Seven Ponderings.

[Davemk1]

Thanks again for the towing info. It's good to know there may be options there. But the real issue at hand is getting a car I fit in..........unless I do that getting the car around is really moot.

 

Anyone have a car with a tall bar and/or lowered seat that they can measure for me?

 

Thanks again,

 

 

dave

[yellowss7]

Hi Dave, we knew you'd be back. :hurray: I have a Series 3 caterham, not one of the Sumo Versions. :ack:. I have the tall FIA roll bar but not the lowered floor. It is 38 inches from the floor to the top of the roll bar. I made a bead seat that is only a bead or two thick so pretty much flat to the floor. I think Croc said the lowered floor gives you another 1.5 inches.

 

Hope that helps.

 

Tom

Edited June 25, 2013 by yellowss7

[Davemk1]

Hi Dave, we knew you'd be back. :hurray: I have a Series 3 caterham, not one of the Sumo Versions. :ack:. I have the tall FIA roll bar but not the lowered floor. It is 38 inches from the floor to the top of the roll bar. I made a bead seat that is only a bead or two thick so pretty much flat to the floor. I think Croc said the lowered floor gives you another 1.5 inches.

 

Hope that helps.

 

Tom

 

Thanks man - that does help. I assume you measured from the corner made by the floor and the rear bulkhead in a direct line up to the bar?

 

If so that could work with a lowered floor. My Elise is 39" as described above so the 38" plus 1.5" would do it. The Elise, with a Tillet seat mounted on the floor (without slider rails), gives me just enough room so that the helmet just brushes the underside of the top. Not perfect but fine for the occasional rainy solo.

 

Do you have a photo of your car with the FIA bar installed? Do you have a top that fits over it?

 

Thanks again,

 

 

dave

[yellowss7]

Dave, I just remeasured and it's actually 38.5 inches to the bar not my padding. I never ordered the top/weather gear as I didn't think I could ever get in it with the top on. as for a picture, how's this? I'm not as tall as you, I'm only 6'1".

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a354/mjohnson555/seats/CSR/NJMP%20Sevens%20Weekend%20June%202013/IMG_7800_zpsf4fcb012.jpg

Edited June 25, 2013 by yellowss7

[Davemk1]

Dave, yes I measured correctly. to the bar not my padding. I never ordered the top/weather gear as I didn't think I could ever get in it with the top on. as for a picture, how's this? I'm not as tall as you, I'm only 6'1".

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a354/mjohnson555/seats/CSR/NJMP%20Sevens%20Weekend%20June%202013/IMG_7800_zpsf4fcb012.jpg

 

I didn't mean to insinuate that you would have measured incorrectly at all........I just wanted to be sure we were on the same page.

 

Great photo BTW.

 

Thanks so much,

 

Dave

[yellowss7]

Just went out and did it again, and it's actually 38.5 inches. No offense taken. Tom

[jlumba81]

Googled the jetta tdi wagon for tow specs and the euro spec is around 1500kg with trailer brakes. I think another member who tows with a vw toureg found out the same thing with the us spec tow capacity being lower than the euro spec for liability reasons. If you decide to tow with the jetta look into getting a euro sourced tow hitch.

[Croc]

I recall Gary Lutz (cannot remember his profile name g??lutz?) used to tow his Birkin with a Jetta wagon. I saw it at Carlisle show a few years back with his really slick trailer.

[TurboWood]

I'm a little concerned by how many people are trying to convince Dave not to drive the car. I'm a total noob so I have no place to argue, but I find there to be few things greater than being able to drive a car to the track, beat everyone, and drive home. It also makes "cleaning up" after the race easier.

 

Daniel

[Kitcat]

The biggest downside to driving to events is potential for mechanical failure. But most such failures are minor and Dave has the skill to troubleshoot/fix stuff so I'd say go for it.

 

Towing does solve potential problems but it comes with its own set of issues (gas mileage, storage costs, licensing/upkeep, etc). I have done it both ways and my fondest memories are of heading to the track in my se7en, with a small tool kit, jack, small cooler, duffle bag, etc.

[rnr]

I'm a little concerned by how many people are trying to convince Dave not to drive the car. I'm a total noob so I have no place to argue, but I find there to be few things greater than being able to drive a car to the track, beat everyone, and drive home. It also makes "cleaning up" after the race easier.

 

I think most people are arguing against driving because of the weather gear requirement. Sevens are great fun to drive but weather gear usually makes them quite user unfriendly. This is from someone who is about to set off on a 2000 mile 10 day roadtrip with zero weather gear.

[Davemk1]

I think most people are arguing against driving because of the weather gear requirement. Sevens are great fun to drive but weather gear usually makes them quite user unfriendly. This is from someone who is about to set off on a 2000 mile 10 day roadtrip with zero weather gear.

 

I think you are probably correct. However I would still very much like the option to compete with weather gear in place. I did an event with my Birkin years ago and it rained over an inch that day - that was really wet and cold. I had the top in place and I stayed reasonably dry. I took the side curtains off for runs and then put them back on so I didn't sit in a puddle. I'm also proud to say I took FTD with the top in place. So for me, a top is important for a number of reasons.

 

Dave

[supersportsp]

http://thegaragista.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/jld12wm-242.jpg?w=640&h=480

 

I don't think anyone figured out if these were ever made commercially though. This is from a Lotus day in Japan.

 

I would think you would definitely want to do lowered floors, particularly if you are going to try to drive with the top up. I am 6'2" and I have a standard chassis Caterham without lowered floors. I would like the lowered floors to get some actual roll bar clearance (my head with helmet is basically the same height as my FIA bar) and to get my eyes below the top edge of the windshield.

 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v715/tgodbout/photo5.jpg

[jeffs]

As someone who has done a couple of drive-to-the-track days in the past couple of months, it can certainly be done. I'm also one that is unlikely to get a tow vehicle and trailer, but that's not to say I didn't wish I had one at times.

 

The biggest issue is the lack of space in the seven. If you want to bring weather gear, it takes space. It also means you need to go with the windshield on which means you need to pack the aero screen. Forget driving there with the weather gear on... It works well in the winter but will give you heat stroke in the summer. I got caught in a heavy downpour on the way home yesterday but it was preferable to roasting under the top.

 

My thinking after the last trip is that I may not bring the weather gear at all next time and drive down with just the aero screen on. I'll also get a car cover in case it rains overnight. That should leave me enough space to bring everything I want. Still might be nice to have a trailer for going to tracks farther away (and for mechanical breakdowns) but I think it will be a bit before I cross that line.

[Davemk1]

FWIW - I owned and competed in solo events for 4 years in a Seven and drove to every event in the car. I did local in-town events and out of town events over 100 miles away and I never had a mechanical that left me stranded. I drove to most events with weather gear at least with me and I used my custom tire rack to carry tires. I say the above in case some might think that I'm new to Sevens and didn't know how small they really are.

 

I'm not at all concerned about getting to and from events. I would like a car with the exhaust on the far side of the car (Duratec instead of the Zetec my Birkin had) to keep me a bit cooler during the heat of summer and I want to be able to fit into the car.

 

I'll be keeping my eyes open for a used car that I can make work by lowering the floor and putting a tall bar on or maybe I'll buy a new Birkin kit and lower the floor and put their tall bar on and then have a new top made to fit the tall bar.

 

We'll see.

[Klasik-69]

I think it depends on what level of racing you want to do. If it's a track event like a PDX or HPDE, you can drive to the track on your street tires, run around for a day or two, then drive home. I race in TT events and the car is set up for track use which includes Hoosier race tires. They are not legal on the open roads so I would have a liability issue. Also, I'd wear out a set of race tires just getting to and from the track. Additionally, my car is barely clearing the ground under the engine with about 3" of clearance. It's already a slight risk on the track but on the open road with all the crap out there like big truck tire caps, it would be suicide.

 

When I'm at the track, I want to go as fast as possible. The weather top is not an option, neither are doors. Where would I put the gas cans ? Nope, too many things for a serious track day. Also, most of my track events are 600+ miles one way. I want my car fresh when I get there.

 

I know some guys do drive their cars to the track, some put the race wheels on a small trailer and pull that, and some guys can live out of shoe box. Not me, I need my comfort and my space, and most of all, I need my tools. I have two trailers, one 24" enclosed and one 16" open. It depends on whether or not I have to trailer in the mountains as to which I choose. However, I'm likely a little more serious about tracking the car than most, and I have a relatively generous budget for getting it done.