Croc

I dont know what you are talking about? I have not upgraded my engine since it was first delivered from Cosworth UK in 2010 and I have not added any carbon since 2011. Karl is just being competitive with himself and demonstrating the inverse relationship between size of wallet and speed. :jester: I have gone another direction and have upgraded my looks on track. I may not be fastest but I look...:cooldude:

The March 9 track weekend is going to be very interesting for a whole bunch of reasons to Karl and myself. If he does not blow up then I will be spinning off with the Mustang with its maiden voyage at NJMP on crappy BFG T/A rubber. :iamwithstupid:

:nopity: That and having to preserve a mickey mouse engine from destruction (Rover K series). You do not understand the power of the Force. Come over to the dark side - try a Ford engine :devil:

S&S have been closed since Friday when Pete and I saw the car so no one could buy it even if they wanted to! Pete is first in line at this competition! :jester: The car is a track day car. It has to be registered in another state that does not follow the EPA letter of law. Aesthetically she is a bit a of a mongrel - star chips, cracks, dents, chips and evidence of a 5 five year old being let loose with couple of hand tools. The prior impact damage is evident but did not trouble me as it looked reasonably well done. Mechanically it is good except for the gearbox and possibly the clutch (although I would replace that anyway if I had the gearbox out). So figure on $1000 for a reconditioned replacement, add a couple of hundred for incidentals/service items (rewire lights, indicators, high level brake light, reversing light, add a seat, etc), throw on a good set of tires ($800?) to replace the spec set of rubber currently there and without labor charges that is $2k. So at asking $15.5 plus $2k for total $17.5k...feels steep. There have been Birkins come up for sale on here in very low $20s or even high teens for a well sorted crossflow Birkin that look good, mechnically seem good, probably less thrashed, never been crashed, and have a decent chance of being registered on road in NJ. I even remember a decent looking Caterham crossflow being down in the low $20s at one point. A little extra money would seem to be a better value result in this situation. If you want a pure spec racer then buy this ready prepared with cage, suspension set up, and "craggy good looks".

KiwiBirkin did a brake upgrade on his birkin. See the posts about halfway down this page: http://www.usa7s.com/vb/showthread.php?t=3305&highlight=birkin+brake&page=14 Drop him a PM if you need more information.

Thank you very much. I am tossing the options between epoxy, polished concrete or variation on that - liquid stone. I know I want something to keep the dust down. For a 4 poster lift I am looking at backyard buddy as I like the design and safety aspects. For the second lift I am not sure if I want a 2 poster or just another 4 poster to help out with the storage aspects. Yeah I know....they already hang around like a bunch of bad farts :rofl:

Send a PM to MichaelD - he is always breaking his T9 boxes. I would give George Alderman a call. He knows the gearbox well and his workshop is enough of an aladdin's cave that he probably has a spare there.

I looked - just the standard Caterham discs and callipers which are perfect for this car. Pads were about 50% worn. No evidence of warping rotors or leaking of fluid. Engine was fine from what I could hear and see and feel and as Michael notes it is a cheap replacement. Gearbox is dead but I would drive it until it broke and then replace the clutch at the same time. Engine bay was well set up. The old gearbox will have the long input shaft to remove and switch over. if it were me I would consider getting a set of good BGH ratios to make the gearing suit the car better.

I am on the hudson River opposite battery Park. My garage here is better suited for parking a submarine since it floods with a nor easter or strong storm tide. During Sandy it was flooded to the roof. The seven was moved out well before. The garage is being constructed at NJ motorsports park. plenty of room to accommodate my toys plus bring my 2 20 yo restoration projects in from storage. Nice workshop downstairs with lifts, bathroom, workshop and bunks for those guys who want to rent a bed from me . i have plans for a ceiling projector to run videos on a white wall in the garage. I already have the stereo equipment sorted. Upstairs loft has living space, kitchen and full bathroom. Off that is a nice deck overlooking the track: http://www.njmp.com/facility/accommodations-rentals/villas-new-jersey-motorsports.html Construction begins in 60 days and is due to be finished Oct/Nov. Your photos did give me ideas. I was planning for a 2 and 4 poster lift plus the expoxy floors. Already know what I want in garage cabinets and workshop equipment.

Ok...I know which bolt now. it is an engine out job on a CSR with the cosworth 2.3. Hopefully that does not apply to you in an SV chassis.

I am not sure that the pictures have helped me locate which bolt you are trying to remove? Is this the bolt that connects sump to block? I recall to get into the dry sump you need to take out the engine. Do you want me to make a mercy trip to your garage? I accept beer as donations! :seeya:

Martin - the seven is at the back up facility a few miles south of town so you will need to make an appointment to see it. However, the main street showroom is definitely worth a look see. There is a lovely lightweight E type replica that is torturing my conscience amongst other gorgeous equipment. I will let Pete post his views on the car.

I don't see a problem there. I think it shows a man with exceedlingly good taste and his priorities in life well sorted! My motto is 'if you cannot beat them then join them!' So I am - new 1700sqft garage coming up in October! :cooldude: I am having so much fun working through garage equipment catalogs to spec out exactly what I want. Not sure how big the beer fridge should be though...:jester:

Found this morning while "shopping"...ok...I was really daydreaming :blush: No affiliation or connection with me - just reposting here for the benefit of forum users. 2012 Birkin with 465 miles on the clock. I guess the owner is not on here? http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2012-Birkin-S3-re-engineered-1967-Lotus-Super-7-/181081095973?pt=US_Cars_Trucks&hash=item2a29463f25

I went to the Newark (UK not NJ) kit car show 2 years back and had a great time - there is a photo thread on here somewhere that I posted. I dont think there is any equivalent form of show in the US. So much variety of kit cars, parts and pieces and of course completed cars to check out and get great ideas from. I definitely would recommend people try for a show like this if their travel plans coincide. I wont make this one given my March track weekend at Spa will have used up all my money.

Not sure where you are in NJ but Hopewell is only an hour away from me. I know Steelwings and Ed Sanson - Ed is a really nice guy. I could meet you there Saturday to jointly check the car over (assuming it is at their main street shop and not the back up site shown in the photos). I have seen the car before when it was a rental with Entropy but I did not inspect it closely. 1. What should I look for and ask about when looking at the car? My list of items: - definitely pull off the nose cone for any inspection - rust of any kind in the usual spots - sound/feel of engine - chassis/steering/suspension cracks or alignment issues - steering feel - Clutch or gearbox feel (if t-9 5spd I am looking at 2-3 area) - Dingo has kindly provided a really useful insight - need to run that to ground - general condition of hoses/fuel tank - oil, fuel, diff, brake leaks 2. Is an old racecar a series of problems held together with hidden cracks and I should walk away? Not necessarily. I have rented Caterham race cars from Bookatrack and they are some of the best mechanically maintained and reliable sevens I have ever seen (not necessarily the best show cars though!). From what I recall this is not a show car to look at. Inspection will show if it was well maintained mechanically by Entropy. 3. Ballpark ideas on the cost of streeting it, if I do all the work. What would it need beyond headlights, turn signals and actuator, -are those rear lamps "factory" marker lamps, seats (perhaps the most costly item?) windscreen, wipers system (a big deal?) (has anyone registered a car with brooklands in NJ?), safety harnesses. Ooooh.....the pain of a NJ seven registration. Assuming this is not going to be a faked 1965 Lotus registration then you need to expect worst case that NJ MVC will apply the full DOT/CAFE rules and regs. The legally correct NJ registration process for a kit car is to treat it as a reconstruct/salvage as its engine did not come factory standard from a Caterham. If so then the process is: 1) go to MVC and apply for title pay tax and registration 2) MVC takes new registration and plates and sends them to specialty inspection 3) You take the car (on a trailer) to specialty inspection and they check the compliance with NJ inspection regs and NJ emissions. This means: A 2000 year chassis car with a post 1996 engine requires full OBDII with no faults showing in order to be emissions tested. This car does not have that as I recall it having an after market ECU (happy to be corrected on this). In theory the NJ DOE law allows for waivers to be tail pipe tested, in practice you have no hope - wait for Blubarisax to chime in on this one. You can cost out the various modifications by going to Caterham UK and looking at their parts inventory pages with prices marked. To street ready from the perspective of a NJ Specialty Inpsection you need: lights front indicators rear brake lights and rear indicators reversing light high mount brake light shielding over the entire exposed exhaust length to protect kiddies, kittens, etc a steering wheel 12 inches or greater in diameter - non-removable. DOT marked 3 point belts or race harnesses. wipers no rule on windscreen from memory but an inspector could be a pain and insist on it. There is a car in NJ with Brooklands but it never went through specialty inspection. I was forced to install honeycomb panels around the fuel tank on my previous seven gear stick has to have marked H pattern gears (cheap - buy a sticker) I was also noise tested even though there is no law on this. Inspectors like to make up rules. Assuming you pass this then you get your plates and registration and then you need to go and get tested for emissions again before you get your emissions test pass sticker (at least I had to!). Now this is the legally correct way for a post 1996 engined seven to be registered in NJ. Someone will come on line to dispute me but I have the legal bills, written attorney opinions and MVC/DOE/inspection correspondence to prove it and I am the only one to have ever had a post 2000 seven NJ emissions tested. However....you may be lucky at the MVC upfront when you apply for a brand new title to argue that the car fits precisely within the legal definition of an "historic" or "collector" car category for registration. No title does give you a clean sheet of paper to work with I suppose. However this is your choice to make this case. If you fail at this then you now proudly own a car on which you paid sales tax that you will never be able to legally drive in NJ. There was a forum member who ended up in this exact situation (lives within 100 yards of where this car is for sale rather coincidentally). So in reality as a NJ resident I look at this as a pure track car. If you want a road car then you really need to look at a pre-1995 chassis with a pre-OBD engine. Then you can sail through the process in a straightforward manner like other NJ owners. 4. Is it worth it (vs. other 7s) as a street conversion? I know, it's sort of like asking, "what is the best car?" -But I already know the answer to that one. :-) As a track day car I think it is great value. To get it as a road car in NJ - I would walk away and look for a pre-1996 cross flow. I will PM my cell phone so you can call me if you want me to join you on an inspection. Cheers mike By the way - where do you run? There are a group of seveners who run track days at NJMP regularly. If you want to see a broader cross section of cars in order to learn more about them then we can arrange sometime fairly easily as we are all over north/south NJ or PA (Philly area).

I want to say that I am supportive of what Greg and Bill are trying to do in the North East and I hope is it very successful to give additional track time options to us. I will be looking forward to see dates released soon so I can plan my year out. :cooldude: Now I hope this means that Bill will be taking his lovely anniversary crossflow Caterham out on track to resume its former racing career in the hands of its previous owner?

Of course....a failed ex-HR flunkey and those of us in corporate life know how bad they are! I have never seen a good HR person in any of my corporations yet! Hi Tom :seeya::rofl: LOL - I am more of a southerner than you are! I was born south of the equator! You would be more than welcome. So far it has mostly been guys turning up mainly because none of us have any enlightened chicks as partners, except for Jeff whose better half Mary is turning out to be faster on track than most of us. If your better half wants to come along then I think we could easily make some arrangements Just to convince you further here is the photo thread from 2012 http://usa7s.com/vb/showthread.php?t=7738

Seller dropped his price to $15500 which I bet could be beaten a little lower in negotiations.

Yes - I am trying for an alternative option to get more exclusivity to the sevens group.

The Caterham carbon is notorious for white spotting. I have seen too many examples of it. I went the opposite direction to Tom after my early experiments revealed clear coating would add 100-150 pounds to the weight in all those extra coats. So I went with the 3m paint protection film over all the carbon by getting a professional to do it. It has worked pretty well. It does not show up on the front wings unless you really look for it and they were a tricky shape with all the compound curves. It is easier to see on the rear wings if you catch it in the right sunlight or fluorescent light. No problems so far.

As a CSR Superlight owner I can say they are great cars on the track. The only thing I am not liking is the undertray aero fairing that does get me very light/airborne over a hump on my local track. Superlight was just a track focused CSR package. You still had the option for one of 2 dash layouts - swoopy with integrated chassis tubes or the traditional flat dash panel layout. Do you know which option you ordered? If you got the removable wheel option then you probably have flat dash and it should be relatively easy to install the Sadev. If you got the swoopy dash with the Rover steering column then be prepared for some chassis cutting for the Sadev. As for the paddles on this swoopy dash steering column then that will be an interesting installation process....I am not sure it is possible given the design.

I think you are going to be a first to attempt a sequential in a CSR. All previous CSRs were specified with the Caterham 6 speed to the best of my knowledge. First thing - you have to first clarify which CSR chassis you are trying to work with - swoopy dash version or the standard looking dash version. If swoopy dash then yes there is modification to the chassis needed. From my explorations during a weak moment of mine in the specification of my CSR, I discovered this. As I understood it the gear stick comes up through a fairly narrow "box"/square so you have limited fore and aft movement for a gear stick - not enough for a sequential but just enough for a Caterham 6 speed box. The problem exists not just for the Sadev but also the Quaife sequential. It is still very tight even with the Caterham 6 speed H box. For example, in first gear on my car the gear stick is just touching the chassis cross bar on the dash. I am not aware of any other tunnel top issue other than the the gear stick issue. I am not sure the same issue exists on the regular dash CSR as that area is very much different in how the chassis cross bars are laid out. They are more like an SV and so may accommodate a sequential more readily. It will be a case of test fit and see!

That sounds much better. Stop winding me up....:dupe: I am a little delicate this week. I even managed to roll my golf cart yesterday when I cornered it just a leetle too fast.... I have faith that even with more monster power under your right foot I can use my awesome rear end to give me an advantage in corners to beat you. Plus my Caterham is the only one to get airborne on the back straight thanks to the superior aerodynamic shape of its driver....oh wait...:ack:

Are you nucking futs? Forgive my reaction but I am not sure this is a good idea... You have a precision machined engine component that you are going to just modify by laying into it with a grinder? How will you know you have taken enough off by just looking at it? Or do you have to put it all back together to turn over by hand to make sure it is not rubbing? I think you want a pro to do this for you using the clearance specs of the cam that SBD should have given you.