slowdude

Hey All, Took the radius arms off the cat with the expectation they were bad. I'm trying to find projects while I wait for my engine work to be done, so I dug into the old radius arms. I ground off the majority of the grungy stuff with a wire wheel and then hit with some rust barrier paint. Free to good home, welds looked good, will need bushings. Idk if I'd throw them on track, but should be fine for road use. Will have them at the event in October.

Hoping for you too!

Awesome, I'm still at the shop and need the time to do some more suspension work and verify the head is OK. Looking forward to this!

Did you book on sight? Just coming back to this now. I may bring a tent and earplugs and sleep in the tow rig. I'll probably bring a stove and some food in a cooler and do a small breakfast for myself. NJMP is a great track and very curious to see how a 7 handles it. I just have to replace my A arm once I pick the car up from having the head work done, so should be on track.

You had good comments, curious to see what they come back with. Seller also mentioned corrosion but no pictures. I would have expected pictures of the a frame mounts (was a surprise for me there too).

https://www.softbitsshop.co.uk/the-half-hood-classic---includes-storage-bag-820-p.asp The easy in zips are what you want. Here's a screnshot of it.

Marine vinyl would make sense due to weather concerns no? Certainly ok getting occasionally wet. Nice job!

Softbits has a half top with a zip cutout, it looks like it has solved the solution to what MV8 has indicated. Last winter I had it out (before salt), and the roof up and doors on with a heater and it was quite toasty.

@rider. Glad there is another biker on here. The checks you do before each ride (chain, tires, charging etc), will still have to be done on the caterham. Regarding the work and simplicity- I'm an excel nerd and I've been able to do a lot of work with with a $100 craftsman tool set and some NAPA jack stands. You'd be surprised how easy it is. As many have said, you'll have to learn quickly how to adjust things. I keep a spare tool kit and fluids in my car just in case. I figure each winter, something will come up which needs addressing, so plan to do certain items as they come up. These are very similar to an older motorcycle in that they need constant loving, otherwise they become a bit petulant. Thankfully, parts and consumables are cheap. Full brakes (calipers pads rotors) ran me $700 or so and a few weekends of slow going. It's certainly doable.

If you get the chance, try and watch a California Superbike school video on YouTube. While the vehicles are different, the logic is the same. Target fixation on a motorcycle typically means hitting something, so setting your angle / trajectory through the corner before the corner, keeping your eyes up will help keep the car in the lane. Staring at the center line means you'll run it over. Another item I like to carry over is throttle-> smooth throttle through the corner to avoid upsetting suspension (and grip). I'm a bit wierd so take from this what you want. It's like riding a motorcycle. No one sees you, defensive driving is a requisite: lane positioning as many have mentioned to optimize what little visibility we have. I've found with the 600 or so miles I've put on the car, the RHD gets a bit easier. I stay close to the shoulder of the lane, by default the car is a lot smaller than the lane, so I know I have minimum 3 feet from my front left wheel and the center stripes. The toughest part I am having are left hand turns, not because the steering is on the right, but due to how low and long the car is. Need to nose out. Again, very similar to a motorcycle where you need to be very cautious with all intersections. Another youtuber to check out is Dan the Fireman. He does a lot of analysis of poor motorcycle riding, but his threat evaluation of dangerous situations can really help -> I always am cautious in intersections etc.

Update, replaced plugs, ran liquimoly engine flush+ new filter. Put new oil in +marvel and the engine is a bit quieter. Quieter to notice the the rear a arm bushings need to be replaced. On a side note, I'm burning oil a little bit under heavy acceleration (4k and above). Cheap $20 amazon boroscope is showing some gnarly carbon build up. Send photos to engine builder, he said pistons look good, so reccomended valve stem seals. He's sending me an emerald K6 with some tunes as well, as I am stumbling at idle with the rover MEMS, then I can run diagnostics. This weekends plan is a leak down test to confirm suspicions. Then it's just new tappets, head gasket, valve stems and getting the car to the mechanic. I'm hoping I can get the car buttoned up while I am overseas, so it's ready when I am back in August.

Piloti and other race shops sometimes have smoking deals on wierd color / design shoes they're looking to clear out. I picked up a pair of black hi top pilot's for $49 from piloti.

This is the backup plan if the Cortina is too far gone rust wise, why I haven't gotten rid of it yet. I'm not sure if the harness would need to be replaced etc. I know caterham sells some rover k series to duratec conversions. I will say the brief moment I had the car out a few days ago and got the right exhaust note at 4k rpm, it sounded Fantastic. Will dig in and see what needs to be done and decide there. Spoke to Dave Andrew's and he's getting together a list of what he could get put together. Engines are still fairly affordable. @MV8, 77, so the last few years of the SOHC 750. I got the bike in pieces for free and did brakes / suspension / valves / basic electronics. Im colorblind so the wiring is taking a lot longer when they all look the same shade of grey/brown. I hope to get it done this month, and then I will at least have 2 completed motorcycles.

This is the plan. The only "rover k series" guy I could find is booked until August. I'm out of country from june/July, so I'll throw it on a tender and slowly accumulate parts. Time to focus on the CB750. Thanks all for your guidance / assistance! @JohnCh apologies for derailing the other thread.

Pressure is thankfully good, but it definitely sounds like one cylinder isn't firing. I'll get it home today and change the oil + filter again. Worst case I put new lifters in for peace of mind. I have to keep reminding myself that this car was significantly cheap for a reason.

Update, just started and lifter is definitely gone. Time for hagerty roadside!

Well, lifter went on the way to work. I'm grounded until August when it can get looked at. Cheapest import caterham strikes again!

Further update after 35 min on the highway at 70. One thing I haven't checked are plugs / leads? Plugs are on their way.

Hey All, I need an excuse to put some miles on. Going up to Hayfields this weekend, and will come back via Bear Mountain. Anyone in the area and want to hit 7 lakes drive / know some roads out near hayfields? -Charlie

@MV8 you were absolutely right. I just took it for a 30 minute drive, the valve tappets have quieted down substantially (to where I hear other rattles/noises), but they don't sound worrisome. Thank you so much- I owe you a beer in September if you're going to be at the 7's trackday!

We will definitely need your feedback on your first Track day, and with such a machine as the Caterham, nothing will quite feel the same afterwards...

PTS is the way to go, if going a 911. Otherwise the normal colors get lost at a cars and coffee. I also like that your color isn't a typical green/orange/blue that everyone else has as PTS. It's refreshing. What color is the interior? The only 911 that I have seen / actually wanted was a PTS stone grey turbo S (2013) with a dark midnight purple leather interior. I like that your 911 isn't like the rest of them. 🙏

My understanding is a lot of vendors in the UK won't ship due to paperwork and cost of it going to the US. The past few years it was certainly the same logic. I see a lot of places that will only ship within the UK or continental Europe. If it's the only way to get a part that's slowing down a build, it makes sense. Otherwise you are right.

Hm not sure why the first one isn't working. I'm not great with this stuff. That's reassuring the other video sounds healthy. I'll run it for a bit and then change oil and filter again.

It sounds slightly better as it warmed up. Oil pump? Is quieter too. I find the fact I took half out as much as I put in interesting as the dipstick had been showing it was sufficient. Either way, I'll run it for a bit and do another flush and new filter.