Getting closer to a purchase. More questions.

[Saudio]

10 minutes ago, Alex-Ks1 said:

if you want more power, build it yourself and put a LS3 GM crate engine in it, they can go up to about 700HP. is that enough? Mine is just over 265 HP and is scary fast .

I'm afraid I'm not a mechanic, so an engine swap might be over my head.  And I know 700HP is over my head.  LOL.  

 

It seems to me getting to about 240 HP might be the sweet spot.  Is there a safe ECU tune available for the 420?

[CarlB]

You can’t get a car tagged in Virginia without a windshield, wipers, and defroster. Caterham has a heated windshield for the defroster.

[IamScotticus]

@Croc Can you expand on "install the captive nut brackets for the windscreen" please?

@Saudio Are you planning to have the 7 built in the USA by a specialist (I recommend), or have Cat ship a built car?

Edited January 16, 2023 by IamScotticus

[CBuff]

I just finalized my options on a 420r.  After talking to the group and looking at some of their cars. I went with:

 

420 r sv

uprated brakes

side exhaust 

13” staggered wheels (the group steered me to this)

adding a high level brake light (although the new models come with brighter slightly different brake lights). 
leather seats 

non lowered floors

Brake cut off - battery drain and occasional track days

switching out harness to asmi profi II 6 pt harness 

 

My latest way to spend more on this:  swapping out the gauges for the smiths that come in the 2000 model.  
 

and a few signature options onto the pile.  Supposedly this is going into production next month. Hope to see it for the 2024 season. I too am having it assembled - which feels a bit of a cheat but I have zero space or ability. 
 

3rd brake light - lots of different options. I haven’t chosen on version yet. There are some discussions in the threads on this

 

 

 

[CBuff]

I don’t have much first hand knowledge of any of these so take my notes with a grain of salt. But I have spent a few months digging into all of this to have a clue what to option. Happy to share any thoughts having just gone thru it. 
 

Mainly, the group here has been super helpful and generous with their time and knowledge. 

[nortoncommando]

That would be great.

[Croc]

12 hours ago, Saudio said:

Curious about your "add some power" remark.  I've poked around the net a little but don't see much in the way of power mods for the 420.  I've considered a 620 but not interested in RHD.  It would be nice to know there is a path to more power in the 420.  

 

There is always "add some power" options - its the cost thats the issue. 

 

For the road, you do not need any more power.  210hp in a standard 420R is plenty.  You just cannot use any more without being arrested and losing driving privileges.  However, for track, I get that after a few years most red blooded enthusiastic males get bored and need to get a little extra hp just to rub that Corvette owner's face in the dirt.  

 

Given you are VA, I am assuming your local track will have you being a deer magnet at Summit Point, with side trips to NJMP and VIR?   So a mix of power and tight tracks depending on the layout.

 

The "easy" Caterham upgrade path for a 420R would be to add roller barrel throttles and then remap the ECU.  Depending on who you talk to thats 15-20hp.  May not sound like much but in a light car like these, its plenty.  

 

A few others on USA7s have lately bought from the SBD catalog - Seb and Simon for example - but it was not as plug an play as it was advertised.  They went from 420R hp up to around 250-260hp

FORD Archives - SBD Motorsport

 

Another option which I am exploring for my 420R is Premier Power.  I have a 2018 420R stored in the same UK building in Stratford as Premier Power and have got to meet the guys over the last year.  A UK friend of mine has his car being upgraded to 280hp currently - watching that to see how it goes.  Not sure how well they can do a "kit" for USA folks to do the upgrade remotely.

Duratec Engine Upgrades - PREMIER POWER (premierpowerengines.com)

 

These are some of the options out there.  Sure there are others.  

 

 

12 hours ago, Saudio said:

High level brake light?  Does that mean a brighter light or one mounted higher up on the car?

 

Yes to both.  Puts the light high up the roll bar to allow distracted Mommy-mobiles to see you better when you stop.  

 

Rollbar Mounted Brake Light — Beachman Racing

 

 

 

 

12 hours ago, Saudio said:

Still scratching my head on the aero screen option. I never considered having a car without a windscreen but many people here think it enhances the experience (while making a helmet mandatory).  I guess a helmet would also partially solve the noise problem...  Everything affects everything.

 

Consider windscreen for road and aeroscreen for track.  A windscreen, apart from stopping stones and debris hitting you in the face when on the road, also acts as a aeordynamic brick wall at higher speeds.  On a track you want to go fast, not be held back by a wind break, so the aero screen makes sense especially since you are wearing a helmet.  There is 15mph higher top speed for the aeroscreen.  I would never recommend using an aeroscreen without a helmet.  The amount of debris se7ens collect from driving is incredible - so you need some form of facial protection.  

 

 

 

[Croc]

12 hours ago, IamScotticus said:

@Croc Can you expand on "install the captive nut brackets for the windscreen" please?

 

They are little brackets that go inside the cockpit.  Nothing more than a bracket with a nut welded to it...i.e. captive.  But by fixing them in place, it eliminates the need for you to have to hold the bolt and the nut and the windscreen when trying to install or uninstall it.  So it makes a 3 handed operation an easy one with 2 hands.

 

Parts are here:

Retaining Channel - LHS (caterhamparts.co.uk)

and

Retaining Channel - RHS (caterhamparts.co.uk)

 

Easy retrofit to cars that do not have them.  Essential if you switch a windscreen back and forth with the aeroscreen.  

 

I bet you could fabricate one easily if you had some welding gear handy.  

 

[Vovchandr]

8 minutes ago, Croc said:

Consider windscreen for road and aeroscreen for track.  A windscreen, apart from stopping stones and debris hitting you in the face when on the road, also acts as a aeordynamic brick wall at higher speeds.  On a track you want to go fast, not be held back by a wind break, so the aero screen makes sense especially since you are wearing a helmet.  There is 15mph higher top speed for the aeroscreen.  I would never recommend using an aeroscreen without a helmet.  The amount of debris se7ens collect from driving is incredible - so you need some form of facial protection.  

 

Surprisingly I go aero on street and track and the only time I've been railed with something in the head has been on the track. Big pieces of tires get picked up and thrown around a lot. 

[Croc]

2 hours ago, Vovchandr said:

 

Surprisingly I go aero on street and track and the only time I've been railed with something in the head has been on the track. Big pieces of tires get picked up and thrown around a lot. 

 

Yes but I want to preserve my craggy good looks!  By contrast, your face....      

[NeoBear]

If I can give you a little advice buddy the first thing, I would suggest is consider what you are going to do to protect the car. Look at clear wrap options in your area unless you think you will do it yourself it only takes 100yrds of crappy road to absolutely demolish paint =/

 

 

[Saudio]

On 1/15/2023 at 7:46 PM, CarlB said:

You can’t get a car tagged in Virginia without a windshield, wipers, and defroster. Caterham has a heated windshield for the defroster.

Good to know, thank you!  

[Saudio]

On 1/15/2023 at 8:12 PM, CBuff said:

I just finalized my options on a 420r.  After talking to the group and looking at some of their cars. I went with:

 

420 r sv

uprated brakes

side exhaust 

13” staggered wheels (the group steered me to this)

adding a high level brake light (although the new models come with brighter slightly different brake lights). 
leather seats 

non lowered floors

Brake cut off - battery drain and occasional track days

switching out harness to asmi profi II 6 pt harness 

 

My latest way to spend more on this:  swapping out the gauges for the smiths that come in the 2000 model.  
 

and a few signature options onto the pile.  Supposedly this is going into production next month. Hope to see it for the 2024 season. I too am having it assembled - which feels a bit of a cheat but I have zero space or ability. 
 

3rd brake light - lots of different options. I haven’t chosen on version yet. There are some discussions in the threads on this

 

 

 

Looks like a lovely build!  And thanks for the info on the additional brake light.  Curious, since they are building it now, why do you not expect it until 2024?  

[Saudio]

On 1/16/2023 at 8:39 AM, Croc said:

 

There is always "add some power" options - its the cost thats the issue. 

 

For the road, you do not need any more power.  210hp in a standard 420R is plenty.  You just cannot use any more without being arrested and losing driving privileges.  However, for track, I get that after a few years most red blooded enthusiastic males get bored and need to get a little extra hp just to rub that Corvette owner's face in the dirt.  

 

Given you are VA, I am assuming your local track will have you being a deer magnet at Summit Point, with side trips to NJMP and VIR?   So a mix of power and tight tracks depending on the layout.

 

The "easy" Caterham upgrade path for a 420R would be to add roller barrel throttles and then remap the ECU.  Depending on who you talk to thats 15-20hp.  May not sound like much but in a light car like these, its plenty.  

 

A few others on USA7s have lately bought from the SBD catalog - Seb and Simon for example - but it was not as plug an play as it was advertised.  They went from 420R hp up to around 250-260hp

FORD Archives - SBD Motorsport

 

Another option which I am exploring for my 420R is Premier Power.  I have a 2018 420R stored in the same UK building in Stratford as Premier Power and have got to meet the guys over the last year.  A UK friend of mine has his car being upgraded to 280hp currently - watching that to see how it goes.  Not sure how well they can do a "kit" for USA folks to do the upgrade remotely.

Duratec Engine Upgrades - PREMIER POWER (premierpowerengines.com)

 

These are some of the options out there.  Sure there are others.  

 

 

 

Yes to both.  Puts the light high up the roll bar to allow distracted Mommy-mobiles to see you better when you stop.  

 

Rollbar Mounted Brake Light — Beachman Racing

 

 

 

 

 

Consider windscreen for road and aeroscreen for track.  A windscreen, apart from stopping stones and debris hitting you in the face when on the road, also acts as a aeordynamic brick wall at higher speeds.  On a track you want to go fast, not be held back by a wind break, so the aero screen makes sense especially since you are wearing a helmet.  There is 15mph higher top speed for the aeroscreen.  I would never recommend using an aeroscreen without a helmet.  The amount of debris se7ens collect from driving is incredible - so you need some form of facial protection.  

 

 

 

Thank you for the detailed reply!  This forum has turned into a great resource. I have had the roller barrel throttles suggested to me, but that seems like a lot of $$$ for 15 HP. Still, it seems like a safe and pretty easy upgrade.  And I am now considering having both the windshield and aero screen.  I have a helmet already (I do some occasional track and drag strip days) so that's no problem.  Again, I want to order EVERYTHING but I have to be a little bit practical.   LOL.

[Saudio]

On 1/16/2023 at 5:51 PM, NeoBear said:

If I can give you a little advice buddy the first thing, I would suggest is consider what you are going to do to protect the car. Look at clear wrap options in your area unless you think you will do it yourself it only takes 100yrds of crappy road to absolutely demolish paint =/

 

 

Fortunately I have a very high end detail shop here who I have wrap and/or CC my cars.  Lucky to have him nearby, people bring exotics from all over the East Coast to him.  I'm probably going to have him wrap the front wings in black rather than buy CF, and have him add a center stripe for me.  

[CBuff]

Managing expectations. With what I have read everything takes longer than you think. I have figured 3 months to build, 3 months to ship, 3 months to assemble here. 3 months to fine tune, ppf and register etc. So done on Feb 2024. And it’s in buffalo so weather depending. 
 

The dream is to go there and drive it home.  Best case it’s done much sooner which I would love. 

[Saudio]

Just now, CBuff said:

Managing expectations. With what I have read everything takes longer than you think. I have figured 3 months to build, 3 months to ship, 3 months to assemble here. 3 months to fine tune, ppf and register etc. So done on Feb 2024. And it’s in buffalo so weather depending. 
 

The dream is to go there and drive it home.  Best case it’s done much sooner which I would love. 

Eek!  If I a get a build in 2024, with that math I may be too old to drive it when it gets to me!  

[oilteq]

30 minutes ago, Saudio said:

 I'm probably going to have him wrap the front wings...

The front fenders are relatively safe.  The front tires pick up sand and small rocks and hurl them rearward.  The shields on the rear fenders are not just for decoration, and the side panels are in the line of fire when changing directions.

[Alex-Ks1]

so, as I see it, its about a year for your car?  I built mine is about 3 months and I was building a electric delivery truck at the same time, But that's just me. 

I have a full machine shop and all the tooling I need to run an automotive business. not many people have that.  But it was on the road with I wanted, the engine type, trans type, rear end type, I made all the discissions on what I wanted .  Not what someone wanted to give me.  But I have been doing this since the 70s . And what is your car going to fully cost, I never looked into that. I have about 7 K$ in mine from start to finish . I didnt know how to bill myself for my labor 

 

 

[KnifeySpoony]

3 hours ago, Saudio said:

I have had the roller barrel throttles suggested to me, but that seems like a lot of $$$ for 15 HP.

Don't forget about the sound. Practically worth the price of admission alone.