rider

Thanks, Mike. Appreciate the details. Build time is definitely longer than traditional manufacturing. But, this form of building is a huge asset when dealing with very low volume. I'm working on an idea; will contact you later to bounce it off for your thoughts.

Thanks. What's the build/print time, from simple part to complex? Do you scan a part to generate a CAD file and print from it? Looks super cool. Is this fully developed using 3D printing? Appears so, reading between the lines and scant details. Thanks; this is useful info. So, these Caterham-specific parts can be custom-built (3D-printed)? And others can be sourced from a variety of vendors?

Thanks, Graham. Mike, are you able to make "any" metal part? For example, how about an internal part of the engine or fuel pump, etc.? How are the quality and durability of the parts made? Would you be able to print by scanning a broken/failed part or need schematics? And, I'm guessing you can only print straight metal parts? Thanks. I was the Software Architect of a project for a major German company building an application in Additive Manufacturing (3D Printing). The process is very complicated. Our application layer focused on error detection and classifications at each layer on the Powder Bed. The expensive hardware and software get updated periodically, undermining investments. The parts need to be tested thoroughly. Automotive parts are very critical in their mission objectives. We don't want the clutch cable snapping or brake pedal giving out at a wrong time! Of course, 3D Printing/Additive Manufacturing is the savior in not only automotive space, but in scores of other industries as well. 3D Printing a human organ? Already happening. Will only get better.

Sure, you'll have specialists rebuilding for well-heeled clientele. We have all kinds of restomods. Mainstream companies themselves offer such services; Porsche Classic, for example. For regular, almost-daily-driven (or, very frequently) cars such as Seven, I still maintain that steady supply of parts would be needed. Of course, competent techs/shops are mandatory as well. Such skill set would be sustained albeit in a smaller scale.

Yes, contemporary cars have so much electronics which would become obsolete sooner and unsupported. All the sensors, displays and such will evolve and older versions could become difficult to get. There might be few safer bets though. Porsche Classic is gaining traction in supporting older models. Or, Honda potentially making parts for NSX and S2000. Lotus may not be a good candidate for reliability though. Think Porsche. Leaving aside few well-documented issues in many models and generations, Porsches are generally reliable (its non-sports cars have a different track record though). At least, I don't carry a spare clutch cable as one or two Seven drivers suggest I do.....! I see your logic. However, that volume is highly fragmented in terms of models and generations. Parts overlap might be very little. So, for an individual supplier, the volume could still be really small. Now add the need to be making parts for contemporary models, that small supplier will be too stretched enough to give up on older models. Yes, I can see the scenario of ICE-aware technicians becoming too few, as others above have pointed out as well. Such skill set could become highly specialized and get pretty expensive. But, cars like Seven are pretty simple and not requiring special electronic tools. In other words, simpler the cars, better would be the chances of finding someone to work on. Thanks everyone for the feedback. However, I'm still not seeing a good pathway for the availability of parts given the need for a steady supply.

What do you guys think about very long term scenario on parts availability, long after ICE Seven's production ended? Based on my very extensive observation, except for the powertrain, Seven's parts have short lifespan. Reading from a ton of posts, over the years, it appears, every part is essentially a consumable, except the engine and transmission. They need to be closely monitored, inspected and replaced; ideally, before they fail! Parts are made for low cost and less weight. So, the specs are much lower than typical production sports cars which weigh much more. This results in parts wearing out sooner. So, we'll need steady supply of these parts. UK has set '30 as sunset for ICE. Seven will switch to electric; they already have a prototype, as you know. So, when the ICE ends, Caterham's suppliers will simply stop making/sourcing parts soon after. The volume of the series production is low to begin with, which means, its suppliers already have a very small market to serve. Some parts can be fabricated; but, most can't be. So, what's your prognosis on how will this play out? How do you plan to keep your Seven still humming for a very long time? If I decide to go ahead with my plan of getting one, I plan to keep it for good! If my body gives out, will simply find a way to park it in my Home Office (I'll be working/coding till I kick the bucket....!) or Home Gym (and, lifting....)!! Thanks.

Is the wind buffeting from the back? Guessing you have windshield and side curtains? If you wear a full-brim hat, would help. S3 is narrow. You think you would be comfortable in SV?

That's pretty awesome, @Stevensonjr! Pretty hardcore mix of rides. Totally agree, those vehicles are definitely keeping you sharp! Yes, it's all about ageing well. Fitness and a diverse life style, among other things, are critical. Thanks for sharing.

Fair point! If you don't get out, you can stay in and keep driving.....! I really hope insulation exists and works! Hot foot-well, especially for the passenger, will be a big problem! I drove a 420R for about 10 mins in cooler ambient and higher elevation. So, have no idea how it is in more representative driving conditions and situations. The reason I wanna avoid removable steering wheel is to eliminate yet another point of failure. Over time, it'll develop a play, simply from usage. I'll be spec'in Trackday Rollcage. I read it helps a lot with ingress/egress. Thanks CBuff. Glad to hear insulation exists. Do your pedal box and passenger foot-well get warm or hot? And, is there space to add additional layer of insulation? Also, do you feel heat from the Transmission Tunnel? If you do, is there space to add insulation in there?

28k with assist? Very impressive! I'm guessing you're able to get in/out of Miata. At least you still have open-top driving. Keep it going as long as you can safely.

Thanks, theDreamer. Your experience is inspiring. When we're young, we all do some stuff that come back and bite us in later years of our lives. But, you're able to make it work. If you had Trackday Rollcage would have helped with ingress/egress. I'll be spec'in it. Driving the Seven could actually be helping you to keep your spirits high. This forum is great. Have had a ton of great feedback from members. I've decided to go all-in! This is one of the reasons I'm bit torn on classic cars per se. Aside from the "feel", the handling, etc. have moved on to a different planet! Another score for Seven: classic car looks and feel with modern handling! Wow, despite these challenges, you're still rolling in the Seven. Impressive indeed! I've no excuse! Thanks again for sharing.

Yes, having a kit onboard for a long travel will make a big difference. Will add to the list. Thanks. Agree on the LED lights; will spec them. Will check on the sailing jacket though have many jackets (and related gear) for different use cases and temps. Besides living in Frozen Tundra aka MN makes you prep for a wide temp variation...! I actually understand that sentiment and can relate....! It's all about diversified experiences! That's one of the reasons Seven is still thriving. Only the mandated sunset of ICE will make it go away.....! (An EV Seven isn't a Seven....!) Guessing you have a Countach? Super cool car!

Sorry gentlemen, for the delayed response. I was traveling for business; had no time at all to do personal messaging. Your statement reaffirms what I've learned spending enormous amount of time on various forums, reading through tons of posts, over the years: Seven's reliability is extremely sensitive to who and how it was built and maintained! 'evo' magazine picked up their new. long-term 420R from the factory. On their way home, the fuel gauge failed! Brand freakin' new car, built by the factory!! So, no, I wouldn't touch someone else's Seven with a ten-foot pole, as a buyer! Thanks for the tip on A-Frame. Added to my list. Will post up a separate thread on this topic (Common Failures and Remediation). As a long-time rider of Gen 1 MV Agusta F4 (Gen 2 is a softie, relatively!), and a few other bikes, I can relate to your comments with respect to bikes. Constant exposure to wind noise is really bad for the ears. We'll pay a price beyond certain age. Ear plugs could cut down 20-30 db. But, if you're starting with a high #, due to Aero Screens, no door/Side Curtains, even with Ear Plugs, the noise level will remain higher than safe limit. Your seat makes a big difference too. Heated leather seats will work in your favor over fiberglass....! Sounds like your Seven is setup for an "extreme" experience! If it hinders enjoying in more scenarios without stressing mentally, you could consider toning it down. In my observation, out of the box, for the street, near-stock specs seem just right. It is easy to get lost in mods and setup tweaks. Yes, being visible is a start. But, many drivers are so zoned out, they look at you but don't "see" you! Their minds are elsewhere. Lack of focus is the real problem. Seven is so low to the ground, it needs even more careful placement/positioning than a motorcycle, which is much taller. I'll be spec'ing Track Day Cage. So, I expect ingress/egress to be lot easier. Cabin, particularly foot well, heat is my biggest concern. During about 10 minutes of driving I had, I don't remember feeling any heat. But, I would need more than 10 minutes and in traffic conditions. It was a cool morning at a high elevation. So, not true representation. Would carbon fiber side panels, on the inside, help? Stock 420 is well insulated, I was told. I won't enjoy hot foot well or cabin, especially for my passenger. This is a real concern for me. So, you don't have doors and side curtains. Combined, will make a huge difference. But, I hear you about having to keep your arm tucked in. Since yours is S3 (I think), makes it bit uncomfortable. My spec is SV with arm support on the doors. So, I'm hoping I should be fine. All good points, John; thanks. If Seven were a normal sports car, I probably wouldn't be so obsessed about it! For a regular sports car, I really don't think there is anything better out there than a Porsche! I'm a Porschephile! As a package, there is no substitute! However, thankfully, a Seven is not a Porsche! Yes, let's celebrate it!

Agree; there are number of things we can (and should) do to keep active as late into our life as possible. yes, keep enjoying and never to stop! Good to hear Carl. Isn't having Rollcage helping to get in/out? I do plan to spec Trackday Roll Cage. Thanks for sharing. I'm in MN. Few questions: - Heat: I see you've '21 Birkin. I was told current Caterhams have heat insulation. So, your Birkin is different? - Wind Pressure: Have you tried ear plugs? With Windscreen and door, Seven is no different from any other Roadster, right? Only wind buffeting is from the back. All my cars but one have been Roadsters. I wear ear plugs to minimize wind noise/pressure. - I'm guessing you meant, "things 'don't' fit". Could you elaborate on this? Thanks Vovchandr. Could your challenges be due to the following? - Aero Screen instead of Windscreen - Do you have doors? - Are you running harder suspension setting? I'm trying to stack up your experience against others who do road trips in their Sevens. In fact, right below, jbcollier has different experience in his '69. Love it! I'm a big road trip guy. Taking the Seven over long distance trips sound super cool. How is the reliability?

Thanks everyone; appreciate your sharing, experiences and views. Seven-driving seems to peak between mid-60s to low-mid 70s. Few hardened diehards still dancing into 80s. Given my obsession with fitness and driving/riding, I can see myself driving a Seven into my 80s. It's all about diversified experiences. Seven is like no other. By choosing cars and motorcycles with different experience, I can maintain a fun, visceral and exciting driving/riding life. So, Seven is "GO". No more validations needed. It's gonna be a fun journey spec'ing then waiting.....!

Wow, impressive John. I bet you stay fit. Key is never to stop doing whatever it is you're into. You could slow down a bit; but, never stop. Thanks for sharing. Your experience and others' would be part of the model I would follow in years ahead.

Thanks Kitcat. If only the noise, wind, vibration and cabin heat did you in, I should be fine! I was told current models have good heat insulation. Except for the first car (which I promptly dumped after just one year for a NA gen Miata), all my cars have been roadsters; and, combined with riding motorcycles from my early 20s, I'm thoroughly conditioned. Track-prepped Miata sounds fun! Miata in stock form is pretty average or less; has potential to be great with right kinds of mods. Thanks CBuff. I did read that thread. Just re-read again. From the responses, it is clear majority fall into 60s to early to mid 70s age group. With my fitness and obsessiveness, my life with Seven should stretch into 80s, at least. Funny! :-) Think of it as preparing for the old age! I'm doing everything I can to age well and prep for the life in ripe old age. Most of it comes down to preparation and taking care of the body, in my view. You're right; everyone ages differently. That actually makes my points! Wow, that's a long time from a test drive (in the town of Caterham! great story!) to pulling the trigger! I can totally relate to your sentiments regarding driving: driving and riding (motorcycles) are huge parts of my life style. That's exactly why I started this thread! I need to make sure I'll have 4 cars and 2 motorcycles, providing different driving/riding experiences well into my ripe old age! Since ICE-only vehicles will be gone soon, preparation is rather urgent. However, we also need to mentally prep ourselves for the fact, at some point, we'll have to give up the keys.....! That's the responsible thing to do for our own safety and others'! Nice! Your cut-off is whether it still makes you smile not any of the physical challenges. A Seven never fails to make one smile while driving (not broken down and stranded in middle of nowhere). So, you're in for a long haul....! Wow, your wait is probably the longest. But, you did it! I can relate to, waiting to realize the dreams, riding, dread the idea of giving all up at some point, etc. Life happens! Riding a Vespa from AZ to San Francisco is another level of madness....! Of fun variety...! Sounds like you'll see through your family tradition of functional longevity; the Seven will see you through....! Thanks Steve. Absolutely correct: the Seven (and, a few other things) are definitely motivational factors to make sure we stay fit and take care of our body! I'll continue to work for it.

Hello gentlemen. I just got the deposit in for a 420R Kit. The build slot is in 12/24. But, I'll try to push for 6/25 if no price increase for MY25. It'll be built by Rich at Kampena. He is the best sales person/dealer I've ever worked with. Super knowledgeable and great to work with. I'm one step closer to realizing my Seven-Dream. This has been many years in the making, even to the point of dropping the deposit. I had a short, about 10 minutes of drive in a forum member's 420R. Absolutely loved it. Would have loved longer drive before making my decision. But, couldn't find a drive. There is one question (actually, a few related questions) I'm struggling to answer: How will I be able to handle the very physical nature of Seven in my old driving age? Particularly, will the unassisted clutch hinder the pleasures of driving, especially in city traffic? I can handle the unassisted brake and steering fine. The very nature and attraction of Seven are it's very physical driving characteristics, among other things. But, those virtues make older drivers to drop out? So, here are the questions for Senior Drivers of Seven, present and past: - What age group you're in? I'm in mid-50s. (I'm fit and slim, by the way) - How late into your driving life you plan to be driving the Seven? - If you stopped driving Seven, what made you to stop? Would highly appreciate your honest and candid responses. If you don't want to share in public, you could send me a message. Here are the reasons for me to be absolutely certain: ICE-only models are being sunset. In fact, certain once-desirable sports cars stopped being so due to stringent regulations on sound, emissions, etc. Some of them are already phased out. In a few years, remaining desirable cars that meet my criteria will be gone. So, I'm scrambling to consolidate/collect 3-4 cars of different use cases to last rest of my life, within next few years! So, I can't buy something like a Seven if I can't use it for rest of driving life; that money can rather be used on something old-age friendly! On that note, I need to get an ICE-only SUV/Crossover as well for the old ages when my body becomes unsuitable for low-slung sports cars!! Thanks.

Good idea. Will think this through. Next spring, as I solidify the plans, will send you a message for a consult. Thanks again, Mike.

This is awesome, Mike! Thanks a lot for the details; appreciate it. You're super resourceful! Yeah, visiting Britain and making a vacation out of these would be cool. Let me plan for the next summer. I can have the deposit in soon after the exploratory trip. I'm already excited about this prospect! In the meantime, I can flush out the details on dealer, reg, specs, etc. One challenge would be, RHD. I've driven a car with RHD just a few times for short distances many decades ago! Shifting with left hand is gonna be interesting. I suppose I can adjust pretty quick. And, yeah, KEEP LEFT! Touring the country in a Seven would be super cool. Need to plan about logistics such as where to stash the luggage that won't fit in the Seven, etc. I bet Caterham would have Factory Tour by next summer. My "Forever Everyday Tiny Collection" would include 420R and Atom 4R. So, would you mind sharing your Ariel contact, please? You can PM if you prefer. Thanks again, Mike.

Thanks Mike. Your explanations make perfect sense. I also got the impression, for dealers here, Seven business is just a side-kick. Caterham doesn't make it easy either! To be fair, most of the non-traditional, smaller entities seem to be whimsical, unstructured and unreliable! Ariel is no different; at least, it's US partner TMI. Italian motorcycles brands take it to next level.....! Yes, I'm glad USA7s exists! You guys are awesome. Without these forums and helpful owners, it gets a lot harder. Just this morning, I was thinking about taking a vacation to Britain. When I'm there, visit the factories of Caterham and Ariel. Take a tour if they offer and request for a test drive; check out specs, etc. I've some ideas. Will make a thread and solicit ideas and opinions. By the way, I wasn't comparing the Seven to a Porsche. Closest to Seven would be Atom, though I haven't driven one, yet. I was just comparing the purchase experience. Agree, CBuff. I'm enjoying the process! To buy a backpack (or, anything!), I spend weeks, researching options. Cars and Motorcycles are huge part of my life; so, you can imagine the amount of time and effort I would put in. I just don't buy anything random either. Yes, the journey is a huge part of the experience. And, to me, so is the destination! Well, I'm greedy; I want them all....! By the way, as for more power, well, going forward, an electric sedan from a marque name plate could have a 1000 hp! But, it'll never be able to replicate the driving experience of, say, a Seven. For that matter, a Seven has no parallel for that visceral, purist, mechanical and physical experience. To me, the 420 is the perfect balance.

Hey Mike, thanks; really appreciate your gesture and follow up. I kinda figured I wasn't gonna find a ride even close to my target specs. I actually should know since Sevens are highly customized; and, SV isn't too popular with Track Rats! So, I sort of given up on NJ trip. And, yes, I need to be able to plan ahead. It'll a vacation and road trip; and, I absolutely need to plan ahead for time off from work. Also, I can't just show up, hoping to get lucky! So, I need to recalibrate my expectations and plans. I don't need to be able to touch and feel the specs close to my target. If I can get a full weather spec in an SV should be adequate. Or, not even that; just another short, 30-min drive in an SV with standard floor! Ok, I know I'm getting bit desperate! Yes, next step is to get in touch with a dealer. I actually planned to stop by in Denver at Josh's shop, on the way to meet up with Jim. But, Josh didn't respond to my mail asking about his availability during the planned timeline. A few days before the departure he responded stating he wasn't gonna be available! Such uncertainty doesn't help with planning a vacation and PTO! He has a pattern of poor or non-response besides. Speaking of Caterham dealers, my experience, thus far, has not been positive! I had talked to and exchanged emails with Rick at Time Machine last year. He was responsive in the beginning. He even sent me the price list. I was prepared to put down a deposit. Then he just went AWOL! Did not respond to messages! I called him again. He said he would get back; didn't. Same thing happened with the dealer in FL. Then, left voice messages with the dealers in SoCal and WA last year; no one called me back! I'm shocked! If anything, dealers working with boutique marques like Caterham should be better than, say, likes of Porsche. Not even in the same Continent! Shockingly frustrating given this is pre-sales when a sales person is at his/her best. If this is the experience during pre-sales, I dread the thought of what happens post-sales! Wish we had laws and regulations that allowed a controlled process of importing vehicles directly from foreign marques through their limited-footprint local subsidiaries! So, my options are too limited! Thanks, CBuff. And, congratulations on your 420R! I'm jealous! You would have read my comments above regarding Time Machine, though I haven't worked with Greg.

Ok, thanks. Will take note of this. As for the registration, will start a thread and tag you for ideas. Let me dig into it in the meantime.

Thanks a lot for great details, @ralph and @MV8; appreciate it. I've documented these details. My plan is to register the car in CA first then transfer to MN; I'll have a separate thread on the reg topic. This PCV thingy sounds tricky; will need to make sure it gets done right during the build. I'm guessing if it's a Factory Build, Caterham wouldn't have this in, and the powertrain installer will need to add this as part of finishing up the build? Thanks again.

@MV8, @ralph: Sorry, I'm not technical, at all! Is PCV, Positive Crankcase Ventilation? (Had to look up) Is this something I need to mess with on a regular basis? I'll have my car (420R) maintained by a local shop. Thanks.