the 'SVT Focus" engine, but it never says "SVT Zetec" throughout nor does it mention "duratec" anywhere. My "spare" engine was purchased in 2015 from Steeda who mostly prepped and raced the eight cylinder SVT in the Ford Cobra. The Steeda invoice lists "SVT Ford zetec motor 2.0" but of course Steeda could call it anything they wanted to.

"...direct fit for early duratecs." MV8, I appreciate your knowledge and input on so many topics here, but I have a question: Is "unmodded duratec" and "early duratec" some sort of alternate name for our Zetec SVTs? Actually, a very knowledgable member here once told me that the SVT was so different from the "regular" Zetec that we shouldn't even use the Zetec name. Thanks, Taber

There is a member here, I think "Turbofocus" that offers a Variable Valve Timing "delete" option. That solenoid is very expensive to replace, and they do eventually "go bad." On my car, I cut out the top of the cover, and did not add the duct tape mod. It sometimes rubs the bonnet, but just barely, and I can live with that. I think there was one member here who shaved down the motor mounts or motor mount brackets by 1/4 inch to accommodate the solenoid's height.

I had all four wings coated with LineX by the local dealer. Had to "de-mount" the wings but not really a big problem. I was told by the LineX dealer that all of the "Big Rigs" that run fiberglass fenders have them coated. It has served me well ever since it was done in 2009. Didn't help with the fender the bear hit in 2013, but the others have held up well. Of course, some of the racers asked if I knew how much weight that added to the Seven!

Yes, street shoes, although I have a pair of driving shoes, I rarely use them.

IF you decide to take a trip to Florida to escape the weather, I'm in the panhandle with my SV and you would be welcome to try it out. Other than that, I am 218 lbs, 6ft 3in with Size 12 shoes. The SV has plenty of room. I don't worry about headroom because here in Florida, we don't have to put the top up that often! But I would recommend that you try entering/exiting the car with full weather equipment. That may influence you purchase decision.

We had a little trouble with mine a few months back. We used the "two men and a boy" method with three of us struggling. We used a dilute soapy water as lubricant and kept at it.

I strongly recommend cutting your own gasket out of the best "fuel-proof" material you can get. The original fuel pump gasket on my 2007 SV with the Ford SVT motor developed a leak and I got two replacements from Rocky Mountain Sportscars. The "factory" gasket had rectangular holes for the six bolts, which were MUCH larger than necessary, and the material was some type of plastic. The large holes resulted in a very small area of gasket at the edge of the plate that bolts into the tank, and did not seal well at all. I made a gasket from a thicker, rubbery gasket material, and punched holes the exact size of the bolts. So far, it has held up for about ten years. The "factory" gasket, as with many Caterham parts, was from some other manufacturer, and back then was over $30 each, and then shipping from Colorado. Or maybe that was with shipping. Good luck, great looking car! OBTW, my local paint guy easily matched the green color. Taber

Thanks to the guys who provided useful information, which I took to my British car club, and the "resident experts" installed the can. Pictures attached.

On my 2007 Caterham 7 SV with Ford Zetec SVT motor, I have never-since 30 Oct 2007-noticed any oil leaking from the hose connected to the rear of the valve (rocker) cover. After two recent drives--182 and 195 miles--I found a small amount of oil on the garage floor under the hose. After much ridicule from my British car club associates--apparently a "leak" the size of a quarter is not considered significant to the MG/Triumph/Mini crowd! --I have purchased a really neat Oil Catch Can with input, output, mesh vapor collector, breathing filter and dip stick. NOW I need some advice on where to mount it: Does it need to be lower than the outlet from the valve cover? Is there any particular place that other Zetec owners have used? I have searched the forums, and read everything that came up, but mostly applies to "dry sump" systems, States with emissions requirements and CSRs with nothing specific to my car. Any input would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Taber