Seven Sevens in EVO Magazine

[Alaskossie]

The latest EVO e-mail Newsletter (and I presume, eventually the current issue of the print magazine) features driving impressions of seven Lotus/Caterham Sevens of various vintages:

 

http://www.evo.co.uk/features/features/260362/seven_sevens_catherham_celebration.html?CMP=NLC-Newsletters&uid=644de570d6ec32c92203dbe6e50bcda0

[twobone]

Yes, I read it

I was a bit sad to not see a traditional live axle supersprint

 

In general EVO is awesome. OCTANE and MOTORSPORT are other great UK based mags

[yellowss7]

I went over to England in 2001 and met up with a bunch of the UK7 owners at Stoneleigh and then went up to Cadwell Park to watch a trackday with the club.

 

I got to ride along in several sessions, One in a Blackbird, which was wild for two reasons, 1st the sound of the car reving to 10k or more was just nuts and 2nd, because even though the guy was slower than all the other guys I rode with, he was the least experienced and missed almost every turn in and apex. :ack:

 

I got to ride along with Keith Jecks in his R500 mentioned in the article. All I remember is my helmet banging off the rollbar on every shift. That car was a screamer! Keiths a hell of a driver too. For those of you who visit BlatChat, he's "Slipperman" although he use to go by ECK )ex chairman Keith'. I also rode along with two big HP Vauxhalls with Alex Wong and ECR "Roger Swift" Those cars and drivers were also extremely fast but they didn't seem as peaky as the K Series R500. But then I am biased to the K series. :cooldude:

 

Tom

[Kitcat]

Tom:

 

Did you buy your se7en before, during or after the trip? How does your car compare to the ones you rode in?

 

The variety of Caterhams produced over the years is somewhat mind-boggling, it would be hard for a car-mag to sample them all.

Edited February 25, 2011 by Kitcat

[yellowss7]

Mike, I ordered my car/kit on Christmas eve 1999. It arrived in August of 2000. The engine came in September of 2000. I Went over to England the first week of May in 2001.

 

I had some "issues" with the dealer that I had to sort out, but I had the car on the road by the time I went over in May.

 

As you know, mine is a Superlight, But I specced the engine to the Superlight R level. Mine dynoed at 195.4 bp, so just slightly or than the SLRs of that time.

 

The K engine is very light and revvy. That's the main difference between it and the Vauxhalls. Alex's and Rodgers cars had north of 250 bp and they were truly brutes. They felt muich faster than mine down the straights. Great sounds too.

 

The R500 of Keiths, revved to almost 9K and anything above 5500 rpm was like the car was screaming that it was on fire. As he went thru the gears the sensation of speed increadible, Both the sounds and the G's.

 

I Think mine is quick but I'm a wuss and I find my right foot must be too short to push the pedal al the way down going down the straights. I don't think I've been over 6500 Rpm down the straights in 6th at NJMP.

 

I'm a big chicken. :ack:

 

That being said I think my car is fast enough for me. I can't wait to see what Karl's, Ron's and Croc's big dogs can do.

 

Tom

[yellowss7]

Mike, I ordered my car/kit on Christmas eve 1999. It arrived in August of 2000. The engine came in September of 2000. I Went over to England the first week of May in 2001.

 

I had some "issues" with the dealer that I had to sort out, but the car on the road by the time I went over in May.

 

As you know, mine is a Superlight, But I specced the engine to the Superlight R level. Mine dynoed at 195.4 bp, so just slightly more than the SLRs of that time.

 

The K engine is very light and revvy. That's the main difference between it and the Vauxhalls. Alex's and Rodgers cars had north of 250 bp and they were truly brutes. They felt muich faster than mine down the straights. Great sounds too.

 

The R500 of Keiths, revved to almost 9K and anything above 5500 rpm was like the car was screaming that it was on fire. As he went thru the gears the sensation of speed increadible, Both the sounds and the G's.

 

I Think mine is quick but I'm a wuss and I find my right foot must be too short to push the pedal al the way down going down the straights. I don't think I've been over 6500 Rpm down the straights in 6th at NJMP.

 

I'm a big chicken. :ack:

 

That being said I think my car is fast enough for me. I can't wait to see what Karl's, Ron's and Croc's big dogs can do.

 

Tom

Edited February 25, 2011 by yellowss7

[Kitcat]

Tom:

 

Your car may be fairly competitive w/Mike and Karl's cars if the 197 hp was at the rear wheels. Your car weighs 150lbs+ less and really is a track spec car. Plus "old age and treachery" etc. Of course, the short right foot cld be an issue:).

[yellowss7]

No, Mike the 195hp is on the engine dyno. I have no false hopes to compete with those guys. Plus Croc is a semi professional having raced in his youth. :driving:

 

I have plenty of room to improve on the driver side before I go chasing the big HP.

 

Tom

[Croc]

Plus Croc is a semi professional having raced in his youth.

 

Oh pleeaaasee....the only semi I have is when I see a pretty lady on the street. In my first and only international level race (touring cars) I came last and in my very last race I crashed at 160mph and ended up in a coma and on life support. Some people would even say I am brain damaged.....

[jimrankin]

Better to have raced and lost than to have never raced at all...

Even with a short right foot (pretty common problem, I was wondering why that sneaker wouldn't lace tight) getting on track is as close to using that "semi" as you can get. LOL!!

[James A]

Yep, EVO and Grassroots Motorsports are my favorite magazines. The guys at EVO just "get it".