mcneil141

Hello all, Thanks for the continued advice. Powderbrake: Thanks for the invite to drive yours! I have talked to WestTX, and his offer is very interesting... The S1 at Wirewheel is on hold, pending a visit from a buyer. The Birkin may need some TLC, and it is an early car (1984). The problem is that I don't really know what to look for. I am not scared of a project car, or even a restoration, but don't want to make a BIG mistake. Can anyone elaborate on the shortcomings of a series 1 car? TIA, Andy

Wow, Thanks for the quick responses! I fear that by responding now, it may limit the number of responses, but here goes. Al: I would love to stay under $20K. The thread you referred to is the one that prompted me to post. I'll look up the Cat now. Southwind: I will have a hard time resisting the modifications. I know where I can buy a low priced Birkin that would allow me to spend some money on upgrades. BTW, I will have a chance to drive a CSR with the 260HP engine (Cosworth?) very soon. Rdrockt: The Ultralite is an awesome choice, but one that I figured was way out of my budget. Perhaps I will look around for a used one. DB: I don't think that we have corresponded, but we are not far from each other. Less than a 2 hour drive. I don't consider the Westfield to be low end, I meant purchasing a lower-priced used car (with more miles, older, less equipped). The new cars are out of my budget. What are the opinions of the Superformance? Thanks for the advice, and keep them coming! Andy:)

Hello folks, Newbie here, so take it easy on me:) I am looking for some advice. After searching the 7 forums and driving a Caterham Fireblade, I have decided my next fun car would be a LSIS. I would use the car primarily as a street car, with a autocrossing in mind, with a few track test days sprinkled in. Comfort and amenities are secondary; the 7 needs to be a performer. At first, I considered building my own frame, but with my work schedule, it would take me several years before I could finish. My dream purchase would be a BEC that runs well, but needs some love. (rewiring, paint, finishing, setup, etc.) Maybe even a well built Locost. It would not be a larger frame, and be fairly inexpensive. Ha ha. Here are the options I am considering. 1. Purchase a running car in need of TLC. There seems to be several Birkins and even some Caterhams available. I have found a "cheap" birkin at a lower price that would allow me to spend some money updating the car. Has a solid axle, however. 2. Purchase a kit. I don't want to engineer a car from the ground up. The Deman and Stalker look great, with the Deman slightly ahead because of the Hayabusa option. How long would it take to assemble a car, at a leisurely pace? 3. Purchase a used Caterham at the lower end of the spectrum. IE, no DeDion. Westfield? 4. The Superformance S1 seems like a great car, but is slightly over my budget, and I wonder if I would be happy with it's performance. I realize this is a wide range of cars. My background is in road racing, with several years spent prepping my own car, and eventually opening my own shop (not my daily grind, though). Thanks in advance! Andy