CarMan

It seems this word has gotten so much use these days...... Epic! Went to Lime Rock Park for the SCCA double header on June 19 and 20th. Rolled off the trailer and gingerly qualified the car in 2nd place for our group. And then things went from there. The first 2 races were Caterham dominence ! Weather was sunny and mild (75 degrees) and the 7 was just hummin along. But Saturday afternoon brought a new twist. GTL cars were added to our group and "the race was on" The Caterham is a fast dude in the turns and has a spurt of acceleration on the straights..... But the GTL cars are quick on the long flat out sections. It was a great battle for the entire race... swapping the lead as we used lapped traffic to our advantage. But the Nissan broke a valve spring with one lap remaining and I started to back off and coast to the finish. Big Mistake! As I took the white flag, I saw a gaggle of cars having a good old battle amongst themselves. I didn't want to get in trouble with that group and I thought They could use another lap to settle things. So I decided to follow them to the finish......... That was the mistake. While we were battling with the Nissan, I lost track of who was in second place. I thought is was a Mazda with a distinctive orange chin spoiler...... but he was passed by a fast Honda Civic with a very good driver behind the wheel. And suddenly, he was right on my tail, filling my mirrors with his grille. Time to Move! The cars we passed were very cooperative in holding line as we swept by. But, coming into the next to last turn there were 3 cars in line. They held station on the outside of the turn, and gave us room. But the Honda had a good run coming into the turn and I had a slow entry because of the traffic. I knew the Honda would slip by if I just maintained speed. So I slowed as I entered the corner and downshifted to 3rd and took off to the finish line. Winner Winner chicken dinner! The Honda driver was a man named Ian Prout. He is a driving instructor at Lime Rock park and he can wheel around that place! So I feel good about having a good go with him. Next Up.... Watkins Glen and the Majors tour. I am about to get my comuppance there as the first 5 place cars and drivers in E Production are signed up to be there. I'm gunning for a podium, but I won't be brokenhearted with a 4th. See you then. George

Thanks for the reply James I looked at Motorsports Registry a minute ago and saw that there is a Caterham registered in addition to mine. And this guy (Joe Kelly) is coming all the way from California to race at the Glen. WOW! Either he is Really Really good or he is on a Tour of the Great Tracks..... I'm thinking that he is really good. Plus there is the usual array of Honda S2000 and Mazda Miata's in the EP class There are even a couple of BMW Z3 with 6 cylinder engines. So the group will be thick with fast cars. Good luck in Texas and remember to HAVE FUN! Note to 7 Fans. Last week at the SCCA weekend at Lime Rock there was a sighting of a Super 7 in the parking area. A FAN was Watching! I appreciate the support..... Whoever you are. Thanks George Kline

Just think of how hard us guys with size 11 feet have to work to drive a Caterham. We are more than willing to suffer for our cause. Ha ha Ha

This is great to see. Hope you have a GREAT race! We are prepping the car for the Major event at Watkins Glen this July 4th. I am sure this will be a learning experience for me. I simply hope to podium in my class, EP. We just came back fro Lime Rock Park for a club race and it was AWSOME! But I am sure the Majors Race is much more intense. Just wanna have fun. Good Luck and Enjoy

Well We have the car together AGAIN and have given it a late nite shakedown in the abandoned Wal-Mark parking lot. It's in the trailer ready for the SCCA weekend (June 20&21) and I hope everything is ready. The next real test is the SCCA Majors weekend at Watkins Glen. I've raced in some National races before but this is the new Majors group. So I hope I can cut it with them. I'l keep you posted George

So here is the report from New Hampshire Speedway. RAIN RAIN RAIN So I bolted on the Rain Tires. Put on my old driving suit and stayed in the garage until the group went out on track each session. Having never been to this track, ever. My learning curve was doubly steep. But, by the third session in the rain, I learned where there was grip..... And where there was NOOOOOO grip. But the last few laps of the final session was the Monsoon deluge! The Caterham was the fastest closed wheel car on the track! I think I like rain racing. But the last race on Saturday was the first sign of a problem after a big winter rebuild. And the only issue was the proverbial $4 part. The clutch started to slip on the 3rd to last lap. I knew it was oil. Weekend done. And here is the only bitch I have about servicing the Caterham. You can't just pull the transmission out without pulling out the engine. After that process, we discovered the snap ring on the input bearing was covering the return hole for the oil. Lotta Work and a stupid mistake on our part. So we did win our class a NH. Because we were sooooooo far ahead by the time the clutch started to slip....... We crossed the Finish line at about 40mph and won by some strange reason. But.... a win is a win and the check of the time sheet shows us first. And years from now..... I will have forgotten the circumstances anyway. Now it's on to Lime Rock and Then to a full on National SCCA race at Watkins Glen on July 4th. We'll keep you posted

That is one Stinkin Nice Trailer! if you ever want to sell it on this site in the future.......... Send me a PM. I am already sold:) My car is sooooooooooooooooo jealous! You should be so proud! George

This Year is going to be a mismash of racing venues and competition. May 24 and 25 at NH Motorsports park June 20 And 21 at Lime Rock July 4th 5th and 6th Majors at Watkins Glen July 19th and 20th Club event at Watkins Glen And then we will take it from there. Boys Just wanna have fun. We'll keep you posted George Kline

Thanks for all your advice and help. This is a group of very good car guys and girls. Just got the shaft from Redline. Installed and ready to go racing.. Will keep you posted as to how well we are doing. Last 2 years this car was the NY State E production Champ.. Lets make it 3 George Kline

I have an interest in the SVT head. We are racing in SCCA E production and could always use a spare. Thanks George Kline

Well After an Exhaustive search we found the correct shaft at Redline in the UK. The other shafts for the Merkur all had a different type of outer joint. We sent photos of the shaft and joint to a number of sources in the US and came up dry. Sent the photo to redline and they sent back the choice phrase "No big deal here. We have it" $400! Thanks for your help everyone

I am in need of a Right Rear Drive shaft Tripod. The outer CV joint is comprised of a Female "tulip" and a tripod with 3 rollers on needle bearings. The needle bearings are coming out and I need the tripod The driveshaft is out of a Ford Sierra (known in the US as a Merkur XR4Ti Could use some help with this George Kline

I thought they were sold. Damn if I'm late:willy_nilly:

For the record. The SCCA has a very strict weighting system for every vehicle. And after every race they weigh every car that finishes in the top 3 in class. My Caterham has to weigh #1460 including driver. My Best weight at the scales..... #1520 Believe me, Lightening the car is a waste of time. I am the problem. The easiest way to lighten the car is to lighten the driver, The fat bastard that I am. But I can't push the pasta away! Also, the fastest way to quicker lap times is not some high zoot gadget or more powerful engine... It's driving lessons! A good driving school instructor can lop off seconds per lap...... and do it safely.

The SCCA requires us to use the cutout clams. I just looked at the front mounting bracket that holds the front over the tire. It is the standard issue bracket and mine looks to have been cut off to avoid sticking out. The rear of the clam has no bracket and is mounted to the frame with 6 bolts. I am always amazed that the fenders don't break off, they vibrate so much. The paint is Crazed from all that vibration, but they keep on working. The SCCA has VERY specific specifications for the Clamshell fenders and you cannot change them. I can not imagine the amount of lift that the non-cutout clamshells used to create. Whew!!!! If you can blow up my avatar and look, you'll see how they are cutout.

Racing update in the East. Took the CAT to Lime Rock Park June 21 & 22 for the SCCA weekend. HOT! and Slippery! And FUN!!!! There were 41 cars in our group 3! And on a 1.3 mile track.... that's a LOT of traffic indeed. These New England racers like EProduction as the field had 11 in this group. They so thing different at LRP. No "Racing" on Friday. So you Qualify in the am, then have a "qualifying" race in the afternoon. Then the "racing" is on Saturday. Qualified in 2nd on Friday am and then followed up with a win, in the afternoon race. On Saturday I lead from pole but a well prepared Mazda RX-7 was all over me. I just kept the lapped traffic between us. And, believe me, there was a LOT of lapped traffic. But they were generally well behaved and let us by. The Mazda was used up at the end and did not start the afternoon race. The afternoon race was from pole with a very good BMW next door. Johnathan Leitner is a good driver. He hounded me for the first 4 laps until we started lapping cars. Then he tried to use them as a way by. I was trying to use them as a pick to keep him at bay. Finally we both got caught up in heavy traffic and made moves to pass a car on either side. The car being passed, at first, did not see me on the left side. Then he did(just as I put 2 wheels in the grass) and he jinked to the right and forced the BMW into the grass! At that point we kind if slowed things up as far as aggression, and realized we had lapped 34 of the 41 cars! In impound, there were remarks about "That OLD car" being so fast. Turned a 1.00.755 on a crowded and greasy track. Not a bad time at all. So the next event is LRP on July 12 & 13. with my inlaws coming to their first race. Should be interesting. George Kline

Money has been sent! Can't wait to see "MY" car on the wall. Well, my car is a little race worn for professional poster material. I am so glad you had your car painted the same as our race car. Ha Ha Ha! George

This is a fun thread. And I would like to add a few things too..... I have raced my 7 in the rain. The only time I get wet is waiting for the race to start. Once we are moving.... only my helmet gets wet. The little wicker works great! Until we have a yellow flag.... Then wet again. I have given up telling people it is a Caterham.... They have no clue. And it takes longer. However, telling them it is a Lotus..... they think I have Big Bucks. (If they ever heard of a Lotus) I am taking the car to a car show Thursday nite as a favor. My co-owner wants to "Really Spiff it up" Take off all those black tire marks and "blacken" the Slicks...... Uggh! I like the "warhorse" look. I am sure that the other E Production BMW's, and Honda's, and Miata's and MG's at Lime Rock will gravitate to the 7 because they can't believe how fast that "old" car is. The 7 is a curiosity to most non car enthusiasts. They have no history to relate to this car. But I never appreciated this car either....... until I ran it in anger on the track. Now....... I'm "that guy" they hope doesn't show up at the next race, so they can have a chance. :smash::smash::smash: George

I sent a PM about some of your stuff. thanks

Thanks guys. I was in the E Production class and Charlie was in F production. But we were grouped in the same race. The race included the dreaded Spec racer Fords, H production and STI and STU classes. There was even a car categorized as SPU. I am Running legal, cutout, pontoon fenders and 13" legal panasport wheels. And, believe me, those fenders were vibrating as we faced the headwind as we ran down NASCAR straight. I always wanted to upgrade the brakes, but SCCA will not allow us to have safer brakes and rotors. We have to maintain the sledgehammer single piston brakes and non-ventilated rotors. But, all in all, the weekend was kind of epic for the 7. Just wanted to share the news among fellow enthusiasts. Big! Really Really BIG Smile.

I just returned from our first weekend of racing at Watkins Glen's May Madness weekend. Friday test and tune was 36 degrees and rain that bounced! Followed by snow flurries into the boot section of the track! Our newly installed engine did a fine job. Saturday. Found out that we were mixed in with the Spec racer Fords. Qualified 3rd overall but had to start in the second group after the Spec Fords. Passed EVERYONE! But as I was threading my way through the group, I noticed a menacing Mazda Miata was keeping pace with my every move. It was then that I realized it was National Champion Charlie Campbell stalking me. After I ran out of traffic, it was game on! Charlie passed me, but I got him back. Then he passed me cleanly in turn one. I knew I could return the favor on the next lap, but as we came around the last turn, the checkers came out. We had encountered big traffic on the final run down the front straight and never saw the "one to go" sign. But the long course time of 2min 12 sec was not shabby at all. Sunday was cool and Sunny. Qualified again in 3rd place, but still had to start in a split start from the Spec Fords. Again The Mazda was there. Before the race I spoke with Charlie. He was only interested in the lap record for the short course in FProduction. I was only interested in passing as many cars as I could. For 5 laps I had the honor of dicing with a National Champion and we passed each other a number of times. I was learning where I was faster and slower as we circulated the track. Each pass was clean and I couldn't even think of blocking him. That would have just made us both slower. After 5 laps he slowed a bit as he was still feeling out his car for the National season, and I motored away..... still looking to see how many Spec Racers I could hunt down. I finished first in the whole group, and won my class. But as I came into the impound area, an official came to the car to tell me I had a new lap record for the short course in EProduction!!!!! All in all a Great Weekend! I have to make a BIG shout out to Bob Doernberg and his spare engine he sold us. And a HUGE thank you to Craig Chima for putting us together! We needed a racing Zetec engine and Craig hooked us up with Bob. We hope they are proud of our efforts. I posted this in General discussion because I wanted everyone to see it. I wouldn't be racing this year without being contacted by Craig and his contact with Bob. Thank you! George Kline

I have seen this race car in the flesh! It is truly a beautiful car..... It is too perfect for a racing car! Top shelf in every way! I took a trip to Bob's house and purchased his spare engine. It is now installed in my Racing Caterham and we are going to run it this weekend at Watkins Glen. Bob's car is almost too nice to be in regular racing duty. Maybe in HRS where the car is not thrashed about as much, but that SVT Engine would be wasted if it wasn't used to the MAX! So, the moral of this story is........ If you are a Gentleman Racer, looking for THE BEST Racing Caterham available....... this is your car! Great car! Great Care! A really nice guy to buy a car from! And Craig will not steer you wrong with this car. If you fit these criteria....... Buy this car! George

Verry Nice indeed!

I know some of you are swapping out your front suspension for a wide track kit. Since racing has put stress on our front control arms.... I'm looking ahead for our next season. So... If you have anysap out parts, I may be a good outlet for your old stuff.. Thanks George Kline

Is the front suspension still available?