2004 WCM S2K for sale by editor of our Super Seven Manual

[beckster]

Beautiful car! Any photos of the "passenger side" or the hood off? Thanks, Bob

[Bruce K]

Here are the promised pix of the underhood, under tonneau and side exhaust areas.

 

Under the hood, the valve cover's red powder coating and aluminum-on-black Honda lettering look new. The entire exhaust system, from header to tailpipe, was ceramic-coated last spring. The horns are lightweight FIAMM's a Ferrari favorite. The horns are actuated by a dash button, as the Sparco steering wheel is detachable and cannot be wired for horn. Under the hood, you can also see the adjustable billet-aluminum fuel regulator valve (upgrade from stock), and the long, fat custom intake capped with dry-style K&N air filter (up near the Griffin triple-core racing radiator).

 

Under the rear tonneau, you can see the one-gallon anti-surge fuel system. The pump that fills the small aluminum tank, from the large aluminum fuel cell, is the Holley red in the center of one image. The pump that draws off the bottom of the anti-surge tank and pressurizes the fuel injection system is an inline Walbro, which is tucked away on a frame rail beneath the main cell. The entire system holds about 13 gallons of fuel, so this Seven has excellent range. The main cell has a working fuel level detector and dash gauge. The main cell also has a NASCAR-style fuel cap with flapper valve. The flapper valve seals the fuel fill in the event of rollover, so the driver won't be flooded with fuel.

 

Also under the rear tonneau is the three-quart Accusump oil accumulator, which pre-lubes the motor before startup, provides emergency oil if the sump is perforated, and provides emergency oil if the oil pump runs dry in a long curve. Most engine wear occurs on startup, so the Accusump is especially important for a Super Seven which will be started less often than a daily driver.

 

A Battery Tender unit is included in the sale, and the car is wired with a Battery Tender quick-disconnect. There are also two 12V DC power plugs mounted inconspicuously under the dash. They are activated when the kill switch is turned "ON".

The heat in this Seven is passive, but very effective. There is a grated rectangular inlet near the driver's feet, against the trans tunnel. When opened, engine heat pours in. There are also two positionable dashboard vents, which can be pointed toward your face or hands. This passive system has proven sufficient for late-fall cruises here in Michigan. Plus, it adds zero weight to the car, and vents the high-pressure air that accumulates under the car at high speed, so you can GO FASTER.

 

 

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Edited November 17, 2017 by Bruce K

[Bruce K]

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[Bruce K]

A very nice Californian Sevenista has agreed to buy my car. Part of the payment has not yet cleared, so I am not announcing final sale yet. However, my belief is that the payment will clear soon, and my Seven will soon be cruising route 1 alongside the magnificent Pacific ocean. Of course, I will update this post.

[Mondo]

congrats! Enjoy the new ride

[Bruce K]

Thanks, Mondo.

 

I test-drove many cars including manual and PDK-equipped Porsches, an Aston Martin V8 Vantage, a Lotus Evora S and Evora 400, and the Alfa 4C. I realized that I have been utterly spoiled by low, lightweight and dexterous sports cars with quick-revving four-bangers. Even the V6 in the Evora S seemed ponderous, though the Lotus Evora 400 was my second overall choice. The Alfa 4C was the closest experience to driving a Super Seven - fully manual steering that communicates as rapidly as an angry Italian, progressive and powerful Brembo brakes, and that cat-like suspension all Sevenistas are familiar with. I thought I would miss the third pedal, but the loss was offset by nanosecond, throttle-matched shifts. The Alfa 4C provides the closest Super Seven driving experience I have ever encountered in a closed coupe. The car I bought is imaged below. It was professionally massaged and produces about 350 bhp. I will be picking it up from a dealer in Birmingham AL next week.

 

I have owned three different Super Sevens for more than 20 years now, and I know that I will return to the marque. In the interim, I will continue to edit and publish the "WCM S2K & All Super Sevens Maintenance & Upgrade Manual". Just added a new chapter. Copies available upon request to bruceakopitz@gmail.com

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Edited January 7, 2018 by Bruce K

[Kitcat]

Fascinating report Bruce. Comparing a se7en to any other car is almost an apples to oranges process. I love the 4c, but for the power deficit, which your car seems to have remedied. I find they look much better in person and that pix don't do them justice. The Evora 400 (and now 430) are on my wish-lists, but my $25K Cat cost 1/4 as much $ and can probably run with them on a track and I have an SUV for mundane driving chores. Don't hesitate to let us know your impressions after 6 months of life with the Alfa in the real world (and on the track!).

[Croc]

Interesting choice to replace your seven indeed. I loved the 4C but felt it was too slightly too twitchy in the steering and the power was a bit of a yawn in standard guise. Handling was just lovely and they look sensational in person. You proved the chassis can cope with more power, enough to make it more entertaining.

[Bruce K]

I agree with the observations of both Kitcat and Croc.

 

Kitcat: Compared to a WCM S2K, the stock Alfa was 6/10's to 60 slower - that's a lot. With my Alfa power upgrade, about half of that differential is erased - but in fairness, very few cars (including supercars) can accelerate with a WCM S2K to 80 mph. There is no more linear speed additive than weight reduction, and no better proof of this theorem than the Super Seven. Another Alfa power upgrade is coming this spring, which should prove intriguing. And agreed, the Super Seven is the ultimate giant killer on the track - have slain several giants myself!

 

Croc: The Alfa steering twitchiness you observed (which demonstrates your experience as a performance car driver) comes from bump steer. Alfa 4C bump steer results from flexible bushings that deflect under load and cause momentary front (and rear) alignment changes. Our WCM S2K's avoid this problem by connecting suspension elements with threaded heim joints and links, instead of rubber bushings and clamps (at least, problem avoided once the steering rack is leveled). For the Alfa, I have already ordered heims and links for the front, uniball (cross-axis) bearings for the rear, and firmer sway bars. According to a number of fine sources, including Shannu at Sector 111, these enhancements will stabilize the alignment and improve the already-chatty steering.

 

Anyway, I began this journey seeking a car that would help me learn how to drive my rear-engined 935 recreation. I managed to move the motor halfway there!

 

NOTE: The CA gentleman who purchased my WCM S2K has taken delivery of the car, which survived a mid-winter crossing of the Rockies during the depths of a brutal winter storm. My ex-car will now reside in San Juan Capistrano, which has to be the most evocative site name in the history of man. I will encourage him to join this forum and share his experiences with the car.

 

Edited January 8, 2018 by Bruce K

[Croc]

Bruce - That is the most astounding reason for the "twitchy" steering on the Alfa. Bump steer is not what I was expecting it would be....and I know all about bump steer on my old cars. I just assumed (stupidly) that auto makers these days would have a full command of suspension set up and seek to engineer and then test their cars to get them right. While you have gone about it the right way to incorporate the correct engineering set up you would expect Alfa to have done the job for you. Thank you for the explanation.

 

cheers

mike

[Bruce K]

Mike aka Croc - It's surprising, yes, but also surprising, no. Alfa wants this car to be comfortable enough for regular street commutes. The flexible bushings contribute to that comfort, along with less aggressive sway bars (and springs and shocks and one can go on and on). My Alfa's ride will deteriorate a little, by conventional standards, with solid bushings and stiffer / adjustable sway bars. But the handling will tighten up in all the ways that matter to me, and probably to most folks on this forum.

 

I previously owned a Backdraft Racing roadster, a 500 hp tube-framed 2,700 pound monster with BMW brakes. I was surprised at the stock roll and pitch, numbish steering and lengthy braking distance. I installed the racing package, which provided a mix of heim joints, stiff urethane bushings and a Wilwood big brake kit. Voila! The body beautiful became a sports car! Yet, most Backdrafts remain unmodified, and most customers are thrilled by the "sporty" handling and braking. Remarkably, the same was true, to a reduced degree, of my Lotus Exige S. I think the engineers know what could be done, but must hit a "sweet spot" with limited production cars like the Exige and Alfa 4C. There are enough Corvette and Porsche models so that everybody can find at least one that they like. But there is only one Alfa 4C.

[Bruce K]

Want to show everybody this image, and then I will shut up about the Alfa. This is an image of my exact model and color (a Launch Edition) though not my precise car. However, this image really captures the sexy lines, which are somehow both feminine and masculine. Super Sevens are so evidently purpose-built, and so outrageous, that I never once, in 20+ years, grew tired of admiring them. I think this Alfa design will age in a similar way:

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[Anaximander]

:drool: Very nice!!!

[xcarguy]

Want to show everybody this image, and then I will shut up about the Alfa.[i/Q

UOTE]

 

And just when I really feeling good about the Alfa education I was receiving...please continue.

[Lightguy]

I'm a big fan of the 4C and think it will be collectable one day.

There is a show called; How its Made that did a Supercar series and the 4c was included; hand laid one piece carbon fibre tub. I bet they lose money on every one.

Reminds me of the Lancia Stratos that I should have bought 30 years ago.

 

 

and

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=80wM4P4dD90

[MightyMike]

I'm a big fan of the 4C and think it will be collectable one day.

There is a show called; How its Made that did a Supercar series and the 4c was included; hand laid one piece carbon fibre tub. I bet they lose money on every one.

Reminds me of the Lancia Stratos that I should have bought 30 years ago.

 

 

and

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=80wM4P4dD90

 

I agree; this car will become highly sought after in the future. In many ways this car is like the Lotus Evora in that the competition produces far better cars for the same money.

[Bruce K]

Xcarguy - OK, OK - you convinced me - I will provide future updates as I further upgrade and refine the 4C.

 

Lightguy - Sergio Marchione confirmed your guess, indicating that money is lost on each 4C. But this is the halo vehicle for Alfa performance, and especially important now as Alfa reenters Formula One. No one knows, but I guess that 4C production will continue on a similar limited basis for at least several more years, irrespective of losses. There are even hushed whispers of an upgraded 4C or future 6C. Also, thanks for the video about the car's construction - very illuminating - so labor intensive - goes directly to the point of high cost and losses.

 

MightMike - I considered purchasing an Evora. The new 430 model is fantastic, much better in every sporting way than the "S", but so new that $90,000 is a good price. At this time, a little-used Alfa can be purchased for nearly half that figure. Add $10,000 in select upgrades, and you have a car that is immensely lighter, objectively and subjectively faster, more connected to the road, with better steering (unassisted rack and pinion), better braking (big Brembos and less weight), and hotter appearance than the Lotus 430. I wrote the following sentence to my cousin, a braking systems-engineer and Viper racer: "To my eye, the 4C is a timeless combination of curves and purpose, simultaneously feminine and masculine, like a supermodel with biceps." Another friend of mine, who heads the service department at Cauley Ferrari in West Bloomfield, agreed with MightyMike when he stated that, because of Ferrari-like limited production, the 4C will become very collectible.

 

Time to purchase a second car, you Sevenistas!

Edited January 10, 2018 by Bruce K

[Kitcat]

A Lancia Stratos sold on BAT for $475K a few weeks ago. So basically I buy a 4C, enjoy it, then in the distant future sell it for 5 or 10x what I paid. I love this plan:).

 

Alpha sold about 650 of these last year in the U.S., so the sales numbers are very small.

 

I couldn't agree more about the alluring shape. Its like a normal sports car went to a body builder for a year of work outs.

 

Definitely keep us updated. As a se7en owner I am hopelessly attracted to cars that fit the definition of "different."

[Bruce K]

Here's an update on the Alfa 4C: Like my former Exige S, and indeed my former Caterhams and former WCM S2K (please welcome John, new owner of my S2K and new member of this forum!), my Alfa 4C needed the kind of upgrades that will satisfy a former owner of such cars. Be prepared to spend about $8,500 to create a near-monster Alfa 4C. Earlier, I incorrectly stated $10,000 in required costs, but this included a custom steering wheel, which is not a performance upgrade. So here's the list of performance upgrades, both completed and in process, for my car:

 

1) Wheel spacers (1" at rear, about .7" in front). Deletes the unattractive stock fender / wheel gap and widens the track for even more driving fun. Authentic wider wheels are better than spacers. I may have my stock Quadrifoglio wheels (5-disc type) widened next winter by a specialty firm near my home.

2) Eurocompulsion V2 intake and full V2 ECU (my stock ECU was not touched - important so you can swap them out when the car requires warranty work).

3) Magnaflow Corsa with wider pipes and muffler-delete.

4) Eurocompulsion racing motor mount - eliminates motor shake.

5) Alfa9 racing blocks to provide additional camber up front. You will probably also need some spacer shims, but those are local dealer items.

6) Inokinetic adjustable sway bars (2) and replacement 4C links (4) for the front end. These sway bars are thicker and adjustable. The 4C links are heim joints and aluminum links that replace the flexy stock bushings and stamped arms up front. The package firms up handling a lot

7) "Brisk" plugs (provides cooler detonation for less knock / more power)

8) Ferrodo brake pads all around

9) Stainless braided brake lines and high-temp fluid (flush and fill)

10) Tighter cross-axis bushings for the outsides of the rear lower a-arms (4 bushings). Can be sourced from Gale Motorsports online, or buy an entire rear lower a-arm set from Eurocompulsion (lots more $$$)

11) Pirelli P Zero's or equivalent sticky tires all around

12) An expert, corner-weighted, four-wheel alignment from a guru, like Charlie at Auto Europe in Birmingham MI

 

My car currently makes a calculated 320 engine hp. Calculated power only - on a dyno, the front wheel sensors of the Alfa 4C pick up the differential between the front and rear wheel speeds, and then the ECU shuts down the car. So, without knowing the true Mustang dyno number, my butt dyno confirms 300 and possibly more hp. And because of launch control and DCT, the Alfa accelerates much faster than its inherent fly weight and 300+ bhp would suggest. Check out this Youtube video (

), in which a stock 4C outdrags a white Exige S that had been heavily modded like mine (probably 340 or 350 hp).

 

The preceding upgrades create a beastly little exotic: Ferrari Dino looks, power everywhere and slot-car handling. My next upgrade will likely include a Nitron or Ohlin replacement suspension (shocks+springs), which also enables a slightly lower ride height. A Eurocompulsion V3 power upgrade package will also be available soon (approx late spring 2018). I suspect that the V3 upgrade will provide around 350 bhp, which may be nearing the safe power-output capability of the stock 1.7 liter block. A Torsen limited slip diff can also provide benefits, but is at the bottom of my list.

After all the parts are on, and I've put some miles on the car, I'll report again.

 

Until then, happy motoring!

Edited January 23, 2018 by Bruce K

[Kitcat]

With so much power now I am surprised that a Torsen LSD isn't higher on your list. Or, does the 4C have some form of limited slip? All of these upgrades are great. Clearly "upgrade-itis" is not limited to se7ens owners:). I will be interested in how this car compares to your Ultralite on the track, esp lap times.