420R Spec Check
Discussion
Hi all - new to this part of the forums!
I'm about to place an order for the following 420R - purchasing with a mate - idea is that it'll be stored with BaT (bookatrack) at Donington and used pretty much exclusively on trackdays. Any comments or missing options?
Cheers
James
I'm about to place an order for the following 420R - purchasing with a mate - idea is that it'll be stored with BaT (bookatrack) at Donington and used pretty much exclusively on trackdays. Any comments or missing options?
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Seven 420 - complete kit | £26,995.00 |
| Wide-bodied S5 chassis | £2,500.00 |
| R Pack | £3,995.00 |
| 6-speed gearbox | £1,495.00 |
| Aero screen - carbon-fibre | £350.00 |
| 13" Apollo black alloy with CR500 tyres (6" front & 8" rear) | £200.00 |
| Front - ventilated discs with quad piston calipers | £675.00 |
| Track suspension pack | £200.00 |
| Seats - Kevlar® race | £500.00 |
| Lowered floors | £395.00 |
| Race roll cage | £950.00 |
| Pearlescent paint | £750.00 |
| Painted noseband & bonnet stripe | £275.00 |
| Steering wheel - Momo with quick-release | £150.00 |
| Sequential shift lights | £300.00 |
| Battery master cut-off switch | £185.00 |
| Track day rear-exit exhaust system | £595.00 |
| Heater | £300.00 |
| Total | £40,800.00 |
Cheers
James
Hi, I am the friend. Regarding the SV and the lowered floors, on the BaT SV cars with non-lowered floors we fitted fine - although when I pulled my seat up so I could each the pedals I found my hands were hitting my knees when steering full left/right occasionally. This may have been solvable by adjusting the pedal position (no idea which setting they were on).
Are there any other downsides to lowered floors? We thought it might be a better seating position (and more head clearance under rollcage) for taller people.
Are there any other downsides to lowered floors? We thought it might be a better seating position (and more head clearance under rollcage) for taller people.
Edited by inter8ection on Friday 1st April 16:46
Likewise, the heater doesn't seem that necessary and id be inclined to drop some of the paint options you have ticked, if its just going to live on track, it would be better to keep it functional.
Im 6ft and thought the lowered floors were an essential for me to get comfortable, albeit in an S3 chassis.
Im 6ft and thought the lowered floors were an essential for me to get comfortable, albeit in an S3 chassis.
ForzaGilles said:
Lowered floors are a must IMO. Much better driving position, plus more knee/thigh room.
I'm surprised the 4 pot brakes are a cost option, they should be standard fit. Ditto the 6 speed 'box. They certainly were on the R400.
A bit controversial, I know, but I'm not completely convinced about the 6 speed box - the ratios are a bit close even for track work. True the 5 speeder ratios are too wide (though better with the Mazda box) . It can become a very close call ( with a car as fast as the 420) between how much time you lose in the extra gear changes vs the gains of keeping it close to peak power. Does depend how brutal you are prepared to be with the box - but if you aren't actually racing you may feel inclined to be gentler with the box than you would need to be to gain time with the 6 speeder.I'm surprised the 4 pot brakes are a cost option, they should be standard fit. Ditto the 6 speed 'box. They certainly were on the R400.
Looks good. Is it a track only car?
Re the 6 speed I have a similar spec Supersport R with a 5 speed type 9 box with an extended first gear, at the time of building it I couldn't justify the £3k premium for the 6 speed (i opted to spend the money on a Duratec rather than Sigma) and get on well with the 5 speed as we do a lot of road miles (10k in 18 month on the road) and track days as well. The cost isn't as bad now.
WRT the big brake kit, I bought the car with standard brakes and ordered the upgrade at the same cost! I never fitted the standard kit so need to get around to putting them up for sale!
If solely a track car are pearlescent paint and the nose band worth paying for?
Hope the thoughts are useful.
Re the 6 speed I have a similar spec Supersport R with a 5 speed type 9 box with an extended first gear, at the time of building it I couldn't justify the £3k premium for the 6 speed (i opted to spend the money on a Duratec rather than Sigma) and get on well with the 5 speed as we do a lot of road miles (10k in 18 month on the road) and track days as well. The cost isn't as bad now.
WRT the big brake kit, I bought the car with standard brakes and ordered the upgrade at the same cost! I never fitted the standard kit so need to get around to putting them up for sale!
If solely a track car are pearlescent paint and the nose band worth paying for?
Hope the thoughts are useful.
bushhpd said:
The 6spd is now £2,495 - not sure how Caterham have put through a 66% price increase in under a year!
You'll need the rear exit exhaust system also if its a trackday car (so I have been advised)
I'm also trying to spec a 420R at the moment...
I was told by a Caterham bod that the 620S came with a 5 speed box because of production capacity problems. Perhaps the price increase is to deter people and ease the capacity issue. Being more generously minded, it could be intended to fund increased capacity. But I'm bound to think that with the torque a 620 has that it really doesn't need 6 speeds.You'll need the rear exit exhaust system also if its a trackday car (so I have been advised)
I'm also trying to spec a 420R at the moment...
bcr5784 said:
A bit controversial, I know, but I'm not completely convinced about the 6 speed box - the ratios are a bit close even for track work. True the 5 speeder ratios are too wide (though better with the Mazda box) . It can become a very close call ( with a car as fast as the 420) between how much time you lose in the extra gear changes vs the gains of keeping it close to peak power. Does depend how brutal you are prepared to be with the box - but if you aren't actually racing you may feel inclined to be gentler with the box than you would need to be to gain time with the 6 speeder.
How many people buy Caterhams with a 6-speed box for the performance vs how many people buy them for the driving experience? Let's not kid ourselves, there are quicker cars out there but that does not make them more fun. If it's purely for track work (and no need to consider race-elligibility), the 6-speed+LSD is the only way to go in a Caterham IMO - as backed up by the fact that I have owned over 20 Caterhams with that combo, and only one (the first), without!Jonny
BaT
jonnyleroux said:
How many people buy Caterhams with a 6-speed box for the performance vs how many people buy them for the driving experience? Let's not kid ourselves, there are quicker cars out there but that does not make them more fun. If it's purely for track work (and no need to consider race-elligibility), the 6-speed+LSD is the only way to go in a Caterham IMO - as backed up by the fact that I have owned over 20 Caterhams with that combo, and only one (the first), without!
Jonny
BaT
Agree with you about the LSD and would agree about the 6 speed if the ratio spread was sensible for a 420 (rather than a 1.4 K series). Accepting that you have a great deal of experience of these things, I can only say that my reservations about the 6 speed box initially come from a race instructor also with a huge amount of Caterham experience. So it's not a universal view. Jonny
BaT
But the best thing for the OP to do is try both options (if he can) - and I'd recommend one of your R300s round Donington for the 6 speed (as I do) - and form his own view. Personally if I was building such a car, given the cost of the 6 speed option, I'd probably use a T9 instead with a set of close - but not too close - ratio option.
Incidentally do you know if the wide ratio 6 speed on the CSR was ever actually supplied?
Edited by bcr5784 on Saturday 2nd April 18:50
If I was ordering a new car I would insist on a Sadev with Gearonics if the factory said not available order the box and Geartronics and get if fitted else where.
It's 2016 chaps and for a track focused car with 2 guys "giving it some" and shearing the costs why not have the very best that will 110% take the abuse with capacity to spare
It's 2016 chaps and for a track focused car with 2 guys "giving it some" and shearing the costs why not have the very best that will 110% take the abuse with capacity to spare
k20erham said:
If I was ordering a new car I would insist on a Sadev with Gearonics if the factory said not available order the box and Geartronics and get if fitted else where.
It's 2016 chaps and for a track focused car with 2 guys "giving it some" and shearing the costs why not have the very best that will 110% take the abuse with capacity to spare
Isn't that a bit out of place in an analogue car? I am not the only one who likes heel and toeing properly I suspect It's 2016 chaps and for a track focused car with 2 guys "giving it some" and shearing the costs why not have the very best that will 110% take the abuse with capacity to spare
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