CarMan

So I guess I'll add to this post. We just got back from the SCCA Majors race in Pittsburgh International racing complex. If you have a chance to go here..... You have to go! The facility is great with all new buildings and a massive paved paddock and REAL bathrooms that are clean and heated and Air conditioned! The staff is great and they carry dog treats with them. The place is owned by a couple who own Coastal Pet Supply and they are pet friendly. They even have a go cart track with rentals. You will be addicted and spend a small fortune there. The only thing they can't control is the weather......... and fire! The Saturday race was run in a monsoon downpour and we finished second in class with my new rain tires (Toyo DOT tires) The race was red flagged because a Mini Cooper driver couldnt see and ran into a tow truck that was extracting a car from the sand. We had to wait for 30 minutes in a very cold rain in an open car before we could get off track. Sunday was a VERY cold day with snow, sleet and freezing rain for qualifying. But in the second race of the day for big block cars....... a Pontiac TA had a stuck throttle at the end of the long straight and stuffed into a tire barrier with 2 laps to go. The crew left the car there to finish the race, but forgot to check for a fuel fire............. by the time they caught it......... The tire wall was on fire!!! BIG TIME!!!! Took hours to get the fire out and there was no chance of getting the tire wall fixed in time to race. But this is a great facility with a challenging track(new curbing if you are looking at last year youtube videos) and some interesting turns. There is a "corkscrew" like Laguna.............. an uphill carousel like Watkins Glen................ a series of esses like VIR and a "kink" like road america(scarey) So now we look forward to Mid Ohio George

Craig I'll tAKE THE TAIL LIGHTS. tHANKS George Kline

Thanks I'll keep it in mind. I replaced that shaft two years ago. So I have my fingers crossed

I must tell you this story. This year we decided to go to a series of Major(National) SCCA races and see if we can qualify for the Runoffs. We prepped the car thru the winter months and were finishing up with new tires and brakes when we realized that we had a few problems. The driveshaft issue is documented here. But we also had a very nice set of Kelsey Hayes magnesium 4 piece wheels and we thought we would reseal them as a couple of them couldn't hold pressure very long. Upon further investigation, there were stress fractures in a couple of them. So now we needed a driveshaft and a set of wheels now. A call to Craig Chima. No problem...... He has a guy! We have new wheels (and when we mount the new tires, they make the car look a little rough.) The Mayday post here, revealed the greatest surprise possible. I received an email from a member here who said he had a driveshaft that he would take out of his car and send to me!!! In fact he had two he would send!!! Just three days after my "Mayday" I had a new driveshaft in the car and we were ready to race in the Majors weekend in Summit Point. AMAZING!!! I have never met in person, either of these members. And yet, they share a passion to see a Caterham on the track. I am not a big time racer. I am an amateur driver who just likes getting on track and having a go. Thank You!!!! Thank You!!!! So, we attend the race weekend. Iffy weather and all. Never saw the track before. It spat rain most of the weekend, and we never had a real DRY session for practice or qualification. On Saturday, we came in 3rd !! GREAT. On the podium! On Sunday we watched the weather forecast and my competition opted for rain tires. Even though the radar said the rain would stop. They were all convinced that the track would never dry in time. So, most of us Started on wet tires.......... And wouldn't you know, after three laps the track had a dry line !!! So the next 15 laps were an effort to find the wet parts of the track to cool the tires. The final ten laps were just crazy as the tires lost all hope of grip. But, my snow driving experience started to pay off. In the dry, the lead car was 4 seconds a lap faster than me. But the rain tire deterioration made me the faster car. On the final lap and the final corner, I pulled even with him............ but he had a little more snot under his hood and I finished second by .018........ Bummer.... for a second. So I need to send a shout out to Craig and Mike for their help. They probably don't want any big time fuss made. But I have to let this group know what their fellow members are here for. Thank you Now we are off to Pittsburgh in two weeks.

Mayday! Mayday! While putting on the rear brakes for the Race Next Weekend, we found the threaded end of the outer C/V joint head a crack in it where it joins the outer tulip. And when we removed the nut, it broke off. So, if anyone has a LH drive shaft for a Caterham super 7 with a De Dion rear end...... We could use some help quickly If you have one available Please send me an email to bgfuelsystems@gmail.com Thanks George Kline

I just came in on this post. Just wanted to add my best wishes and a speedy recovery George

My dad had a Dodge Dart and he loved it! When I had a Dodge Dart........... I hated it! So what does that mean? And passive -Agressive? Yes I am! Out of the car... Mr Nice guy In the racecar.... Pretty damn aggressive! So...... How do you like me now? I am very funny to myself..... probably not so much to anyone else!

I have to give Travis some kudos for posting here. He came into the lions den and said his piece. Travis is a product of our society and I give him some credit for going "old school" In his every day life he has probably not experienced a car without A/C, Power everything, Premium sound system and traction control . And yet He took on a CAterham. It must have been a shock to his system! NO heat or A/C.... No power windows, locks, mirrors or seat..... No navigation or 15 speaker sound system....... No power steering............ Computerized driving aids? Forget about it! It must have been a jolt to his senses! BUT........... He did it! And He expressed his honest opinion of his experience. He gave it a good shot. It is too bad he wasn't the right person for the experience. Travis has never experienced this kind of vehicle before. It's kind of like a snowboarder that tries a pair of telemark skis.. But lets face it....... Driving a Cat is not for the faint of heart. Its loud, windy, rough, and very basic indeed. Totally devoid of creature comforts. We are unusual indeed. A breed apart! We are a small group of seriously demented people who love the visceral experience of moving down the road at its basic roots. But in reality.... we usually do it alone! Even our best friend or life partner prefers to take the family car. Driving a Cat is a selfish thing. We enjoy the art of driving this car and if we had to "RIDE" we would probably not be so happy to jump in and go for a 100 mile drive. And, lets be honest, Driving this car on public roads is really a stressful experience unless the road is smooth and twisty and abandoned. BUT............. Get this car on a smooth roadcourse and WOW! It cannot be beat. The reason this car exists is for this. Travis, You are to be forgiven for your disconnect with the Cat. It is Not the car for you. it's not the car for the Majority of people out there. And for that we thank you. We don't want to be a part of the herd. Thats why we drive the Caterham and all of its copies. There is no experience like it outside of a true racecar. I don't think that we really wanted you to like it. Because then the unique nature of this car would be compromised by too much popularity(kind of like Austin TX..... It's not as weird as it used to be) Thanks for giving the Cat a good try. And thanks for the honest opinion of it's lack of amenities. It may not be the car for you....... But it is the car for us. And thank God for that. Let's stay weird out there and revel in our uniqueness. George

Thank You for all of your suggestions! I am aquainted with Craig. He was a big help in putting me in contact with a new engine for my Cat. I have no delusions about winning the Runoffs..... but I want to at least experience the festival that is the runoffs. More than anything I would like to minimize the chances of mechanical breakdown. I will contact Craig soon and we can all follow the long winding path that is the road to the runoffs. Thanks George Kline

Hi Caterham fans So, we have decided that we might like to qualify for the SCCA Runoffs this year. Each year we have run a few Major events and finished well. The FrankenMazda's and BMW Z3's are faster in a straight line and we have zero aero aids, But we would like to try and qualify. That means we have to be aware of the stress this will put on the car. It is rather easy to run a 30 minute club race, but a 40 minute ALL out Major is another matter. Specifically I am concerned about the front suspension and the wheel Hub Assy. We purchased and installed the Large Racing hubs a couple of years ago and have since replaced the wheel Bearings each year. The brake discs and Calipers are 6 years old and appear fine. But I keep looking for the weak link that will cause us grief and that is why i am asking you for advice about what to look at and have spares if necessary. Thanks George

My Tillett seat is also heated............ After a lunch of burritos and beer!

Yes and no. I have a Caterham 7 and I live in the Albany area. It is not a road car. It's had the unfortunate life of a race car. You've seen the beautiful road cars pictured here...... my car is a perfect 30 footer...... If you get any closer, the ravages of war start to show up. But She is beautiful to me! We have been many times to Watkins Glen with the car and we are excited to drive the Newly paved track! Maybe you can attend a race and see why Caterham's are regulated so highly by SCCA. The would dominate the track if they were allowed proper engines and brakes and tires.. George

Hoosier Aquas. They are very good rain tires for a driving rainstorm. But, don't let them stay on when the rain stops. They are so soft that they easily chunk up and are useless. As for the rain driving, Lime Rock is a Verry "slipperey when wet" track. So I spent the entire race searching for grip. Found some, and didn't find some. But I had a BLAST in the downpour. My only thought is that the Cat is soo light that it doesn't put down enough weight on the tires to squish them into the pavement. I also had the tire pressures at 22lbs and maybe I should have lowered them down to 19lbs or so. We only run so many rain races that I cannot get enough practice in to find the sweet spot.

I thought you needed to know what the impound area of Lime Rock looks like on the sunny day. Saturday was a perfect day until "JUST" before our group ran. We hustled to put on rain tires and went out in a Deluge. Poured the entire time and quit two minutes after the checkered flag fell. Even though we had rain tires.... Lime Rock is a slippery place. Finished first in class an second in group to a Pro-rainmeister. But it took him 12 laps to finally get by. After I finished, a sage offered his advice...."Those Lotus 7s are awful in the rain. How did you keep it on track and how were you so fast?" I was quite pleased to tell him.. "Practice" When it was Sunny on Friday. I was able to put down a 1.00 sec lap and take the class win and the fastest lap. But I am going to take July off, because of other commitments and I will return to racing in August and Sept. This is my first time uploading a photo here so I hope it comes out OK

Yes! congratulations! It sounds like you are having a good time, and even though you have a "FrankinMazda" out there, you are competing well. Please keep us in the loop, as we like to hear racing stories. We are on the road at 5am to race at Lime Rock this weekend. Hoping for a fun time. George