New Build

[Ferrino]

Thanks for sharing your build with us! I’m also interested where you sourced the shiny 2.0 Duratec, please! Presumably it was rebuilt here in the US?

[BruceBe]

The engines are purchased and imported separately, but associated with the kit - not individually available.

 

If you are looking for a new Duratec build, we'd be happy to help.

 

Cheers,

-Bruce

[Lucky-7]

Congratulations And Good Luck with your build! I thoroughly enjoyed building mine. I got mine last February, took about 95 hours to complete. Mostly weekends some weeknights. On the road by June 21st, mostly held up by bureaucratic BS and crappy weather to get a special inspection done.

 

Love the color, but then again I'm biased as mine is the same... lol.

 

Any questions feel free to ask!

 

Kenny

[Pokey]

I'm not aware of where you are located, but your post reminds me of when I went to register my Caterham as a "specially constructed vehicle" in Florida. The inspector--an armed State Trooper--was particularly impressed and swayed by the picture of all the boxes that the Caterham came in. Excellent evidence that the vehicle was "specially constructed" and not from stolen parts.

 

Good luck with the build.

 

I'd like to say that I was thinking that far ahead...

[Pokey]

First off, Congratulations on your 7. It’s been a while for a new build thread on this forum, I would love to see anything you deem fun , informative, or maybe something you have a question about. So I say post up, I have plenty of time to look at pictures. Lol. One of the joys of being retired.. my first question is we’re did you source the engine? I read the transmission is Mazda...

 

The engine is part of the kit. The Caterham model determines the motor and level of tune.

 

I had the choice between the six speed Sigma and five speed Mazda transmission. Both seemed like good choices, but from what I read the six speed gearing is 1:1 and I didn't think that would be necessary given the Duratec's torque output. I've also seen the Mazda be used as a benchmark in a variety of automobile testing over the years.

 

Now if the sequential six speed would have been an option at the same price as the Sigma I would have gone a slightly different direction...

[Pokey]

Greg, congrats! No doubt you've found some already but the build blogs from other builders are really useful and have better pictures and explanations than the official manuals. A couple are:

https://caterham420rbuild.com/other-caterham-sites/

https://www.purplemeanie.co.uk/index.php/2017/09/23/build-session-17-5-caterham-420r-water-and-oil-overview/ (The diagram John made for plumbing were really useful).

I just finished my 420R SV a few months ago so if you need any help let me know!

Simon

 

Thanks Simon! I haven't gotten that far yet but will soon. To date I've just been unpacking and moving things around.

[Pokey]

For your viewing pleasure.... boxes!

 

 

 

 

And a few bits and pieces that were shipped in the car loose:

 

Edited January 29, 2020 by Pokey

[Anker]

I am green with envy!

[Croc]

I do like the box labelled "Shortages"! :rofl:

[xcarguy]

Let the fun begin!

[yellowss7]

I do like the box labelled "Shortages"! :rofl:

 

Yeah, when I assembled my Yellow car, I got bags labelled "front suspension" "Rear suspension" "Miscellaneous"

 

And of course I found Front suspension bolts in the rear and miscellaneous bags. :svengo: My wife was more concerned that after I completed the assembly, that I had A LOT of extra bolts, washers and nuts left over.

 

It's held together pretty much for coming up on 20 years now, so I guess it's ok. :driving:

 

Good luck with the build, you may have to grind the chamfer off of a cheap socket to tighten up the half head bolts for the underside of the roll bar if they still use that half depth bolt head. No biggie, but read the manual to check.

 

Tom

[Jason]

Awesome kit you have right there! Can't wait to see the full build!

 

Jason

[11Budlite]

Congrats on starting your build. Looks like a nice spec! I just recently sold my 64 MGB and a lawn tractor so have a little more room in my garage. Hope to be starting my 310S build pretty soon!

[Lucky-7]

I do like the box labelled "Shortages"! :rofl:

 

LOL when I unpacked mine it was short one headlight! It wasn't in the "shortages" box....:rofl:

[Kitcat]

Less wind resistance = higher top speed:).

[Lucky-7]

:rofl:

The factory called it the Cyclops package when i wrote to them...LOL they sent me one in a couple days, all was good.

[Croc]

The factory called it the Cyclops package

 

:rofl: The factory does have a keen sense of humor!

[BruceBe]

Yes - the famous "shortages" box. In some cases, it's more than one. If you can't find it in the appropriate box - immediately go to the shortages box(es). Generally, these are items that were OOS during the first pick for the kit.

 

Also - for US-spec cars, ignore all references to "IVA" in the assembly guide - you won't have the parts anyway.

 

Cheers,

-Bruce

[Pokey]

Inventory is done! Truth be told I haven't inventoried the contents of the various fastener packs and polythene bags. I'm not even sure if I have the correct fastener packs but the big bits are accounted for. So far all I've found missing is:

 

1. One of the two door mirror plates,

2. The green nyloc driveshaft nut, and

3. Both front Watts link radius arms.

 

A sampling of pictures follow...

 

 

Hose or conduit, what is this mystery tube?

 

 

And is this the right number of coolant hoses?

 

Edited February 3, 2020 by Pokey

[sf4018]

The mystery tube is one of the 2 radiator hoses, it runs from the rear of the engine to the radiator. I seem to remember the manual says install it before putting the engine in, but just put it in after. The 3 other hoses are also coolant but they will be chopped up. There should also be a 5/16" hose for coolant which connects to the water expansion bottle - I didn't get this hose either, but it's cheap and readily available so I ended up buying locally just to keep the project moving.