A Short Ride Today

[DeanG]

It isn't often that I take the Seven (1958 series 1) for a ride. It seems like there is always something to do with a higher priority. Today I worked on the air cleaner setup and swapped the coil for a Lucas sport coil in an attempt to get it to start reliably. The last few times it needed a shot of starting fluid to get a pop out of it. It was cool (50's) and overcast but dry. I don't like to get it wet because polishing the bare aluminum becomes too much of a chore. I have a few observations that I would like to share:

 

The 948 cc BMC-A never warmed up.

After 3500 rpm use of the right most peddle seems to have the same effect as an F100's afterburner - turns fuel into noise.

I need higher density foam in the seat pad to drive more than 15 minutes.

I rarely drive this this car wearing clean cloths. I'm always wearing grubby mechanics cloths and going for short test runs.

I still can't shift a right hand drive car both quickly & smoothly.

I do get 7 elbow. I also get cold neck, cold right shoulder, cold hands.

It makes noises like a race car, lots of creaking, clanking, thumping...

Some people give you the thumbs up like the passenger on a motor scooter did today some elderly women keep a scowl on their face even when they see a Seven.

When traveling a low speed I have the same tenseness when I hear a large dog barking as I do when I ride a bicycle.

I'm getting good and moving my left foot from under the clutch peddle to hovering above it.

How can such a small car have such a huge turning radius?

A tonneau cover will make this car much nicer in cool weather.

10 lbs makes a difference in how I fit this car.

I need to up the priority for going out on a drive.

[super7guy]

Dean,

 

One trick that will help in shifting a right hand drive is to turn your wrist over for the 1-2 or 2-1 shift then turn it to normal for the 3-4 shift.

 

Reverse is still hunt and peck.

 

Wayne

'62 S7 RHD

[escondidoron]

10 lbs makes a difference in how I fit this car.

 

Last fall I had the flu and lost 12 pounds. My wife reminds from time to time me that it was probably the most cost effective performance improvement that I would ever make on the Seven.

[Fimi 7]

Thats a wife for you. Hit you when you are down . But as normal - they are right ...

[locost7018]

Their always right. Just ask my wife!!! Russ

[Hank]

How can such a small car have such a huge turning radius?

 

I took the plastic stops out of my steering rack (1 on each side). Took all of 5 mins. Cut the zip tie on the boot, slide the boot forward, and grab a dremel and cut the plastic stop off. Put the boot back on, and cinch it down with a new zip tie. Make sure your front wheels will not contact anything with the new found geometry change. My left front wheel comes 1/2" from the exhaust header.

 

AMAZING DIFFERENCE! No longer do I have to make a 32-point turn to get out of a tight spot. And I don't have reverse.

[notakit]

This is so funny! I'm trying to build something very close to your '58 and have been anticipating all the little quirks the simple seven had. Its actually encouraging to read first hand comments (or complaints) about what my 7 will be like. I'm sure at one point I'll learn how to swear at the car in queen's English! Thanks for sharing!

[cs3tcr]

You're lucky with the top mount pedals, my car (Eleven replica) has the floor mount pedals and its a pain cause you cant slip your left foot under the clutch pedal. But, as for the steering lock, i think you'll find that the rack is narrowed and doesnt allow much more than what you have.

 

And finally, the shifting, just practice practice practice. It took almost two months for me to pick it up, and even now after two full driving seasons i ocaisonally make a mistake.

[notakit]

For the same reasons I'm not comfortable on early British motorcycles (the shift lever is on the right and the brake pedal is on the left) I've decided to build my 7 to be LHD. I thought my buddy's '67 RHD Mini was fun until it came time to start passing cars. As narrow as the Mini is, its still unnerving to place the passenger into oncoming traffic while trying to see around the car ahead of me. As with any seven based car, EVERY car ahead of you impedes your vision.

[DeanG]

The car used to have a huge turning circle to the left and an even bigger turning circle to the right. Some machine work on the rack fixed that.

 

After a bit of reading I actually found that this is a normal thing on the series 1s.

[scannon]

They make a trick little mirror for passing with RHD cars being driven on the right side of the road.

 

It is two mirrors mounted together, one facing the rear as normal and the other facing forward. You adjust them so when you look into what would normally be the rear view mirror you see the forward facing mirror and what it sees. Makes passing much safer. I had one on a RHD '53 MG TD and it worked well.

 

Here's a tiny picture of one I found on the web.

[scannon]

The car used to have a huge turning circle to the left and an even bigger turning circle to the right. Some machine work on the rack fixed that.

 

After a bit of reading I actually found that this is a normal thing on the series 1s.

Has anyone found a way to shorten the turning circle on a Caterham SV? My Silverado turns sharper than the Cat.

[MHKflyer52]

Has anyone found a way to shorten the turning circle on a Caterham SV? My Silverado turns sharper than the Cat.

 

Turn steering wheel and stomp on the gas.....Just kidding but it dose work.

 

Try adjusting the stops if your car has them or maybe look into a different steering rack that has more movement.

[scannon]

Turn steering wheel and stomp on the gas.....Just kidding but it dose work.

 

Try adjusting the stops if your car has them or maybe look into a different steering rack that has more movement.

That works and although it is fun it draws too much attention.

 

There are no obvious external stops on the suspension, its like they just didn't machine enough teeth into the rack gear. Ben at Caterham USA didn't have a solution for me, I was hoping someone else might have figured it out.

 

I have been thinking about putting in a Miata power steering rack and pinion with a hopefully larger number of teeth on the rack.

[escondidoron]

They make a trick little mirror for passing with RHD cars being driven on the right side of the road.

 

It is two mirrors mounted together, one facing the rear as normal and the other facing forward. You adjust them so when you look into what would normally be the rear view mirror you see the forward facing mirror and what it sees. Makes passing much safer. I had one on a RHD '53 MG TD and it worked well.

 

Here's a tiny picture of one I found on the web.

 

That looks like something worth trying on my '62 S2 (RHD). Where did you find it or what is it called (to use in Google to find one)?

[scannon]

That looks like something worth trying on my '62 S2 (RHD). Where did you find it or what is it called (to use in Google to find one)?

They are called passing mirrors. None for sale popped up on Google where I found the picture but I would think some place like Moss Motors would have them.

 

Just checked eBay and found three of them:

 

http://shop.ebay.com/?_from=R40&_trksid=p5197.m570.l1313&_nkw=passing+mirror&_sacat=See-All-Categories

 

If you think your Seven attracts attention now just wait until you mount one of those. The questions you get asked will multiply.

[notakit]

I thought that passing mirror was a belated April fools joke or something created by Monty Python! I think it's easier just to gauge your passenger's responce while driving RHD; if they're rapidly inhaling and stomping on an imaginary brake pedal, it probably safe to assume there is an oncoming car that you can't see.

[locost7018]

I thought that passing mirror was a belated April fools joke or something created by Monty Python! I think it's easier just to gauge your passenger's responce while driving RHD; if they're rapidly inhaling and stomping on an imaginary brake pedal, it probably safe to assume there is an oncoming car that you can't see.

 

Funny!!! What if you don't have a passenger??? Of course if you only have RHD and 58hp like me you never pass anyone except maybe a tractor. Russ

[slomove]

....I have been thinking about putting in a Miata power steering rack and pinion with a hopefully larger number of teeth on the rack.....

.

 

The stock Birkin rack has a similar issue but somebody had sets of shorter steering arms machined and I bought one. Main purpose was the vastly quicker steering but it also reduced the turning radius a lot. Maybe you can find a machine shop to do that for you.

 

Technically the steering effort should be proportionally higher but I never really noticed.

[DeanG]

Well I changed to a tudor overflow bottle today and went for a ride in the neighborhood. I put $3 worth of gas and drove it about 14 miles. I didn't even burn the $3 worth. At least there is some fresh gas in the poor thing. The previous fill up was in October.

 

Speaking of mirrors. Does anyone know where to get the classic suction cup rear view mirror? It is too easy for people to sneak up on me when I drive the Seven.