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Croc

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  1. Croc
    Oh no this is a slippery slope...
  2. Croc
    I have never had mice eat my engines; electrical wiring, yes all the time, so I have to ask - why did mice find your crank edible?
  3. Croc
    Which cage? There are three: 1) The track day cage (with easy entry) 2) the Sport cage (same as 1) without the easy entry as there are bars across) 3) the FIA race cage Option 1 looks like this. The easy entry is because there are no bars to side of the half circle bars. Option 2 is has extra bars across the top at the side of the semi circles preventing easy access. Option 3 FIA race cage looks like this. Yes the windscreen and side curtains will mount with cage installed. I do recommend that you put protective strip or rubber between top of windscreen and top front bar of cage - the paint will rub off both as it is a tight fit. I have never seen the full hood used on a cage. It would be a big job to make it work but I bet it has been done. However, I do know SoftBits4Sevens has done custom half hoods with cages. With windscreen and side screen plus a rear mesh you would kept reasonably dry. Have you ever tried to get into a Caterham with a full race cage? If not then I recommend you try. You get in through the top. Also, if this is for road use then keep in mind you need to wear a helmet at all times when driving. Clouting an unprotecting head against a roll cage is a bad thing.
  4. Croc
    Its clearly a race car origin. 1700 x-flow would have been either 1) a later replacement for an earlier engine, or 2) a sprint event car (one car on track for a single flying lap). By 1997 the regular Caterham race classes were either for Rover K series or Vauxhall engines while Scholarship was 1600cc X-flow for just that year (1998 was Rover K series). For a sprint event, a 1600cc X-flow would have been Class 1 and a 1700 x-flow would have been a Class 2 car for sprint events. There was also a Club Challenge event that year (Gold Arts Lotus Seven Club Challenge). I confirmed the Bookatrack sponsorship was for all cars participating in one of the defined Caterham race classes - one of those mandatory sponsorships for the series that all cars run. Seems to point towards it being a circuit racer and not a sprint event car then? What's the VIN? I can decipher that easily. Martin Phipps will give you the build sheet but a follow up inquiry might surface the original name - then you can match that name to the race archive below. One other thing - The Caterham and Lotus Seven Club has an archive of old LowFlying magazines available to members online. They always reported on the Caterham races. Going through those would possibly surface this car and its owner then. I glanced at 1997 articles and did not see anything but a detailed search is required.
  5. Croc
    No thats the wrong way to go about it. I have more than a few spares in long term storage. First clean all machined surfaces with toulene. Then coat the engine and all exposed surfaces - in and out - with long term corrosion inhibitor. Use liberally everywhere including inside - boreholes, galleys, etc. WD40 has a good one. CRC used to. There are other brands out there. Some people use a product that is mostly wax based (edited to add - it was a Waxoyl product - I use in the sills of the Range Rover). These all seal the metal off from air. Dessicant bags eventually "fill up" and need replacing so you have to remember doing this. The coating approach is set and forget. Wrap it in a trash bag. Place in a specialist engine storage crate or just go to the Container Store (or similar) and buy one of those big plastic crates. I usually find one with wheels so you can roll it under something to get it out of the way.
  6. Croc
    Let me clear that up. @simon450 and I found the track faster running 1min21 when we had a rather nice game of track tag together. Vmax is a little lower at end of straight as you start your straight about 75 feet or so later with the new Devil bypass. However, average speed through T1 is higher because it was reprofiled to be faster. But your situation will be much different. Your top speed will be substantially lower, zero in fact as betting odds say you won’t be there. @yellowss7 and I have musing as to what excuse you will use this year to not turn up? Personally I voted on you needing to perm and dye your chest hair the same color as your driving suit. Come on Seb - we need a polisher to show the younger se7en owners how to look like a show pony on track! 😛. I am missing having you around to roast. Why don’t you ship your car to TJ and fly in?
  7. Croc
    Not sure if you added the Bookatrack sponsorship sticker after you got it but I sent your photo off to two people who were involved in Bookatrack to see if they remember the car but I suspect it is a series sponsorship - every car ran that sticker. Looks like your regular racing Caterham from the era. Background looks like Croft or Oulton Park circuits. Welcome to USA7s!
  8. Croc
    Bob Simon was a member on here and a wonderful gentleman. The two of us met when I was shaking down my 2010 CSR in Colorado. Very sadly missed. His Caterham was incredibly well developed over the years.
  9. Croc
    No - I tried. MRF are not interested at this time. Yes - sizes are in the photo I posted to this thread 1-2 pages back.
  10. Croc
    I thought I did post the results from the UK pilot - clearly not - I must have senior momented. Nova ZZS identical to old Avon version. That makes it light years ahead of R888 in the dry. No idea on wet performance. Nova ZZR was similar to less grippy Avon ZZR compound. That makes it light years plus ahead of R888. Do not use ZZR in damp or wet same as old Avon version - shift to ZZS then. No information on whether the ZZR will have multiple grip compounds. Now the real question is whether the price justifies not using MRFs as a dry or damp intermediate tire. I’d be wary of ZZS until tested in the wet. MRF is marginally worse than ZZS in damp conditions but it’s a lot better in the dry. I suspect MRF will work out cheaper.
  11. Croc
    Week Beginning September 13, 2026 USA7s Classified Ads of Cars for Sale USA7s classified pages - USA7s club members have the benefit of selling their cars by listing them for free on USA7s forum. https://usa7s.net/ips/forum/26-cars-for-sale/ New Ads Since Last Summary Posted Caterham https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1977-caterham-seven/ Caterham https://bringatrailer.com/listing/caterham-seven-7/ Lotus 7 S4 https://ebay.io/m/QnfDkm and here https://www.facebook.com/share/14sYVabBcJe/ Caterham https://www.facebook.com/share/19cQHaNC5t/ Caterham (back again) https://www.facebook.com/share/19NSFk9QUY/ Westfield https://www.facebook.com/share/1JwT2TbzdQ/ Repeat Ads Since Last Summary Posted Caterham https://www.hemmings.com/classifieds/listing/2021-caterham-bellevue-wa-2959244 Caterham https://www.hemmings.com/classifieds/listing/1957-caterham-jupiter-fl-2947891 Caterham https://www.hemmings.com/classifieds/listing/2025-caterham-seven-costa-mesa-ca-2961070 Caterham https://www.hemmings.com/classifieds/listing/2026-caterham-seven-miami-fl-2916813 Lotus 7 https://www.hemmings.com/classifieds/listing/1962-lotus-seven-sun-city-az-2949927 Lotus 6 Replica https://www.hemmings.com/classifieds/listing/1952-lotus-6-norfolk-ct-2945955 and here https://www.facebook.com/share/1C8DopGtCx/ Birkin https://www.hemmings.com/classifieds/listing/1972-lotus-seven-san-diego-ca-2946925 Caterham https://www.beachmanracing.com/inventory Caterham https://rockymountaincaterham.com/2005-superlight-260-cosworth/ Caterham https://rockymountaincaterham.com/76907-2/ Caterham https://rockymountaincaterham.com/csrtwenty02/ Caterham https://rockymountaincaterham.com/inventory/ Locost https://www.craigslist.org/view/d/north-newton-lotus-almost-new/kYZuK66e7MDvsr27x97gjK Locost Project https://www.facebook.com/share/1Bn6ah29vn/ Locost Project https://www.facebook.com/share/1KDyTKemFP/ Stalker https://www.facebook.com/share/1P44grpQRm/ Mitsuoka Zero https://www.facebook.com/share/18Sy6PJ4mE/ Birkin https://www.facebook.com/share/19B5E3qQ3W/ Stalker https://www.facebook.com/share/19VS2sdtws/ Caterham https://www.facebook.com/share/1DQ9rvnayP/ Locost https://www.facebook.com/share/14Zuni9uwH6/ Locost https://www.facebook.com/share/1Esd5xBoc3/ Locost Project https://www.facebook.com/share/1CB7hw6Ghq/ Lotus 7 S1 https://www.facebook.com/share/19KddEUccn/ Stalker https://www.facebook.com/share/1chitKU5Sx/ Westfield Pre-Lit https://www.facebook.com/share/19h8ZF7sAh/ Diva https://www.facebook.com/share/1M8h3vnuyu/ Caterham https://www.facebook.com/share/1C9F9yKaV7/ Caterham SP300R https://www.facebook.com/share/1Dm95ghomb/ Birkin https://www.facebook.com/share/18cxaM1bdH/ Canada Ads Lotus 7 S4 https://www.autotrader.ca/offers/lotus-unspecified-convertible-gasoline-green-cat_ma44gr200883-ab87a903-b601-4fda-b315-e5cdbd00a240 Locost Project https://www.autotrader.ca/offers/bmw-2002-barn-find-cat_ma13gr2163-9b5e3f67-7e4f-4f56-acac-2df6e6c12e99 Locost https://www.kijiji.ca/v-cars-trucks/calgary/lotus-7-kit-car/1742593542 Locost https://www.facebook.com/share/19NKoCyFE6/ Locost Project https://www.facebook.com/share/1DLCodQ1is/ Fejer https://www.facebook.com/share/1EhFfKaBmb/ Caterham https://www.facebook.com/share/1EdHFJdbJR/ Locost https://www.facebook.com/share/1EtiiRrsNq/ Locost https://www.facebook.com/share/1Mk9xEjVaf/ Locost Project https://www.facebook.com/share/1EsWVDLHWA/ Westfield https://www.facebook.com/share/1Cz8YABtN4/ Lotus 7 https://www.facebook.com/share/14rKVh6f3Y9/ Locost https://www.facebook.com/share/18y9jPtwzE/ Locost Project https://www.facebook.com/share/1Esg2f3tph/
  12. Croc
    He just supplied me some intermediate damp tires - very much enjoyed dealing with him.
  13. Croc
    After 2025 when I was driving on track in what seemed liked a monsoon, I signed up to go back to Zandvoort Circuit in 2026 to try again. It sort of worked - first day was dry. Second day, not very much dry! Zandvoort is a beach resort to 20 miles or so to the west of Amsterdam. Beach season ends August 31 as the North Sea turns cold. It also turns wet. Given not much is open in September in Zandvoort (its a ghost town), I prefer to stay in Amsterdam near the Central train station. Then you can Uber or take a train there with a short walk. Plenty of dining options at night that way. The Zandvoort Circuit is built into the sand dunes behind the beach. Its undergone enormous changes over the years to make it safer for F1, the last Dutch F1 GP was run two weekends before I was driving there. This trip I was supported by Raw Motorsport, in conjunction with TFL Racing, as TFL were overcommitted to support me as I was a solo car this trip. As it turned out Raw Motorsport lost one of their customers so they were only supporting a single Radical SR3 this event. I was based in the F1 pits, in the actual garage space where Kimi Antonelli had parked his F1 car for the F1 GP. The track is built into the sand dunes and follows the undulations. It is extremely we suited to a Caterham. The photo below illustrates this character. It is one of the original track sections from its first inception. Its great fun as a Caterham stays on full throttle through the curves. Turn 3 is a full on tight banked curve. The quickest way around is to just go around the top. Entry is a little tricky with a camber change from turn 2 immediately preceding. You can drop to the apex at the bottom of the banking if you are overtaking - something I would do regularly. Its bumpy and you are climbing out for the "straight" section immediately following. Beats your body up from the G forces. The last turn leading on to the main pit straight is also heavily banked. It is a full on acceleration. One of the few corners where I will change gear mid corner - not always advisable. Rob at Raw Motorsport is famous for his mastery of the George Foreman grill - toasted ham and cheese sandwiches for lunch both days! Damn they were good! Day 2 saw the wind and rain move in. When it rains here it does so viciously. I started with the MRF tires as I wanted to see what they were like in the wet conditions as an intermediate treaded tire. I was quite happy with them in the dry but wanted the intelligence of what they could do. Happy to report they are a better damp surface intermediate than the Toyo R888 - which was never going to be a surprise to be honest. They will never get up to optimum warmth on a cold day but that's just a byproduct of their long lasting nature in regular tarmac conditions. After a session on the MRFs, I switched to full Nova race wets as there was standing water and a more aggressive tread pattern was needed to clear water. The trick with using tires like this is you need to be higher tire pressures (like 25psi cold) to give stiffness to the sidewalls and allow the tread grooves to work to clear water. They work brilliantly in adverse wet conditions. You are always careful as braking distances are lengthened. I never could really get the car to stop in the braking zone to turn 1 Turn 3 - the image below conveys the corner layout but hides the banking depth - its a tall corner with at least 3 stories high of banking.
  14. Croc
    Continues on from Part 1 which was here: Part 2 continues below: Dijon-Prenois Circuit One of my all time favorite circuits. Suits a seven brilliantly. Great use of elevation. So many corners where you are just on it. Sits just outside one of the world's greatest wine regions. It was a drought period for France. Stinking hot 95 degree day. First order - getting rid of the crap Toyo R888s and switching to the MRFs: It was so hot the radiator cap failed and started leaking coolant. Had to wait for it to cool off then change caps to a new one that was spare in the truck. These days are quite social. Most TFL customers are acquainted with each other from prior trips or days on track. So the humor can be quite elevated. Two chaps decided to swap cars and try them out. A Caterham 420 race car for an Atom with a turbo Honda engine. Buddies were enlisted as passengers. Off they go. A short time later I see red flag shown - back to the pits to see what happened. Well the Atom owner driving the Caterham got into a bit of a braking duel with the Caterham owner driving the Atom at Turn 1. Predictably it was mega lock up and straight into the gravel pit. At this point the Atom driver remarks "What do you mean Caterham's don't have anti-lock brakes....." The tow of shame back to the pits ended like this - missing rear wing, quite dusty. The car owner watching this took it in very good grace, absolutely dying with laughter at his friend's deep embarrassment. Then the gravel removal commenced - I have NEVER seen a Caterham collect this much gravel from an excursion into the gravel pit. It spawned a meme that night: Magny-Cours Circuit Then it was on to Nevers in the Loire Valley. This was home to the French F1 GP for many years. I was last here in 2015. I just remembered it as another manufactured circuit - maximum length within a small space, so you get lots of hairpins and looping back. Fortunately, my memory was not that accurate. There was a bit of that looping but there were plenty of corners to test skill and focus the mind. I focused on finding shade to keep the car when not on the track - it was another 95 degree day! Some on track photos Now I am booked again for next year. The 2027 French Frolic is four circuits: 1 - Le Mans Bugatti 2 - Dijon-Prenois 3 - Pole Mecanique near Ales 4 - Circuit de Ledenon near Avignon
  15. Croc
    August is time for a vacation in France. A tour of circuits, wine tasting, and stunning food. Or as some comedian friend of mine noted, a drink driving holiday. Again I was joining the Lotus on Track (LOT) Club of UK. Twice a year - every May and August - they set up a group tour of French race circuits. The circuits differ year to year to keep it fresh. The August event is massively popular, you book a year in advance. I have already booked August 2027. The pace is relaxed - you get a relaxed transit day between circuits. There is a group hotel option or you can go alone and stay in special places. The appeal of running with LOT is they specialize in lightweight cars only - Lotus, Porsche, small BMWs, Caterhams, Westfield, and the like. So all cars know how to get through corner, unlike say a Mustang. This year the circuit order was 1) Le Mans Bugatti, 2) Dijon-Prenois, and 3) Magny-Cours/Nevers. There was a 4th circuit on offer but I could not make that date. Naturally these circuits fall nicely into the Bourgogne and Loire wine regions. My car was being trucked over from the UK by TFL Racing, along with 11 other cars (Caterham, Atoms, and a Lotus 2-Eleven). TFL support something over 50 cars, based in the Stratford area. They have rental Caterhams to go to events - quite a few people from this site have rented before to try out their bucket list tracks. You are fully supported - fuel, tires, mechanical. If something goes wrong then you have a fighting chance to fix it unless it is major like an engine or gearbox failure. The rental solution is easier - if that goes wrong then they throw you in another car. https://www.tflracing.co.uk/ Le Mans Bugatti This circuit is part of the full Le Mans circuit used for the famous 24 Hour race. It connects the start finish, the run up under the tire bridge around to the esses just before the pit straight. In the map below, the blue line is the section of the circuit used in the 24 Hour race. The red line is the purpose-built Bugatti circuit. I have never run here before but I have wanted to try it out for quiet a while. Unusually they only run this with sessions - above 900kg or below 900kg (my class in a Caterham). This gave you alternating 30 minute sessions. In theory 30 cars on track but it never felt like it was this crowded. The day before I ran on track, I went to the Le Mans Circuit Museum. Stunning. One of the greatest collections of race cars I have seen outside of the one in Redmond WA. An array of original and restored cars that previously competed at Le Mans. One nice surprise was the extensive Formula 1 and World Rally Championship cars. For 3 Euros extra you get access to the track to wander around. This is worth making the effort to see. Views from the top of the grandstands on pit straight - Looking over the back of the grandstands. TFL Racing were supporting a lot of cars - my 420R SV. Sadly this Lotus 2-Eleven dropped a timing chain in the first session. Game over for his vacation. Gives you an idea of the types of cars I was running with. A nice collection of Eliges. No on-track photos from this day, apart from this one along the main straight - family member out in my car while I was on top of the grandstands. Its pretty daunting coming between these tall towering stands, sweeping right at full throttle after the start finish line, then left right esses to then head up under the Dunlop/Goodyear Bridge. Part 2 continues here
  16. Croc
    That does not even look like the same or close to same spec pump? Did you get a good match with correct flow rate? Matches the original car - Rover piece of shit 200 (or something like that)? Edited to add: Sorry just worked out what came out of your car - the Walbro. I think your car must have had a fuel pump replacement in its life before it reached you as that matches up to a US Volvo and not a UK Rover. My guidance on replacing an original pump is obviously going to throw curve ball into your replacement exercise!
  17. Croc
    Really sorry to hear that Paul. No idea what the key type/lanyard item refers to. Not everyone has traditional metal keys and rely on electrical cut off switch, fuel and electrical switches plus a push button (e,g, my Mustang or BMW CSL - fairly conventional race car set up). Jetskis use a lanyard system - as I discovered when I launched myself big time after messing up a wave in Bora Bora.
  18. Croc
    But when it was dry it was very dry.
  19. Croc
    Very very wet…
  20. Croc
    What an ordeal! Congratulations on making it through to the finish line. Kudos to you for having the stamina to see it through to the end.
  21. Croc
    Zandvoort today. Using the same garage as Kimi Antonelli - Mercedes - from the recent Dutch F1 Grand Prix.
  22. Croc
    This is a frustrating thing to chase down - can take a while. Do you think it could be the diff? You don't say where it directionally is coming to you from.
  23. Croc
    Usually in even minor insurance claims these days, the insurer does a quick calculation of parts cost plus labor cost to repair and decides it is not worth it. The owner/insured has no real say in the matter unless they decide to purchase the car back and fix themselves. When you consider that you likely have to source parts from the UK and the cost per hour of specialists to do say aluminum panel repair plus keep the claim live for 9 months plus - insurers have not got the stomach for that. But when that happens the car usually earns a salvage brand on the title. Sometimes they do not. Sometimes some disreputable people title wash to keep it clean and unbranded. A car can end up through Copart even if it is not an insurance claim car - bankruptcy can send a car there - no salvage in that case. Some owners get skittish on a car after a crash and dump it. Call it lack of confidence - that could be the situation here. Crash damage can be hidden on these cars. Watch for warped chassis or bent tubes hiding in odd spots. For your answer I think you have to consider the dealer - good quality Caterham dealers will know the history and be upfront about what happened. Others may not. Try having a conversation with them and see what answers you get. Obviously you are right to be on guard about this.
  24. Croc
    Thanks Bruce. Will add that to our library. Will drop Tom a note and beg for forgiveness (again)!
  25. Croc
    Photos are needed to understand condition and spec better but comparable asking prices for older Birkins in the classifieds thread would have you in the low to high teens range. The range will narrow based on condition, readiness to drive, etc. As you get newer, the prices rise into the 20s, 30s, etc.
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