If you had to get your first seven all over again...

[Alaskossie]

Taber10,

 

Welcome aboard! I think I saw your Caterham after Nathan Down had finished assembling it at RMSC -- BRG and bare aluminum with a yellow nose stripe, right? A mighty sharp package! They told me it was being driven to Florida by the new owner and wife. How was the trip?

 

Two things I failed to mention in my earlier response to the question. First, assembling the car myself from a kit was very important to me, despite my lack of prior experience in such an undertaking. This was one feature of the Seven from the very beginning in the late 1950's that filled my incessant daydreams -- and to find that not only is the same basic car being made and sold 50 years later, but that the kit-build option is still available, are pretty darned astounding, and probably unique in automotive history.

 

(So, my own Seven build is taking longer than I had planned...but I AM able to incorporate all the details (and attention to detail) that I expect of myself but could not reasonably ask someone else to do for me).

 

The second item has to do with the desirability of having a true collectible, vintage Lotus 7 S2 or S3, as Al has expressed. I had also considered this angle, but for me the overriding consideration was pure performance:

 

When the Seven first hit the market in 1957, it was as quick in acceleration and around the corners as almost anything else you would meet on the road. With a modern Caterham Seven or equivalent, in their higher-powered (but still street-registered) variants, this is still true in 2008. What other car originally entering the 1957 automotive market can still make that claim? Precisely none, except the Seven. So a modern Seven occupies the same niche in the current automotive spectrum as its ancestor did in 1957 -- pretty neat, in my opinion.

 

I had not considered the possible problems of registering a modern Seven that are found in some states. For me, the process could not have been simpler. The deputy sheriff in Colorado examined the car (it is still on sawhorses!) and its title papers, determined through an instant computer search that it was not stolen, and issued me a certificate to that effect. I took the certificate to the DMV in Alaska and walked out with my plates. The DMV clerk even turned out to be an enthusiast, and knew exactly what a Caterham was -- quite a surprise!

 

Alaskossie

[slngsht]

what would you do differently?

your response will help some n00bs looking to get into their first.

 

NOTE: this is just about the car (buy new/used, build, powertrain, etc...), not dealings with dealers/sellers, etc...

The option not mentioned is to build, for those of us without he re$ource$ to buy. This is a longer path though with planning you can get the equipment desired initialy.

 

I should have traded my AC Bristol for the Lotus 11 years ago when I had a chance.

 

[athens7]

The only mechanical change might be a long 1st gear 5 speed. My car was built when I bought it, so it was take it or leave it, and it had all of the other 'must have' items on my list. Several months later, on the dyno, I found that the standard 1st-2nd shift drops revs 1500, with all other shifts dropping 1000; it would be nice to keep the revs up a little more on the 1-2 shift. I would definitely NOT change my ZF lsd, it is great for putting power down in curves, and, as they were no longer available from Caterham even last year, it was then or never. For probably emotional reasons only, I also wanted an Arch frame. Whether bought new or used, expect a sorting out process, and set aside some $$$ for same.

[Al N.]

Would I sell it to get a S2 or 3 yes, would I sell it just to sell it, no.

 

It's going to sound like blasphemy, but I would also consider selling Orange to get the right S2 or S3. There, I've said it.

 

 

[11Budlite]

"sparecr wrote:

Would I sell it to get a S2 or 3 yes, would I sell it just to sell it, no."

 

"It's going to sound like blasphemy, but I would also consider selling Orange to get the right S2 or S3. There, I've said it."

 

Like John and Al wrote, I've often thought of getting one of the original S1-S3 Lotus'. But my mind keeps going back to reading about Peter Egan's adventures with his Lotus 7's in R&T and how there always seemed to be a Lotus 7 frame twisted like a banana hanging in the back of the garage, or something like that! I guess the important thing would be getting the "right" one...

 

Bruce :7drive:

[Davemk1]

I'd buy mine new as a kit and build it right the first time instead of rebuilding everything. Other than that I'd still get a Birkin. Great car.

 

Dave

 

 

 

[scannon]

I had wanted a Se7en for a long time but didn't get around to it until I was in my 60s like several others here. My feet are just too big for the standard width Se7en.

 

I wasn't really aware of how many choices there were out there at the time. I had seen Keith's Locost but never driven or riddened in any Se7en until Ben from RMSC brought a Caterham SV to a Miata club track day.

 

He let me drive it and I was hooked. I only looked at Caterhams as I didn't want the more complicated build of a Locost and really wasn't aware of the other choices. I found a great deal on a new SV rolling chassis and took out a second mortgage to buy it. No regrets, none at all. I think had I known of the many choices, I still would have gone with the Caterham SV.

 

What would I do differenty? Only some detail stuff than I am spending this winter on.

 

I would like to build a kit sometime rather than starting with a roller.

 

Skip

[pierats]

I built mine from a kit - I would do it again in a heartbeat. Awesome experience. Even though I could have purchased a used one for less.

 

There are quite a few things I would have done differently when I purchased my kit though. Caterham (the other brands too I'm sure) have so many options it is hard to know what to buy. For instance there were a lot of things available that were not on the price list. Here are a few that I would have changed in my original order:

 

- powdercoat the engine compartment

- long 1st gear or a 6 speed with a different diff ratio

- wide track front wishbones

- lowered floors

- ACB10 tires

- carbon fiber dash

- adjustable platforms for the dampers

- nicer dampers than the stock units

- no spare tire rack

- aero fuel filler

- rear arb

- freestyle inboard suspension

- half doors

- tall fia bar or cage

 

Some of these things are easy to change afterwards, others are more difficult or expensive!

[stevet]

I spend an inordinate amount of time thinking about what I might do differently - upgardeitus and all that - but, ultimately you get what you get and make the most of it. One of the best things about my first Caterham was the home build. I also loved the flared wings and 'classic' twin webber's. And it was a hoot to drive. I got my used standard Zetec here in 03 and, apart from changing the wheels (16's to 14's) have done nothing much but drive it - 8000 miles in 4 years - and it hasn't missed a beat (I've missed a couple though...).

 

Having said that, I agree with Brad, longer 1st gear would be good. And throttle bodies, bigger brakes, hot cams, lighter flywheel... Help :banghead:

[Alaskossie]

Stevet,

 

One thing I will definitely change on my '07 Caterham, ASAP, is to replace the c/f cycle wings with wide-track c/f clamshells, as soon as RIF in UK gets his act together and starts producing them.....

 

I agree with you that the clamshell Caterham/Lotus is the "classic" look (despite the fact that the earliest S1 Lotus Sevens appeared with flimsy cycle wings).

 

 

 

[Al N.]

Tom-

 

Your car is going to be one bad m-fer. Hopefully you can come to wherever the 2009 meet is so we can all see it.

 

-A

[Alaskossie]

Al,

 

Initial engine install should happen in Colorado during the first week of March '08. This has been a "long-distance" assembly project with six trips down to Colorado so far, but I have enjoyed it all (except for the painted c/f nosecone dropping nose-first onto the concrete garage floor from a height of about 4 feet!).

 

Depending on where you have your 2009 (or 2008??) meet, I'll see if I can drive down!

 

Tom

[Mandurath]

I would've bought a Stalker (I like them all, but they seem to have the most room for those of us of considerable girth) already built. So I wouldn't feel repressed while others were driving theirs. That way I could drive one while building the LC. I may break down and do it anyway.

[Kitcat]

I would've bought a Stalker (I like them all, but they seem to have the most room for those of us of considerable girth) already built. So I wouldn't feel repressed while others were driving theirs. That way I could drive one while building the LC. I may break down and do it anyway.

 

You can never have too many Sevens!!!!!!!!

[solder_guy]

You can never have too many Sevens!

 

Here! Here! :7drive: :7fume:

 

(although my wife would kill me!) (on the other hand .. maybe I'll get another first gen Celica !)

 

Rob