2001 CATERHAM R500

I am selling my rather special K-Series R500 (car number 43 of 125) which, remarkably, has covered less than 4,400 miles since its first registration in March 2001. I purchased it in January of this year from the car’s first owner who had owned and cherished it from new for 25 years; he only used the car in the dry and stored it, mostly on stands, in a heated garage.

I genuinely believe my R500 to be one of the very best examples of this iconic Caterham to be found anywhere – but the sad fact is that I just don’t have the time (or space!) to keep and enjoy it.

Highlights include: 230bhp Caterham/Minister Power 1.8 litre K-Series dry sump engine with key components in magnesium, meticulously maintained and in superb mechanical order; 6-speed Caterham gearbox; Ford 3.62 final drive with LSD; Barnby magnesium wheels with virtually unworn Avon ZZS tyres; R500 titanium exhaust system with 4:1 primaries and catalyst (interchangeable bypass pipe included); carbon fibre dash with Stack instrument pack and ACES change lights; Kevlar/carbon Tillet seats with 4-point harnesses; trackday rollover bar; full weather equipment; comprehensive file of documentation, receipts and full service history.

The car is in truly exceptional, unmolested condition – a genuine time-warp example of this fabulous high-performance Caterham.

POWERTRAIN AND CHASSIS:

R500 Caterham/Minister Power 1.8 litre K-Series engine (seals still intact) with forged steel crank and con-rods, Cosworth pistons, magnesium sump and bell housing, low inertia flywheel, Caterham magnesium roller barrel throttles and induction system, MBE ECU, producing 230bhp at 8,600rpm

Caterham 6-speed gearbox

Dry sump oil/lubrication system

Alloy radiator

Titanium silencer (repackable) with large-bore 4:1 exhaust

Removeable catalyst (bypass pipe included)

3.62 Ford Sierra type final drive with limited slip differential

Mick Barnby magnesium wheels (staggered sizes, front to rear)

R500 adjustable platform coil springs and Bilstein telescopic dampers

Wide track front suspension with ‘aero’ section wishbones

Rear suspension with Watts linkage and adjustable antiroll bar

Avon ZZS tyres (covered less than 1000 miles and look ‘as new’)

Uprated brake master cylinder with 4-pot front calipers and vented discs

EXTERIOR AND BODY:

Carbon fibre nosecone (visible carbon band), front wings (unpainted), rear wings (painted), wing protectors and front indicator shrouds

Clear front and rear DI lenses

Black pack heated windscreen and fittings

Trackday rollover bar - large gauge tubing and diagonal bracing

Full weather equipment (windscreen with wipers, doors/sidescreens, hood and bag)

Body colour ‘7’ in radiator grille

Alloy knee panels below dash

Aeroscreen retaining channels/brackets (blind nuts for easy interchangeability)

Rear view mirrors to both driver’s and passenger’s doors

INTERIOR AND TRIM:

Kevlar/carbon seats

Carbon fibre dash with push-button start

Stack instrument pack with separate Caterham/ACES shift lights display

Carbon fibre sill protectors

4-point Caterham/Luke harnesses

Detachable/quick-release Momo steering wheel with leather pad

Carbon-effect leather transmission tunnel cover

Heater

MAINTENANCE, SERVICE AND OTHER RECENT ACTIONS:

Cylinder compressions checked and confirmed as 230psi/230psi/230psi and 232psi

Cylinder bores checked with scope, confirming original bore honing (cross hatch) markings still visible

Valve follower clearances checked by DVA Power- all correct

New wide-spec cam belt (Gates) fitted by DVA Power

Valve timing (adjustable verniers) set by DVA Power

New alternator and oil pump drive belts (Gates) fitted by DVA Power

TPS adjusted and reset

All major service checks and actions just carried out (August 2026) including new spark plugs (NGK), gearbox and differential oils changed (Comma), brake fluid changed (Comma DOT 4), etc, etc

Black ‘aerostyle’ fuel filler fitted

Fuel system pipework refreshed including new sender-unit gasket, new hosing (R9 spec) to tank vent system, 2-way fuel tank vent valve fitted (as per Caterham Cars Workshop Notice) and new hosing (R9 spec) fitted to underbonnet injector rail supply and return lines

Additional pipework installed to vent engine crankcase fumes from the ‘catch tank’ to the rear of the car (away from cabin and occupants)

New Pipercross C603D foam air filter

Immobiliser socket repositioned to main dash

New keyed ignition switch fitted, mounted on steering column (under dash) with capability of providing keyless start

Gearchange remote control stripped, serviced and rebuilt to standard ‘Quickshift’ configuration

Speedo-drive oil seal renewed

Boot floor modified for easy removal and refit

ADDITIONALLY:

Caterham Cars metal plaque confirming R500 number 43 out of 125 units

R500-specific registration (R500 CRY) included

Two sets of keys and immobiliser fobs

Huge collection of service documents (mostly from Caterham Cars), related files, MOT certificates and other records providing full detail of the car’s provenance, including original Caterham Cars sales order, IVA certificate and vehicle handbook

Fully serviced (August 2026)

New MOT, running through to August 2027

Car is located in Warwickshire (close to M40 Junction 15)