MoPho

I met one of the owners of this car recently, her husband had it built and used it a few times before he sadly passed away. It's now owned by his good friend who is trying to sell it. Sounds like it is hardly used and well taken care of. Certainly has all the boxes ticked .

Too soon....

Completely lame putting a Lotus badge on any of these cars IMO .

For sure, let me know when you are there. Hopefully I will get the car fixed in the next few days I know what you mean, I got together with some friends recently whom I thought I hadn't seen in 10 years, turned out it was almost 20 :rofl: There is a hose in the fuel cell for the pick up that keeps breaking, thought I had it fixed, but apparently not. Basically the car "ran out of gas" prematurely. Fortunately I was close to home and was able to get our nanny to bring a gas can over. .

So went and checked out the Morga/Canyon rd area around the redwoods with the 7 today. I had taken it on my bicycle a while back but ruled it out because it was short, but it's easier to explore in a car and found a fork that lead to a great road that was a lot of fun. Thanks! Of course any great drive in the 7 isn't complete without a breakdown on the way home :banghead:

I believe I rode my bike on those roads, will have to try it with the car. Part of the problem is we were spoiled in LA, there were tons of amazing technical roads just north of the city. One time we had a product planner from Lotus come out driving with us and he claimed that the canyons were better than the Nurburgring Yeah, both the north and south gate roads are fabulous, and the closest thing I found to being like the LA canyons, but it is a toll road now and heavily patrolled, which is bad for driving but great for cycling, been riding my bike up regularly. Funny, I've been telling people this area is somewhat like living in Orange County (albeit a bit more organic). After 20 years of living in cities, it's too damn quiet here, I am bored out of my skull. Plus most of my work is still in LA, so I have to drive down there every time I get an assignment which is a bit of a drag. On the other hand it is really nice to have a house with a real garage instead of a condo apartment. Will figure it out, will just take time. Still lots of exploring to do Thanks!

We are in Lafayette (Walnut Creek) for now. Got the car up here about two weeks ago. Randomly I took the car into town, and while stopped at a crosswalk, the guy crossing it announced that he has a 7 too. So I turned around to meet up with him, he has an SV that was undergoing an engine rebuild. So hopefully will meet up with him soon. Also took the 7 to the Danville Cars and Coffee where the car was a hit and I met someone with a 62 Lotus 7 race car and also the previous owner of the R500 that centerfireman posted up today. Her husband had it built but passed away and it got sold to the current owner who is now also selling it. Other than that I want to move back to LA. :banghead: LOL Well so far I've had little luck finding them. People are telling me about all these great roads that seem to be like 60+ miles away and the roads I get pointed towards around here have been disappointing. Any suggestions? .

Aaahhh, so done with the enema and ready for the colonoscopy I see. Would you prefer this: http://img.medicalexpo.com/images_me/photo-g/video-endoscopes-video-colonoscopes-69587-3588543.jpg or this: http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--Q-oirLty5w/Tnvfs0xi4aI/AAAAAAAAAUI/XxxJD653pgE/s1600/Dslr-Camera-4.jpg :rofl: .

Actually the CEO of Hyundai (who just recently left the company) has a Caterham and we joked about putting that motor in it. I did a photoshoot with that car, it's pretty crazy but the transmission wasn't going to last very long .

Would you prefer this http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41cXb%2Bd49yL._SY300_.jpg or this http://www.hosecouplingsuk.com/images/products/fire-hose-assembly_l.jpg :jester: .

One doesn't use a machete to be precise either .

This! .

Nope! A 7 is supposed to be a scalpel not a hammer. That's a con to me :seeya: .

We moved to NorCal (fortunately/unfortunately), so shipping it up there in a few weeks .

Well my car will only be in LA for a few more weeks if that, but here is where you want to be asking http://californiacaterhamclub.com/chat/index.php And yes, there are quite a few .

Maybe if they sell them now as rollers, all the necessary parts will actually be mounted on the car instead of missing from the box :hurray: While the cost savings of buying used was a major factor, after having already done a 3 year ground up restoration of a Lotus Elan in my life, I had little to no interesest in building a 7. I was not looking for kit cars, I wanted a Caterham since High School in the 80's. As a matter of fact I've always disliked the "stigma" of it being a kit car, and when people ask I tell them it was bought as a complete car (which it was- original owner had it built by the dealer). Caterham (and Lotus) has always had the option of buying the cars complete in other countries. I believe the US is the only place they sold them in Kit only form. So the complete build is in the roots too. My only regret in not building it is that I would know the car inside and out for when something broke, but living in a city, I didn't have the garage space to build one even if I wanted to. And I wrench because I have to, I don't find it fun. Driving is fun! I bought my 7 in hopes that it would break less than my Elan did so I could drive more, I was wrong, but at least it is much cheaper and easier to fix. That said, I read elsewhere that they will still offer the car in kit form here at a savings of a few grand. .

I don't want more people to buy Caterhams......:banghead: .

Actually that is what I took away from the original press release too, the writer just rewrote it into his own words and jumped to the conclusions insinuated by Caterham: How many people besides us existing 7 owners actually even knew Simon Cowell got a Caterham? With news hitting the internet so fast these days, most of the lackeys who work on updating the magazines websites really have no time to do any research and end up just rewriting press releases all day. I've even heard that a few of the mags have asked potential job candidates for web journos if they can write a review on a car without having even driven it. I know one journalist who writes for one of the big car blogs who just scans the internet and forums for "stories" I know two journos at AW and both have seen my car and one of them I helped test drive an R500 .

http://atheismandme.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/perspective.jpg

When I did mine, the Thousand Oaks DMV was on the highly recommended list. There was a female manager there that was known as the "SB100 lady" and she took care of everyone. But on the other hand this is internet advice so can't be trusted .

Well when I did it I was told specifically not to do anything before I paid my fees and received an sb100 sequence number or it could screw up the whole process. There was a guy who did it out of order and then had to wait a another year to try again because it got entered into the system wrong. I also had to present my sequence number to the CHP when I went in for inspection. As a matter of fact, my sequence number is stamped on the VIN plate the CHP put in the car. There is a lot of misinformation and a lot of it comes from the DMV, most DMV's have never even had to deal with this kind of thing. I went to a highly recommended DMV and the first person I dealt with did it wrong and I had to go back and straighten it out. .

This is a post that someone sent me when I did my car 5 years ago: The paperwork needed for california sb100 that dmv requires are: 1. Statement of construction 2. application for title or registration 3. application for assigned vehicle identification number plate 4. statement of facts (write- year when vehicle was purchased. write- vehicle has not beeen on any public roads. write- vehicle is still under construction) AGAIN- You will need to provide: 1. Original invoice for purchase. 2. MSO 3. Original invoice for transmission. 4. Original invoice for engine. 5. Original invoice for installation. That's it and don't provide them any more invoices or you will have less money.... It's OK that the vehicle is NOT RUNNING, they don't need it, they just want you to pay your registration and applicable taxes. California owners with "new" chassis- The DMV will require 5 "original" documents for SB100 before you go to the DMV on Jan. 2. Take care of all this prior to that date. 1. Certificate of Origin (supplied by 1G/Rossion at the time of purchase) 2. Receipt for transmission 3. Receipt for engine 4. Receipt for chassis 5. Receipt for labor Tell the rep. that you would like to pay registration and set up for SB100 and even ask if they are familiar with the process. They do have a standard SB100 procedure form that they follow. One answer that they don't have is what to use for a VIN number, since you haven't finished the VIN verification process with the CHP, tell them that the CHP uses the original chassis number (NUSXXXX) and they are good with that. You will then pay taxes for the sum of the receipts and they will have you fill out a few simple forms (I'll let you folks know exact the documents on Monday and you can probably download them from the dmv website). You are now prepared for Jan. 2. FYI: If at all possible, try to keep your "original" Certificate of Origin and have them make a copy. It's a pain to get another one. California buyers purchasing vehicles that are already registered from out of state- Forget that it has been already registered and provide the same information as above. Treat it exactly like a new build. You can get a temporary for a few months and drive until it expires at which point you will need to wait till Jan. 2. Most of us already know that there are 500 allocated SB100 numbers per year, so be at the DMV way before they open on Jan. 2. Once the doors open and you make your way to the DMV rep. they/you will literally be on the phone to Sacramento until someone answers and authorize a number to you. I've heard lucky people in 10 minutes and also 2 hours, so be patient, go to the bathroom first and most of all Good Luck!!!! Next: CHP VIN verification (you need vehicle there), BAR for a smog sample (we're lucky here in N. Cali., I've been there so many times that they can have everything done in a few minutes and last Brake and Lamp inspection (again, they ask me if it stops and if the lights work and were done) It's a quick $1XX.XX for 2 minutes of work. Back to the DMV for plates and you are done!!! Make sure that you make it clear that you want to POST FEES. Also, mention that it is a SPECIAL CONSTRUCTION VEHICLE, and that you intend to license it under SB 100 RULES, or the applicable section that applies to out of state registered special construction vehicles. (SB1578 I think). If the DMV wants a smog test, DON'T GO AND GET ONE. You will have to wait for your sequence number. It is likely that after you get your sequence number, that the BAR wont bother to test the car. Go back to the DMV a couple of times before January 2 to make sure that you have all of your paperwork, and that somebody there KNOWS that you are to receive a sequence number. Remember, there is no guarantee that you will get one. YOU HAVE TO BE AT THE DMV FIRST THING IN THE MORNING to get that number. That said, no one that has made it a point to be at the DMV has not been issued a sequence number. YOU DON'T NEED TO HAVE YOUR CAR FINISHED TO GET A SEQUENCE NUMBER. You just need the paperwork. Once you have your sequence number, there is no time limit to complete your car. The procedure for a used, out of state Seven (one that has been previously registered), is different. Different SB number. The procedure is changed a little, as there may be no MSO with the car once it has been registered in another state. I will get the SB number so that you can get the requirements and print it out. Though this all sounds complex, It really isn't. You just have to know the rules, and not listen to the DMV when they tell you to do something out of sequence. Not doing the BAR or smog test is most important, as the car CANNOT PASS. There is no testing procedure for a Noble, so it fails automatically, regardless of its actual tail pipe emissions. DONT DO ANY SMOG TESTING UNTIL YOU HAVE YOUR SEQUENCE NUMBER. Once you have the sequence number. You can go to the CHP and get your VIN issued, then to the BAR. If the DMV issues you a sequence number, but doesn't send you the paperwork ("we can't give you a sequence number until you get a smog test" was one excuse), you will have to give your sequence number to the BAR referee and hope that the technician will call Sacramento, and have them fax over your paperwork. If you know that they local DMV is holding your paperwork, waiting for your smog test results, TELL THEM THAT YOU CAN'T GET A BAR TO LOOK AT THE CAR UNTIL YOU HAVE YOUR SEQUENCE NUMBER PAPERWORK. Otherwise, a cool BAR ref will have the DMV fax over the information, and put your exempt sticker on the door post. Then, you can go get your light/brake inspection If you have a car coming, or are waiting for January 2, DON't. Start NOW.

If you don't have an SB100 sequence number, then you shouldn't be going to the CHP for inspection, you do that AFTER you have your SB100 .

The point is to drive views ones website "dpcars" :spam: .

Caterham didn't start the team, the team bought Caterham..... .