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Crate Expectations


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In the shop. I'll probably spend the next couple days inventorying the parts. I have reserved the weekend to sit in it with the steering wheel in my hands making "VROOM! VROOM!" noises. Then I'll get sown to work on Monday.

 

 

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When I read the green/gray color combo, I though "hmm..." but seeing the photo, I agree with Croc. Looks really good! Hope we can convince you to follow Greg's lead and start a build a thread.

 

-John

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First, kudos for a great thread name! And, like others, I find the green/gray combo surprisingly attractive. And it tells me that all those owners of bland silver/gray se7ens need to add a BRG racing stripe (I am talking to you Croc).

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I knew I wanted it to be green (my first rebuild was a green Triumph Spitfire, back in the dim ages of the past), so I knew it was going to be green. While I trying to decide on the stripe color I saw a photo of an RAF de Havilland Mosquito in gray and green camo, and it really grabbed me. Gray with a green stripe would have been even better but, ya know, extra charge for gray paint.

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I plan to start a build log, but first a question. The page describing the installation of the front wishbones has a "suggestion bubble" that reads, "For now only tighten the nuts/bolts lightly and then torque them up when the car is finished and on the ground. This sets the bushes correctly and ensures the best handling." Is there any advantage to doing things this way, or should I just torque to the prescribed tightness right now and be done with it?

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I plan to start a build log, but first a question. The page describing the installation of the front wishbones has a "suggestion bubble" that reads, "For now only tighten the nuts/bolts lightly and then torque them up when the car is finished and on the ground. This sets the bushes correctly and ensures the best handling." Is there any advantage to doing things this way, or should I just torque to the prescribed tightness right now and be done with it?

 

Common wisdom is you can torque with the car not on the ground, but use a jack to move each wishbone into a position parallel to the lower chassis rails that way when the car is on the ground the bushings aren't under tension.

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Save the final torque for later once it is on the ground under load. Then after torquing, I put a mark on all major suspension/chassis/brake bolts and what is next to it so that I can inspect the car and instantly spot what has come loose. Things come loose all the time on Caterhams (all sevens really) and rather than testing the torque every time, the mark saves time by allowing a visual inspection. Photo below illustrates with the white marker on my bolts between the rear IRS upright and the brake assembly. The rear wishbone to rear upright bolt even shows evidence of the prior blue mark from the previous years refresh checks.

 

Think of this process as a way of checking your work in the build before you go out and have fun.

 

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Edited by Croc
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And it tells me that all those owners of bland silver/gray se7ens need to add a BRG racing stripe (I am talking to you Croc).

 

I like my two silver sevens - one with platinum stripe and one with black stripe. Anyway, I have a green car now elsewhere.

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Croc and Pokey,

Thanks for the advice. I have no doubt that there will be more questions in the future.

Squeegee

 

Happy to share, but Croc would know better so torque on the ground like he said. Croc and a host of others have been helping me with my build, and I've also found a lot of information on lotus7.club. There are a number of personal build blogs that are good resources too, if for nothing else then pictures. Some of the advice in those blogs is, in my opinion, iffy though so be wary.

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When you have all of the bits correctly torqued and the car is on the ground, mark all of the appropriate nuts and bolt heads with Dykem Crosscheck Torque Seal. This is the stuff aviation mechanics use. Boeing uses it as well as Gulfstream, Dassault and others. It is described as a tamper-proof indicator paste. I used to use Torque Seal, a colored inspection lacquer but it is no longer available. The Dykem stuff comes in a variety of colors. It's like a thickened paint, designed to show a visible crack if the fitting moves. It definitely makes for quick visual inspections of the suspension bits. Aircraft Spruce sells it.

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