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Thanks very much Bart, good to hear from you. I remember talking to you when I was trying to find someone to help fix my engine issues last year. I have the tall FIA bar with diagonal bar (not petty strut) and my helmeted head is below that. I plan to put the full windscreen on so that I pass the broomstick rule, but my logic was more along the lines of the structural rigidty of the Caterham windscreen - ie it isnt going to do anything if the car rolls, so it would have the same effect on safety as just using the aero screen...I think i will just keep my mouth shut though and put the full screen on. I am ok with the harnesses - purchased 6 point Willans including anti-submarine strap. I have spoken to Rob and he has been very helpful, but in fairness, wasn't very familiar with the exact rules for the Caterham, so I was looking for a second opinion. Thanks again and I hope it turns out ok. James

Hi Guys, I am finally about to get my Caterham onto the track at the forthcoming Porsche Club days at Mid Ohio on July 2nd and 3rd, and can't wait. Having jumped through the various hoops which included buying a new crash helmet, and some arm restraints (2 pairs!), i am wondering about the best approach for the 'broomstick rule' they mention in the regulations. Apparently, when seated in the car with helmet on, they rest a broomstick on top of the rollbar and to the top of the screen and your helmet must not touch. The thing is, currently the car has a carbon aero screen which would obviously not support the weight of the car should it roll, but even if i put the windscreen on (which i really don't want to), that screen wouldn't support the weight of the car either, but it might then pass the tech inspection... Has anyone had any experience of these tests in a Caterham, and more specifically at Mid Ohio? Any comments welcome. By the way, the car has an LHD FIA bar from Arch motors. James

Thanks very much Al

Hi Guys, It's been a while since I posted - I have been too busy enjoying the car However, I recently discovered a chocolate mikshape type fluid/gunge in the radiator expansion tank and thought 'head-gasket'. The car has a QED built 2.0 16v Vauxhall engine from the UK, and having spoken to them, they told me that this is 99.9% likely a porous cylinder head, with the failure being in the central oil gallery. The remedy if in the UK would be to send it to them and they would fix and return for approx 170 GBP. I live in Ohio though so am trying to find any recommendations for a company/individual who would be willing and able to do the whole job - engine strip, removal of cylinder head, fix and rebuild. Any suggestions for people to contact? I am going out of my mind not being able to drive it, and also consequently missing the 7/7/07 event :banghead: :banghead: Thanks in advance for any suggestions, James

I believe a lot of the discussion around suitability as a daily-driver is to do with the relative lack of torque at less than 6000rpm and the attention-requiring nature of the sequential box - ie making sure you are in first when you come to a standstill. Having said that, I would love to put a Hayabusa turbo in my Caterham!!

Can't help thinking that the guy driving the 7 wasn't getting the most from his car....am I the only one here who thinks the Caterham should have seriously left the bike behind? My experience of riding and driving both vehicles tells me that the car will always have more grip and although the bike will be quicker in a straight line, the car should already be too far ahead, especially around a course as demanding as the Nordschleife....

Thanks very much John - did you get the standard length ones and did you need to trim them at all so you are not overwhelmed with too much fabric? also, did you go for the bolt or snap ends? Thanks James

I am looking to replace my red Luke 5-point harnesses with some similar Schroth ones and wondered if anyone else is using this type (I plan to go for the Profi III)? I know that in the UK companies offer shorter belts for the 7s and wondered if anyone had been down this road before with Schroth? I have an Email into them but not heard back yet. I would rather not have to trim the belts if possible. Many thanks James

Me too, I am 35 and have been addicted to 7's since hillclimbing in the UK in my Dad's about 15 years ago. Then bought an ex-race caterham made road leagl in the UK and now living in the US, have succumbed again - absolutely nothing like it, I love the entire ownership experience!

I run 16-18psi on 13" Hoosier R6's and they are treadware 40....

BEST CHRISTMAS PRESENT EVER.... Well it is for me anyway - I have just found the problem that has been plaguing my driving experience and causing the intermittent cut-out. Turned out to be something as simple as my battery (which is mounted on the floor below my throttle bodies) was not securely strapped down and on right hand bends was moving and the positive terminal coming into contact with a piece of metal! Now securely fixed and road-tested...oh I am SOOOOO happy! Merry Christmas everyone! James

Welcome Robert, Fellow 7 owner in Ohio here. You will enjoy your 7 every time you drive it, every time you look at it, every time you work on it, and pretty much every time you even think about it!! There are some great roads for 7-ing in SE Ohio so let me know when you fancy a spin and we can arrange something - i know there are a few other 7 owners in Ohio as well who may well want to join in. James (Powell, Ohio)

Mike, Thanks for the link, I will have a look at that. Problem still persists, and my next attempt at solving will be to remove and clean all earths....oh joy! James

I agree with John, each to their own. I have a 2.0 VX built by QED which is fun, but being an ex-sports biker, I yearn for the 10k+ rpm and the sequential shift...Mind you, a UK based friend of mine runs a 400bhp cosworth turbo caterham which is ridiculous and when I am in that i couldnt care less about the 10k+rpm... I think it is a combination of the handling and the power. If the car doesnt handle, the power is somewhat irrelevant, whereas a great deal of fun can be had in a finely balanced and appropriately powered 7, which i think was a big part of the reason for the 7 in the first place. Now, fine handling big-powered screamer with sequential box......drool!

Thanks Bob, I had the same thought, but unfortunately have already bypassed that and problem is still there...

Thanks Mike, I will look for that wire and see if that has any effect. Mine doesnt seem to kill the whole electrical system but I know it affects the tacho. James

I'm in Columbus Ohio, a fair distance from the other seveners I think...

haha, that may be easier said than done. Anyone want to volunteer to hold the multimeter in the appropriate places while we pull these multi-G inducing turns?? http://www.usa7s.com/aspnetforum/images/emoticons/lol.gif

All, I have been struggling with an issue with my 98 Caterham that has me completely baffled. I have searched through Blatchat and picked the brains of a fellow Caterham owner with much more problem solving experience than me, but to no avail. Here is the problem. When I go around a right-hand bend at speed without being 'extremely' gentle, the ignition will cut-out for a fraction of a second, the tacho will reset (go behind the Stack logo) and then come back on again almost immediately. The problem doesn't appear at any other times except on right hand bends or if I am 'tire warming' when I rapidly change direction to the right. Never in a straight line, never on left hand bends. It happens when the car is full, part full or nearly empty of fuel. I have sat in my garage with the car running and wiggled, pulled, squeezed every wire, plug lead, ecu lead I can see but I cannot reproduce the issue, but I can make it do it within 100ft of my house! I have to think it is electrical as a fuel starvation issue surely wouldnt do it so uniformly and surely would take more than a rapid weave to the right to show itself? Has anyone experienced anything similar or got any other suggestions for things to try? Thanks in advance James http://www.usa7s.com/aspnetforum/images/emoticons/confused5.gif

As the saying goes, too much power is probably about right...if you are sure the cam/heads package will really make that much extra power and the it wont cause big issues with the rest of the car, I say go for it all day long and twice on Sundays http://www.usa7s.com/aspnetforum/images/emoticons/wink5.gif I suffer from the same car disease as you though so you wouldn't really expect anything else, would you!

Kitcat, I am in Columbus, Ohio and would be happy to take you for a ride in my Caterham. It's the non-SV model with a few performance enhancing goodies, but should give you an idea. There is also a Lotus dealer literally 10 minutes from my house where you could go to test-drive an Elise too. PM me if you are interested before the weather gets too cold, or bring a crash helmet with you as I have only added my weather equipment once since I have had the car...

Pretty cool Al... My UK motorcycle helmet had a british standard on it and i have taken it to an autocross but no-one seemed to know whether to allow it or not. I suspect the only way i will find out for sure will be to take the car and the helmet to scrutineering and see what happens

No 6, congrats on the new car, just nothing like it...enjoy! Two questions - one, are those 13" wheels/tyres and if so, where do you source the yoko's from? Two, regarding helmets, i would love to swap my full screen for a composite or carbon aero item but even shatterproof sunglasses don't fill me with confidence of saving me from a large rock, so would want to use a helmet. I currently have a black Shoei motorcycle helmet with black visor, which I have had since my motorcycle days in the UK and the US and wondered if there are any laws relevant to driving a car on the road in the US (especially Ohio) while wearing a helmet? Thanks James

Thanks guys - good to see you on here Mike. Have a look at the 7/7/07 event - I hope to go and think it will be a great event. I like the 330i, but wish i had never seen the ones equipped with the performance pack....as my Dad would say "this could get expensive" - oh well, you can't take it with you!

Thought i'd start another thread that's close to my heart. What else does everyone drive on a daily basis? I have a disease known as 'cost-myself-a-fortune-by-changing-cars-way-too-frequently-itis'. I have been living in the US for less than 5 years but am on my 13th vehicle. I am also in need of choosing a new daily driver as my z4's lease (which my girlfriend normally drives) expires in Oct 06, and i am fed up of driving our Acura MDX SUV every day for my software sales job. SHMBO has kindly agreed to drive the suv daily so that we still have a big practical car, but i cant really go to see customers in a 2 seat convertible - they automatically think they are paying too much! So i am after a 4 seat car thats fun, not stupidly expensive to run, comfortable but not a 'boat'. I have my Caterham for the real fun! THoughts so far are around a BMW 3 series, a Pontiac GTO, an Audi S4 (twin turbo type)....anything i am missing?