Croc

Week Beginning September 10, 2023 Craigslist is now blocking USA-wide searches via third party search websites or/and where a VPN is in use. Until this changes, I am unable to include Craigslist ads within this car for sale summary. USA7s Classified Sevens for Sale Ads https://usa7s.net/ips/forum/26-cars-for-sale/ New Lotus 7 S2?/Early Caterham?/Replica? https://www.hemmings.com/classifieds/dealer/lotus/unspecified/2725361.html Specter Mk1 https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/3529681310648852/ DF Goblin https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1403628396864853/ Replica Project https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/818120779807095/ Repeats Caterham https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1482642472549776/ Caterham https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/149199501163740/ Lotus 7 S4 https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/593067882983971/ Stalker https://www.hemmings.com/classifieds/dealer/lotus/unspecified/2631787.html Westfield https://www.ebay.com/itm/166323355978?hash=item26b9a5014a%3Ag%3AawMAAOSwZRBkrkYU&mkevt=1&mkcid=1&mkrid=711-53200-19255-0&campid=5335981329&customid=&toolid=10049 Replica https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1076617119852751/ Replica Project https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1306580090234392/ Locost Project https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1498358520995349/ Canada Locost https://www.autotrader.ca/a/lotus/seven/delta/british columbia/19_12681378_/?showcpo=ShowCpo&ncse=no&ursrc=pl&urp=1&urm=2&pc=T4N 6S6&sprx=-1 and here https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/246001785078755/ Superformance S1 https://www.autotrader.ca/a/superformance/caterham/leaskdale/ontario/19_12679638_/?showcpo=ShowCpo&ncse=no&orup=3_4_4&pc=T4N 6S6&sprx=-1 Caterham https://www.autotrader.ca/a/caterham/super 7/vaughan/ontario/19_12525939_/?showcpo=ShowCpo&ncse=no&orup=4_4_4&pc=T4N 6S6&sprx=-1 and here https://www.kijiji.ca/v-cars-trucks/markham-york-region/caterham-lotus-super-7-hayabusa-sv/1668687794 Birkin https://www.autotrader.ca/a/lotus/seven/calgary/alberta/19_12371976_/?showcpo=ShowCpo&ncse=no&orup=43_15_59&pc=T4N 6S6&sprx=-1 Westfield https://www.autotrader.ca/a/lotus/seven/lethbridge/alberta/19_12680734_/?showcpo=ShowCpo&ncse=no&orup=44_15_59&pc=T4N 6S6&sprx=-1 and here https://www.kijiji.ca/v-cars-trucks/lethbridge/2016-westfield/1671103155 Dutton https://www.kijiji.ca/v-cars-trucks/kawartha-lakes/1976-dutton-lotus-7/1667580100 and here https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/622395363325372/ Eva Beva https://www.kijiji.ca/v-voiture-collection/granby/eva-beva-lotus-super-7/1667803489 and here https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/188308534231376/ Locost https://www.kijiji.ca/v-voiture-collection/laval-rive-nord/lotus-seven-1967/1667779626 Locost Project https://www.kijiji.ca/v-classic-cars/city-of-toronto/lotus-super-seven-replica/1667258482 Caterham https://7cars.ca/cars-for-sale/caterham-s3-360.htm Replica https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/298700612586762/ Replica https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1198192400840027/ Donkervoort https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/2482305621952213/ Eva Beva https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/283401747495108/ Westfield https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1283424638974966/

Oh and to add. I never go super firm with a Caterham as 1) I find the weight transfer helpful for maximizing grip given the lightweight nature of our cars and 2) if it is damp or raining, you want a softer suspension anyway and no one wants to be faffing around changing things from dry to wet. Its all a compromise - focusing on the sweet spot is the best answer.

Do you want to set it up exclusively as a track suspension or do you want a mildly sporting upgrade from say a 310S spec to say 310R or maybe more meaty with a 310R track spec? Trying to gauge your degree of upgrade you are aiming at. A mild upgrade needn;t be spring/shocks. You could always switch out the rubber/metalastic suspension bushings for poly bushings. Powerflex USA in PA sell them - use the search bar to find Caterham bits as they do not list it as a maker. Just makes everything a little crisper for track or road. They last a hell of a lot longer than any bushing supplied by Caterham if you give them their annual attention. https://www.powerflexusa.com/shop?search=caterham My suggestion would be an " R " type of upgrade with the poly bushings. Good for track but not too extreme so you can still use it on the road when you have opportunity to plus no need to change back. I find I get about 15 years out of my Caterham shocks. There is usually a US maker who will refurb the shocks at the correct valve spec (if you know it). For example, Meteor sell Penske shocks - you can have those serviced here. Some will have to go back to maker in the UK - my CSR Multimatics will have to be rebuilt back there. Bilsteins, Konis, mass market stuff sold here can be serviced here - plenty of places offer the service option. More specialist shocks can be done by some boutique places - I have a contact in Phoenix who does it for my other cars. You just need to know the right valving for your lightweight car. That will be something Meteor usually keep secret but you should try to get the spec when you purchase so you can avoid having to send back in the future.

So you recommend we chuck Vlad and replace him with whatever works? Seems harsh but his Caterham might like that.

Definitely that is the way to go. I have not been to the Caterham factory in about 10 years - even going to the showroom is very helpful to sort through the options. They are moving it so visits may be offlimits for quite a few months. The guy you want to make contact with is David Ridley, Caterham's Chief Commercial Officer. Really nice guy. Caterham are slowly expanding on their Experience offerings https://caterhamcars.com/en/experiences/overview A Caterham test drive is usually a brief affair and I bet they will not allow it with a non-UK license. They did not for me. I would seriously consider renting a Caterham while you are there. Plenty of good options, although maybe not the exact model you want. You want some good amount of time to go off and get lost on backroads. https://www.williamsautomobiles.com/caterham/hire/ https://www.sevenhire.com/ https://www.caterhamgatwick.com/hire-a-seven/ https://www.highlandcaterhamhire.com/ I have used Highland Caterham for some past explorations. They accept USA licences. Overdue to do it again. Trust me, you will learn how to use the weather gear, very quickly.... The Ariel Atom factory is worth a visit although it will not be as large as you will be expecting. If you want a contact for Ariel Atoms, then I have a US dealer contact - he owes me a favor since he has one of my cars presently. @JohnCh We may be needing thread separation here...

Bonfire on Saturday night? I'll bring the fuel, rope and match. The only possible Pectel car that I think may attend is @CarlB Cannot remember what ECU is on his car. Rest will be a variety of MBE ECUs based on what I see right now. Not sure what @wemtd has - Haltech from memory.

Jersey City

I think you will find NY State accommodating to a new Caterham. Lots get through the process without issue. Vlad had issues more because of the past title year label from a prior state than it being a bad car. Starting the title from kit is a different exercise. The NY State Caterham dealer will have all the info you need. I definitely don't think you will need to find another state. Are you in the NY metro area like me?

I have a bundle of these on the work bench - the old broken plus some new milled replacements for future spares since this now looks to be turning into a consumable for track cars. The original failure on the outside surface of the ear (not the side) seems to be poor casting/raw material, then corrosion, into which the inevitable metal fatigue sets in. The failure crack seems to be mostly from the outside to the in from what I have seen in the Blatchat threads, offline photos and the various CSR email chains I am a part of. As you rightly point out, it definitely needs lube on assembly as the there is movement through the suspension articulation.

I'm not going to make excuses as I have experienced it all myself as a multi-decade owner. When I was thinking of my 2010 CSR I went to visit Caterham UK as there was no one in the USA with the experience on that model. The problem with Caterham, or most of the Se7en dealers in the USA market, is that this is not their full time job. The sales flow is so small, that any dealership is a side-bar to their main business. Caterham order books are so delayed that some dealers cannot even fulfill the orders so customers walk. How does a dealer keep a business running when they are lucky to get 10 cars a year shipped by Caterham? Also the dealers are all sole individual types of workshops where they are run off their feet with work. Email/Vmail/Call responsiveness can only go so far in that situation - they run out of time in the day to get back to people. There are a lot of false interest inquiries with these cars. People think they want one and then they realize the intensity of the experience and the commitment needed to enjoy. A Se7en is a lot more hard core than a Porsche with an ownership experience model from the 1930s and should not be compared to each other. I will be curious to see if Donkervoort will fix that by asking a quarter of a million dollars for a se7en. As for aftersales, there is a reason USA7s exists. It was into the absence of the post-sales support network that it showed why a club like this is needed. We provide each other a form of support network. Its not perfect. Its limited but then so to is its cost. Its not ideal but for the committed enthusiast, they can make it work. I think your approach to talk with other owners is the right one, however, you may want to re-calibrate your expectations on ownership experience now to prevent later disappointment as, unfortunately, what you rightly critique, is a major part of the ultimate price of an admission to a se7en.

You have to be the first person that thinks NJ might be better than NY in some way!

Hi Henry, I have been looking into the likely attendees at the event. As usual, everyone signs up at the last minute so its hard to predict which is annoying for you as you want some certainty to make plans. I'd like some certainty for catering so I can appreciate your request! Here is what I know today. - There will be two Caterham SV sized cars there. - One is not drivable on the road - its essentially a track car. - The other is my CSR which is not really representative of what you are shopping for as it will drive very differently to a regular de Dion 420R. Not sure its insured for you as a driver anyway given the policy wording. The majority of the cars that will be present are going to be Caterham S3 or Birkin or maybe a Ultralite. None of these were in your list of requirements. While I do own a 420R SV, it is on the wrong side of the Atlantic for your purposes! Your better option may be to make contact with Caterham dealers and their customers, similar to how you got in touch with Jim @kayentaskier I know you have been in contact with Josh at RMC but if he has not got what you want to try out then maybe try Rick at Time Machine? cheers mike

@theDreamer summed it up nicely. Lots of people have considered the topic in the past. Lots of prior postings and discussions about this topic. The most relevant post for your example that you would find a useful read is this one:

Thank you for posting. Its about time Caterham got off their ass and did something on this. The long running thread on Blatchat says they should have reacted a long time ago to a glaring safety issue. This had been a known issue in the racing community for a while but only recently had it migrated into road cars as their mileage got significant. Despite what Caterham says on their website, I would not want to be dealing with this part failing while at speed. There have been two or three CSRs in the US with cracked mounts. I replaced mine earlier this year using a replacement part designed by Team Leos UK as Caterham were uninterested in providing support. Replacement parts are available by order in the USA via Josh at Rocky Mountain Caterham and should he not be able to assist, then I know a back up source. Caterham-CSR-Rear-Clevis-Inspection-Guide-SL1-v2.pdf

Congratulations on your purchase. I split time between north and south NJ. I have had too many sevens go through the process in NJ. I'd personally prefer to sign up for a daily colonoscopy than go near the NJ DMV ever again. I need to track down the guy who managed to navigate through the process with a new Caterham 360 two years ago as there are some good lessons from his experience. As for alternatives to NJ, I recommend we take that discussion offline - look for a PM. In the meantime, if I were you, I would make phone contact with the DMV person in Trenton to ask for the kit car title/registration instruction package to be sent out to you. You will need it at some point. However, I would not give any facts/details away on the phone to the DMV person as that individual will be involved in a completed application of yours at some point. Two questions to ask Tom C are: 1) can the ECU can deliver OBDII output? I think I know the answer but worth confirming. 2) how would Tom title that Birkin in CO - 2023 Kit/Reconstruct? 2023 Birkin? 2023 Lotus 7 or some replica year like 1967 Birkin or 1967 Lotus? File the answers away for now - better not disclose here. PS - loved seeing the photos of your Birkin. I can clearly see in the background where in 2021 my V12 Bucket of Magnificence left many stains on Tom's then-pristine concrete parking area! I don't think he ever forgave me.

Week Beginning September 4, 2023 Craigslist is now blocking USA-wide searches via third party search websites and where a VPN is in use. Until this changes, I will no longer be including Craigslist ads within this car for sale summary. Think twice before electing to use Craigslist to sell your items. USA7s Classified For Sale Ads https://usa7s.net/ips/forum/26-cars-for-sale/ New Stuart Taylor 7 https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/286888637394483/ DF Goblin https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1403628396864853/ Westfield 11 https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/287112863958006/ Repeats Caterham https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/583858490501013/ Caterham https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1482642472549776/ Caterham https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/149199501163740/ Lotus 7 S4 https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/593067882983971/ Replica https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1076617119852751/ Locost Project https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/655763246441864/ Locost Project https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1498358520995349/ Westfield https://www.ebay.com/itm/166275080713?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=fbJmRN0DTES&sssrc=2047675&ssuid=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY and here https://www.hemmings.com/classifieds/dealer/westfield/se/2610959.html Stalker https://www.hemmings.com/classifieds/dealer/lotus/unspecified/2631787.html Canada Donkervoort https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/2482305621952213/ Westfield https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1283424638974966/ Fejer 7 https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/246001785078755/ Caterham https://www.autotrader.ca/a/caterham/super 7/vaughan/ontario/19_12525939_/?showcpo=ShowCpo&ncse=no&orup=1_1_1&pc=T4N 6S6&sprx=-1 and here https://www.kijiji.ca/v-cars-trucks/markham-york-region/caterham-lotus-super-7-hayabusa-sv/1668687794 Eva Beva https://www.autotrader.ca/a/lotus/unspecified/roxton pond/quebec/5_59266058_20230425130945855/?showcpo=ShowCpo&ncse=no&orup=24_15_55&pc=T4N 6S6&sprx=-1 and here https://www.kijiji.ca/v-voiture-collection/granby/eva-beva-lotus-super-7/1667803489 and here https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/188308534231376/ Dutton https://www.kijiji.ca/v-cars-trucks/kawartha-lakes/1976-dutton-lotus-7/1667580100 and here https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/622395363325372/ Birkin https://www.autotrader.ca/a/lotus/seven/calgary/alberta/19_12371976_/?showcpo=ShowCpo&ncse=no&orup=41_15_55&pc=T4N 6S6&sprx=-1 Locost https://www.kijiji.ca/v-voiture-collection/laval-rive-nord/lotus-seven-1967/1667779626 Locost Project https://www.kijiji.ca/v-classic-cars/city-of-toronto/lotus-super-seven-replica/1667258482 Caterham https://7cars.ca/cars-for-sale/caterham-s3-360.htm Locost https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/298700612586762/ Replica https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1198192400840027/

Radtec in the UK are the Caterham cooling specialists with better quality than the Caterham parts site. While crossflow is not listed I bet they have a solution (likely the zetec) if you were to ping/call them. https://www.radtec.co.uk/shop/makes/caterham/

Yes production is ceasing for Avon UK tires. However, much of the Avon range is also produced in Serbia plus another Eastern European country (I think it was Romania or Bulgaria?). There are vague rumors that the UK production equipment will be relocated to the USA to kick off production here. I am not expecting the tires we use will be discontinued or cease to become available. There may be a short term supply issue while they sort themselves out.

Week Beginning August 27, 2023 Craigslist is now blocking USA-wide searches via third party search websites and where a VPN is in use. Until this changes, I will no longer be including Craigslist ads within this car for sale summary. Think twice before electing to use Craigslist to sell your items. USA7s Classified Cars for Sale https://usa7s.net/ips/forum/26-cars-for-sale/ New Caterham https://carsandbids.com/auctions/rj4PpRgY/1986-caterham-super-seven-cosworth-bdr Caterham https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1977-caterham-super-seven-3/ Locost Project https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/187907627636212/ Caterham https://bringatrailer.com/listing/2020-caterham-310r-s3/ Repeats Stalker https://www.hemmings.com/classifieds/dealer/lotus/unspecified/2631787.html Westfield https://www.ebay.com/itm/166275080713?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=fbJmRN0DTES&sssrc=2047675&ssuid=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY and here https://www.hemmings.com/classifieds/dealer/westfield/se/2610959.html Caterham https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/583858490501013/ Caterham https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1482642472549776/ Caterham https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/149199501163740/ Lotus 7 S4 https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/593067882983971/ Replica https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1076617119852751/ Westfield https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/2440784879436899/ Locost Project https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/655763246441864/ Locost Project https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1498358520995349/ Canada Caterham https://7cars.ca/cars-for-sale/caterham-s3-360.htm Eva Beva https://www.autotrader.ca/a/lotus/unspecified/roxton pond/quebec/5_59266058_20230425130945855/?showcpo=ShowCpo&ncse=no&orup=22_15_49&pc=T4N 6S6&sprx=-1 and here https://www.kijiji.ca/v-voiture-collection/granby/eva-beva-lotus-super-7/1667803489 and here https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/188308534231376/ Birkin https://www.autotrader.ca/a/lotus/seven/calgary/alberta/19_12371976_/?showcpo=ShowCpo&ncse=no&orup=35_15_49&pc=T4N 6S6&sprx=-1 Caterham https://www.autotrader.ca/a/caterham/super 7/ancaster/ontario/19_12643591_/?showcpo=ShowCpo&ncse=no&orup=1_2_2&pc=T4N 6S6&sprx=-1 Caterham https://www.autotrader.ca/a/caterham/super 7/vaughan/ontario/19_12525939_/?showcpo=ShowCpo&ncse=no&orup=2_2_2&pc=T4N 6S6&sprx=-1 and here https://www.kijiji.ca/v-cars-trucks/markham-york-region/caterham-lotus-super-7-hayabusa-sv/1668687794 Replica Project https://www.autotrader.ca/a/lotus/seven/campbellford/ontario/19_12643083_/?showcpo=ShowCpo&ncse=no&orup=34_15_50&pc=T4N 6S6&sprx=-1 and here https://www.kijiji.ca/v-classic-cars/city-of-toronto/lotus-super-seven-replica/1667258482 Replica https://www.kijiji.ca/v-voiture-collection/laval-rive-nord/lotus-seven-1967/1667779626 Dutton https://www.kijiji.ca/v-cars-trucks/kawartha-lakes/1976-dutton-lotus-7/1667580100 and here https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/622395363325372/ Westfield https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1283424638974966/ Locost https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/298700612586762/ Replica https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1198192400840027/ RM 7 Project https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/675102021197942/ Diva 7 https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/563328625842779/ Donkervoort https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/2482305621952213/ RM 8 Project https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/243680774667919/

And then there is the Prototipo Synergy V8 out of NZ. Only costs NZ$70K (about US$35-40K) https://www.prototipo.co.nz/projects An Article here with more detail since the Prototipo website is pretty sparse. https://www.motortrend.com/features/1511-2014-subaru-brz-jun-auto-synergy-v8/ The problems with all of these V8s was the same: 1) Power delivery was hard to make work in a se7en 2) Gearbox was always going to be a weak link - allow for one a year 3) They have higher than regular refresh cycles and its not as if you can take it to your local mechanic to rebuild. Figure every 3-5 years RST has been wound up although Russell Savory has founded a new company called Motopower. Not sure if all the bits to support the RSTV8 and V6 are still available. While Hartley is still around and one of their V8s has been installed in a Caterham (and road registered!), back in 2017 it took repeated phone calls before I could chat on buying an engine and even then the questions around intellectual property, should the owner pass away or company go under, were never resolved. My lesson was these V8s were a performance dead end. My research in 2017-19 was the Millington I4 options were a long way better than any of these V8 engines. Sensational engines but require more care and attention than our regular street based engines. They are also a challenge to get in and out of the USA with customs being what they are. They are also not street legal. https://www.millingtonengines.co.uk/

Hi Bruce, This is one of those yes and no types of things. The nomenclature of Ford BD engines is really messy. Yes Caterham did the cross flow cast iron block and slap the BD head on it and call it a BDR but Ford never did that in its motorsports program. It was only a Caterham thing which I suspect was done for cost and availability of cross flow blocks at the time. The Ford Escorts also used a alloy block BDR engine in their official motorsport program for rallying and BTCC that was alloy block. The Escorts later went to BDG (I want one of those! ). I The Ford BDR for the Ford Escorts was higher hp than any BDR by Caterham as the alloy block could handle higher revs - so the hp result was a LOT higher in the Escort BDR vs the Caterham BDR. Despite both being called BDR they are clearly different engine specs. Different sources attribute different things. The website you linked is very good but it is contradicted by other books and sources. I have no idea what the real story is but it is confusing and your reference may well be right. This car for sale is not a Caterham BDR. It was not one of the series produced in the UK by Caterham which would be evidenced via the chassis number being coded as one of the BDR series. This is clearly a crossflow car from its origin. Does the engine in this car for sale match what Caterham claimed for its BDR in the 1980s? No. Depending on who you reference - Rees, Dennis, or any number of the websites the Caterham BDR series hp ranged from 175-200hp. The car for auction is spec'ed for around 150hp based on what I see in the rebuild invoice. Yes it does sound like a bag of bolts in the video but I suspect it is carb jets clogged from lack of use. Not sure its a big project though. Lots to commend it.

This car was not an original Caterham BDR. It was brought in as a kit without engine (hence no stamping on VIN plate). This was required by US import rules of the time (and today). VIN decipher confirms it as a pre-1990 Caterham Series 3 with the Marina Ital live axle and a pre-1990 version of the long cockpit. Looking at the engine makes me think it is a BDA and not a BDG or BDR. Block is not alloy as I would expect for a genuine BDG/BDR. Block looks cast which I infer as the crossflow bottom end mated to the BD head, making it a BDA. In the USA, the BDA was known as the BDD - same engine but some terminology difference that people get confused by. While BDA were 1600cc originally, a popular mod at the time was to bore out to 1700cc to make it a BDA Plus. Hart engines even bored them out to 1840cc in the 1970s. If they built this engine starting with the 1700cc cross flow block then that is the likely spec - sort of confirmed in the engine rebuild invoice. Reviewing the engine build invoice in 2017 (photo 77 on) is intriguing. Reads as if it was a rebuild of the cross flow into the BDA? Not sure why they re-used some parts instead of new? A 1600cc BDA in the late 1960s would give you 120hp. Given the extra 100cc and the better materials, oil, carbs, and engine tuning knowledge today, I would expect this BDA+ to be in the 150hp area based on a similar build by another forum member a few years back. indeed the ad quotes 148hp but no dyno plot I could see. So a modest upgrade in HP over the standard 1700cc cross flow of roughly 135hp. If it were a BDR then hp would be 200hp region.

Thats what I spent time experimenting yesterday before giving up. Guest page approach or even stealth page approach using some other more specialist browsers would just stop after 2 locations then blocked the rest of the country. Not sure what they expect people to do. Certainly it seems to limit their business model further as their regions are somewhat arbitrary when looked at on a map. And no there is no money in this for me or USA7s - just a recognition this is a small community of enthusiasts that needs to look out for itself.

I think it blocks me via IP address. Obviously I am scanning their entire database of car ads to extract the relevant ones so look like a spambot harvesting data. I doubt you would be seen as the same threat looking at a local city site and browsing.

I am blocked with both Autotempest and Searchtempest. I am also blocked if I access Craigslist directly.