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2007 Caterham "ESL" finally on the road


Alaskossie

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Attached are three photos of my 2007 Caterham "Executive Superlight" (so named by ex-Caterham engineer Nathan Down). It is shown in its natural habitat --the ivy-covered garage of my friend Jeff Ball in Greeley, Colorado, where it has been fitfully assembled by me since July 2007. (In fact, in the Google Streetview of 1913 or 1915 15th Avenue in Greeley, you can see it on sawhorses, through the open garage door!).

 

I've just had it on the road last week, and aside from a gearbox dribble now being fixed, it is nearly ready for my epic drive to Alaska this August, via the Monterey Mazda Historics and Pebble Beach.

 

USA7er John Christensen is organizing a post-Historics Sevens drive through twisty parts of Oregon and Washington, to put me in proper position (and frame of mind) for the Alaska Highway -- check out the Pacific events section of the USA7s site, and join us if you can.

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Whatta car! Lovely! Congratulations! It is certainly a high-end, high-content Caterham. Will the reality of ownership match the (nearly 50 years) of anticipation? Time will tell. Your trip will be an amazing test of car and driver.

 

I can say that every time I get in mine (after 2+ years of ownership and nearly 50 years of anticipation also), I am amazed by the car and the experience.

 

Mike

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Thanks for the comments and compliments.

 

When I have a little spare time (not now, unfortunately), I'll compile a comprehensive list of what options I ordered from Caterham on my car, and what I altered and/or added during my build.

 

I'm afraid that upgrade-itis bit me bad, even before I had the crates from Dartford unpacked. My thought was if I didn't incorporate my eccentric ideas during the build, they might never happen, or they might require disassembly later. So, essentially I added two years to the build time, with my infrequent trips to Colorado, trying to remember where I had left off.

 

This is the Series 3 Caterham car mentioned in a USA7s thread in 2007 or 2008 as experimenting with the wider Caterham CSR 15-inch rear wheels (9-inch rims instead of 6.5-inch rims, and 255/40R15 Avon CR500 rear tires, instead of the stock 195/45R15 rears). I mounted them with 5mm spacers for a bit of additional clearance. No clearance issues so far, though of course I have not yet had it on a track.

 

They look good, though.

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255's in the rear? I thot they looked huge in the photos!

 

I swapped my stock Caterham driver's seat for a Tillet, like yours. It is wonderful at the track but not remotely as comfortable as the stock seat on extended drives. You will want to experiment with a bit of foam here and there before starting your long drive. A Lumbar pillow helps too (on both the stock and Tillet seats).

 

In ck'g I realize I have owned my Cat 3+, not 2+ years, time flys....

 

Mike

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I am curious about the half doors. I have been pondering getting at least a driver's side one that I can run with the tonneau cover.

 

Does it help reduce buffeting like I have heard? Have you driven with and without it?

 

 

been using the 1/2 doors this and its a big difference. w/ the 1/2 hood the ride becomes quite comfortable in a 7s sense.:hurray:

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