Photo of your car you took today

[demoray]

My diligent guard dog is helping me redo the front headlight wiring.

 

 

[demoray]

3 hours ago, locost7018 said:

Interesting bikini top, Xhilr8n. Did you have it made or make it yourself. I've never seen one quite like that. Russ

I believe this is the Soft Bits For Sevens half hood with the "easy in" zip sections undone.   This is what those look like zipped up.

 

 

[NSXguy]

From this past weekend. First proper blat of 2026. 

[pethier]

On 5/31/2026 at 12:07 AM, Reiver said:

Oh, ok, but they put Zetecs in Caterhams too so..... 

I do not know what kind of bellhousing and clutch are in Caterhams originally equipped for Zetec engines.  Setting the clutch limit with the stopscrew on the bellhousing is apparently not required on BIRKIN cars because the way the clutch pedal is mounted stops the pedal.

 

The shop that helped me swap parts from a Birkin car into a Caterham car did not know that over-traveling the clutch on a Zetec can seize the oil pump, stopping the engine.  The oddbalI placement of the oil pump is not the basic issue:  The normal victim of such an oversight is the thrust washer, with the same result.

 

I was also ignorant, but I don't specialize in doing engine swaps into British cars.  They do so-specialize.  Their failure to adjust a part that they didn't notice cost me a ton of time and money. I still don't have the full benefit of the work that Steve had put into that Zetec engine.

Edited June 8 by pethier
My original posting here was a poorly-written unclear mess.

[Xhilr8n]

20 hours ago, locost7018 said:

Interesting bikini top, Xhilr8n. Did you have it made or make it yourself. I've never seen one quite like that. Russ

Soft Bits half hood.  The pics were taken as it would be when you’re using it, just got out for the view.

[Croc]

[CBuff]

@Croc tell me that’s your 620.  I think you might have a slight caterham addiction (envious eye roll). 

[Croc]

 

The purple one has all the problems of a politician found in bed with a dead girl or live boy.  #bitchslap

 

 

 

[Croc]

[CBuff]

I’ll guess I’ll pray for mechanical breakdown otherwise feel free to wave hello on your way by. 
 

what size slicks are you running in the front. I went with the 195 60 13 Hoosier r8.  Yours seem skinnier than that but may be the photo. Are those the Apollo 6” wide 13” wheels ?

 

tell me your secrets. 

[JohnCh]

You need to start a thread on how the 420R, 620S, and CSR 260 compare on track. #peerpressure

[Austin David]

And a separate tutorial for managing ones wife

[Nick OTeen]

[Nick OTeen]

[Reiver]

On 6/5/2026 at 12:45 PM, pethier said:

I do not know what kind of bellhousing and clutch are in Caterhams originally equipped for Zetec engines.  Setting the clutch limit with the stop screw on the bellhousing is apparently not required on Caterham cars as the way the clutch pedal is mounted stops the pedal, even though the entire pedal cluster can be moved for driver fitment. Ignorance (by the shop that helped me swap in the Birkin bits) of the damage that can be cause by over traveling the clutch on a Zetec can seize the oil pump, stopping the engine. I am not making this up.  A couple of minutes adjustment of a part they didn't notice cost me a ton of time and money.  I was ignorant too, but I don't specialize in doing engine swaps into British cars.  They do.

  I am guessing you have a dry sump system then ...I was unaware of that possible problem...man, that does suck.  I hope they assisted you thru the issue.

[Reiver]

27 minutes ago, Nick OTeen said:

Where was that pic taken... I think I recognize the Bug....nice headlamps on your 7, looks cool

[Nick OTeen]

That was taken at the Finish Line Auto Club in Costa Mesa back in January of this year.

[Scott_]

A country club near where I live hosted an invitational car show today, and I got an invitation when a fellow at a cars and coffee came up to me to me last month saying he'd never sen a Caterham 7.  There were some stunning cars there.

[pethier]

7 hours ago, Reiver said:

  I am guessing you have a dry sump system then ...I was unaware of that possible problem...man, that does suck.  I hope they assisted you thru the issue.

 

 

No, my first Caterham was a 1600 with a dry sump.

My Cayman has a dry sump

My CSR has a dry sump.

 

Neither my Birkin nor my Birkinized Cayman have dry sumps.  I'm interested in what made you think about dry sumps.  Ford just seems to have liked the idea of putting the oil pump on the crankshaft in the Zetec. 

 

Remember, this was not a case of engine failure because of lack of oil pressure.  This was a case where the oil pump just intantly stopped the engine turning.  Ron, the tuner whom I had always planned to tune the car after the other guys swapped engines, expected from the symptoms that the thrust washer was welded.  In concept, he was right on the button.  Ron was just surprised to find out that the oil pump had taken the hit and that the thrust washer was fine.

 

Ron had had a thrust washer weld before.  A performance supplier gave him specific instructions on how to set the clutch limit under power.  Ron followed their instructions exactly instead of using the "two guys" method.  Welded the thrust washer.  He complained and they had to pony up repairs on their dime.

 

Did the first shop assist me?  Nope.

[Reiver]

5 hours ago, pethier said:

 

 

No, my first Caterham was a 1600 with a dry sump.

My Cayman has a dry sump

My CSR has a dry sump.

 

Neither my Birkin nor my Birkinized Cayman have dry sumps.  I'm interested in what made you think about dry sumps.  Ford just seems to have liked the idea of putting the oil pump on the crankshaft in the Zetec. 

 

Remember, this was not a case of engine failure because of lack of oil pressure.  This was a case where the oil pump just intantly stopped the engine turning.  Ron, the tuner whom I had always planned to tune the car after the other guys swapped engines, expected from the symptoms that the thrust washer was welded.  In concept, he was right on the button.  Ron was just surprised to find out that the oil pump had taken the hit and that the thrust washer was fine.

 

Ron had had a thrust washer weld before.  A performance supplier gave him specific instructions on how to set the clutch limit under power.  Ron followed their instructions exactly instead of using the "two guys" method.  Welded the thrust washer.  He complained and they had to pony up repairs on their dime.

 

Did the first shop assist me?  Nope.

Oh, I see.... for the road a dry sump isn't required But...big but, it allows for more clearance underneath and that can be critical on a Caterham on the road.... my HPC's wet sump shows the issue in very nice alloy welds.  On my r400 the lowest point is the bell housing and that comes with a steel guard plate on it.

 

They used a dry sump on the C8 Corvette to be able to lower the engine in the frame... better weight distro.  A wet sump, on a Caterham, also calls for trade offs...hence the baffle in the HPC as they couldn't go deep enough for a proper sump and even with the shallower sump it was often hit/holed.

 

I like the idea of the Duratec pump driven where it is as opposed to an external belt...it makes for a neater engine set up and, hopefully, more robust that a belt driven deal.