Caterham A-frame variations

[Kitcat]

Those who have followed my Caterham’s occasional issues know that my rear suspension was “solid” at last year’s NJMP. I had it properly sorted over the winter at Rocky Mountain Caterham. It turns out I replaced the A-frame (damaged when I had a half shaft break on track) with one of the wrong spec. So wrong that when my mechanic forced it into place, it bent the shock absorbers and the shaft was unable to move in the shock tube.

 

Per Nathan Down, who did the suspension over the winter, there are many varieties of Caterham A-frames: at least 8 between ’96-98 alone. Nathan, who was a Caterham engineer in the ‘90’s, said the company kept tinkering with them until they were happy with the results. 
 

Apparently, since my’03 Cat was a race version, speced for the SCCA in the US, it came with one of the many late ‘90’s versions, not the final version (so much for racing improving the breed…). When I replaced it, I was sent the ‘03 version which was completely wrong. 

[CarlB]

Do you know the part number of the one you have now? The late 90s race version. I just replaced mine and I want to make sure I have the correct one. I installed the A frame first and had to use a lot of force to get the radius rods hooked up. The car is still on jack stands so I haven't put it on the ground to see if anything is binding. 

[IamScotticus]

Force= wrong.

sorry.

[Kitcat]

Carl, I don’t have that. Since mine is from’96, I don’t think it’s relevant to your spec. You may  need to contact Caterham UK with your car’s serial #. It was all done so seat of the pants, even they may not know?

[MV8]

If you can't hold a replacement part up to the opposite side to compare before installation, a tape measure will do.

Even if it is off/bent, one can take off the opposite side and have the bent one modified to match if the shop is willing.

 

The one being replaced could have been rebuilt the same way or a new one fabricated; mirrored off the opposite side. Shops that make custom arms for other applications would probably be willing to handle a side job like that.

 

 

[bball7754]

Mike - wasn’t your car in a 24 hour race (Buttonwillow?), which is why it has the large gas tank?  As I remember, Nathan drove a Caterham in that race.  Your car?  Think they ran a Caterham 2 years in a row,  but not sure Nathan drove both years.  Lots of rain one of the years.

 

Apologies for the mini thread hi-jack.

 

Steve

[Kitcat]

Hey Steve: My Caterham  took first in class, thrird overall, in the 2009 edition of 25 Hours at Thunderhill. It was an effort put together by Bruce Beachman, who as you know, is now a Caterham dealer par excellence.

 

The car started out as a race car built to SCCA E-Production class, in 2003 and was upgraded by Bruce and owner/driver, Mark McClure, in 2008 to ST class, as I recall for the 2009 race.

[bball7754]

That’s what I thought.  Ask Nathan as I’m pretty sure he drove one year.  Maybe not 2009.

[Kitcat]

Nathan told me he drove a Caterham in the 2003 25 hour event as part of the Car and Driver team. It didn’t hurt that he was an ace Caterham mechanic (or that he was faster than the Car and Driver writer/drivers:)). 
 

He and Josh Robbins were at my refurbished Caterham’s shakedown track day 4 days ago. They were able to diagnose why my Caterham 6 speed suddenly wouldn’t go into reverse. And fix it the next day. It turns out that the spring loaded Quaife manufactured Caterham shifter can wear out. Who knew? They swapped in a spare and all was right.

Edited May 15, 2022 by Kitcat

[bball7754]

My intro to track days was with Nathan.  The spring after I purchased my Caterham, LOG was in St. Louis.  Nathan was working at RMSCI, and he and Ben Wofford came to St. Louis.  As part of LOG there was a track day at Gateway, and I think Nathan came out with me during my first session, as well as providing some coaching.  What I really remember was going out with him during his last session, and getting a sense of what it was like to truly drive on track.  

[fastg]

Unless they have changed Gateway a lot it is on the very high end of the dangerous scale. For the motorcycles that actually had a NO PASSING ZONE. WTF a no passing zone on the race track!

 

Graham 

Edited May 16, 2022 by fastg

[Kitcat]

Steve, so you have been a se7en owner since ‘05? Who here has owned longer? I guess Tom G (Yellow SS, who went to the LOG event the year before)? Anyone else?

 

Speaking of longevity and se7ens owners, Josh Robbins of RMCaterham told me recently that new orders for Caterhams are split  equally at age 45. Half are older than that, half younger. 

 

In any event, Nathan would be a great track mentor: easygoing and low key. But also smart and talented. He was a US Caterham dealer for a moment in the early 2000’s.

[yellowss7]

I built my yellow car in 2000.  I bought the orange car around 2015.  Both cars are fun to drive, one is easy to drive thee other is a beast.

 

Strangely enough I was 45 when I bought Yellow.  😜

Edited May 16, 2022 by yellowss7

[bball7754]

Graham - yes, in retrospect Gateway was not the optimal track for my first track day.  It is definitely on the dangerous side, with extremely limited runoff areas and lots of concrete walls.  TBH, I don’t run there anymore.

 

Mike - Well, I actually bought the car in 2004 for my 50th birthday, but couldn’t get it shipped from Denver until Jan. 2005.  So, sort of 18 years.😊

 

Steve