Croc

Well I have been busy putting some modifications on the car: 1) New carbon chin spoiler. This comes with the CSR kit as is part of the aero downforce package. Personally, I just think they are so nice to give it a double chin look that matches me! 2) New oil temp sensor. The car always ran oil temps too high for my liking around 110-120 on highway runs at 80mph or on track. This was despite having the a modine-type cooler. A lot of this was due to heat soak around the original sensor location at the filter. The sump plug was tapped with a sensor to get a true read on oil temps. On a nice high speed run today for an hour the oil temps now show a very steady 95-100 degrees. Much better. 3) A nice shiny oil catch tank to replace the plastic washer bottle kit solution that dripped oil into the pedal box. No more oily feet! 4) A diff oil catch tank. Should stop the dripping that happened on the last track day. 5) New brake hoses to replace the fautly ones. 6) Finally fitted the Reverie carbon cam cover. 7) Fitted the carbon aeroscreen instead of the windscreen. 8) Carbon block tail lights 9) A supercharger (where's Karl? :jester:)

Another idea is to upload the images to a free photo hosting website like Photobucket/Picasa/Webshots/etc and then just link the uploaded photos/embed images to this post. Currently, you have attached the images as files on USA7s and our forum has limits on size of files that can be attached. Hope this helps.

Very similar to my first seven except mine was a 1965. This has had some nice work done on it - upgraded ignition and gearbox I would have loved to have back in the early 1990s when I was racing. Looks like he has the same BMC engine that I used except that he has ported it which should make it sweeter running. Not sure where the wheels are from but they look nicer than the standard steel solid ones that I had. Very tempting but alas no point going back to those days, I am twice the man I used to be and a BMC 948cc ain't going to shift me around. :svengo:

I think the Nology light is the Omex one rebranded? looks otherwise the same.

I am ok for Sat Oct 29 or Sun Oct 30 I hope it does not rain like the June day did!

I was actually thinking of this google page: http://www.google.com/search?q=new+england+classics+complaints&hl=en&prmd=ivnsm&ei=IZaNTs2AKoTx0gGIz_kY&sa=N&oq=New+England+Classics%22&aq=1&aqi=g3g-v7&aql=&gs_sm=e&gs_upl=6282l6282l0l8954l1l1l0l0l0l0l234l234l2-1l1l0

You may want to google this place first before going closer....

Most people do not appreciate this but insurance is state regulated. This means that each company has to be licensed in each state to do busines, file premium rating plans, state reporting, etc. A lot of the difficulty on getting insurance comes from the company not being licensed in a specific state to be able to write that form of policy. The other catch is that Hagertys is not an insurance company. They are an insurance broker front that relies on a cooperating insurance company carrier behind to offer the policy. The big question is which state are you in? Of the main line insurers, State Farm, Chubb, and Liberty/Safeco are the most flexible but it depends on the state. Hagertys and American Collectors as others point out are generally helpful (subject to the state again). For me Grundys was more helpful as their policy wording was less restrictive. My prior seven was done with State Farm but they would not touch the current one. Always make the time to read the policy restrictions with these types of policies (e.g. garage construction requirements - floor, roof, walls; use of the car at shows/events, mileage limitations, flood zone rating, weekends away from home, etc.). The policies all vary substantially by individual state. So the policy I read for NJ is not anything like the policy that I might be given in Colorado or Illinois. Unfortunately, I only offer insurance for oil rigs that go boom in the gulf and not cars - would have made my own life much easier!

Maybe. I need to give Caterham opportunity to respond as Dave rightly pointed out. Steps I am taking are: 1) Friendly heads up here plus confirm my suspicions. 2) Trusted mechanic inspected and confirmed Bob's diagnosis this morning. 3) The CSI boffins we use for technical insurance claims have the brake lines and the fluid sample and I will wander around to them later today for the lab report. 4) Talk with Caterham and give them a chance to get the message out. You want one of these or similar: [email=http://www.harborfreight.com/brake-bleeder-and-vacuum-pump-kit-92474.html]http://www.harborfreight.com/brake-bleeder-and-vacuum-pump-kit-92474.html[/email] Wish I had one years ago.

I got the vmail at Caterham USA and left a message. I am having a race car engineer look at them to confirm diagnosis as well.

Yes - I have one of those too but I think I will live.

Bob - Thanks for the technical explanation - this makes perfect sense now. I am useless on the technical properties of the materials being used but I instinctively know when I think I have a problem. I am troubled by the potential for other new kit owners to be blissfully unaware of a problem like this all because of a bad batch of hoses not manufactured to the correct specs. Steve/Martin - Thanks for your thumbs up on Goodridge and Wilwood. I will look at them closer today.

You better be in your seven or I will put another rainbow sticker on the back of your miata! :jester:

Clearly contaminated fluid is a problem. If you say yours is clean then ok but I am wary of any brake line sweating. I was taught it was a bad thing. I prefer myself to get hot and sweaty instead of my brake lines. Replacements are a toss up between some conventional Raybestos lines or some snazzy looking Wilwood ones. Guess what I will fall for....

Just a friendly heads up to the seven community. I noticed today my brake hoses were sweating brake fluid. On closer inspection they were starting to perish. The fluid was drained to find it full of small black flakes suspended in the fluid, I guess coming from the inside of the hose. Given this was a newly constructed car in March and has only done 1100 miles in 6 months, I guess Caterham UK specc'ed the kit with the wrong hoses for the brakes - a bit disappointing and of obvious concern given I did 2 track days with them in July. Even if you have not replaced your brake hoses lately, you may want to give your hoses a good inspection for signs of brake fluid sweating. New brake hoses coming up for me....:leaving:

Definitely Milford. The roads are much nicer there than in Jersey City.

Posted on Britishspeed: NJ Spirited Drive: Sunday November 6th\ As promised earlier this year, we will hold the second of our signature Spirited Drives through Northern NJ. This will be a two hour Drive in Northwestern NJ, through some of the most scenic and twisty two-lane roads in Hunterdon County and its environs. The Date is Sunday, November 6th. The Start will be at William Thomas Roadsters on Rt 513 in Frenchtown, NJ. (569 Everittstown Road 08825) The Start Time (gassed up & ready to go!) is 11:15 AM. Arrive at 10:30 AM to tour Bill Thomas's shop,and have coffee and snacks courtesy of WTR. Pics from last year: http://www.wtroadsters.com/lotus_pho...p?id_album=325 This has been a great event in past years. Last years event was notable for getting Bruce and Nancy down from CT and from Box's Miata giving me a cardio scare. I am planning to try and make assuming no early winter snow.

If you are trying to confirm build then use this chassis identification site to analyze what your car is. http://7faq.com/owbase/ow.asp?ChassisNumbers#h10 Of course the US/Canada cars are all kits and usually the engine and gearbox is "NS" but it will confirm year/short/long cockpit/etc. Won't help if you need an official letter though....

Some minor detail clarification - The website for Caterham USA is run by Caterham UK who do not always update it regularly despite messages from Jon Nelson. That is why my yellow seven remains for sale on the "instant gratification" page even though it was sold in April this year. - I think you will find the RMSCI website technical price lists had not been updated since the merger 2 (or was it 3?) years ago. I found this out late last year when trying to put my car together. I had to get the option and parts lists sent to me. - The RMSCI emails and phone numbers did route to Caterham USA earlier this year when I was getting my car together. Have not tried it since Ben left though.... On the other hand, 30 cars in a single year has to be their best sales season ever. This is encouraging when you consider the difficult economic environment that businesses are dealing with in the US and globally.

:rofl: Steve - you are worse than me! Bruce - Since none of those reasons seem to stick with me I think Bruce's idea just gain traction. That weekend looks suspiciously free for me so it just may work. Some of us wage slaves have to work so midweek is out of the question. A Friday/Sat/Sun is definitely there. Are you coming back from Bonaire early this year?

Not sure it was weather, the garage is the normal place for Tom's car. He was talking about going to some historic races so he may use that as a ready excuse. :jester:

Probably a good thing you moved from NJ - it is not a friendly state to our cars anymore. Welcome to USA7s - we can always help you spend money. Stops us spending our own for a brief moment!

My old car had the Omex shiftlight which I liked for its small size and unobtrusive looks - control box was mounted under the dash out of sight. I mounted it under the scuttle to the right of the wheel. The new car now has the ACES shiftlight which Caterham sell. Similarly mounted under the scuttle to the right of the wheel as seen in this pic: http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a354/mjohnson555/seats/CSR/Colorado%20April%202011/DSC_5413_edited-1.jpg If I had my time again, I would go for the Omex on the new car. The ACES works fine, just too bulkly for what it does.

Something 8 or 9 coats if I recall correctly? I tried this on a test piece and gave up at 6 coats. Carbon is a thirst little devil when it comes to clear coating!

Karl - Carbon Bits has ceased trading and their website you linked has a virus. Timax - I imagine covering a nosecone in the sheet would be like applying the 3M clear shield protector? If so then I would have a 3M application pro do it because of the compound curves and the need to match the weave at points where you would need to cut the film to make it curve around and sit properly without bubbling up.