Caterham self build... wasting my time?

[CrgT16]

Thanks much appreciated. Going to place an order in December for delivery late next year. Was thinking on the 310. Is it worth the upgrade to 360?

[downsman]

I would buy the 310, even in 125bhp form the Sigma is a great lightweight engine. The 310 is all I would ever need road or track

[Skyedriver]

BertBert said:

Presumably that was actually a starter kit? The Complete Knock Down CKD kit is the full one.

To the OP. Building them is great. But one thought on a new caterham. I found I have wierd ocd after I built mine. I didn't enjoy the transition from shiny new to used. I was much more comfortable with the much more used one that came after. Probably just me though.

Bert

Know what you are saying but I'm sure it was invoiced as a CKD, need to go and look
Also know what you mean about the shiny to used. I got upset every time I looked under neath and say the powder coating peel off, the lovely red paint on the engine get a bit burnt, stained or rusty and with regard to the ali body staining, don't even go there......
Of course when I bought it back last year it looked pretty ropey so I'm trying to tidy it up BUT am struggling to reach the state it as in when I sold it.

[autofocus]

Hi there,

Couldn't stretch to a Caterham myself no matter how hard I tried to fudge the man maths.

Went for a GBS Zero instead : -

http://www.greatbritishsportscars.co.uk/

I'm currently just under three weeks into the build. The aim is to have it IVA'd and registered by next Easter on a '17' plate.

I was initially going for a factory painted part built car but In the end due to my budget I opted for a Ford 'starter' kit and the large parts package that GBS also offer. Total cost was a touch over £7000 (part built factory car was around £12,000 due to the labour involved).

I went for yellow GRP on the wings, nose and diffuser with the panels being in Aluminum, the idea is to have these wrapped in yellow prior to fitting so that the whole car is finished in the same colour. Should I not be able to get a perfect match to the colour of the GRP then I will have the GRP bits wrapped as well. Going to change the front wings to black as well as I have seen this on a few Caterhams and I prefer it when matched with the black/carbon stone guards on the rear wings.

I have decided to use this car for high days and dry days so am going for a fly screen rather than a windscreen and full weather gear. I have hired quite a few Caterhams for birthdays etc and to me if I want to stay dry etc then I will use my 320d rather than messing with the origami hood.

Heres some pics from the collection



Loaded up for the journey home





One extra I just had to have was a carbon fibre dash



In position for the build to begin





Makeshift work bench with some of the parts





Factory build checklist which I am going to work through in order.



Still need to purchase the engine, gearbox and a few other bits but as this is a little down the list I will grab one nearer the time as I have enough parts to progress the build a fair way.

Regards

Tim

[Smitters]

autofocus said:

I swear I will never complain about a Caterham manual again. OK, I will, but I quite like the raw simplicity of this!

OP - I would say go for it. I just priced up my ideal spec new Caterham self build "just to see" as I've always fancied building one, but I think a more realistic option is to strip, improve and rebuild the one I have. I would say a deadline is fine, but to make that bit flexible in order to keep the family time a priority. Plus, having a self imposed deadline with no real importance (unlike the posted above who was in the Academy) just means needless stress, when the build is supposed to be fun. Go for it, I reckon.

[bcr5784]

Smitters said:

no real importance (unlike the posted above who was in the Academy) just means needless stress, when the build is supposed to be fun. Go for it, I reckon.

While there was a certain amount of pressure over the build - don't get me wrong, I really enjoyed the experience and would ( and probably will) do it again. My fruity vocabulary doubtless got a bit of excercise - but how does the exercise expression go "no profain, no gain"? - or something like that.

[CrgT16]

Thanks for the input. I am sold. Going to place the order later in the year. Probably going for the 320 it's enough

[Smitters]

bcr5784 said:

Smitters said:

no real importance (unlike the posted above who was in the Academy) just means needless stress, when the build is supposed to be fun. Go for it, I reckon.

While there was a certain amount of pressure over the build - don't get me wrong, I really enjoyed the experience and would ( and probably will) do it again. My fruity vocabulary doubtless got a bit of excercise - but how does the exercise expression go "no profain, no gain"? - or something like that.

I suspect what I posted applies more to me than the OP. I know I sometimes put a line in the sand, a date to do something, then get stressed if I'm running behind and my far smarter OH will then ask why I have to hit that deadline for doing something utterly trivial and not at all vital by said date. But that said (phew, I feel so much better... this couch is comfy...) I think to make it an enjoyable experience it would pay not to make life tougher with a deadline. The car'll be a hoot for years, whether it's built by the end of January or the end of June...

I like "no profain, no gain". I'll see how that goes down in the office today.

[anonymous-user]

CrgT16 said:

Thanks for the input. I am sold. Going to place the order later in the year. Probably going for the 320 it's enough

The 310? I think that will be fine on the road and the occasional track day. If you intend to do a lot of trackdays the 360, if not the 420, will be better.

I built my R400 last year; its having RBTBs fitted as we speak. On track, I haven't found 210 too much power at all and on the road it's a pussycat unless the driver does something unnecessarily silly.

IMO!

[Smitters]

CrgT16 said:

Thanks for the input. I am sold. Going to place the order later in the year. Probably going for the 320 it's enough

Awesome. Feel free to ask questions on the various options and packs as you decide which boxes to tick... You won't get a straight answer I'm sure, but plenty of opinions...

[CrgT16]

I will indeed come here for suggestions in ticking boxes but I have a feel most of the R pack will be ticked. I don't need it to be too comfortable just efficient. As said use will be probably 50/50 track/road, at least that's what I think I will do. Safer to speed on track, no plans to part with my driving licence for the moment.