Xhilr8n

This week I added a pair of the Spa side mirrors. Nice little units for the money. Turns out once adjusted they provide good clear rearward vision. In a 7! One of my rules of modding cars is that each improvement reveals a new weakness. I did not realize what a horrid excuse for an actual mirror the OEM piece is until I had anything to compare it to. I thought maybe I’d left on some frosted protective film, but no it really is that bad. Caterham are not too proud to provide some items for bare legality knowing we’ll find functional replacements somehow. Lots of rearview center mirrors out there. We have really little yet useful ones on our Lotus Eliges but I do think something larger than that nice unit is best for a Caterham. So what has anyone used they like? Anything particularly cool and racy but not huge?

Finally stopped the incesant rains and took her out. This car had just sat in storsge for over 2 1/2 years. I did not see much air when doing the flush, But today immediately noticed some feel to the pedal . Before it was something like pushing at drywall, now there is a sense of softness and modulation. Not sure what happened exactly but open to the idea that working on our cars sets us up to expect improvements. Point is the procedure seems a success. Brakes feel better, we have a proven way to change brake fluid color for the alternating flush technique, and I know the car better.

Haven’t taken her out yet to see if it all blows up 💥 , it’s rained for days. But yes it seems this will work just fine. And this powder is not expensive. 5 g costs twice what 1 g costs so you get a lifetime supply for you and some pals.

OK I did it. Added some of the powdered blue dye to new amber brake fluid. My advice is to put about a matchhead (scientific huh?) to a litre. This stuff is a powerful concentrated dye that has great potential for harm or mischief. Seriously a pinhead for 500 ml is a good starter dose. With the car in the air it’s a straightforward brake flush. The clutch is not so easy, the bleed nipple rests right on top of the broad trans so need a long tube to get on the good side of gravity. It was gratifying to see the blue fluid arrive to each piston.

Looking to flush the brakes tomorrow after the Hungarian Grand Prix. Long time McLaren fan, we’ll see what LeClerc can do against Piastri

So you’ll have a “rolling chassis” soon. Big milestone.

Looks like this was a tough site to start a photos page on. Especially if you’re left handed. Have to rotate it 360 degrees in an edit app to get the site to take it, and then the resolution gets clipped a lot. Then if you screenshot it it’s too big to upload. Trying to post a clear image of this art is a real challenge. I finally just gave up after quite a battle. I understand needing to limit the size of the data we want on the server but it’s disappointing. I’ve posted thousands of images on various sites mostly car related and never had this issue. Well, the resolution maybe 10 years ago but not recently. This is a lot of the fun with this internet thing.

Nose art folly designed per Chapeta, third party made them and to me in a week. Peels off easily.

I just need more seat time with her. Shifts smoothly just fine most of the time but the light flywheel and light rear end invites wheelspin. Now I live in a very hilly area with challenges everywhere. My driveway plenty steep. I stop and practice on it each time but not confident yet. Yet.

I have an even worse issue, my Honda shifts like butter, best car to learn on ever. Our Europa 3841R could be touchy as well. At Log Concours they asked me to move it across the parking lot in front of the Judges to see if ‘we’ could do it without a shudder. That was a relief actually My mindset is that this car is here to teach me I never really needed an easy car to pull off like a smart looking person. I can pull her hair if she wants. Seriously, like any new manual it teaches us how to shift it. In a few outings level or near level ground no issue. Just a matter of timing. Other than the tiny oddly spaced pedals. Turns out they are just about perfect but still muscle memory only came with seat time. Steep hills are still scary, like first time I ever drove a manual, like the Europa. Practicing on my steep driveway but still getting a tiny bit of wheelspin and a little clutch fragrance 😔 Gotta pull her hair just right, I’m getting there.

We just received a newly built 360R. Lightened flywheel. I’ve driven manuals of all sorts from 1950s on. Have a fav little Honda Si manual I bought new 11 years ago. This Caterham is a real challenge on a hill, and I live near lots of steep ones including my driveway. I think the limited slip diff has helped me not spin wheels too badly, better than clutch smell. It’s that challenging. The idea of the light flywheel is to let the car accelerate and decelerate better but you really miss the weighty flywheel if you just drive around in the hilly world. Point is there is no tapering the clutch into a gear, it has to be decisive. Reminds me of a girl who likes her hair pulled.

That’s what I thought you had there, good idea. i have a basic magnetic stirrer that would help with that.

A little research and many folks for many different cars have used the blue/amber alternate technique for brake fluid flushes and are frustrated by the well intentioned but aggravating Federal regulation that nuked this nice technique. But thank goodness I did not waste pricy brake fluid in the windshield washer. Chapeta was quick to confirm my reservations to place an aeqeous solution of methylene blue in the braking system, regardless of the amount. There are a ton of suitable dyes that are uv florescent but I want a change that’s visible in ordinary light. Could not find any on Amazon, so ordered this on Ebay https://www.ebay.com/itm/266061086845?var=565916676477 Most petroleum dyes I found are for a whole ounce and over $25

I have this on hand, an aqueous solution so the idea of adding water to brake fluid is awkward. Might take 4 drops to alter a 300 ml bottle of brake fluid. Seems like it would be ok but I’ve not done it, sorta waiting for someone to chime in with a petroleum based dye as you have.

I’ve found the composite seats fit my frame well enough. Just want to make the passenger seat movable like the driver’s seat.

So I’m setting up a cataclysmic combination of features to integrate with the seats. Just have the basic composite seats which I have found to be quite comfy, like a long tall hug. Harness set up ordered from Schroth. Will be installing 2 point sub belts and the plates to secure those. So while seats are out, I’d like to add the same convenience of a runner setup to the passenger seat. I’ve touched upon dire stories of evasive threads etc. I’ve been baptized by Lotus Elise passenger seat left rear bolt done solo, and similar in an Europa. Ready for trouble I hope. So is this done or would it require a new chassis or worse? Is there a bolt in option? If so what specific parts numbers etc? Also, are there reinforcing plates available to put under the car to help secure the seat? I have such on the track prepped Elise.

.

Just getting started with this new garage mate. Learned a bunch already, what better to do with some afternoons?

My fuse setup

I have a brake light mounted center of top bar and am wondering how this half hood with mate to that. A window will sure cover it, but would your hood?

So I’m still fishing around this new to me build and a wire falls from under the instrument panel that I’ve been expecting to show up. The small box with a basic 12 volt adapter came with the car. Fit right on, lit up the usbc adapter, it will charge a phone etc even without the key in the car. Wish my other vehicles would. Could leave them to charge when away from the vehicle. Thank goodness the fancy vehicles protect me from that 😉 So two questions. * What is the other wire for, if anything? * What can be done to secure it somewhere?

Very nice. I have just placed an order, requested a swatch for a risky colour option. I see you only got the zipper for driver side. Do you have the rear window? At 70 by the time it arrives I will have forgotten about it and will be a surprise!

Development. I thought the third light CHMSL on the newly built car was OEM. It looks that way. Should have been my warning it might not be stock. Seriously this is a nice looking piece that works great. https://www.beachmanracing.com/rollbar-mounted-light I only today took wrappings off the track day bar and realized the main bar tube is a smaller diameter than the standard bar. Turns out there are two sizes of these nice lights to fit these different diameter bars. 💡 💡💡 This means the light on the car now is incompatible with the new bar. So no reason to remove it. Which means it might be easier to find a new home for my current setup. I’ll have available a standard bar with this nice CHMSL mounted and wired. Wire enters on left and has a proper rubbery grommet. I’m going to contact Beachman. Anyone else use this light? And especially, has anyone run three of these lights on the main bar? I’m going to do this if it’s feasible electrically.

I would have eventually figured that out. Thanks for the info, would take a lot of floss to get through those screws.

I have reached out to Beachman about how to remove this nice light. My only ideas are light heat gun and really good Dental floss.