New Member with a Formula 27

[Cirving]

First post here, I picked up this Formula 27 from Bring a Trailer back in November and have been busy on it ever since. It's a Formula 27 that was built in 2001, powered by a CBR1100xx engine, turbo charged with meth injection. I've replumbed much of the engine bay and removed or resoldered plenty of the dodgy splices that had been added over the years.

I paint corrected the exterior, added stripes, ceramic coated it and painted the silver wheels black

The interior was looking a bit barren, so I had my wife use some of her mad skills with the sewing machine to whip up a new interior to cover the black aluminum. I replaced several gauges, added new LED idiot lights, made new aluminum E-brake, shifter and reverse knobs. 

I installed a HealTech quickshiter and I'm in the process of adding a sequential shift light to keep up with how fast this thing revs

I love driving it so far, hopefully when it warms up I'll have a little more traction when the turbo kicks in. I need a passenger for ballast right now to keep the wheelspin down!

I'm still trying to come to grips with the handling, it's taken me a while to get used to sitting so far back in the chassis. Those front wheels seem really far out there! I've got a couple of mid-engined cars and this one feels completely different

Looking forward to spring to drive this thing more!

 

[MV8]

Nice and a bargain but I don't like it, because there is nothing to fix.

[Austin David]

Based on the BaT info I'm guessing the extra lever is your reverse selector, and the knob is linked to the 1-6 CBR sequential?  Is N just half up from 1, like a bike?  And I assume the turbo + an engine designed to rev high just makes it BANANAS over 8k RPM...

 

Looks like you cleaned it up a lot since the auction.  It's fantastic!

[Cirving]

Yes, it’s just like shifting a motorcycle…but with your hand. The neutral light is handy as well as the reverse light to make sure I don’t inadvertently back into something 

It is a little bonkers after 8K!

[panamericano]

What a Seven!  And, what a wife!!!

[CBuff]

Looks like scary fun!!!!   Get some mileage on it by coming to New Jersey this summer. 
 

 

[pethier]

On 2/15/2025 at 11:32 AM, Cirving said:

I'm still trying to come to grips with the handling, it's taken me a while to get used to sitting so far back in the chassis. Those front wheels seem really far out there! I've got a couple of mid-engined cars and this one feels completely different

 

I am on my 4th mid-engine car and on my second Caterham.

 

For car placement in the Seven, forget about the front wheels.  You are sitting between the rear wheels, which are further apart.  Concentrate on where those wheels are going.

 

You will feel developing oversteer sooner and more-clearly in the Seven than in your mid-engine cars. If you find an autocrossing club that has practice days, sign up.  I suggest that you attach a pylon-redirecting device to your seat bolts.  I had no trouble with pylon damage to my first Caterham, but did destroy a rear fender on my second Caterham.  

 

Edited Monday at 11:01 PM by pethier

[pethier]

 

 

I'd take the Caterham logo off the grill