The Other Cars of USA7s Members (Non-Se7ens only)

[Croc]

8 hours ago, Stevensonjr said:

Croc, my Jeep is a WWII Willys MB, the Jeep at the Birkin shop is a later model, or at least the grille is. It might be one of the first commercial models, a CJ2. The headlights are post WWII. 
No matter what model it is, the fun factor is there, so are the leaks. If it’s not leaking, you are out of oil, brake fluid or antifreeze etc.

 

 

I always get the Ford and Willys versions of the Jeep confused.  It would not surprise me if I misidentified it here too!

 

Love the "Leak Philisophy!"     

[wdb]

On 1/19/2023 at 4:34 PM, wdb said:

In no particular order, here is another member of the flock. 2007 BMW Z4 M Coupe in Interlagos Blue.

. . .

 

Now that I've run out of space I've been thinking about selling this car. But then I look at it and think, maybe not.

 

 

 

Aaannnnddddd it's gone. I got to chatting with a fellow on a BMW forum and next thing I know he's written me a check.

[Bruce K]

58 minutes ago, wdb said:

Aaannnnddddd it's gone. I got to chatting with a fellow on a BMW forum and next thing I know he's written me a check.

I know you were fighting for space, but I didn't expect this sale.  From your descriptions, I understood the car to be everything you were looking for, and that Interlagos Blue hue was like frosting on an apfelkuchen.  It couldn't have been the shifter - what provoked you to accept that check?

[Stevensonjr]

I’ve had this 2005 Viper for almost 10 years and it’s still a love/hate relationship. The suspension is so hard that even a tar strip is a jarring experience. I recently put new adjustable coilovers on it and a set of Nitto tires that are aimed at mostly street use. It still feels like a no suspension go cart. It does feel better the faster you go, with hard acceleration it sort of squats and everything firms up, steering, tracking and engine response.

The car does have a good air conditioner, you need it ALL the time, even with the top down. The V10 puts out so much heat close to your feet that you really can’t drive it in the summer without the dual level air conditioner going full blast. 
 

The engine and transmission are first class. 70 mph in 6th gear is 1700 rpm. When doing a pull thru the gears, all the other irritations sort of go away and the acceleration causes tunnel vision similar to my drag cars of years ago. I then remember why I still have it and put up with the quirks. Torque!!!

[MV8]

What model is that? I think the base viper gets 200/500 rates, with the some models getting much higher rates two or three times the base rates. Maybe the rates were "upgraded".

 

Too much of a good thing?(pic)

Edited March 2, 2023 by MV8

[Stevensonjr]

It was 8 years old when I bought it, the previous owner had tracked it on occasion so he might have changed the spring rates. He did change the exhaust to a non crossover after market set up. I’m too old to start playing with spring rates etc. I’ll just bitch on occasion.

After looking at your photo, to answer your “too much of a good thing” question, you would have to let me know what you consider a “good thing”.  Wheel spin, breaking loose at 140mph, 150 decibels, screaming passengers, throttle steering, bugs in your teeth, Your body vibrating for 20 minutes after you shut the engine down, etc.

In my opinion It’s “almost” too much of a good thing!!!

[Bruce K]

13 hours ago, Stevensonjr said:

I’ve had this 2005 Viper for almost 10 years and it’s still a love/hate relationship. The suspension is so hard that even a tar strip is a jarring experience. I recently put new adjustable coilovers on it and a set of Nitto tires that are aimed at mostly street use. It still feels like a no suspension go cart. It does feel better the faster you go, with hard acceleration it sort of squats and everything firms up, steering, tracking and engine response.

The car does have a good air conditioner, you need it ALL the time, even with the top down. The V10 puts out so much heat close to your feet that you really can’t drive it in the summer without the dual level air conditioner going full blast. 
 

The engine and transmission are first class. 70 mph in 6th gear is 1700 rpm. When doing a pull thru the gears, all the other irritations sort of go away and the acceleration causes tunnel vision similar to my drag cars of years ago. I then remember why I still have it and put up with the quirks. Torque!!!

Sweet-looking Viper in a classy color.  During the car seasons, I cruise Woodward (M1) through the heart of the custom and exotic car strip at least every 2 weeks, so I meet plenty of Viper owners.  They all voice the same complaints about heat, and several have remarked upon the difficulty of sliding across the sidepipe covers when hot.  Vipes are not GT's, and most owners do not expect a compliant ride, but they all share your lust for the locomotive-like torque.

 

To improve ride quality without suspension work, talk to your interior man about adding 2 inches of stiff memory foam to your seat bottoms.  Must be the stiff stuff, that is hard to deform - the stuff suitable for pillows won't work at all.  Put it on the bottom, under your regular padding.  I have Recaro Profi seats in my 935, and a suspension similar to your Viper.  I obtained 3 inch sections of hard memory foam, used an electric carving knife to shape it, spray painted it black, and placed it under the Profi seat bottoms.  Voila!  Comfortable ride, and the extensions sink away into the blackness of the seat, so they cannot be spotted.  And when I want need to improve fanny sensation, as when tracking the car, I simply remove the cushions for the afternoon.

 

Here's an image of the front edge pf the driver's seat - the extra cushions are invisible:

 

I like that biplane - is that yours?  Is it on old warplane or trainer?  crop duster?  aerobatic plane?  Looks beautiful, and evocative of days gone by.

[Stevensonjr]

Bruce, thanks for the advice on the seats. I might have to try it.

The biplane is a Stearman, WWII training airplane. It is aerobatic and is rated + or - 10 g’s before something breaks. After the war it was a crop duster for years. In 2013 I started with a stripped fuselage, sand blasted it and sprayed epoxy paint on it. I built 4 wings and the center section (wood) covered it all with fabric and painted it in its WWII colors. I had the engine overhauled(Continental 0-670) and installed all new controls and instruments, took me 5 years to build it.  I flew it for 5 years then sold it to a new caretaker. It should be flying for many more years. I still fly but not like I used to, age takes a toll.

[Bruce K]

2 hours ago, Stevensonjr said:

Bruce, thanks for the advice on the seats. I might have to try it.

The biplane is a Stearman, WWII training airplane. It is aerobatic and is rated + or - 10 g’s before something breaks. After the war it was a crop duster for years. In 2013 I started with a stripped fuselage, sand blasted it and sprayed epoxy paint on it. I built 4 wings and the center section (wood) covered it all with fabric and painted it in its WWII colors. I had the engine overhauled(Continental 0-670) and installed all new controls and instruments, took me 5 years to build it.  I flew it for 5 years then sold it to a new caretaker. It should be flying for many more years. I still fly but not like I used to, age takes a toll.

Yes, and the toll is turn your wallet inside out, dump out all the cash and then hand over all your credit cards!  Too bad you had to sell the plane - looks like a positive blast to pilot.  Did it have carbs?  If so, does it lose power in negative G dives?  And did you ever pull close to 10g's in it?  I would weigh an exact ton at maximum G, and my arms would weigh close to 200 pounds each, meaning I could not lift them to fly the plane! 

 

Remember to purchase only the HARD memory foam.  Under the original soft cushion, it acts like a shock absorber, cushioning the jolts to your derriere.  I've used it for years - does not disintegrate, will handle paint or stain, and reinflates within 30 seconds of the person vacating their seat.

7 hours ago, MV8 said:

What model is that? I think the base viper gets 200/500 rates, with the some models getting much higher rates two or three times the base rates. Maybe the rates were "upgraded".

 

Too much of a good thing?(pic)

Wow - wild looking!  But for such a lightweight car, you will need more rear tire.  And what is the weight balance - 60 front and 40 rear?  I can see that the car is front-mid engined, but just barely - most of the weight is up front.  This could be Beelzebub's own drift car.

Edited March 2, 2023 by Bruce K

[MV8]

I fixed it with a leaning tower of power. Can't seem to find a seven (or eleven) with a 340 six pack for some reason (insert palms-up shrug). Of course, if half a small block mopar fits, why not add the other bank?

 

Edited March 3, 2023 by MV8

[Bruce K]

4 hours ago, MV8 said:

I fixed it with a leaning tower of power. Can't seem to find a seven (or eleven) with a 340 six pack for some reason (insert palms-up shrug). Of course, if half a small block mopar fits, why not add the other bank?

 

Geez!  But don't quite understand - the first car (the bird cage Viperati) looks like something completely different than the Seven - is that a correct assumption?  Is it your reaction to Chapmanesque torque-free motoring?  Did the blue car inspire Darth Vader's black Death Seven?

[wdb]

On 3/1/2023 at 5:25 PM, Bruce K said:

I know you were fighting for space, but I didn't expect this sale.  From your descriptions, I understood the car to be everything you were looking for, and that Interlagos Blue hue was like frosting on an apfelkuchen.  It couldn't have been the shifter - what provoked you to accept that check?

 

The 996 is very similar in terms of performance (although quite different in personality) and it's going to have a fresh engine to go along with its fresh suspension. I plan to use the 911 regularly and, whereas the zed *can* do that sort of service, it is markedly less happy about it. Besides, I think my time was just up with the car. I was driving it less and less. The new owner is over the moon about getting it so I think it's a good match.

 

[Bruce K]

2 minutes ago, wdb said:

 

The 996 is very similar in terms of performance (although quite different in personality) and it's going to have a fresh engine to go along with its fresh suspension. I plan to use the 911 regularly and, whereas the zed *can* do that sort of service, it is markedly less happy about it. Besides, I think my time was just up with the car. I was driving it less and less. The new owner is over the moon about getting it so I think it's a good match.

 

Ah!  Porsches can roll up the miles, for sure.  Of the cars in my experience, Porsches, old Supras and Vettes are sporters that can pile on miles like a conventional sedan, and still keep performing.  I don't, for example, expect 100K longevity out of my Alfa Romeo 4C drivetrain, whereas a well-maintained Porsche would just be marginally past its prime.

[MV8]

3 hours ago, Bruce K said:

Geez!  But don't quite understand - the first car (the bird cage Viperati) looks like something completely different than the Seven - is that a correct assumption?  Is it your reaction to Chapmanesque torque-free motoring?  Did the blue car inspire Darth Vader's black Death Seven?

These are not my vehicles of course and were posted in jest to the viper. I don't consider any of these to be superior to any traditional ford engine choice considering traction limits and weight. The viper powered car is a Viento that resembles the shape of a Caterham/Seven but obviously much bigger and heavier. No relation to the blue car, which is a locost build on a much smaller scale with the A4 racing engine which like the viper V10, is based on the pre-magnum dodge LA v8 (273-318-340-360).

I could see building a slightly bigger than a "book" locost with viper/dakota/d100/b100 spindles with screw-in balljoints, dakota early light duty axle (8-1/4), ax15 5 spd, and an LA or magnum 3.9L v6, LA 273/318/340/360, magnum 5.2L/5.9L, or 5.7 hemi (they all fit the bellhousing). Still an over-powered tire smoker heavier than a cat with any of those. The v6 makes the most sense. Better than a cat? Unlikely, but I could live with that.

Apparently Chapman was intrigued by the dodge six powered eleven.

 https://www.valiant.org/lotus.html

https://www.lotuseleven.org/DarkAges1/DarkAges1.htm

[Bruce K]

42 minutes ago, MV8 said:

These are not my vehicles of course and were posted in jest to the viper. I don't consider any of these to be superior to any traditional ford engine choice considering traction limits and weight. The viper powered car is a Viento that resembles the shape of a Caterham/Seven but obviously much bigger and heavier. No relation to the blue car, which is a locost build on a much smaller scale with the A4 racing engine which like the viper V10, is based on the pre-magnum dodge LA v8 (273-318-340-360).

 

I could see building a slightly bigger than a "book" locost with viper/dakota/d100/b100 spindles with screw-in balljoints, dakota early light duty axle (8-1/4), ax15 5 spd, and an LA or magnum 3.9L v6, LA 273/318/340/360, magnum 5.2L/5.9L, or 5.7 hemi (they all fit the bellhousing). Still an over-powered tire smoker heavier than a cat with any of those. The v6 makes the most sense. Better than a cat? Unlikely, but I could live with that.

 

Apparently Chapman was intrigued by the dodge six powered eleven.

 

 https://www.valiant.org/lotus.html

 

https://www.lotuseleven.org/DarkAges1/DarkAges1.htm

 

Lots of heavier Sevens, but none very successful, including the Westfield SEight.  It turns a formerly lightweight Seven into a weird sort of touring sporter - call it an Eight or a Nine.

 

From lotuseleven.org:  "the fastest Eleven ever built.  It was fitted with a Valiant slant-6 engine by a group of Chrysler factory engineers, using the engine as stressed member. Even Colin Chapman was impressed.  Top speed was over 170mph."   I can't imagine laying down 170 mph in a little bag of bones like the Lotus Eleven!  Even with the larger slant six motor (a torquey, low-profile unit that was nearly indestructible), that test car could not have weighed much more than 5 sturdy men - which would have been the minimum crew size required to extricate you from the ball of metal staves the car would become in a crash.  The Eleven was not built like a modern radical, with a strong roll hoop, modern belts, fuel cell, huge brakes, and aero to handle 150 mph +.

[MV8]

I wonder if competition is important to most cat buyers. I agree that heavier, sevensque cars designed for touring are not as successful at some types of racing or other measures of performance. Have you had an opportunity to drive a "modern" morgan trike? I once drove a lola bodied locost with a 3 cyl kubota diesel that doesn't actually make much sense on paper imho but I still had a good time. They all have something to offer.

[CarlB]

I did not know about the Lotus 11 with a slant 6 engine. I would point out that the first slant six engines were aluminum block, but I think had an iron cylinder head. The cars were raced successfully against the Corvair and Falcon. No comment on how good any of these cars were. There was a high-power version of the Slant 6 that had a four-barrel manifold like the picture. 

[MV8]

About the aluminum block, here is a quote from here: https://www.motortrend.com/how-to/slant-sickness-add-77-hp-mopar-slant-six/

 

"Before we dive in, sharp readers will notice our particular block has a shiny, bright appearance. That's because it's one of the nearly 50,000 die-cast aluminum engines (block only) offered as an option in 1961 and '62 Valiants and Lancers. At 64 pounds, the aluminum block was a featherweight compared to the normal 130-pound iron 225 block. The idea was that the reduced weight would improve handling, braking, acceleration, prolong tire life, and eliminate the need for power steering. The price for the aluminum block 225 (sales code 502) was just $47.35, a hundred bucks less than the AM radio!

To streamline production, Chrysler designed the aluminum engine so it shared everything with its iron block sibling except for the head bolts, main cap bolts, and head gasket. This means all the data gathered in this story applies to the cast-iron 225 sitting under the bench in your garage.

In the end, Chrysler's Kokomo, Indiana Forge and Foundry Division, where the die-cast blocks were made alongside Torqueflite transmission cases, suffered a greater-than-expected scrappage rate. That is, too many blocks were emerging from the 2,000-ton die-casting machine with imperfections. Also, at $30, each aluminum block cost Chrysler $6.00 more to make than iron. Multiplied by millions, it wasn't sustainable. So, that's why the aluminum-block 225 option was quietly dropped after 1962."

 

Seems more than capable without boost, easy access to work on, and low profile. Be interesting to weigh one versus web claims but obviously heavier than any ford four.

 

Edited March 5, 2023 by MV8
Aluminum block info added.

[Bruce K]

11 hours ago, MV8 said:

I wonder if competition is important to most cat buyers. I agree that heavier, sevensque cars designed for touring are not as successful at some types of racing or other measures of performance. Have you had an opportunity to drive a "modern" morgan trike? I once drove a lola bodied locost with a 3 cyl kubota diesel that doesn't actually make much sense on paper imho but I still had a good time. They all have something to offer.

 

IMO, autocross and track days are the closest most Caterhams come to authentic track competition, though they can be made into penultimate track monsters (see "CROC" on this forum).  Speaking personally, racing capability was never my primary motivation regarding a Seven purchase.  I was looking for that inimitable lightweight driving experience for the road.  I imagine a modern Morgan trike to be a quite similar experience to a Caterham, minus a measure of traction - another ultra light-weight.  Hyper-powering lightweights like Sevens by inserting heavy 6 and 8 piston motors reduces the wonderful fingertip control, the incredible chassis dynamics, the rev happiness of small oversquare four bangers, the tossability resulting from reduced mass, and the bottoming-anchor brake response.  Adding pressurization to the motor, like the Cat 620R, can be a great compromise, which amps power and retains lightweight benefits.  However, too much power can overwhelm a lightweight chassis - the 620R rides the razor's edge with its conventional S3 chassis - right at the limit of beneficial power.

 

I agree - there is pleasure to be found in most motorized conveyances not appellated Trabant - I think I would have fun driving a vintage Porsche ag tractor.  But we all have limited choices.  For myself, light weight, proven handling, substantial power and pleasing appearance have been the determining factors in my most of sports car car purchases.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   .

Edited March 5, 2023 by Bruce K

[panamericano]

Well said, Bruce.  So happens I had a long chat with a Morgan trike owner at C&C this morning and he sounded a lot like a Seven owner.  However his interior was so beautifully trimmed I could hardly believe it.  Turns out he liked so much of a similar experience as a road driven Seven.  

 

As an aside, the slant 6 Valiants did very well in Mexico against the Falcons.