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New Seven owner in VT.

Mark IV

By Mark IV
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Grog

Grog

Posted
Posted

Thank you all! It's been a dream 47 years in the making. I had a Europa for an everyday driver for 10 years when I was 18. Then life got in the way and she was garaged for the last 35 years. While contemplating bringing her back to life I decided to fulfill my original dream of owning a Caterham. The car is beyond remarkable sans getting in and out at my age. After the first day and 125 miles I wondered why my jaw hurt so much the next day .... figured out why, too much smiling! :D

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Vovchandr

Vovchandr

Posted
Posted (edited)

Welcome!

 

I knew the car looked familiar

 

(see background)

 

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]17558[/ATTACH]

 

 

 

Sharp looking 7. Surprised to see polished windshield surround instead of black with this type of color scheme however.

 

I think this might be the first 7 close enough to my neck of the woods that I can meet up with on a whim within reasonable driving distance. I don't see the owner posting here but relay to him interest in meeting up next season next time you guys have an exchange.

Edited by Vovchandr
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  • 6 months later...
Grog

Grog

Posted
Posted

I had joined the forum in October 2020 but only had time for a quick hello, how rude, I blame that my friend who decided it was time to build a house in June on a piece of property we had sitting there for nine years. After completing the task at 63 years old, I secured enough money so my ridiculous and impractical purchase of a Caterham 420S, was completely offset in only six months. Some would cheer hurray! My body begs to differ. Only got 200+ miles on her before winter set in. The house was quite a test for my two hip replacements that came through handsomely, but it will probably lead to a right shoulder surgery and both elbows being examined, not to mention a pissed-off back! By the end of December I was a broken man… but long winters tend to heal and so do dreams of twisting roads.

 

Needless-to-say, once the weather broke I was through the twisting mountain roads in Vermont, in this magnificent and unendingly responsive little rocket, I can’t get the smile off my face. The sounds, the cornering, the launch, the cornering, the comfort, the cornering, the beautiful effort-less shifter, the cornering, the brakes, the feel. I swear you could run over a dime and feel it in the momo. I really do!

 

I am ecstatic with this vehicle. The effort it takes to get ready to go is quite a task and once you forget to bring something with you, it never happens again. It is however worth twice the time in my opinion.

 

Thanks for welcoming me to the club long ago all the way back in October 2020, but life got in the way and I couldn’t figure out how to operate the website, (probably still haven’t), but have been reading some things and enjoying the videos. Would be glad to meet up one day with you guys up north, my longest trip was to Troy three times in one week to help a friend deliver a head for a Susuki Mini Truck. So will definitely run into Vovchandr, my Bennington to Brattleboro run will probably have me run into wemtd, Black Hole and Vlad one of these days. Route 8 just off of Route 7 is amazing. Already been asked to drive to West Suffield CT., (2Hrs) Not inclined to go farther south, sorry yellowss7, I escaped 60 years in Queens, for the Green Mountains of Vermont. I can’t go back, I just can’t. Also, I’ve never been on a track… so there's that... YET.  *wink*

 

Also, excellent job on the website upgrade by the way, super job.

 

Sorry for the diatribe, I have a question:

 

Can anyone tell me if this is the correct replacement oil filter for my car?

 

(see photo)

I received one from Mark IV at Super performance, (thanks Mark!), but when I measure his, it’s 1” longer than the one on the car, so less ground clearance. Not a desirable trait on the gravel road returning to my garage. Mark can attest, he delivered the car. My girlfriend always said an inch was a big difference but now I'm going the wrong way... ha ha, so…

 

…and wouldn’t that be against the “add lightness approach”? … but any way, I can’t see the model number because of course it’s at an angle that can’t be see by humans, even with mirrors, I still have 400 miles to go before I change the oil and filter but want to be prepared and order a new one. This would be my back up. No down time this summer.

 

Thank you all.

 

(Man is my windshield full of bug guts!)

:classic_laugh:

MannW77.jpg

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Vovchandr

Vovchandr

Posted
Posted

@Grog sounds great that we'll get to cross in the future. I really have no 7's in the near by distance at all. Only time I meet another is during the 7's Track day on NJMP

 

Unfortunately I can't help you with a filter. I have a completely different engine and remote filter setup. 

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wemtd

wemtd

Posted
Posted

Grog

good to see your putting her to good use.

bennington-Brattleboro  hopefully we can meet up sometime.... weather allowing I may head up to sout Woodstock 1st weekend in June.

 

regarding the filter: what engine do you have?

 

 

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Grog

Grog

Posted
Posted

@Vovchandr Yes, we're too close not to run into each other.

 

@wemtd I'm working on it! I was just up to Wardsboro yesterday is was too nice out. I have the 2.0 L Ford Duratec 210 hp EFI. 

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wemtd

wemtd

Posted
Posted

Grog

I've seen the following filters for 2.0 Duratec: 

NAPA oil filter #1056 = Thread Size 3/4in-16.   <i currently use this one>

- whatever Ford recommends for the 2.0 duratec Focus. 

I've also seen the WIX 51335 Filter recommended. it is very short but too wide to clear my pressure sender.

 

p.

 

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  • 3 weeks later...
Grog

Grog

Posted
Posted

I can honestly say after having driven over 1,000 miles so far, I love this car. I especially like driving with the doors off, it’s so much more comfortable. The only drawback of course is the wind buffeting that goes on inside the cabin above 65 mph. Well, I think I have solved a little of that. I bought a piece of gray tinted 1/4” thick plexiglass 36” x 18”. Made a cardboard template and traced it, jigsawed it out, drilled four holes to mount onto the roll bar holes and found some furniture hardware at True Value to attach with some rubber grommets to tighten onto the plexiglass without cracking it. Took her out for a test drive today hit 85 and I’d say it was a 30% reduction in wind, at 70 mph, you easily could hold a conversation with the person next to you. Doesn’t look half bad either. I hope it is not a taboo Caterham thing! I have a few pieces of plexiglass left over, I may try to make some wind deflectors out of.

 

Also, really disliked the standard mirrors that came with the car, so I opted for the tiny Demon Tweeks mirrors and they are a phenomenal improvement. They are steady with no vibration. I mounted one up on the drivers side and one down on the passenger side, it seems to give me just the view I need.

IMG_1165.jpeg

IMG_1166.jpeg

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panamericano

panamericano

Posted
Posted

Trivia.  The "wind blocker" of this type was invented by a Mazda engineer who was bothered by the buffeting on a weekend outing.  He fitted a piece of card board behind the cabin and cut the buffeting.  Now many, up to Mercedes, have a version. 

 

Yours look good too.

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