jturrell

I guess it makes sense that the R500 would require some extra engine work, etc. I was given the impression that the R400 was all bolt-ons, including cams - something a DIY'er could accomplish. An R500 isn't in my price range, so I haven't looked into it all that closely.

I'm not sure what they charge for the installation packages alone, as they're included in the price of the kit. So if you see an R400 kit (listed at $47k and change on their website), that includes the 210hp ancilliary package. The R300 has ancilliaries that produce 175hp. The R500 has ancilliaries that produce 263hp. With all three kits, the customer supplies the bare 2.0 liter duratec (and transmission) and everything else comes with the kit.

Sorry - when I said Duratecs are cheap, I was referring to the "bare" duratec required by the Caterham kits. I was advised by Caterham USA that they could be purchased new from Ford for around $2500. Caterham supplies the ancilliaries with the R300/400/500 kit, so all you need is the "bare" engine. It's really the ancilliary package that gets you the additional horsepower (new cam, throttle bodies, etc). The Cosworth engines are definitely more expensive, but they have uprated internals, etc. Not sure how Birkin packages ancilliaries. Regarding the Elite transmissions - I know they had some issues, but also read that they had been addressed. I'll need to do some additional research - I appreciate the reference to the Plano shop. The Quaife is just so expensive. Back to the original subject - I'd go with a Duratec. Motorcycle engines are neat, but you will not get the same longevity once you put one in a car.

I'm not sure about bike engine longevity in a seven, however there is a lot of data on this for Radicals. I would assume that the longevity numbers are similar as the cars weigh about the same. The Radical factory recommends a "refresh" about every 30 hours of race time. For track-days, it's about every 40-50 hours. For regular street driving . . . I don't know. Not many of these cars on the roads. My refresh ran around $3500 for a wet sump 1300cc Powertec Hayabusa. You could buy a brand-new 2.0 duratec for less than that (without the ancilliaries of course). If I decide to take the plunge on a seven (I'd really like to.), it'll be a 2.0 Duratec, and hopefully an Elite 6 speed sequential. It's cheaper and lighter than the Quaife. The sequential transmission in my old Radical was so much fun . . . I'd really like to have it in a seven. Duratecs are so cheap, I don't think I'd go with the motorcycle engine option. It was fun in my Radical, but it will cost you a lot more in the long run. You may have additional hurdles with emissions testing, etc. In my mind, the bike engine isn't worth the hassle.

New Top Gear episode on the Caterham R500. 1 min 17.9 sec. Faster than the Bugatti Veyron. Just a bit slower than the Zonda F. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kui6CvzfcL8

Interesting. I just received an e-mail stating the following: The new Caterham package comes with everything you need except an engine block and transmission. The old price required you to purchase an entire engine. The Duratec blocks are around $2,000. This makes me feel a little better. - Jake

Doug - congrats on your car. I can certainly appreciate the buy it now and enjoy it now approach. I've been there. But having been the victim of British car depreciation in the past, I don't want to pay more than I have to. If that means I need to wait for a good deal or get creative on where I source the car . . . well, I've learned to be patient. Just one more illustration of my point, and I'll stop beating this dead horse . . . - An R500 in the UK costs about $57,000. - An R500 in the States costs about $61,000. What's the difference? In the UK, you get an engine and transmission (and a few grand left in your pocket). :yesnod:

If I could go back in time and beat Mopho to the punch on Al's car, I would. Before that transaction there were even better deals (several Superlights traded hands in the $35k range). Unfortunately, those prices are no longer a reality, and cars like Mopho's don't come on the market very often. I have unsuccessfully tried to talk more than one person on this board out of their Superlight . . . .

Now, if I can figure out a way to make the trip to England a business trip, I'll really save some money . . . . I'm glad to know this might be an option. It's pretty clear that shipping, customs, etc, don't add up to the price difference. The exchange rate is certainly part of the equation, but as that gets better, your solution just provides additional savings.

I understand shipping, customs, etc, and I would expect a difference in price appropriate for those costs. But if you look at other British car manufacturers, the price gap is much narrower. For example, a new Lotus Elise SC has a price difference of about $3,750. To put it in perspective . . . . in the UK, a new Superlight R300 would be about $9,000 LESS than a Lotus Elise SC. In the US, it's the other way around. The R300 would cost much more. My theory? Lotus has made a committment to selling a lot of cars in the US. Caterham has not. I keep wondering if that will change as the world economy deteriorates? I think I'm too much of a bargain shopper to ever own a Caterham.

I've been looking at Caterhams for a while now and I was hoping someone might shed some light on what I perceive as big differences in the prices in the UK vs. the US. If we look at a basic Superlight R300, this car goes for about 24,000 pounds in the UK. At today's exchange rate of around 1.49, that's roughly $37,500. I believe this is with engine & transmission and fully assembled. (Please tell me if this is incorrect in the UK.) If I look at the same car in the states, it's $43,420, unassembled with no engine or transmission. If we assume around $8,000 for engine and transmission and about $5,000 for assembly, we're up to $56,420. That's a difference of almost $19,000. Some questions: 1) Are my assumptions correct? Is that what I would expect to pay for an engine / transmission package from Caterham? 2) Why such a huge price difference, assuming my assumptions are reasonably close? 3) Is Caterham selling many new cars in the states? I'd love to own one some day, but the prices seem a little out-of-touch. Am I wrong? EDIT - I just saw that the factory build is a 2,500 pound option. So we're off on pricing by around $15,250, and not $19,000. Still a wide margin though.

I had read (on this forum) that the Duratec's won't pass Texas emissions. Do you have any information on this?

Updated pics taken today. http://www.usa7s.com/aspnetforum/upload/992469561_Radical_SR3.JPG

True. It's a nice car, and probably would be fun at the track. But I've seen three cars sell in this price range. All were SuperLights, which appear to command a premium. All had LSD and many had other nice options like uprated cams (220hp), expensive track suspension setups, carbon fiber, etc. This car is apparently in new condition, so that may be the driver behind the price. But I can't see spending close to $40k on a car with low-to-mid level options, even if it is in great condition. Maybe my appetite for options and features is greater than my budget?

I have no connection with this car - just something I ran across today. http://www.autotraderclassics.com/details?adId=90459282 I called the dealer, and he said they're asking $39,900. It has the 185hp SVT Zetec motor, big brakes, but no LSD. There are two composite race seats along with the original tan leather seats. I thought the car looked interesting, but I'm looking for more of a track weapon that is also street legal.

It was a good weekend for Sevens. I have only seen 2 sevens on the road in my life (although plenty at the track). One of them was last Monday. There was a burgundy/maroon Caterham pulling out of my neighborhood onto Main Street in Frisco TX. It had clam shells and sounded fantastic. I nearly fell off my bike.

I've received a couple of e-mail questions about making this car street legal. There is a Road & Track article below that addresses this topic. http://www.roadandtrack.com/article.asp?section_id=7&article_id=3234 I personally would not try to make this car road-legal. Other than the attention you would get, I don't think it would be much fun on a public road. One bad pot hole (or Suburban) could really ruin your day. And while it might be possible to get it street legal, I don't think it would be easy or cheap. But on the track, with a passenger, absolutely nothing compares in this price range.

SOLD I have a Radical SR3 (chassis number SR3 0032) that I would like to trade for a very nice Caterham. (I'm looking for something in the neighborhood of "Mr. Orange".)

What about the Donkervoort D8-270 RS that lapped the Nurburgring in 7:18:01? I'm not sure what the top speed was, but that is a very fast lap.

Do you plan on keeping your old SV?

Any updates on the new car? I've been looking forward to pics of the finished results! That color is perfect.

Here's a link to a previous "for sale" listing on this car. I confirmed with the seller that this is the same car. It looks like it may have been converted to a Superlight, but started life as a Clubsport. There doesn't appear to be any Superlight badging (or carbon fiber) on the original car. This is consistent with the Car and Driver description as a Clubsport. http://www.uscaterham.com/racecarad.html

What specifically makes a Caterham a Superlight? The reason I ask is that the car was described as a Clubsport in the Car and Driver article. http://www.caranddriver.com/features/all/2004/the_longest_night_of_thunderhill_sport Are there any chassis differences between a Clubsport and a Superlight?