pethier

Thanks! I guess that's what I imagined. it explains how there is the same dimeter on both ends of the Secret Tunnel. I have to admit that this is the first car I have ever had in which I could not see the ignition key from the driver seat. (It being on the left side of the wheel is no problem; it is on the left in my Cayman, but I can look around and SEE it!) My previous Caterham was from 1971, and the key was directly in the middle of the dashboard. I think I will continue on with my "negative spacer" project before traveling farther down that road. When I get this first phase done, I will post pix.

260mm is about 10-1/4 inches. My Moto-Lita is about 11-1/2 inches OD.

I have a 1700 Super Sprint now. Not sure what my other Caterham was, but I think it was a 1600 crossflow.

I guess what I don't know is what is sticking out on the shaft that is hitting the bushing? I thought the shaft was the same diameter on both ends. Is there another layer of tubing that holds the shaft together that I can't see because of the enclosed steering column?

Hmm. Maybe I can get it out. The stop seems really hard, but the movement of the bushing, and the fact that I seem to be well-past the key lock seems encouraging. I just don't want to break stuff. If I can't get this shaft out, plan B is to add my new removable-wheel kit (bolts to Moto-Lita 9-bolt Caterham boss and bolts to Moto-Lita 9-bolt wheel) so the release mechanism sits AFT of the steering wheel. I want the wheel to wind up in its original position. This is possible because the Moto-Lita central hole is big enough to clear the release mechanism. A spacer 1.5” thick gets me within a half-inch of the original position, and I think I have enough slide room on the safety clamp to do the rest. I think I have designed a method to work the release from the driver side of the wheel. When the car has to be pretty, the Caterham-Logo plastic wheel trim should cover the workings.

Victimized by your spellchecker? I think you meant "brake".

Wicked bargain for someone who wants to show an upscale old-school Seven. Any idea of the offset?

1991 Caterham 1700 Super Sprint: Same problem? I didn't forget to turn the ignition key for the steering lock. Horn and turn signals work on the dash. I do notice that the bushing at the dash level is bulging towards me as the shaft is acting like a slide-hammer. What goes on here? Can I slide-hammer the bushing out towards me, or am I going to break something? Do I have to fish the shaft out the front of the car? Do I need to remove something uder the dash?

I came in late and misread what you are trying to do. If you are trying to get the wheel closer to you, that is the opposite problem for me. The wheel does not foul my legs at all when the wheel is close to the dashboard. The answer is simple. Buy the Lifeline Moto-Lita bolt-in easy-off. Demon Tweeks stocks them. Simple bolt-in and away you go. You must have long legs and short arms. I am the opposite. I can get the seat back far enough in my 1991 1700 Super Sprint to just get by with the easy-off in, but then I can't reach the pedals properly. But I need elbow room, so I either will do the reverse-spacer or get a little lathe and welding help on the top shaft. I think the real answer for you is a smaller wheel. I'd go for Momo as was suggested by sltous. I like the wheel closer to the dash. Without the easy-off as I first drove the car, it is just about perfect. I have elbow room and the position feels right. My right pinky falls onto the horn switch very nicely without taking my hand off the wheel. Did I mention my car is RHD? It has only been in the USA about a year. Anyway, the Moto-Lita wheel does not bother me at all when driving. When I had a Caterham before, I liked to drive with the top on. I think I may have had a smaller wheel then, and I was younger. The Moto-Lita is a bit in the way when entering/exiting with the top on. The removable thing helps a lot. I tested a Caterham with the smaller, and removable, MOMO wheel, and liked that just fine. There were other reasons I passed up that car for this one.

OK, try this: Pry off the cap from the middle of the wheel. Pay attention to the alignment of the wheel. My car did not have a keyway ensuring the wheel only fits one way on the spline. Loosen the big nut. You may need an impact wrench. Mine was really tight. If the nut came all the way off, put it back on with your fingers several turns. Get a stout puller and hook it up. Tighten the puller. The wheel will likely let go with a bang. That's why you put the nut back on; to stop the wheel flying around. Take off the nut and remove the wheel along with the "hub". Take out the 9 screws and little nuts. Take the trim ring and put it on the wrong side of the hub Put the steering wheel on the wrong side of the hub. Screw it all together. Replace the hub in the car. You can make a spacer to get the wheel even closer to the dash. This also frees up the trim ring to be put back on the proper side of the hub. I am in the process of using a spacer to get back most of the space lost by putting in a MotoLita-to-MotoLita easy-off. This only works because the center hole on a Moto-Lita is so big it easily clears the trigger ring on the easy-off. If you try this, be sure you have a way to operate the trigger before test-fitting! In case I decide to do this the "right" way and weld the male end of the easy-off to the stock shaft, I will need to remove the shaft section, and I have hit an obstruction. Not your problem, so I will post a help-wanted thread of my own.

I know I am odd, too. I staggered Lucas mirrors on my Europa. Driver-side mirror on the door, passenger-side mirror way forward on the fender.

Nuts. Missed it by a couple of years. I had one of these on on my 1979 1600 Caterham. Brilliant design, low price, fabulous supplier. I'd buy one in a minute for my 1991 Supersprint 1700! URL now dead. I hope the person is OK.

Thanks for your generosity! If MV8 declines, I'd like to be next.