Bought one!

[Johnfrancis]

Well after looking at a few, finally put a deposit down on a super sport today, 1700 x flow, clams. Oh the noise!Oh the smell, I'm sure this car could cause global warming on its own, and deafen everyone at the same time, absolutely love it!

[sjmmarsh]

Welcome to the club! When do you take delivery?

If you have any questions about the car (or anything else), just ask here.

Steve

[Johnfrancis]

Will do Steve, hopefully will pick it up this week, weather permitting, got a 170 mile drive home, could do without rain

[Joakim B]

Johnfrancis said:

Well after looking at a few, finally put a deposit down on a super sport today, 1700 x flow, clams. Oh the noise!Oh the smell, I'm sure this car could cause global warming on its own, and deafen everyone at the same time, absolutely love it!

Welcome to the life of Sevens.
Have owned Sevens for the past 20 years now and the only time I regret it - is just after I sold one....

[Agent Orange]

Congrats. Don't worry too much about the rain. Drove mine to winter storage in the rain last night. No doors or roof - perfectly ok so long as you don't stop.

[Caterhamfan]

Johnfrancis said:

Well after looking at a few, finally put a deposit down on a super sport today, 1700 x flow, clams. Oh the noise!Oh the smell, I'm sure this car could cause global warming on its own, and deafen everyone at the same time, absolutely love it!

Best spec IMO, it must have the 4 into 1 sports side exit exhaust of course - with slightly loose tappets you'll be able to see 3 foot flames on the over-run at night

[Noger]

Such a great engine. Amazing characterful noise. Easy to drive without being too peaky.

The Supersprints are a classic

[Skyedriver]

The one I built was 1700 clams LSD leather etc
Red & Ali (the fastest)
Sold it in 2002 and replaced it with a TVR but still hanker after another someday. Quite fancy getting an old one and doing a full resto, like I did with a 1963 Lotus 7 years ago.

[Johnfrancis]

Picking it up Saturday morning! Can't wait!, will get a wooly hat and some gloves, got 170 miles to get home, weather is forecast as cold but dry and sunny........sounds bloody perfick.

[Tango7]

Johnfrancis said:

Picking it up Saturday morning! Can't wait!, will get a wooly hat and some gloves, got 170 miles to get home, weather is forecast as cold but dry and sunny........sounds bloody perfick.

Dry and sunny - there are lots of days like this in the winter and one of the reasons not to SORN a seven. They can be some of the very best blatting days to be on. If you have doors and a screen, it will be quite comfortable. Make sure you have good quality ear plugs though as the engine and wind roar can be rather hard

[Johnfrancis]

Doors and a screen and a heater, ear plugs and a bottle of water, some petrol money, so looking forward to it.

[halstock]

Have a great trip, I'll be thinking of you on Saturday. I feel your excitement as I pick mine up on Wednesday. 650 miles from Inverness to Dorset over 3 days, taking in the best roads I can manage

I'm sure we've both got that same feeling about the weather - anything as lots as it's dry ! (at least some of the way).

I too am looking forward to having it in the garage for those odd bright and crispy days in the winter.

WishIng you all the best for Saturday.

Andy

[Johnfrancis]

halstock said:

Have a great trip, I'll be thinking of you on Saturday. I feel your excitement as I pick mine up on Wednesday. 650 miles from Inverness to Dorset over 3 days, taking in the best roads I can manage

I'm sure we've both got that same feeling about the weather - anything as lots as it's dry ! (at least some of the way).

I too am looking forward to having it in the garage for those odd bright and crispy days in the winter.

WishIng you all the best for Saturday.

Andy

Andy, your epic journey is making me quite jealous, the thought of plotting up in a Hotel after a days driving, a couple of beers, bed and then same again next day sounds superb to me!
I am actually planning to get home avoiding all motorways, will make journey a lot longer, and a lot better.
Good luck mate, post your first thoughts, it will make good reading.

[halstock]

I too am avoiding motorways and taking quite a few detours, planning the route carefully to take in some special roads - weather permitting. I'll have contingency routes in case it's hammering down and I just want to make progress swiftly and safely.

I figure it's both a great opportunity for a road trip (with my son, 15) and a fine way to get to know the car. A few people asked why I don't trailer it back but that's not in the spirit, for me. Although I am wondering why I chose this time of year to do it...

As for noting my thoughts on the trip, watch this space - there may be a plan afoot...

[Johnfrancis]

halstock said:

I too am avoiding motorways and taking quite a few detours, planning the route carefully to take in some special roads - weather permitting. I'll have contingency routes in case it's hammering down and I just want to make progress swiftly and safely.

I figure it's both a great opportunity for a road trip (with my son, 15) and a fine way to get to know the car. A few people asked why I don't trailer it back but that's not in the spirit, for me. Although I am wondering why I chose this time of year to do it...

As for noting my thoughts on the trip, watch this space - there may be a plan afoot...

Well.....made it home!, snow on the way up, 3 degrees c, picked up car, got to first service station,frozen.
Put on some gloves and a coat and Wheeyyyyy , what a laugh, 100 miles later, cough cough splutter bang!.... On hard shoulder of m25, RAC took 50 mins to answer phone!!!
When Rac man arrives, by now it is pissing down with sleet, tells me to move it to a safer part of hard shoulder!?
Tell him I think petrol pump has failed/is failing, he reckons that rain has caused ht leads to short, but couldn't explain why I actually broke down in the dry!
Then told me, after I told him I had just bought the car, to rip out the cross flow and fit a Zetec!!! ( what...on hard shoulder ) also goes on about how many Caterhams he has built and how fast his ones are!
Anyway, once things had cooled down, pump started to work, so RAC man says its ok now, so off I go, luckily just made it through tolls at Dartford bridge and cough cough splutter bang!
Another 35 mins for RAC to answer phone!!!!, this time I demand recovery, driver gets to me quicker than they answered phone ( no lie) by this time, things have cooled down again, car will run perfectly, anyway, gets recovered, home safe, pretty cold and fking wet, still a great day though, some tinkering tomorrow methinks.
Andy, I will be thinking of you mate, good luck.

[grenpayne]

Blimey! I was hoping it was going to go better than that Whatever it is though doesn't sound too catastrophic so I hope you get it sorted soon. Welcome to Seven ownership

[Johnfrancis]

grenpayne said:

Blimey! I was hoping it was going to go better than that Whatever it is though doesn't sound too catastrophic so I hope you get it sorted soon. Welcome to Seven ownership

Nah, not too bad, it is what it is. Part of life's rich tapestry, no ones hurt.

[halstock]

John, sorry to hear things didn't go quite to plan, but well done for being so stoical and it seems you've definitely got the right attitude for Caterham ownership - sod the weather and enjoy the drive, and look forward to getting your teeth into the fix the next day.

The lady in my first night's B&B even said she didn't mind if I broke down and rolled in at midnight, so I'm hoping she doesn't know something about my car that I don't !

Glad you've got it home now and hope that your future days of ownership are somewhat easier than your first.

[Johnfrancis]

Took the Caterham out for a blat today, even knowing I would brake down at some time.
Well with that in mind, and a need to get some jellied Eels, planned a route to the winkle man, 3 miles away, warmed up motor carefully and.............WHAT A BLAST..........used about 1/4 tank in 20 mins, these cars are very quick! Got the eels, two miles from home pump packed up, coasted to a safe retreat.
1 hour later,car started, got home, got some beers, roast beef, kids around for dinner, 7 tucked away, new pump researched and ordered, aaaahhhh, Carlsberg don't make Sundays, but if they did..........

[Agent Orange]

Nice!!! We need pictures though!