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

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

Yes this is a Zetec engine. (SCCA has only now, just allowed a new engine) But I have this Zetec I purchased from Bob Doernberg from Ohio. I had an engine builder refresh the bottom end last year and the car has performed well with this engine. Being a Dodge Dealer and running a Ford engine, I always tell the people, who ask, that this is a NEON engine. the valve cover is Red and there is no Ford emblem on it.

The cars's history: Built and raced by George Alderman Jr from Mid Atlantic Caterham in Delaware. Went to the SCCA Nationals with the Aldermans. Sold to John Fallone from Albany, NY. Who mostly had the car Tech'd every year and did some nice upgrades;like Penske Shocks and springs. And then he "outgrew" the car. John was a friend of my partner in this car and we met at the opportune time as he was thinking of selling off some stuff. I was NOT in favor of buying an English car! I am a Dodge/Jeep dealer and I know about English cars. They are like English terriers.... they sit in the driveway and Leak! But Brian was insistant. "Hey, It has a Ford Engine, so it can't be that finicky" Did I mention that I am a Dodge/Jeep Dealer? So...... Long story short...... I own half of a Caterham. I still don't know why. I drive it most of the time and I have learned to love this strange little car (Fat Man in a Little Car) Over the last 4 years I have raced this car,and made it a point to race anybody in my group! Sometimes the EP class is a little thin, so I race the Spec racer Fords, or the GTU guys. they may be faster than me, but I enjoy picking them off, one by one. I was at a race last year and a man and his wife came by, looking for the cars he would be racing against. They looked at my car and said "I'll see you out on the track!" As they walked away, I heard the woman say "Well honey, you know you can beat that old time car." After the race, you can guess what his reaction was when he came around to see me. "What is THAT CAR and how can it be that fast!" But then again...... I'm not telling any of you anything new here! Am I?

I just thought it was time to post a couple of pictures of our Cat. It's had a hard life. Never was a road car and the only easy time it's had has been the cool down laps. Ha!

Hello SK400 I would love to see a Cat fan at the tracks. We will be at Lime Rock on June 19 & 20th. If you are in the area, please stop by and have a look. But you know race cars... don't get any closer than 20 ft. Some of the war wounds show up if you get any closer. Our car is #31 and we usually park in the second paddock. CT has another of my favorite tracks... Thompson speedway. We have a track record there for the EP class.

WoW! 3.5 negative camber? I started with 2.0 negative camber and watched front tire wear and found that using 17lbs air pressure to start, and watching the tires grow up to 23lbs in a cold race and 25lbs in a HOT one, I was still not showing any wear on the outside inch of the front tires. And this is on some tight tracks like Lime Rock and Thompson. I am even thinking of ramping back to a 1.5 negative camber to increase the tires footprint. I run about a .25 of toe out so the car will turn in nicely and does not twitch on pavement changes like Watkins Glen where there are cement patches in some corners. I am wondering about any toe IN.... I'm thinking that would make a car VERY twitchy if the pavement changes. I am running Hoosier Slicks (13") and they last about 12 races (3 or four race weekends) and then they are SHOT. I'm just putting in my two cents and that may not be worth 2 cents

HELLO Craig I have an older fuel cell in my race Caterham. Is this a racing cell that will fit? And is it still available? thanks George Kline

The usual comment I get is "Holy Shit! That is sooooo Cooool!" The most frequent one is "You Fit in THAT?" I am 6'2" and weigh 210lbs. I think if the car was cool enough, I would scruntch into a breadbox to drive it. I simple call it a Lotus..... It eases the conversation. And top speed is 137 in 5th gear at the rev limiter... been there. But they are really unimpressed The best comment ever was at Watkins Glen when a first time racer was cruising the pits withe his wife and they came to my car and realized that we were in the same race group. After looking at the car she commented "At least you know you can beat this old car!" Two hours later, after the race they came back. "What the hell kind of car is THAT!" We offered them a beer and talked about it

This is a Great Cold Blizzard day discussion. As a Skier, Cyclist, Climber and general "I'm up for that!" kind of guy, I can recall the many times I challenged injury for a thrill, and learned a lesson. Yes, I have a few lingering problems... A new hip, and knees that can tell the weather and shoulders that creak..... But I wouldn't trade a single one back! I am afraid, as a sports racer that we need to infuse a little of this "be in the moment" attitude in the new generation. I see young (and old) people who love racing and would actively participate in weekend races,if not for the video games being so good. The SCCA confounded me for years by only allowing 4 people to come into the track as crew. Even if we tried to pay, we couldnt get anyone else in. it was like a private club. What if one of those people caught the racing bug and joined. This year at Thompson, I noticed a change. If you wanted to stop and spectate...... Come on in! About time! We need more people to get into real racing. Yes it is dirty, and smelly, and sometimes dangerous.... But people need to "Get Out There" and PARTICIPATE! Racing on a computer is easy, safe and if you make a mistake....there is the rest button. But that is NOT living! In one weekend I can meet 50 new people, scare the hell out of myself a few times, tell tall tales of heroism, and laugh more in an hour than I laughed in a week at work. George Oh, and by the way..... I walked to school in snowstorms, uphill... both ways! so there!

I raced at Thompson this past October in the Fall SCCA event and at first I hated the track! It didn't appear to have any flow at all. Kind of a point and shoot and mash on the brakes and turn kind of place. With 3 hairpin turns, it was rather funky.................. AT First. In the Second practice session, I found a rhythm to the place. And I started to like the track. I must have loved it after a while because over the weekend, I set three track records and lowered it to 1:18.3 This track suits the Caterham perfectly. Kind of like a Go Cart Track that has very tight turns and a nice long straight to catch your breath. The runoffs are generous and the viewing mounds are nice and high. The paddock area is paved and generous in space. My only complaint was the lack of porta potties. But that is an easy fix. The only other issue is the lack of retail and restaurants in the immediate area. But we have a truck and Wooster is very close. I will definitly go back there. And they have a nice golf course on the grounds! As for Palmer... It is still under construction and the final safety check has to be done by the SCCA. I am sure there will be NO BOULDERS near the track. And Just look at those elevation changes! It is gonna be cool! But I believe it is going to be late summer before they have a sanctioned event. I have good thoughts about both of them.

I have to give you credit for keeping the faith with the Lotus engine. I seem to have good luck putting metal bits thru the side of the block at times and a relatively inexpensive stock engine is the only way to keep my wife off my back. I almost thank the SCCA for only allowing us one engine(ford ZETEC) for racing. The last time I had to rebuild the bottom end, the shop manager was sooooooooooo disappointed that I wanted it dead stock instead of some exotic stuff that would give me more power, but less durability.

Sent you an email. Yes we are going to do the ZETEC ! I hope I don't need it. But I could use a spare. I've had an issue before. Old engine.... High RPM...... BOOOOOM! Window on both sides of the block! Thanks

Hello I am interested in the Zetec as a backup engine for my 2000 caterham that I race. I would have to have it shipped to NY though. George

Oh Bugsy Please respond to me. I have a 2000 Caterham and maybe those wheels will fit my racing car. An Im not too far away in Saratoga NY George

I have a Caterham 7 racing car and a 2000 Boxter S. The Boxter S is the car that we use all summer. After the Thrill ride that is the Caterham.......... The Boxter is civilized and safe. My car does not have heated seats or even power seats for that matter, the radio is an AM/FM/CD cheapo affair that I never use. I am a Dodge dealer in a Small town and I keep the Boxter in the "bat cave' until We blast out of town with it. Going to Cooperstown this weekend. I have owned this car for 10 years and it has given me no problems, other than when the battery went dead the first winter of storage and I could not get into the front trunk to jump the battery. had to have it towed to the shop and it took them forever to get it open. The Porsche dealer just said "It's a bitch" and "Good Luck" But all in all I enjoy the car, and even though it doesn't raise my heartbeat in the thrill ride dept. It is so easy to drive at the limit that I know we will see these in large # at the tracks soon as the prices start to fall enough for racers to strip them down to their fighting weight. Have Fun.