jturrell Posted December 21, 2009 Share Posted December 21, 2009 That Cosworth motor is awesome. What do you do about the ECU when you buy a Cosworth engine? Do they provide you with the correct "tune" for a seven, or do you have to have it tuned yourself? Did they provide the dry-sump tank, or is there some sort of "kit" they provide with all of the seven ancilliaries? Awesome car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alaskossie Posted December 21, 2009 Author Share Posted December 21, 2009 Jturrell, Cosworth USA supplies the correct ECU; the supplied wiring harness was a problem, since I got the one for the Cosworth "crate" motor and not the one specific to the Caterham, but that was resolved. My ECU is mounted inside the passenger footwell, on a hinged, drop-down panel (thus keeping it off the scuttle, and perhaps better protected). The engine was run on the Cosworth dyno before shipping. I bought the dry-sump version of the engine from Cosworth; the pump is integral with the oil pan, so there are no external oil lines, except to and from the dry sump tank. The dry sump tank is a Brise tank (UK) which i had built with the inlet and outlet ports and the breather ports, and a bottom drain plug, located and sized where I wanted them. it also has an oil temp. sensor in the tank, and a 110v pre-heat coil in the tank. i got the pre-heat coil and the tank cap from Peterson Fluid Systems (USA) and sent them to Brise to have them install these items on their tank. The use of the Brise "kidney" tank in front of the engine obviates the need to shorten the passenger footwell to locate a conventional round dry sump tank; it also removes the d/s tank from the heat of the exhaust headers. Caterham uses a similar tank (of their own manufacture) on the new R500 Series 3 cars Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spaz Posted December 21, 2009 Share Posted December 21, 2009 WOW! The car looks awesome! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KiwiBirkin Posted December 21, 2009 Share Posted December 21, 2009 Alaskossie your car is looking great I love the carbon/silver combo it just looks fantastic on your car im sure its going to turn a few heads when you start driving it on the road. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeanG Posted December 21, 2009 Share Posted December 21, 2009 Is that a real carbon fiber valve cover? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drew... Posted December 21, 2009 Share Posted December 21, 2009 What size are the headlights (7.5 or 5.75) and where did you source the carbon fiber buckets? Car looks awesome inside and out!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alaskossie Posted December 22, 2009 Author Share Posted December 22, 2009 DeanG and drew, I got the carbon fiber 5.75-inch headlamp buckets from Fluke in UK. (I have heard the argument that the "traditional" Seven should have 7.5-inch headlamps. What is forgotten is that the original 1957 Seven S1 had two Lucas lamps of approximately 5 inches diameter, one being a fog-lamp and the other a long-range beam; they were switched on and off alternately, for low beam and high beam!). I also got a pair of c/f turn-signal covers from Fluke, which Nathan is modifying to fit my small Hella full-time-on halogen running lights that will mount where the turn signals usually mount. My turn signals are LED motorcycle signal lights, and mount off the body/frame where the nose cone joins (not yet installed, in the photos). My sill protectors in the "doorways" are in the silver "alutex" c/f material from Fluke. The c/f rear light blocks are from Carbon-Bits in UK (made by the late "RiF", "Richard in France," Richard Lee, who passed away suddenly on December 14, 2009 -- RIP) The Duratec cam cover is genuine carbon fiber from Reverie in UK. I persuaded Simon Farren of Reverie to make a c/f Duratec cam cover that would be specifically designed for the coil-on-plug design of the Cosworth ignition, and I got the first (and perhaps only, to date) example for that application. I also ordered this cam cover in a low-profile design, and with no oil filler hole and cap since I have a dry sump. I had the cam cover clear-coated, and added the silver "Ford Cosworth" badge that I found on eBay UK (these are fairly scarce, I've learned). In the engine bay, I've tried to consistently use black fabric-covered hoses by Fragola, and Fragola's black AN fittings. Other plumbing fittings have been powder-coated black to match. The formed aluminum radiator pipes will be powder-coated black, also. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kitcat Posted December 22, 2009 Share Posted December 22, 2009 The more detail you provide, the more impressed I am! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alaskossie Posted December 22, 2009 Author Share Posted December 22, 2009 Thanks all for your questions and compliments. This Seven is the culmination of a dream that I've had since July of 1961. I think I may have gone a little overboard on the details that I have incorporated into the initial build, rather than living with the car and gradually upgrading it over time. But some of my desired upgrades are most easily done when the car is not yet assembled. I went for lightness with the carbon fiber, then added some heaviness back in with extensive engine bay insulation, carpeting, undercoating the front and rear wings, etc. My objective was to have a "Superlight" Seven in concept, but not too stark, and with some touring amenities. My chief wrench Nathan Down has looked a bit askance at it; but he's a tolerant guy, and has dubbed it the Seven "Executive Superlight" model. I guess that fits it as well as any other description. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al N. Posted December 22, 2009 Share Posted December 22, 2009 I am in awe, Tom. Simply in awe. I'm glad I've taken my Seven fetish in a different direction, because I'd be compelled to duplicate your efforts on a modern car. Well done, golf clap to you, sir. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
athens7 Posted December 22, 2009 Share Posted December 22, 2009 Caterhams should come from the factory with the attention to detail your car has...of course, then none/few of us could afford one (certainly not me)! Congratulations on a superb execution :drool:. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alaskossie Posted December 23, 2009 Author Share Posted December 23, 2009 Al, Thanks for your "golf clap!" I guess you could say that my Seven is the result of 48 years of pent-up fantasizing.... I almost wish I was restoring a vintage Series 2 Seven -- I would be much more constrained and careful about what I did to the car, to remain historically accurate and maintain its historic value. The thing that drove me in the direction I took with a current Caterham Seven is that, 52 years after the Seven was first introduced by Lotus, you can still buy it in a crate and build it yourself -- and when you're done, it can still be as quick (or likely, quicker) than almost anything else on the road. What other car can claim a half-century's dominance like that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alaskossie Posted December 23, 2009 Author Share Posted December 23, 2009 athens7, Most people would view my "attention to detail" as a bit excessive, and not necessary for a fine-performing and fun car. I would have to agree. At least I lack the patience and skill to build and modify a "chrome Seven" like the "Sugino Seven," or to build a Seven with all carbon-fiber panels, like some are doing in UK..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pierats Posted December 23, 2009 Share Posted December 23, 2009 Tom, Well done Sir! The car looks great and your attention to detail is quite obvious. I'm happy to have had a hand in getting you started down this path and am looking forward to touring together someday! Cheers, Tom "Pierats" Jones Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alaskossie Posted December 23, 2009 Author Share Posted December 23, 2009 Tom, While my thanks to you were initially mis-directed to another Seven-er, I want to acknowledge again the encouragement and example you gave me when we met at Vail on the "How the West was Driven" UK Seven-ers' Tour in September 2005. I m planning to drive my Seven from Colorado to Alaska in the summer of 2010, taking the "scenic route." My younger son lives in LA, so I am planning a swing through southern California on my way north. I'm assuming that such a trek has not yet been done in a Seven, so it should be interesting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al N. Posted December 23, 2009 Share Posted December 23, 2009 @Tom-Since the car was at already at certain point in its rebuild when I took over the project, it won't be as historically correct as it could be...it will be more of a period-correct hot rod. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnCh Posted December 23, 2009 Share Posted December 23, 2009 Tom, the car look great! Now I understand why it's taken so long If you're interested in company during the west coast leg of your tip this summer, then let me know. I'm sure we could put together a small tour with folks participating on various legs. Provided you don't drive that thing like Vinnie, I'm interested in the southern Oregon to BC leg. -John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alaskossie Posted December 23, 2009 Author Share Posted December 23, 2009 Al, Isn't that what the rodders today are calling a "rat rod"? I like it -- a "rat Seven...." (a "vermin Seven.....?") Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al N. Posted December 23, 2009 Share Posted December 23, 2009 @Tom M. - Except I'm not finishing it in primer! ;-P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DogsBollocks Posted December 23, 2009 Share Posted December 23, 2009 what Tiger Woods now probably has? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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