1986 Caterham BDR, a new old car

[Wayne Stambaugh]

Bought a lowered left floor pan and a master cyl/Brake pedal bracket from Redline Components. The label says its for a pre 1996 S3 and post 2000. I mentioned that my car had a DeDion rear suspension as well. The pan it approximately 2” to narrow at tunnel side. Front to back it seems to be okay. At least it serves as a good pattern. It does give me a lot of dimensional information that will come in handy.

 

[Wayne Stambaugh]

On 3/29/2024 at 7:11 PM, Wayne Stambaugh said:

Bought a lowered left floor pan and a master cyl/Brake pedal bracket from Redline Components. The label says its for a pre 1996 S3 and post 2000. I mentioned that my car had a DeDion rear suspension as well. The pan it approximately 2” to narrow at tunnel side. Front to back it seems to be okay. At least it serves as a good pattern. It does give me a lot of dimensional information that will come in handy.

 

This panel is $450 US from Caterham (Arch). I am not going to modify it, I will make one of my own. If anyone needs this panel I will sell it for $250 US, you pay the shipping. I have no use for it.

On 3/29/2024 at 7:18 PM, IamScotticus said:

Wayne, can i have a pic of the new pedal bracket?

scott

 

[anthony1956]

On 10/25/2023 at 2:00 PM, Wayne Stambaugh said:

After sleeping on it last night, given the fact that the shifter is stuck in neutral, the clutch pedal takes the power of a gorilla to push in, the timing belt and all the hoses need to be replaced, the fuel pump should probably be replaced and on and on and on. I think it may be best to pull the engine and transmission to proceed wlith my work. Remembering that this car has accumlated less than 40 miles in 37 years really concerns me especially anything made of rubber. Anyone with an opinion on this please speak up. Even if the car cranks up and runs it’s not going anywhere until the transmission is free. I don’t like to jump to conclusions but I feel that this is the right thing to do. If anyone thinks there are other things to do first before removal please let me know.

Finally! Sense - going back to reading..! This car is identical to my 1987 BDR which I have rebuilt three times. Ok, ALMOST identical - that space frame not a mark on it!!

I'm only on page 2... i may be a while, but the above is the first real sense I have seen. Phew!      Size tens ion the pedals??!! Good grief. :-)  

Welcome Wayne to a wonderful world. :-)

I'm pretty sure I have seen this story on the UK site... so maybe I am too late to this party. 

All the best - Anthony

[anthony1956]

On 11/10/2023 at 5:57 PM, Wayne Stambaugh said:

to prepare the body for paint.

noooooooooo!!!no no !! pleaase  let's find you didn't...

[anthony1956]

On 11/12/2023 at 10:17 PM, Wayne Stambaugh said:

There was a nylon looking plate about 3/16” thick with an oring on both sides located in grooves on both sides of the plate. Should I get new oring for this set up or buy different plates? I notice there seems to be multiple types.

You want misab plates.. if same as mine.. and loads besides..  this is like reading a  mystery thriller!!

[anthony1956]

On 11/12/2023 at 11:06 PM, Wayne Stambaugh said:

Another thing that needs attention are the original Spax shocks. They look like the oil has been running out of them for years. Should I replace these with new Spax shocks or is there a better option. Remember for starters this car won’t be on the track. I need something more general purpose.

I replaced mine with Bilsteins direct from Bilstein to whatever my car's spec was. The Spax were totally goosed.

 

p.s. I have the build manual here, given to me with the car so I THINK it's the one "my" builder used. PDF, just got to find it.

 

[anthony1956]

On 11/13/2023 at 4:53 AM, Wayne Stambaugh said:

I have seen a few different types but I guess the bottom line is that they give the mount a little flex and it should certainly seal better and vibrate less.

 

This subject is way more complicated than that. Later...

[anthony1956]

Right, sorry about all my above serial posts, but 8 pages of replies is a lot of happy reading. 

 

Please don't paint it; I was wondering if i was imagining things and she is still (almost) wrapped in her Arch Motors protective plastic stuff? All that peels off to reveal beautiful virgin aluminum. And we have polishes for that.

 

Wayne you are way above my pay grade in engineering skills as is everyone else in here I can see.  What I can offer is only having the same 1987 car. Seeing yours so untouched is amaZing.

 

I know every nut, bolt and stud on my car having worked on every bit of it. I can probably even give you the parts which match what was on my 1987 version for example which electric fuel pump, which regulator and so on so you can, if you want, keep it "stock" . Chris at Redline is our usual go to supplier, he has the deal with Caterham to supply for all older cars.

 

I very much hope you brush with the big C has allowed you to survive and ok.

 

I have hundreds (I think) of my Seven pics at www.supersevenheaven.com  where probably of more interest to you is https://www.supersevenheaven.com/BDR-2023-Work which has work in 2012 and 2021 and 2023. Loads more in 2024, but that's all AFTER you did all the basic replace all the old rubber and such like. My carbs are Dellorto 45s but the book I use is https://www.amazon.com/Build-Power-Dellorto-Carburettors-SpeedPro/

 

Anyway I am at risk of coing on and on... ok too late.

 

It's been a pleasure to see and read about your car and story. 

Probably best observes I def cannot tell you how to do things (you got the skills), but I may well be able to give guides as to what to do (with pictures already)  - and if you can improve on them so be it as I will be listening! Tricks like using plastic bolts when your refit the rear wings.. you guys must know that one.

 

All my 2024 BDR blogs are on the UK club site here

 https://www.caterhamlotus7.club/blogs/blog/69-anthonyms-blog/

 

Is it a 711M block? See under the primaries to the rear. Have you found the chassis number?

 

All the best

 

Anthony

 

Before the skins are removed this is what you have but LHD

We have pretty much every bit pictured so you can see what's under what you have there. 

 

 

Edited November 12 by anthony1956

[anthony1956]

2012 REBUILD

 

 

Now this one is 2023 and was a hunt for oil leaks, but of more interest to you may be it's voyage around many parts of the car in close up, you may spot we are now upgraded from drum to disk brakes (an official CC upgrade purchased 20 years before it was fitted) 

 

This is how she looks now, which is to say when she is not in bits as now, only difference with yours is right hand drive and a bit later development, there are way too many folders with pics in the 2021 rebuild section to even show a contact sheet here so this next is just to encourage you.

 

and here, see the blue plastic covering not yet removed after being back to Arch Motors (the original space frame builder).

And just to show she can also look good only partly painted:

and yes not yet fully unwrapped:

That's British Racing Green and Lotus Yellow, nearly 40 years old. Yes, she's badged as a Lotus.

She's on scales being flat floored.

The lights under the cycle wings (another difference) are for seeing round Swiss Alpine hairpins. :-)

oh yes, laughing here, Carbon Kevlar seats, six-speed box and 4:1 open diff.. still keep the old bits though.

I have been wondering the Tilletts might help your height problem as well as the lowered floor.

 

 

 

Edited November 12 by anthony1956

[IamScotticus]

1 hour ago, anthony1956 said:

noooooooooo!!!no no !! pleaase  let's find you didn't...

Not Wayne's choice.  Previous owner started with a coat of primer, that garish lime green you see there.  As well as BRG wing stays and tyre carrier.

Poor thing.

[anthony1956]

ouch

 

might it strip off?

Edited November 12 by anthony1956

[IamScotticus]

2 minutes ago, anthony1956 said:

ouch

 

might it strip off?

I've always heard the effort isn't worth it, you don't get back to what you had.  Better to finish a painting.

[IamScotticus]

OH, WOW!

 

I have never seen this before!

Brilliant!

[pethier]

2 hours ago, IamScotticus said:

 

Brilliant!

I see what you did there.

[anthony1956]

3 hours ago, pethier said:

I see what you did there.

go on then ;-)       oh yeah, the bolts on top are unrelated, part of the original build.

 

gotta admit it wasn't me, it was a clever Portuguese mechanic who didn't give it a second thought when I had wanted lights there for many years because in the pitch black dark when turning hairpins here you could be driving off a cliff.. 

[anthony1956]

Here's what they look like under the cycle wings - while not fitted to them:

 

here's how they are fitted, rock solid and easy to adjust up/down; no need for sideways because they turn with the wheels. 

or a quickie:

When driving in pitch dark in the Alps and turning round a hairpin, one is never quite sure if one is driving off a cliff - tarmac and oblivion look the same; that's my real reason for these, but also we are required by law to use day lights and I don't like the headlights being always on when I can have these very bright LEDs doing the work for much less draw on the system.LED headlights on the BDR would not feel right.  So there is a three position switch, always on, always off, and on unless headlights are on (daylights mode).

 

Fitting pics are here https://www.supersevenheaven.com/BDR-2023-Work/Hairpin-lights-fitting

Edited November 13 by anthony1956

[anthony1956]

6'4" USES BAG SEATS : https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f=101&t=1903265   SEE sixth post down, he's 6 foot 4"

 

 

 

Carbon/Kevlar under seat clearance:

Momo steering wheel common among Sevens:

 

and splines spacing: 

Edited November 13 by anthony1956

[anthony1956]

OK to fit YOU in the car - all this content is from guys 6 foot or (way) over with S3 Caterhams (yours is an S3).

 

But first here is a response from a 6'3" S3 owner:  (below the owner is 6'4")

https://www.caterhamlotus7.club/forums/topic/276944-size-94-44-reasonably-priced-seven-driving-shoes-recommendations-please-six-foot-in-a-s3-7-how/#findComment-2626106

AND he hasn't fitted a lowered floor yet

 

another of the contributors is a mere 6' and says (amongst many other things)

Quote

 

This is on my 85 X-flow (the chassis has the bracket for a cable clutch but I fitted a hydraulic one).  An S2 that I had before was the same. 

I am 6ft and with the pedals adjusted fully forward, i.e. pushrods as short as they can be, I am just about OK in a standard cockpit (short) S3 with a bench seat

 

(the above thread is where I garnered the content for this post)

 

 

BAG SEATS as discussed here: 

https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f=101&t=1903265

 

Clutch cable adjustment as discussed here https://www.caterhamlotus7.club/forums/topic/255550-clutch-cable-adjustment/

One of the posts:

UPDATE as regards the following about the clutch:: 

Quote

Very minor point but just in case it confuses - the clutch adjustment diagram is I think from a K series. I'd assume the BDR using a ford kent engine block would use a standard type 9 bellhousing. The ford bolt pattern stayed the same for many years so the standard bellhousing fits many ford cars from the 1960s to late 1990s. This should only mean the cable is located in a different place (lower down much closer to the clutch foot on a UK car.

 

 

 

Pedals moved to make more space as described here: 

and a video here :

 

Video is for novices of course. 

 

UPDATE re shoes:

1- For shoes, Puma Speedcats for me.

2-Have a look at Koden karting shoes or boots on Internet.  Had my M51 boots for 8 years, very comfortable and great fit for size 10 in S3 car.  Still in great condition despite lots of use. They were excellent value. 

3-me? AlpineStars but I'm only size 9/42 

p.s given this is a British (TEAM OF US REALLY) response the sizes are all half a size smaller than your 10, so for us you would be 9.5 / 44 and the above 10 is 10.5 USA so bigger than your feet.

However, thankfully your feet and inches are the same ;-)

 

Lowered floor.. yes. 

 

Cockpit length I will measure mine and post here.

 

 

I have included the clutch adjustment details because you were concerned about that and it becomes relevant when adjusting the pedals to make more room.

 

 

 

Edited November 14 by anthony1956