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I was running the PCV system like stock. The crankcase pressure would tee into the intake and the valve cover emissions went into a catch can. This worked for a number of years on clockwise tracks without incident. Then this problem surfaced. A new pcv valve did nothing. The catch can was filling with oil. The oil was not overfilled, it just has excessive crankcase pressure. Things came to a head (literally) as the oil was accumulating in the cam valleys and drowning the cams. You could feel the engine laboring worse each successive lap. :sadangel: I'm going to rebuild the bottom end as I think it is a ring sealing/flutter issue. Some have suggested a post rebuild sealing the bottom pcv port, but I'm concerned that the oil would not be able to return to the sump. m

Lol. Reminds me of this. m

Late 70's Bruford. King Crimson. Allan Holdsworth. Porcupine Tree. Ozric Tentacles. Genesis up to Wind & Wuthering. Brand X. Steve Hackett. Anthony Phillips. m

The perfection of nature. Incredible. m

I don't carry a spare on the Birkin except on long distance trips to the track. The carrier bolts on, but I have only had one non deflating puncture in 28k miles. I like the 10 foot length and no tyre look also. m

I'm using US market Birkin rates of 300F 150R. The ROW Birkins seem to run softer rates. There was a bit of debate regarding the Higher front rates on US cars being responsible for bending the front lower wishbones. In the end though suspension travel, or relative lack of was a contributing factor. Fiddling with damper settings definitely affects the handling balance, as does a 2 psi change in tyre pressures. m

One last tip for auto x or track. once you get your tyres sorted and the suspension the way you want it, be sure to add 2psi to the rear, or take 2 psi out of the front tyres if you carry a passenger. This will prevent embarrassing terminal understeer. BTDT :jester: m

I have had my Birkin since 10 09 2001. It has 28,4xx miles on the odometer. Used for track events and treatment for ennui. All but 500 miles have been on R compound tyres. I also have a pair of M3s to keep me out of the 7 but that ploy has been a mixed success. m

In order to find out how far to mod the car you may first have to decide on a few things. To help that decision there are some questions that may need to be answered. 1, Are you in it for fun or are you a competitive sort? If it is only fun then you may be satisfied with 205 55 or 60 series rubber... if you can find it. If you are of the competitive sort , you'll run in to a heavy rule set regarding the prep of a 7 for autox. Before you get deep into car prep, you'll need to get a hold of the rule book(s) of whatever sanctioning bodies the car runs under. 7s are tossed into 3 classes by the SCCA... 1, Real Lotus 7 in some street prepared class. 2, Clones with engines under 2l in D-Mod 3, Engines over 2L in E-mod. The latter 2 classes are slick shod with wheels wider than 7", gutted, often bespoilered machines. basically race cars geared for squirts. Your street legal Westie would be classed in D-Mod by the SCCA. Another thing is that if your car was a Lotus 7 and you're the only one in your class, you tend to get bumped into D-Mod anyway. If you have one competitive bone in your body, but don't want to convert your street car into a full bore racer, bumping will get old, fast. The classing depends on sanctioning body. As a 7 owner who wants a street legal fun machine, I ignore Autox and attend time trials, high performance driving schools and track days at Road race courses within a 300 mile radius of my home. I drive to the track on 14 or 15 inch R compound radials, A higher roll bar, a racing shell and 5 point harnesses. The Autox milieu is useful for you to get to know your machine at the limit at low speeds, but the classing structure for the 7 does not favor street legal machines. if you like the autox, the road course environment is potentially better, with more time in the car at whatever limit you are comfortable with. m

Gert. Did you by any chance weigh all the new kit? I was wondering how much weight this adds to the front of the car. m

One way to gain arm distance as a side effect of attempt to lower the seat is to tilt the seat backwards by shimming the front of the squab. I use a couple of very large nuts that are about 1" thick front to back. I'm using an aluminum Ultrashield shell. m

I envy anyone who's able to cruise in a 7. I can't. I just can't. :driving: Two reasons. 1, The 7 won't let me, ie, I have to change my "face" when using the 7 as opposed to a tintop. 2, The crowding gawkers who fixate on the machine and forget that they need to control their own machines and put away their cellphone cameras, and who tend to steer into as their hands follow their eyes. :cooldude: m

106.8 mph in 4th at Black hawk Farms raceway front stretch. 125hp standard compression ZX1 in the Birkin with full front screen. I have no desire to see what it does in public. m

The link has an ad for for "cross drilled brake lines" Yummm! I always thought that my brake pedal lacked feel. :iamwithstupid: I'm disappointed that they don't sell blinker fluid, or the repair kit for Lucas wiring. Excellent catalog for Spring (April) m

The K&Ns should fit over the stacks with the nets removed, but I reckon you'll need shorter stacks anyway in order to have decent clearance for the incoming air to turn into the stack mouths. (Basing my answer on the idea that air has mass and needs space and time to turn in a cooperative manner.) :cooldude: m

That's yet another one sorted :driving: m

The owner makes up their own fixit book as you encounter the quirks and foibles of the car. One also ends up modifying or making their own custom tools to access and remove fasteners etc. m

7s are good on Kart tracks. No advantage for the big horsepower machinery. m

I call it the 7, or I did until last spring. The last time I drove it, It bogged, popped, skipped and hopped. It would not accept throttle. I yelled "you Piece of Crap!" and the car took the throttle I had and zinged the engine. A few seconds later whisps of smoke were curling thru the passenger side footwell. I parked it, and covered it up. haven't seen it since. Rebuild this winter, I guess. m

You can reuse the intake and exhaust manifolds,flywheel etc. The advantage of the mechanical lifter ZX3 is, again, the larger aftermarket from Focus Sport etc. Another advantage is that service from US vendors is prompter/better than the casual/tardy practices of some UK based Vendors towards their overseas customers. I sourced ZX1 cams from England and had to wait, then send my brother who lives in London, to encourage them to send me the merchandise I paid for. m

Ha ha! I did this. We were at a Go Kart track with the local porsche Club. They were always, em, *fashionably Late* to arrive so there were 3 cars doing 3 lap sessions. We went out 2 up but I forgot to add 2 psi to the rear tyres. The rear tyres got to temp before the fronts, so at the end of the 2nd lap. the rear had more grip. We went off into the grass, and I provoke the 7 into massive oversteer once on the grass with the throttle. We were all out of shape getting back on to the tarmac, leaving lurid skid marks on the straight. Later during the walk about, the chief instructor who had not witnessed the screw up pointed to the skid marks and told us this was exactly the kind of screw up he expected from a talent free driver. FTD was easily mine at the end of the day. m

In my view, The higher aspect ratio of the side walls has one ironic advantage to the right driver....The suspension and steering provide more feel as the weight transfers. This can greatly enhance driver confidence. So if the driver is happy, the car is most generally faster. Heavier larger diameter wheels and the lower profile tyres are quite numb, on a sub 1500Lb car. That makes it harder to determine how much grip you can confidently exploit, and harder to gauge the degree of the slip angle as you are cornering. The taller, softer side walls also allow a little more vertical load on the outside front tyre which equates to more grip at turn in. You could probably get a sense of what I'm trying to say by dropping your tyre pressures. You get the same read of the tyres and side walls but it not as glaringly obvious and not detrimental due to the poor support of the tyre carcass and tread contact patch. m

I have used the wind blocker from a BMW Z3 roadster and I also use a piece of smoked lexan that I trimmed to shape. It was originally a Gila rear window tint from a 77-81 Camaro. For me, Neither work that well for wind blocking, but the latter works well at cutting down the back draft of fumes from my rear exit exhaust. I think the success of a wind blocker behind the seat backs is more likely if you are really low in the car...I'm too high up. m

Hehe. The Cat pilot was pretty nasty. The blocking messes up the Aero of the Radical or whatever it was. m

The Goalie got a "gift" before the game. m