Croc

I think you are all wimps - go for 220mph! :jester:

There is nothing like truth in advertising! :rofl: How many were built in case the owner ever finds this forum?

Tom - Correct MichaelD's Caterham is the first Zetec Caterham. No question. However, he has a T9 5 speed. The point I was trying to make is that yours is the earliest 6 speed gearbox Caterham I know of in the US. They were rarely fitted in that time period as the cost for the 6 speed gearbox was so expensive.

Tom - Maybe my language is a little too categorical....but its such a low spec car for the time - none of the juicy options are anywhere else on the car so does it make sense that it would have the 6 speed? They were brand new, extremely expensive and quite rare back then - yours is the earliest I know of in the US. Then there is my suspicion that if the dealer does not know what engine size or type it would have in it then why would I expect them to describe the gearbox (or anything else) correctly. Just putting my caution out there.

Well since I am laid up with a beautifully broken foot for yet another day I have been searching around and dreaming naughty things on my wallet from looking at various car sale sites (when I could be out for a nice country drive). Here is todays selection: 1984 Caterham cross flow with 4 speed. Bench seats and seller promises full documentation in a fetching shade of blue. Located in Pacific Northwest at a current bid of $20600 and reserve not met. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Lotus-Super-Seven-Basic-Registered-as-a-1963-Lotus-Seven-but-in-reality-is-a-1984-Caterham-Super-/111448231841?forcerrptr=true&hash=item19f2d50fa1&item=111448231841&pt=US_Cars_Trucks Anyone after Panasport/Minilite copy wheels: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Caterham-Lotus-Seven-Super-7-Panasport-Replica-Wheels-13x6-PCD-4x108-/331293557306?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Wheels&hash=item4d22a2823a&vxp=mtr A nicely color schemed (burgundy red with silver stripe) "Locost" Seven Replica up in Canaan NH. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Replica-Kit-Makes-Super-7-Super-Seven-1957-Lotus-Super-7-Replica-Registered-and-driven-on-nice-days-/351155385522?forcerrptr=true&hash=item51c27df4b2&item=351155385522&pt=US_Cars_Trucks 1988 Caterham 1700cc cross flow in TX. This has been on Ebay a few times now as it looks to be the same car and dealer photos. Ali with the red fiberglass parts. Asking $28995 - bring your negotiating skills http://sanantonio.craigslist.org/ctd/4619186309.html 2013 Caterham CSR in Caterham F1 color scheme (dark green with yellow/white highlights). Virtually new by the looks of it. Asking $84500 http://sfbay.craigslist.org/nby/cto/4642095039.html 2000 Caterham 7. Here is the ad quoted: This will warm the hearts of those clamshell fanatics. I would also point out that it actually has a 2L Zetec - SVT version despite what the dealer says. While I cannot see a photo of the cockpit to confirm, if it has a 6 speed gearbox then this is not the original gearbox and must be a later replacement/upgrade. Car spec is pretty basic for the price.... Leasing option has to be a new one for a seven! http://sfbay.craigslist.org/pen/ctd/4641467616.html 1989 Caterham 7 - This is the Hawaii car seen previously on this thread for $25000. Who has a Hawaii vacation home needing a seven as an accessory? http://honolulu.craigslist.org/oah/cto/4582246527.html Westfield Seven - Barney is back on sale in Columbus OH. Interesting shade of purple. I guess it really is true what they say about Westfield owners? $18000 is a nice pricing point for a change. Says a Ford Cosworth engine but no photo - is it hiding a BD engine? http://columbus.craigslist.org/ctd/4597209170.html 2011 Brunton Stalker - another plug for this FL car that needs a loving home. $26500 http://fortmyers.craigslist.org/lee/cto/4632917350.html 2002 Superformance S1 $25000 Black with ali. 41 of 53 built. http://columbus.craigslist.org/cto/4612673374.html

I know I am late to this thread but my thoughts on this are: 1) Great idea but you are adding more weight. 2) When I put my CSR in the wind tunnel a few years back it was clear to the doctoral students who were doing an aero study of various objects (and me as a lay muppet observer) that aero benefit starts to kick in north of 100mph for most aero improvements on my Caterham. How many of us average north of that in a track lap? I know a storker can get some very high speeds but even so does the aero benefit outweigh the weight penalty given the average speed will be lower than where the theoretical benefits kick in? 3) Lets say we can prove there is an aero benefit - assuming that, does that mean when you go around a corner you are stalling your "wing shape" since the air flow is not directionally straight which introduces a new amount of drag previously not there? Shane - you are a pilot so you can probably add more intelligent thought to my thinking?

I did manage to put my CSR in a wind tunnel in the New York State area soon after it was built. The research was confidential as it was supporting a doctoral thesis but that did not worry me as I was very interested in the informal results. I do have pages of notes from that session somewhere in one of the boxes currently migrating from my home garage to my new garage but the simple summary is on a blatchat post I made here (half way down the page under my usual sign in ID Croc): http://www.blatchat.com/t.asp?id=243097&pn=2&ps=15

I sent it out on July 24 from the sevensarefun email. Sebastien - you were on the email list. Let me know here if you need it resent - I am traveling with limited connectivity right now.

Nah...this is Busa commenting. He has only one way in life - "Wide Open Throttle"! :rofl: I am not surprised you had a WTF moment!

Congratulations on the new car Cranky. Like all new Caterhams they need fettling - your list is pretty good compared to what I have had on 2 of my past sevens! The most challenging one is the steering column and you are well on the way to diagnosing that issue in the other thread. Yep - Jude knows the drill with getting reverse. Take your time with the T9 box and push it down strongly - it is a 1960s design icon from Ford!. If it is not that then there is a little plastic thing at the base of the lever than can break but I doubt it is that at this stage of its life. Handbrake adjustment is an easy fix. Plenty of posts on blatchat to read up on: http://www.blatchat.com/t.asp?id=227730 Stalling at idle until warm is pretty common - my CSR and current roadsport do that. Its a function of the cam profile and standard Caterham tune that I have. I don't mind as it forces me to warm the car up properly as it deserves. I bet it is just the standard Caterham ECU map done on a plug and play basis? MBE ECU running on standard intake and no throttle bodies? RPM and oil pressure too low? Ignore oil pressure gauge as it is electrical and not mechanical so it is indicative and not accurate. Plenty of discussion around of how the Caerbont oil pressure gauges are prone to inaccuracy and failure. I would not worry too much about it not working unless you are on track or auto crossing when it becomes more important and anyway I would be aiming for a mechanical oil pressure gauge at that point. An example - your road car probably does not have an oil pressure gauge. RPM gauge is more interesting though - how do you know it is low? There are settings for set up on the rpm gauge - I wonder if it was set up properly originally? I think the set up stuff is in the assembly manual/user manual.

Wow - that is a pretty spectacular type of Caterham UK factory screw up! Mind you I am not entirely surprised based on past history. Here is hoping you sort this out without much angst or mess.

Well that is just BS! :bs: Its a cross flow! It has not been firing on all cylinders in the last year! :willy_nilly: :jester:

Yes I spoke too soon and jinxed us all! :spam:

Given the website is traditionally down for several hours in the mornings when I get up I assume that there are still issues but that the little devils are not getting through to the posting stage.

Bit difficult to do this remotely but lets try. Looking into the spline of the steering wheel, when you press the locking ring do you see anything move? If no then the little locking mechanism on the wheel is the problem. Lube it up, clean it out or somehow make it happen. If yes then the wheel is not seating on the column - I suggest trying again to fit by wiggling around, push hard in all the way, etc. The little locking doobies things are not finding the correct locking point on the column.

To help Bob out here is a link to his ad: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Lotus-Super-Seven-Open-Roadster-2005-Caterham-Dedion-/331286415585?forcerrptr=true&hash=item4d223588e1&item=331286415585&pt=US_Cars_Trucks

Here is one in BC for sale on Fleabay http://www.ebay.com/itm/Lotus-Super-Seven-Super-7-Sprint-1992-Caterham-Lotus-Super-Seven-Sprint-1800-deDion-No-Reserve-/111431052207?forcerrptr=true&hash=item19f1ceebaf&item=111431052207&pt=US_Cars_Trucks

Nah - pretty normal actually! :jester:

Hi Jim - Its always good to see these first drive postings as new owners do the OMG reaction. For the wind I see you have 3 options: 1) Put the little perspex side screen wind deflector thingies on. As they come from Caterham they are useless. So boil up some water and dip the lower end in and let them soak in the boiling water until you can carefully bend then further. This bending allows them to sit out from the car side more perpendicular which shields you from more wind. These work for me for casual road drives. Option 2 is what I use for longer trips. 2) Try the vinyl sidescreens. These make touring really comfortable 3) If you feel suitably nuts then go commando - get an aero screen. This seems to me anyway reduce buffetting and make it a constant wind pressure. May not be a good idea on open roads though. Also make sure you get some ear plugs or other hearing protection - the wind buffetting can hurt our hearing over time. A variation of the above is to mix and match with the half hood that is available. This stops the air coming over the top of the windscreen and makes it cooler on summer drives. A combination of the modified perspex side screens with the half hood is my preferred touring format. For track tires, if you do not want to go for pure slicks then maybe try the Avon ZZRs? I have them on both of my Caterhams and think they are better than the Avon CR500 on track and you can still use them in non-wet soaking road environments. Roger Krause on the west coast has them in 13s. For NJMP we will have to see later in the year. I have another 40,000 air miles to complete in the next 4 months which is going to crimp my track opportunities. Cheers mike

I think these look great in black! :cooldude: Good luck with the sale!

A doctor would tell you to pull it out! :nopity:

I wonder if the invasions are connected with the website being down this morning?:ack:

You know...I think this is what Slngsht is really thinking! http://www.rottenecards.com/ecards/Rottenecards_68394985_jzvbbhdv96.png :jester:

Well that explains why you looped on the first lap of the first session at turn 1 - your foot got tired against the force of gravity and it uncontrollably fell on the thottle pedal at just the wrong moment. Perfectly understandable how it was not your fault....:hat:

You know Steve's video reminds me of being on those monkey bars in the playground as a kid except I dont recall ever being so high? Would a drone have got me a higher camera position? :rofl: I did like how the camera started off level and then decided to hang left at 45 degrees half way through the video. :smash: Cheers Steve! :cheers: