leeper

I went with Grundy and they would have taken the appraisal from my neighbor. I have "agreed value" and though I got an appraisal from Ben at Caterham USA, Insurance never asked for it. The bank did and told me that it meant nothing to them as they had never heard of Caterham they lent based on credit score alone. My advise would be to go to any Exotic dealership but that would run you a couple hundred. Good luck.

Getting closer and very happy with the design. http://usa7s.com/vb/picture.php?albumid=22&pictureid=112 and here it is... http://usa7s.com/vb/picture.php?albumid=22&pictureid=117

Very nice work! Dumb question: If I took my grill and used a photo copier, is that cheating? From those with experience, would Martin except that?

For an extra $5800, build your own 600+hp http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13746_7-20010287-48.html

Actually I think your supposed to rotate the air. It's a bit more expensive but worth it in the long run!:banghead:

Fair enough and my bad. I'll go back to the goal of all of this (Fun and Learn) and elaborate for anyone willing to read it. I have been yearning for a Seven for longer than I care to remember and the same for building a car. Last October I could see an opportunity so I engaged with Westfield distributors. I was lucky enough to work with a guy that was more interested in getting into a Seven than he was a sale and for that I will be forever grateful. After spending months researching I couldn't get past the financial aspect of dropping $45K for a box of parts that after spending a couple hundred hours working on was worth less than half of that. This is not a dig at anyone here, I have nothing but respect for those that built from a kit or less, I just wasn't (and still am not) in a position (financial or otherwise) to take on that many unknowns. At the same time I found this site and a couple others that have helped me to understand some of the options available. I came across this thread and I couldn't take me eyes off of it! So now I have this awesome car, I enjoy it immensely and hope to be as good a steward as the three previous owners. What I don't have is a project (more dangerous words have never been spoken). It's not about HP gains or building a lighter car or anything of the sort for me. I'm not a junkie that keeps changing things every five minutes either for the sake of making changes (though I would argue that if all that you ever knew of me was this forum). I do however want to have some fun with it. Cheers, Calvin

Where are these rules? I've looked through every manual that I can find and they are nowhere to be found. Last thread I mentioned overhauling the car and that every part of the engine has been replaced except for the block and I was told that this is as it should be. Now it's carburetors. Is this considered hazing? The legality, isn't a factor here in NC and part of the reason I want to try this. John - The intake manifold is cast into the head. My misunderstanding, to make up the total distance of the carbs (intake to horn) there is an extension. From what you are saying, I had it reversed and the extension will be between the TB and the horn. Next question, why wouldn't I go with a longer horn? Calvin

John - While I appreciate saving money, I prefer coupons. So far I've posed 3 questions on the QED kit, we'll see what they comeback with. As for goals, I just want to have fun and learn. Owner #2 did the rebuild and his documentation is both staggering and a bit OCD. Owner #3 summed it up very well with; "Big Value Lotus Twin Cam, rebuild with “fast Road” cams and twin Dellorto carbs. Only the block and the connecting rods where not replaced in the rebuild." I have no intention of getting rid of the Dellortos (or any of the other parts that I upgrade) and depending on how this project goes I will look into building an engine. Two setups - one old school and one new (Zetec so as not to mess with intake and exhaust locations). Well see how it goes. Tom - I don't believe that I can go DTHTB and maintain the filter setup unless I build a fairly extensive box. Shame too, they are beautiful, match my colors (aluminum and black) plus with the weight reduction I could have that extra piece of cake that I've been eying! Calvin

Ok, lets see if I can respond: JohnCH - QED looks like a good option, I'll do so more research. Part of the problem that I proposed to TMW is that I want the side draft setup that I already have to work. The quote that they gave takes the total length of the Dellorto and offsets the difference with an extension. Fastg - ECUs seem to be highly subjective, I'm all ears with the goal of doing it right the first time. In part because of the beating that I took on the last thread I went to TMW with the idea of ITB's but wasn't willing to give on the side draft setup that I have. Could I go cheaper? Yes but it would require more fabrication on the filter and possibly the bonnet. Kinsler was actually my first choice but at some point I did a sanity check. MoPho - Yes, Lotus Twincam. Morals with respect to this car... Don't make me put the spinners back on! Return on investment - This is a seven forum, right? What's your definition of "is"? MoBoost - please let me know what you find on QED, they do look nice (horns) Thanks!

When I was trying to get insurance I found that since my wife had filed claims for windshield repairs (which showed as activity) Hagerty's wouldn't insure us. In NC there are no exclusion laws meaning that I couldn't exclude her from the policy. When I finally did get insurance it was such a relief that I almost went with WFCNTDRV. almost...

Wow, well maybe I'm missing something (or have a lot of unnecessary stuff): http://www.twminduction.com/Home/Home-FR.html 1.002800-4401 Regulator, fuel pressure 242.88 242.88 1.002800-8212 Filter, fuel, high pressure with 120.00 120.00 AN fittings 1.002800-8214 Pump, fuel, Bosch 442.75 442.75 1.002800-8215 Kit, pump (-8 in/-6 out) AN 102.38 102.38 1.002900-3040 TPS, counter clockwise, grey 110.00 110.00 1.002900-3042 Plug, for TPS 17.50 17.50 1.002910-3050 Bracket & swivel 75.00 75.00 1.002900-4502/R Throttle body 369.00 369.00 4.002900-4535 Air horn 55.00 220.00 1.002900-5801 Fuel rail Kit, 83-105mm 186.50 186.50 1.002910-4502/L Throttle body 369.00 369.00 4.002950-4500 Extension 40.00 160.00 Total - 2,415.01 The second quote knocked that down to $2187 That covers fuel only. ECU, harness and spark (Crank Trigger, electronic iginition and a whole bunch of acronyms I couldn't catch) brought me into the range $4K.

Thanks but this is definitely a road car and I agree with both points (sump and ground clearance). I decided to go a different route and thought I should start a different thread. Cheers

OK, I didn’t think that I would post this here (at least not for a while) but I really do value the opinions here and wanted to see how you all would approach this. A couple of very wise people here suggested different options to help me individualize the Donkervoort and at the same time keep the classic look and feel. So I’m going to start on a project that is much more my size and it is also reversible. I’m going to convert from the Dellorto carburetors to ITBs and update the electronics down to the crank trigger. I’ve gotten 4 quotes on the hardware and done quite a bit of reading, and so far, here is where I’m at: ECU – Haltech ITB – TMW I seem to be looking at around $4K for all of the parts and I have an awesome mechanic to back me up when I need it. When finished the car will look the same from the outside including the side draft setup yet it will be much more stable. I want this project to take me a bit of time (at least six months) and I want to do it. So, how would you approach this? How would you break it up into several jobs? Any portion of this that runs the risk of doing damage to engine will be handled by the professionals first but I want to learn (and enjoy) as much as possible. My guess is that I will have the mechanic pull and do away with the distributer (when I’m at that point) but for all I know, that could be the easiest part. Advice please… Thanks, Calvin

Yes I've come the same conclusion. I'm going to work on the engine (the Twincam) and have a bit of fun but I'm going to do nothing that changes the exterior. If you can't tell I'm a bit hesitant to elaborate :ack:. At the same time I'm keeping an eye open for a '91- '96 SEiGHT with the intent of completely dismantling/rebuilding. It will take me a year to talk the better half into letting me have a second toy of this scope but if you hear of one, please let me know! Thanks for everyones input. Calvin

Davebean.com was the original importer (and builder) of this car some 27 years ago. Approximately 7 years ago he provided most of the parts behind the rebuilding of the engine. You are right about the assumptions, but it isn't rocket science - 37 year old engine, 42 year old drive train. Can I still find parts? Yes but why make things harder on yourself than you need to? Why would someone today use those parts? To restore it to original. But this is a kit car. It’s not like Colin Chapman ever touched this car, other than in theory and it's pretty hard to believe that that he would go this route based on what his history was. Joop is still making cars but they are rather bloated and definitely not the direction that I want to go. It’s hard to dispute the sound that the engine makes, that is for certain! I actually had thought long and hard about the changes that you are referring to (and it’s still not off the table) but when you look at it all and the destination is 180, then compare that to a starting point of 240, you start to question the logic. HP gains are not the goal, just used them to illustrate the point. An argument can be made for either side quite easily. I have been on the "other" side of the debate so far and will admit to being bias towards the S2K. Is there anyone here who can point me towards a solution that is much closer to the Cortina drive train? I've heard of several comparable engines (Ford - Kent/Lotus/Cosworth/Duratec) but nothing on the drive train. One look at the tunnel compared to the pics that I have seen of Ultralites tells me that mine is considerably smaller than that of an S2K. Even if I expanded the tunnel to adapt, where the hell would my arse go? There is a bit of padding to give up but diets are out of the question. Anyone know of any Ultralites out this way? I would love to sit them side by side. The speedo was a misunderstanding on my part. Jeff (previous owner) re-explained it to me and it is the elbow that needs to be replaced as opposed to the speedo itself (apprx $200-$300) and it can be purchased “new” at Davebean. I will look into the quill though. Cheers, Calvin

Wow! That gives me a lot to chew on and figure out before pulling out the sawzall. J/K, I don't need to instigate, I want to put together a solid plan before I start anything! It might just be that the early posts were right in that I should have bought an ultralight but your comment about a Donkervoort with an S2K was in my head from the first time I saw it. If I can work out the problems on paper first, it is something that I would love to do but I'm a realist as well. Your point #9 has been nagging at me and you make an excellent point about why if the car won't be put on the track. I'm looking into alternatives solutions and have a couple great local mechanics looking at it as well. Can't thank you enough for the post, wish I lived a bit closer to see/hear your work! Someone else clarified for me the difference between what Brian provided for you vs. where you have taken the cars to now and I have a much better understanding! Thanks again, Calvin

It really does... Thanks Martin! Regardless of what direction I end up going I'd really like to have some CAD drawings. Thanks again.

If this keeps up I'm going to put 20" spinners on it and say that I got the advice from USA7's.

I wish my father had! I've been there three times in the past three years though I never dared to go there in uniform as it is very tough to keep your composure. I don't know of any place that has moved me as much as Arlington, the silence is deafening. The last time I was there (Nov) I had to restrain my wife. While we were waiting for a precession a car broke through and she lost it. I just don't understand how people can be at that place and not have the patience to wait for people in mourning.

OK, I agree with you. I actually don't want to change the way that the car looks. While all of you have a lot more experience than I do, please try to see this from a different perspective. Take a look at the attachments (sorry for the quality) and understand that this is the same car! Do you agree with the changes that the previous owners have made? I certainly do. The statement that goes "you have a unique car, don't ruin it." Does the car become less unique as it changes? I reiterate, most of what I want to change is the unseen. I get that changing one thing leads to another and that there is a whole lot that I don't understand, that is why I'm asking for help. I actually want to make sure that the car is able to do future LOG events and is around for a long time. So, I ask you all again (slightly different), how do I bring the car up to date?

Nope, I haven't started anything other than planning and trying to understand what the viable options are. The S in the garage is in perfect condition and I have owned it since it had 342 miles on it. Knowing the history on it and the fact that it's paid off make it more interesting as a donor. Add to that, the value of it has dropped to a ridiculously low value and again, it becomes an interesting prospect. The value of the parts is now well over the car as a whole yet I still have a very hard time tearing a perfectly good car (2 for that matter) a part and if I do it myself the best guess is that I'd sell off all of the parts (extra) within three years. I've spun this project from many angles and considered the following engines; Duratec F20A Hartley H2 But no matter what I do with the engine, what do I replace all of the Cortina stuff with? I've been asking the question but in hind sight, the people that I have been asking (for the most part) are starting from scratch and not necessarily trying to adapt a frame that has been constructed for a fairly specific setup.

No worries Martin! OK, how about I try backing up a bit. I have this incredible car and I want to be as good a steward while I own it as the three previous owners have been but I honestly don't believe I can do that (in it's current condition) and still enjoy the car. I have no intentions of tracking this car but I also refuse to turn it into a trailer queen! I'm willing to pour money into this car knowing full well that there will be a zero financial return but I also want the next owner to be able to maintain the car without having to open a research project every time something breaks. Case in point - The speedometer is broken and has been for years. This isn't the first time that it has been broken and you end up in quite a quandary when you look at ways of fixing it. The previous owner worked on this problem continually and really tried to maintain the aesthetics while bringing it up to date. I'm ready to drop $1500 in order to restore it to original because I believe that it is essential for the car. Will the next guy be willing to do that? What can I do to bring the whole car up to date and still maintain its integrity? Cheers, Calvin

I appreciate your opinions Jerry, I truly do. I have no intention of starting a project on a whim with a sawzall. I couldn't agree with you more about the beauty of the car in it's current condition but also understand that this is not the way that this car was sold originally. To say that the car has classic lines is an understatement but to imply that changing the engine, differential, etc. ruins the car is naive in that much of that has already been done. 90% of the engine has been replaced (the only original part left is the block) If you take the original photos of the car and compare the car you see now, much more has been changed than I'm proposing. The car itself is 27 years old, the engine/tranny is from '72-'73 (best guess from the manufacture) and the rest is is '62-'63 Cortina. powderbrake - I appreciate all of the time you put into your response and believe it or not, I have put a lot of thought and research into the project. responses in order 1 - the side draft carburetor setup is very cool and a solution will be found prior to starting the project. Even if (and that is an "if", I go with EFI, that does not mean that I can't pickup the air from that same location in the same manner). 2 - The F20A is a tall engine. The dry sump was already mentioned and there are other options. If done correctly the same type of custom aluminum work can be done to accommodate and look very pleasing. 3 - Unfortunately there really isn't away to address that until I get a look at the frame members and see what I'm willing to compromise. 4 - you definitely have got me here, I haven't a clue about what needs to be done to adapt and a big part of why I'm asking all of the questions. 5 - I disagree but will also admit that I'm a complete novice. My point though was more to the fact that I would have to do the same work twice. Suggestions 1 - Actually the single biggest reason for the overhaul is to bring it up to date and ensure that it is drivable for generations to come. I can still find parts for a '62 Cortina (though I had to have a wheel bearing machined because they are not available anymore), but will my son be able to (or his son for that matter)? Second I view the F20A as an engineering marvel. The one true fault of the engine (lack of torque) suits the weight of the seven perfectly. 2 - I looked into the ultralite before making the purchase and the one thing that it lacked (for me) is that there is no "project" involved. 3 - I agree. If all that I was interested in was acceleration, but it's not. 4 - Please correct me if I'm wrong but Brian (the guy that I've been talking to about this) is the guy that built those folks ultralites. 5 - Actually I have one (an '03) sitting 5' from the Donkervoort. Thank you for taking the time Jerry! You given me some excellent problems to work on before opening this can of worms. I hope that I can come back to you with the information that I find and see what you think. Martin - You sound like the old guy across the street "Damn kids these days ruining everything". Here's a thought, if you really want to help, how about asking questions like; "what are you trying to accomplish?", instead of increasing the font changing it to red and or bold. I don't mind criticism but if you can't be constructive, don't bother. Respectfully, Calvin

Thanks for the thoughts