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prepping for a tour - whats the list of maintenance?


twobone

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Good ones: phone numbers of your favorite suppliers. If you are a member of Lotus Ltd take the registry. It contains a geographical (zip code) list of members that you can contact to help you out. It has stuff like has a safe place to store the car, mechanical knowledge, trailer that will come and get you...

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I fit all the hand tools in a tool roll that attaches to the shelf in front of the scuttle. Spares, electrical diagnostics, first aid kit, jackets in stuff sacks fit behind the seats (I have MOGs so quite thin). The car cover is in its own stuff sack that is stowed under my knees in front of the driver's seat. The remaining items fit in the boot.

 

A great way to extend room is to put your clothes in Space Saver bags. When you evacuate the air the clothes compress and take up significantly less space.

 

The key to travelling in a se7en is to pretend you're backpacking; compress the compressible and ensure you are using every available square centimeter.

 

-John

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A Caterham S3 chassis has more storage space than a CSR because the chassis diff struts wall off 1/3rd of the space as unusable. The CSR boot floor is higher due to the IRS.

 

So my solution is - Jack and brace plus 2 Sparco rally tool bags with my kit go down the back of the seats. Spare oil and misc stuff fills about a quarter of the trunk. The rest is put in the trunk/boot - usually my helmet (for the track weekend), mini-air compressor, video equipment and remainder of driving kit. Clothes/shoes go into a Soft Bits for Sevens RE bag that mounts on top of the trunk to the roll bar. If I have a laptop then it is in a back pack on the passenger footwell floor or behind the passenger seat. Simple!

 

If I had a Caterham SV or Birkin SV I would be spoiled for space!

Edited by Croc
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  • 1 month later...

Just wanted to say thanks for all the feedback. I packed her full of parts and tools. After 1000km over a weekend without a hickup, I'm more confident in her touring ability. She was a big hit at watkins glen vintage fest. Comment heard a few times at gas stations in western NY;" hey Mister, is that some kinda dune buggie?"

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My touring solution was a little more elaborate. For my 6100-mile drive from Colorado to Alaska, via California, and then north up the Alaska Highway in 2010, I designed and built a luggage rack out of 5/8-inch aluminum tubing, and mounted the basic rack between the body and the spare tire. The rack and its three frames were pop-riveted and welded. The basic rack is of two vertical rectangular-section aluminum tubes, and a large hole drilled through the bottom of each slips over, and is supported on, the spare tire mount tubes (the tire mount is cut off, and then reinstalled after the luggage rack frame is in place).

 

I have one central rack behind the tire, and a "side rack" on either side of the tire, covering the entire width of the rear panel (but not obscuring the stop and turn lights on the rear wings). The center rack is removable if the spare tire is needed for a tire change. Both side racks are removable (if not needed), and I can just run with the center rack.

 

I strapped three nylon "High Sierra" brand ski-boot bags (covered with a waterproof nylon drawstring bags) on the three frames. The right-hand bag must be removed when re-fueling, a slight disadvantage. I also used a SoftBits E-bag on top of my rear boot cover.

 

My basic objective was to have a lot of luggage space, but not to have my rearward vision blocked. I found that I had more than enough luggage space for an extended trip, including camping gear (which I turned out not having to use). And the passenger side of the cockpit did not have to double as luggage space.

 

There was no significant "rearward-weight" penalty, because none of the bags had any heavy stuff in them.

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  • 2 months later...
Before I go on a 700 mile tour in my 4 speed xflow, what should I get done? What am I peimar led lights missing?:

 

-Oil change

-Coolant change

-Check gear and axle oil level

-Check wheel bearing play

-Wheel nut torque settings

-Check for poorly wrapped electrical connections

 

What should I bring in my little tool box out of the ordinary?

Check your lights and battery they need to be in proper shape

Edited by Terrybryant
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