Alaskossie Posted July 18, 2009 Share Posted July 18, 2009 My half-completed Seven build has been handed off. After two years of commuting between home in Anchorage and my part-finished 2007 S3 Seven Duratec in Jeff B.’s garage in Greeley, Colorado, I’ve finally called it quits. I made a total of 13 round-trips, beginning on July 9, 2007, and ending last Wednesday, July 15, 2009. My work trips comprised a total of 133 days. The longest was 15 days; the shortest 6 days. I hate to think of the car rental expenses and airfare involved -- but at least I’m now an Alaska Airlines MVP Gold member -- big deal! One of the long-time attractions of the Seven for me was the opportunity to assemble it myself from Caterham's boxes of bits. It originally came that way from Lotus in 1957, and it is a minor miracle that it is still available the same way, 50 years later. I optimistically intended to have the car assembled in time for Kitcat’s 2007 Pacific Coast tour -- and yet I even failed to make his 2009 Rocky Mountain tour. The assembly went fine when I was in the Caterham assembly manual, but when I went “off the book” with the Duratec engine and dry sump in the lhd S3 chassis, progress slowed to a crawl, or less. The combination of jet-lag the first couple of days of each visit, plus trying to recall where I had left off and trying to figure out what should come next, plus mail-ordering non-standard parts and taking measurements for brackets, etc. to fabricate back in Anchorage, meant that my trips became less and less productive. I did get caught up in “upgrade-itis” at the outset, believing that it would be easier to make my desired mods now, rather than after the car was built. That probably cost me at least a season of driving my Seven. But that’s all behind me now. Last Wednesday, Jeff B. and I loaded the half-completed Seven onto B.Simon’s borrowed trailer, and it was turned over to Nathan Down at Thomas Vintage Motors in Boulder. Nathan is a former development engineer at Caterham in UK who designed the SV, so I couldn’t have placed it in more capable hands. Nathan will complete the mechanical and electrical hookups, and I will get the wings and the weather equipment ready to install. Nathan took one look at my fully-insulated, carpeted and accessorized Seven and immediately dubbed it an “Executive Superlight.” But it is intended as a fast road car and not a track car, so I guess that’s ok. My one-hour trailer trip from Greeley to Boulder involved one hair-raising near-disaster, but that’s a story to be told over a round of beers...... Attached are three photos: Jeff B. loading the Seven in Greeley, the Seven on Bob’s trailer, and the Seven off-loaded at Thomas Vintage Motors, with (l to r) Seven owner Bob Walker, Matt the intern at Thomas, Nathan Down, and Derek Walker (75Twincam on USA7s) going over my checklist. So that’s where things stand with me now..... some day this car may be a “ride” instead of a still-life. Alaskossie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
solder_guy Posted July 18, 2009 Share Posted July 18, 2009 Yeah .. I understand your frustration ... I made the mistake of handing my car over to a Rotus mechanic who kept me waiting for one year .. Then working on my car (and another car) .. (in my spare time) that kept the car off the road for another year .. I've owned my 1981 Rotus for four years now and driven it very little .. I finally got the carbs sync'd and tuned just right .. yesterday .. Rob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kitcat Posted July 18, 2009 Share Posted July 18, 2009 You get an "A" for effort and for trying to maintain the purity of the Se7en experience. When you & I were were reading about Lotus 7's from our sequestered Road & Track magazines in high school study halls, it was unthinkable that we'd let someone else have all the fun of building our car. And now you get a "A" for common sense. By adding the logistical nightmare of commuting from Alaska to the normal challenges of Se7en construction, you had assigned yourself an almost impossible task. I have no idea how you lasted this long. Nathan is a real pro and he'll whip your car into shape in no time . Then you can start enjoying driving the car, which was really the main point of all those R & T articles we so coveted. I only wish it were at "Kitcat's Pacific Coast tour". That honor belongs exclusively to Slomove. And, as his group tours make clear, the real fun of Se7en ownership, at least for many of us, is in the driving. Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yellowss7 Posted July 18, 2009 Share Posted July 18, 2009 Tom, As an S3 owner, I'm curious, how much fabrication is required to get the 2.0L duratec shoehorned in? Or are there other issues? When I put the RoverK series, which was the normal engine in UK Catehams for a while, in my car, the only issues that arose were tight clearance with the headers and the steering column, but they do make a LHD 4-2-1 exhaust system that works. Connecting the hydraulic clutch slave to clutch arm was another. And lastly, there was no room for the altenator on the left or right due to the drysump pump on the right and the headers/steering column on the left. Other than that, it was a piece of cake. Even with those issues, the TOTAL build time was 80 hours, and I'm not a mechanic or even remotely mechanically gifted. Just curious about the Duratec issues as it looks like the ideal engine for the car. Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7veloce Posted July 18, 2009 Share Posted July 18, 2009 It is a good move. I hope to see you with your 7 in a month or two. Drop by Fort Collins, we can go for you a drive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alaskossie Posted July 18, 2009 Author Share Posted July 18, 2009 My error -- "Slomove" instead of "Kitcat" has been the western tour organizer. And my error even after I met you and your wife at Scannon's last week. My apologies, Gert, it was nearly midnight last night when I posted my tale of woe... Alaskossie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alaskossie Posted July 18, 2009 Author Share Posted July 18, 2009 Yellowss7, The Duratec is a tight fit, and whether it fits or not without modifications to the footwells depends in part on whether a long-output shaft transmission (Caterham 6-speed) or short-shaft transmission (Type 9 5-speed) is used. I did not need to make any mods in that regard. My alternator will be relocated to the exhaust side, as it looks likely to interfere with the steering shaft-- but I've just learned from Nathan that a lug on the timing-belt cover will present some complications in that relocation. (The cover can't be removed or replaced without getting into some possible Cosworth warranty issues). I consider myself fairly mechanically-minded (at least theoretically), but with not a lot of hands-on experience. I just got tired of trying to figure out how the clutch and slave cylinder should be installed, where to locate the battery (after a couple of logical but impractical hole-drilling and time-wasting attempts), buying and then deciding not to use parts like an air-oil cooler, pressure valve, triple-pass radiator with outlet and inlet unsuitable for the Duratec, ordering parts from UK cottage industries and then wondering where they were, losing and misplacing parts myself between Alaska and Colorado, and getting bogged down in details that could have been easily solved if I could just pop out to the garage every evening after dinner. So with the Seven in Nathan's hands, we'll see some real progress at last. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yellowss7 Posted July 18, 2009 Share Posted July 18, 2009 Thanks Tom, Attached is a pic of my Altenator solution. A bracket mounted off the front of the engine so that the altenator runs facing backwards. Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alaskossie Posted July 18, 2009 Author Share Posted July 18, 2009 Pretty neat solution! However, on my car, that's right where my Brise dry-sump tank is located.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yellowss7 Posted July 18, 2009 Share Posted July 18, 2009 Can't help you there, I have the Caterham bellhousing drysump tank. A neat solution in and of itself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slngsht Posted July 18, 2009 Share Posted July 18, 2009 Tom, As I was reading, I kept telling myself "I can't believe he sold it!". Good thing you didn't. Doing modded builds is tough enough when the thing is in the garage - it's very difficult when it's a plane ride away. Smart move. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boxologist Posted July 19, 2009 Share Posted July 19, 2009 Tom, As I was reading, I kept telling myself "I can't believe he sold it!". Good thing you didn't. Doing modded builds is tough enough when the thing is in the garage - it's very difficult when it's a plane ride away. Smart move. seconded! was absolutely afraid that it was another i'm gonna sell my car thread. i was going to duct tape martin and Alaska Tom together if that happened. Congrats on coming to teh realization of when a project gets to large for one's own abilities. I hope your next airfare takes u to your self powered 7!:driving: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alaskossie Posted July 19, 2009 Author Share Posted July 19, 2009 Slngsht, I may have been discouraged and desperate, but not THAT discouraged and desperate! I view my move as only a detour -- on a smoother and more direct road -- to my ultimate goal. (But that is antithetical to the Seven driving experience, no?). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S1Steve Posted July 19, 2009 Share Posted July 19, 2009 Thrown in the towel, Nope, I think you did a great job getting it to " roller" mode. That is the hard way to do a build, most would have had their hands up long ago. Good Call !!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slngsht Posted July 19, 2009 Share Posted July 19, 2009 seconded! was absolutely afraid that it was another i'm gonna sell my car thread. i was going to duct tape martin and Alaska Tom together if that happened. Congrats on coming to teh realization of when a project gets to large for one's own abilities. I hope your next airfare takes u to your self powered 7!:driving: The way to make sure that happens is to buy a one way plane ticket Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
solder_guy Posted July 19, 2009 Share Posted July 19, 2009 Do you still have those sill protectors for sale? Rob Mitchell Contact me via email: solder_guy@yahoo.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spaz Posted July 20, 2009 Share Posted July 20, 2009 I’ve thrown in the towel I think not. I think you have upgraded techs. Just like upgrading your car, you have upgraded to a pro builder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MHKflyer52 Posted July 20, 2009 Share Posted July 20, 2009 Thrown in the towel, Nope, I think you did a great job getting it to " roller" mode. That is the hard way to do a build, most would have had their hands up long ago. Good Call !!!!!!! Have to agree it is a good call on your part...besides you have completed the hard parts and made a smart desision... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
75TwinCam Posted July 27, 2009 Share Posted July 27, 2009 Hey there, I stopped by Thomas on Friday hoping to show Nathan the TwinCam, but he wasn't there. I did look at your car, and got a little update on the progress . . . all I can recall is that the clutch is in. There was more that I don't remember, such is my aging process! I can report that your Seven is in fantastically good company in the shop. Next to it was a Lola T-70 (ex Parnelli Jones) and a Brabham BT43 Formula 2! Next time I stop by there (hopefully next weekend, when Nathan is there on Saturday) I'll try to remember my camera and put up a pic or two of the progress! Cheers! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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