pethier

I have completed a conversion from Dzus to push-button-release in all four locations. Pix and text will appear in its own thread when i get caught-up around here. It took a bit of fettling, but I can now remove and refit the nose without tools.

Thanks.

This car was ordered as a Complete Kit from the Caterham factory in 1991 by a person in England. I assume that it was assembled by owner. The car was imported about a year and a half ago along with three other Caterham cars by a person in central Illinois. I got the impression that the American did not make changes to it. The car seems to have lived in Northwich (not Norwich, near where Lotus cars are still made).

ICK. Had one on my Europa. Could not wait to deep-six it.

Actually, my 1991 car seems not to have any connectors at all. I had to cut the wires to remove my fenders for painting. Well, I didn't have to cut the ground wires, as they were held to the lights with nuts.

Are the fender-mounted tail lights the factory LED lights?

I expect that in my neck of the woods that a Mercedes color for cars that were sold here would be a lot-less exotic than a Caterham color to the average body shop.

One of the Porsche guys says to use tractor paint from Fleet Farm for black. Maybe you could use John Deere Yellow and John Deere Green. It's amazing how I did NOT damage my yellow one while I had it. Especially considering some of the stuff I have done to other cars. Tonka? As in the toys originally from Minnetonka Minnesota?

Close enough for Jazz? So you mean, Caterham Yellow, now also known as Firecracker Yellow? (Not Caterpillar Yellow...) Do you think anyone would notice if one fender was factory Caterham Yellow gelcoat and the rest were painted Mercedes Sunburst Yellow 1685? Is Mercedes Sunburst Yellow 1685 a current Mercedes color?

Answer from Caterham about the current standard yellow from Caterham: ======= This is now known as firecracker yellow We have a paint mix that is designed to match the yellow gel coat which is Caterham Yellow Caterham Mix AM44=649 AM51=658 AM7=668 AM1=672.6 AK100=1180.6 =======

I just got an email from Caterham about their standard yellow color. I don't know anything about mixing paint, so I suppose I have to show this to a body shop to see if it is useful in the USA. === This is now known as firecracker yellow We have a paint mix that is designed to match the yellow gel coat which is Caterham Yellow Caterham Mix AM44=649 AM51=658 AM7=668 AM1=672.6 AK100=1180.6 ===

A modern twin cam of some sort might make more sense than a Lotus Twin Cam. I'm wondering if a ford Zetec will fit in my 1700 Super Sprint, since I already bought one out of a Birkin.

I picked up the lights from the UPS distribution center today. They are absolutely gorgeous. I can't thank you enough. They look unused and complete, including the factory electrical connectors. It is a shame to cut the wires, but my car does not seem to have connectors. Perhaps Caterham was not yet using the connectors in 1991.

I now suspect there is a 7,000 limiter. I think I hit it in 2nd gear at an autocross.

I want big blocks of bright color. This is not complicated. "Here's a big chunk of fiberglass.. Make it all yellow."

Mine makes no flappity-flap at all at freeway speed, much less below 50mph. The Velcro around the taller top bow is supposed to prevent flutter, but my top fits so tightly, I don't think it makes any difference. Bikini? I think Bimini is more-accurate. I suspect bikini was an error that took hold among non-boat people. Of course, my friend Stephen calls his a Birkini, it being on his Birkin. When we had my wife's TR4, I was annoyed that the back window did not zip open. I managed to pick up a used white top with discolored windows. I razor-bladed out all three windows. The top was so shrunken that I could not raise both ends of the bows all the way, so I left the right one loose. We enjoyed the shade and the breeze. We carried both tops in the car all the time. We drove the car with the cockeyed white top when we were in California. I even drove the VTR autocross that way. I was quite chuffed to discover after I bought my present Caterham that the backlight does zip open. Very pleasant on a sunny day, no doors, no windwings. Whether you call it a half-hood or a Bimini, I don't think I will get one. I'm not razor-blading my quarter-lights, either...

LOL. I do tell my students, "Don't fear the cones; the cones should fear you." I can't tell you how many cones I hit with my yellow Caterham. Never a bit of damage. I was totally stunned by the destruction last Sunday. Well, this one was a kit. I don't know if the Yellow one was factory-built, but I do know this FMB one was assembled by the owner.

Thanks! PM sent.

My car is painted Ford Moonstone Blue, and a guy at an autocross at first thought part of the car was aluminum. FMB is a nice color, but too-easily-confused with asphalt when seen (or not seen) by other drivers on the street. I'm thinking of leaving all the metal FMB and doing all the fiberglass in Caterham Yellow.

I hear you.

Thanks!

Still have these wings? I will take them.

> Our region gives a trophy each year for the autocrosser that hits the most cones. You might be in contention for a prize if your club does similar. I am not in contention for hitting the most cones. I may have hit four at this event. None are recorded on the preliminary results. 1 or 2 would have been on the run that earned me a rerun (only a DNF will show if there is a timing error, cones hit on a rerun-earner are not carried over). For reasons that elude me, the two cones I hit that ruined my fender are not recorded. Perhaps they were not were not reported. The finish marshal showed me a raised fist (the sign in our club for a clean run), and I yelled to her that I was certain I hit two. The station captain may have been too busy radioing "hold the cars" to remember to report the cones. There were a lot of people who hit a lot of cones at this event. The highest total I noticed for any driver was 13 cones.

I have been noodling on that concept, My first thought was to put a fake exhaust pipe on the right side. Did you cut yours out of aluminum plate? How is it fastened to the car? One idea I had was a similar item held on by the bolts that hold the seat tracks.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/pethier/albums/72177720317138580/ Advice: If you autocross a Caterham you might just want to inspect the fastenings at the front of the rear fenders. From 2008 until 2010, I autocrossed a 1979 Caterham 1600. Had a lot of fun. Must have hit dozens of cones in those seasons. Never sustained any appreciable damage to the car. I had then, and have now, absolutely no idea how the rear fenders were attached to the car. A week ago, I took my 1991 1700 SuperSprint to its first autocross. Made 8 runs and hit several cones in the process. No big deal. Sunday, I took the 1991 Caterham 1700 SuperSprint out for its second autocross. First run clean. Smacked a couple my second attempt, but got a rerun for timing failure. Second run faster, third run just a tic slower than the second. Turned the wick up for the fourth run and ran just a bit too wide in the exit of a left-hander. There were two cones in succession, and I hit them with the back fender. Time was no improvement. The Mustang driverwho had followed me came up to the car to thank me for getting him a rerun. I asked if there was any damage to my fender. "I could probably answer that if the fender was here." I pulled my mirror down and was staring at a Yokohama tread pattern. I got out of the car. They entire fender was AWOL. The Mustang pilot started taping up the wires. "Be careful to keep your arm in the car your next run." I decided the only run this car was making was to my trailer. After I got the car strapped down, I went out on the course and retrieved my fender. The worker told me the fender had flown high in the air. SEE PIX Upon examination, I believe several things had to align to come to this result. The cones needed to be on the right side of the car. The exhaust pipe is substantial, and its angle probably would have sliced the cones to the side, or at least absorbed the bulk of the impact energy. The fastening of the front of the fender had to be pretty-lightweight. There had to be two cones. How I think it happened: The first cone struck the fender and cracked it across the top. This allowed the fender to pull out the forward fasteners, which were simple threaded pop rivets with no backing washers. They left small round holes The second cone struck the front of the flopping front half of the fender and pushed it into the spinning tire, which pulled the fender down. Unfortunately, the crack at the top of the fender did not go all the way across, so the tire was able to rip the rear fasteners (nut-and-bolt combos with washers) out of the aluminum body. I suspect the rear fenders on my 1979 car were anchored at the front better than on this 1991 car. No idea if that is true or why they were different. Damage at the rear is much worse than it probably would have been if the rear was secured with the same undersized fasteners used in the front. Although the holes are very large, the rips in the aluminum do not appear to extend beyond the area which will be covered with the new fender. Ruined pieces: The fiberglass fender itself. Could be reconstructed by a competent fiberglass worker. That's not me. The taillight assembly did not survive being driven over by car. The rubber base may still be workable, but that might be moot as it may not be a separate part. The backup light was completely squashed. I don't think I really NEED two backup lights, but we will see. Parts that appear still usable: The chromed metal stoneguard looks just fine. Drill out the pop-rivets and put it on the new fender. The piping/gasket looks like it can be cleaned up and installed again.