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It is a very sad day....that I bring myself to tell you that I put a conrod through the side of my VX XE block last week 4 laps into my first trackday with slicks and my sequential box, concentrating on my lines and a pesky Elise, and relying on a 'faulty' rev limiter is not something I am proud of. I have had many thoughts about what to do now. The car is incredibly high spec (I have just fitted a 6 speed sequential box to what was already a pretty serious car), and I wondered if I should look for a buyer as-is, but I can't bring myself to lose the money, or the car. I thought about taking this opportunity to go to 2.3 duratec, or turbo hayabusa, but the most economic and "right' thing to do is to replace the block and use this as an opportunity to go to forged rods and pistons, keeping the standard crank if it's salvageable... I wonder if anyone has a VX 2.0 XE block kicking around, or any similar stories to share with happy endings to cheer me up a little... Thanks guys, James

I have one too which I replaced with a sequential jobby...It occasionally stuck in 4th gear though so may need some work - I have pics of the interior if interested and the other option doesn't work out for you.

Craig - thanks for your reply - YHM

As the trackday season comes around, I am looking to buy some second hand 13" wheels for my Caterham. Open to various widths/brands as long as I can get them to fit! Bolt pattern is standard 4 bolt Ford - 108mm iirc. If I can't find second hand, I would consider new, as they may still be cheaper than buying from the UK and including shipping to Ohio. Thanks in advance James

Point taken Ian. I am certainly not planning to use the tyres to race with, and on a second set of wheels, if they are past a usable level, I can swap back to my road wheels and 48's on the track day. Having said that, they don't appear to be hard, and there is plenty of tread left, and they are in the size of tyre I would have chosen had I bought new. The question was really based on the range of wheel rims that avon state the tyre will fit, and calling on the experience of other people who may have an opinion on which width would work best. Over on blatchat, people seem to be using anything from 6-7" on the front and 6-8.5" on the rear, using essentially the same chassis, hence my confusion!

Ok, so I was at the Vintage Racing weekend at Mid-Ohio this weekend and asked the onsite tire service what they did with their cast-offs...The basically said that they recycled them but if i wanted any, I could help myself! So long story short I got 6 on Fri (in an S2000) and another 6 yesterday. 10 are 7.0 x 20.0 x 13, two are 8.2 x 20 x 13. I plan to use the 7 inch wide ones as they are closest to my current wheels/tires - 185/60 13 on 6" front and 205/60 13 on 7" rear, but here's the question.. the 7" avon slicks will fit on 6" to 8" wide wheels, so should i stick with 6 F, 7 R (i have to buy new wheels for them anyway), or should i go 7 F and R, or maybe 7 F and 8 R? WOuld like to keep suspension etc the same. Many thanks James

Hi guys, I know it's a long shot, but I am looking for a used set of 13" rims for trackdays, so I can mount slicks. Also looking for used slicks if anyone has some left over. Preferred sizes 6" and 7". Thanks James

Sorry, was talking to you supersportsp. My car is a really high spec, so the price may be too high, but I will be preparing a new thread about it soon. Sorry to hijack the thread. James

Would you consider a QED built Vauxhall Caterham with Quaife sequential straight-cut 6 speed and full carbon pack?

Just a couple of mine taken at a DE event at Mid Ohio in 08.

Hope this hasn't already been posted - was forwarded to me by Quaife while discussing flat shift electronics and paddle shifts.. http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=NTWi1-LnANY It's quite a handful!

yeah mine too - did the carbon trumpets come from them too?

Tom, Those are lovely...where did you find them? Here are mine - pre-fitting..http://www.usa7s.net/aspnetforum/upload/240406423_ITG trumpets and filter.JPG

Hi guys, Thought I would join in as I am suffering from a very severe case of upgraditis! -Quaife 6 spd sequential straight-cut box replacing 5 spd type 9 that has been coping with my approx 240bhp. Never found out if it was a standard type 9 or perhaps semi-helical as I broke a standard one in the UK with a 1700 crossflow, and this VX has a lot more power and torque than that! -New Helix alloy flywheel, Helix 4 paddle cerametallic sprung clutch, Helix HD clutch cover -QED 90mm ali intake trumpets and single piece ITG filter (bonnet/hood will be cut to suit) -Dash2 all-in-one display (mounted in centre of dash), capable of showing all normal sensors as well as road speed sensor and gear indicator -New clutch slave cylinder for hydraulic clutch -Remove spare wheel carrier and install Caterham license plate light bracket to light plate on rear panel -Remap DTA ECU to suit new intakes -Spare set of wheels for slicks for 09 at Mid-Ohio :yesnod: Hope to have the car ready for the road during Jan.. I loved driving the car before these mods...now I am struggling to sleep with the anticipation! James

Thanks very much Tom!

Yeah, Simon has been very helpful in the past when i had to replace my cylinder head. They weren't able to find my engine build details though Do they do a catalogue? Their website doesn't have too much detail... I'd like to see what their ali flywheels are like, for example..

Thanks everyone, money got transferred today so i had to make my choice. Quaife spoke to Caterham and they said they recommend the 2.4 first gear and thats the one they use in their sequential box which is a Quaife unit. So i went for the 2.4 first in the end. Using the Quaife gear ratio program and inputting tyre circumference, final drive, etc it works out to 52mph at 7500 in 1st, 74 for 2nd, so I am happy with that compromise. Now if only i could find someone who wants to sell me a clutch and flywheel for my car, I would be happy! Tried Fidanza and can't find anyone who knows anything about my Vauxhall engine, so I have to go to the UK - seems like SBD and QED are the guys with Vauxhall experience. Any comments for US sourcing?

forgot to say, the other choice of 1st gear has a 56mph max, with 2nd gear having a 74mph max. the longer ratio drops rpm by 1324 rpm, the shorter by 1828rpm. All other changes drop rpm by between 840 rpm and 1598 rpm

I read about the Elite box and the mixed opinions, and ultimately decided on the quaife as I have used their stuff in the uk in the past and always had a good experience. Incidentally, anyone have any views on ratios? I am decided on 2nd to 6th having worked back from the overdriven 6th, and now have to choose between the 2.057 and 2.240 1st gear. I don't autocross or drag race, but i like to use the available performance of my 2.0 XE Vauxhall engine (built by QED to about 230-240bhp). Len at quaife is recommending the longest 1st (to about 62mph!) on the basis of the torque of my engine, the lightweight of the car and the fac that a shorter gear would lose much to wheelspin. My two concerns are the load i would put on a 1st gear by using full torque frequently as opposed to short shifting and loading 2nd gear, and any significant loss in acceleration. I do however like the idea of very closely spaced ratios when i'm really going for it. Any thoughts? I've wired the funds now, so i just need to finalize ratios and i am committed, or should be!

Thanks Shiva, Quaife want $210 just for the potentiometer and loom. MXL are saying I can use speed and rpm to calculate, and I will need the speed sensor anyway, so i think i am going to try that route first, and if that doesnt work, I think I agree with you on getting the Quaife pot and loom as it's cheaper than the one MXL is offering.

hi guys, I am about to order the new Quaife 6 spd sequential dog box for my Caterham to replace my 5spd type 9. I want to avoid having to get the gear indicator from quaife by getting the AIM MXL Strada Dash display but looking for some input on the potentiometer I would need to use the strada's gear indicator. Has anyone done this, or using a potentiometer and loom to get the signal into a dash system? Are potentiometers universal, and if so, where would I get one from in the US? Thanks in advance James

Yeah, I know what you mean, was well within the limits of the vehicle, road and driver though so was confident I could stop in the distance I could see to be clear...it was Ohio though so you never really know what to expect! Sorry about the quality - seemed better on the smaller screen of my blackberry. Now I need to research the more professional pencil cam/video cam/microphone set-up. There are some absolutely beautiful roads in SE Ohio - we should organize some kind of a 7-ing holiday for anyone local enough to make the trip.

Hi guys - wanted to share a short video from today in Hocking Hills - some great roads for a 7! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5-aRuo0r54 James

update..... I tried some tape from the bar above my head to the front lip of the engine as it was the highest point under the bonnet ( ) and with the aero screen in place, the tape passed about 3 inches over the top of the aero screen and my helmeted head was about an inch under the tape while sat in normal position. I removed the aero screen and installed the normal windscreen and the tape needed to be adjusted to flow from the rollbar across the top of the screen and then down to the same point on the front of the engine. With full screen in place, my helmeted head is now about 2-3 inches below the tape. I think to be safe I will go to tech like this and once passed ;0 I will then talk to them about re-fitting the aero screen. Thanks again for all the comments. James

Thanks very much everyone....I think I will put the full screen on and take my aero and talk to them... One thing I did notice is that being shorter, my seat is forward (even though its a Tillett) and my head would obstruct with the aero, so I will be putting my seat further back too Hope to have some pictures to post afterwards James