Taber10

This may not work for all 7s, as I have full windscreen and wind wings, but I have found something called a "Cap-Surz" (Capsurz.com) that really works for retaining a ball cap.  Costs under $10 and secures to the hat band with metal clips, then an adjustable string goes under the chin in use.  When not in use, string goes over the bill.  Really holds the cap on, at least up to my speeds!

I'm quite a ways North and West of you, in the Panhandle near Crestview, FL.  I have a Caterham 7 SV. My wife had a fall a few years back, and one foot is now in a "boot" making it somewhat harder to enter/exit the Cat, but she still manages.  

There used to be a Caterham dealer in the Sebring area, dealing mostly with race-prepared cars, but I haven't heard anything in years and can't find any info now.

Taber

Ben Wolford of Rocky Mountain Sportscars gave me the info for this bonnet rack, and practically insisted that I get one, as he didn't want me to damage my bonnet.

Of course, I only use them for a few minutes normally as I check oil, coolant, etc.  I haven't done any prolonged maintenance in these garages.  Basically some plumbing fixtures, and a "pool noodle" for padding.

I love that article!  That guy really understands the se7en mentality, mystique, whatever, and put it on paper.  The overall article nearly brought me to tears, especially as I haven't been in my Cat for THREE WEEKS!  I take some exception to the explanation of why we don't drive our se7ens more:  I did NOT choose the wrong model/version.  But I am also not sure that it would be possible to drive a Cat often enough, and certainly not too much!  I have had mine 14 years and 4 months, and it has a short blat short of 19,000 miles on it.  My excuses--poor as they may seem--include other sports cars (I really "feel" for Croc in this regard!) including another Lotus, a series of Corvettes including the current C8, a '91 Miata in BRG, etc. Other excuses involve real world real life scenarios.  Like, weather, cargo, family members, etc. that argue against taking the Cat on some drives.  While I am fortunate that I can drive the Cat year round, it is difficult in the middle of the day in June, July and August to justify taking the Cat very far.

ANYWAY, great article, thanks for posting.

Plus one on what Jeffs said.  I know I am in Northwest Florida, warmer than Dallas all year, but I picked the Cat (with Zetec) up in Denver, and we couldn't take the heater with doors and top on/up. Usually I have the top down, and only use the doors in the worst weather, dress for the drive, and never turn on the heater.  Just my two cents.....

Taber 

Roger, this may not help you very much, but I am on the "Gulf side of Florida" but way up in the Panhandle.  I am just north of the Destin area, near Crestview.  I have a 2007 Caterham SV that I'd led you try out.  

On 5/29/2021 at 5:40 PM, JohnCh said:

.... when visiting Bruce Beachman's shop...-John

 

My own take-away from this topic is that I would LOVE to visit Bruce's shop.  He has helped me lots, and I'd love to get there, but as we are at opposite corners of the country, it isn't very likely

My Caterham with a Zetec SVT got an Odyssey PC680MJT battery in July of 2011 and it is still working fine.  My car starts very quickly, and as in Hawaii, we don't have harsh winters or real cold weather here.  I drive it all year long and don't let the car sit for over a couple of weeks.

Good luck.

I have a set from SoftBitsforSevens and we use them fairly often.  They help "warm up" the interior on cold mornings, they keep the crud out of the car when the roads are wet, and reduce the amount of rocks tossed into the passenger side.  There is a limitation, in the use of the rearmost snap if you want to also use the "Bikini" top from SoftBits at the same time.  As the boot cover will still be snapped, all three snaps won't fit at the same time.

Actually, the wife says we will be using the half doors this morning....

Congratulations on your purchase.  I can relate to your wait of 41 years--I test-drove a Caterham in 1978 but didn't get mine until 2007.

My 2007 SV came with 14 inch rims and 185/60 R14s front and rear.  The "stock" tire was Avon ZV3s, a great tire for the road.  I am not sure that "stock" ever applied to Caterham/Caterham USA, but more accurately, "original equipment" for a particular car.  For the road, tire choice should consider that the Seven can hydroplane easily in heavy rain.  I think the 15s would look better as in better filling the wheel wells, esp. in the rear, and are more widely available than 14s.  Good luck in your search.

I have seen the 7 inch buckets on eBay, both chrome and black.  Search "Caterham" in auto parts and often they turn up.

Great article.  Thanks for posting!

Croc,

Great article and really explains "Birkin" for some of us not that familiar with this outstanding car and the current status.

However, I would like to point out one thing in the article, as it states:

" Birkin kits come as plain ali finish and owners can then choose to leave in its polished shiny state or have painted to their color preference when they purchase. "

As far as I know, and as shown in the pictures accompanying the article, Birkin--or Lotus, or Caterham--did not come "in its polished shiny state."  AND, the "traditional" look for the Seven IS NOT POLISHED as the "club racers" in England in the late '50s, '60s, etc. did NOT waste time on polishing the aluminum.  It did not increase speed, it was very time-consuming, and the effort would be wasted depending on which panels were crumped during the weekend's racing.  Or at least that is what I have been told, and I have come to believe.  I understand that an ali aircraft will benefit from polishing, but as far as the Seven goes, that is something our contemporary owners have added to improve the appearance of their cars, but it is NOT the "traditional" look.

Just my thoughts--I would defer to your much greater knowledge of all things Seven, of course!

I realize my first thought isn't helpful to the OP, but here goes anyway:

To replicate that photo in my Caterham I would have to buy a lot of carpet.....

Good to know!  I have FOUR of their two-color weathertech car covers, and I have just ordered their ceramic polish for my new C8.  Of course, they told me NOT to use it until the car is 90 days old--that will be 11 April.

Thanks for arranging and thanks for posting

I addressed this in my original comments regarding the EXCELLENT "Smithology" article mentioned above.

My car was built in 2007, picked up on 30 October 2007.  It currently has 18,000 miles on the odometer.  I am very proud of each and every mile, but my excuses (included in my post earlier) are the heat of the car vs the heat in Florida's summer;  my employment, often overseas, until November 2014; my degenerated hip, surgical correction, and subsequent recovery, for approximately one whole year; the wife and I owned--until recently--SEVEN cars, including 5 convertible sportscars, one of them being the Se7en.

NO I do not think I purchased the wrong car/model.  I got EXCELLENT pre-purchase advice from Ben Wofford and Nathan Downs both formerly of Rocky Mountain Sports Cars Inc.

Thanks to the OP Vovchandr for allowing us the opportunity to capture these data.

Taber

I agree, very good--even fantastic!-article on the Seven. 

I am not a writer--never will be, so while I am not at all qualified to comment on this great article, I would still like to expand on two points:

First, the article makes it sound like the engine comes in a crate along with the crate containing the body.  I know Federal Law has changed and is changing, but in many States, esp. Florida, the engine MUST be procured entirely separately from some other major, serialized, component, usually the chassis/body.  State laws may someday update to mirror the 2013 Federal change, but until then, someone may be misled by this article to think they could buy all components in one shipment, from one source, etc.

Second, the article doesn't address the myriad of reasons for relatively low mileage on some Sevens, other than the owner bought the wrong car/wrong model of the car.  I was once asked at an event, if I ever drove my Cat7SV.  I enthusiastically replied, "Sure, all the time!"  The questioner was particularly accusatory, and pointed out that the ten year old 7 had (then) only 16,000 miles.  Well, I mentally went through the hot summer months in Florida with a heat-generating 7; the year leading up to, during and after hip replacement surgery; the fact that I was still WORKING--including months-long stints overseas then, and my (and wife's) other SIX vehicles, four of them convertible sportscars.  Sure, the Cat has LOW mileage by some measures, but I never felt that I bought the wrong car/model back in 2007 when I put it on order.

Again, GREAT article that any Se7ener would enjoy reading.

Taber

Beautiful car.  Maybe I'll wait for the convertible version.....

Wow! Very nice high mileage 145, esp. the upgrade to what looks like the 242GT or "Turbo" sedan wheels circa early '80s. I picked up a '79 245DL at the factory in Goteburg once upon a time... My daily driver for three years in the UK, including my first trip to the town of Caterham in Southern England.

Thanks for posting

Wow--opening doors and roll-up windows! Pretty impressive.

Welcome Yoram and Happy New Year.

Sorry--can't help with your problem--I'm about as computer-illiterate as anyone owning one could be....

..... situational awareness is a must......

We can't "over-emphasize" what Mark said above: You can't count on other drivers seeing the Caterham--or any LSIS--cause some of them don't pay that much attention. You MUST look out for them. While a bright paint job may help, I wouldn't count on it too much.

Or you could convert to LED bulbs which probably won't need replacement, and use something like weatherstrip sealant to glue the lens to the white base.....

Just a thought.....

Definitely a "plus 2" on what Croc and BlueBDA said: I am 6ft3in and 210 lbs, and can FIT in an S3, but my size twelve Narrow feet can't work the pedals in anything other than socks! However, my SV is perfect, even in street shoes.

I know its too far for a test fit, but you are welcome to come to the panhandle of Florida and take a ride in my SV.

You need one of these.[END QUOTE]

 

Back when the F-4 Phantom II and other aircraft had multiple panels held on with Dzus Fasteners, Airmen called this a "Snoopy Tool" and before our legendary "tool control" programs, every flightline mechanic carried one in his pocket. Later, the Composite Tool Kit (CTK) program eliminated tools in the pockets, etc.