Is an R500 (k series)

[idontknow]

a silly idea for a first Caterham?

Looking for a replacement to my Lotus Elise and need to scratch the 7 itch. Mainly road but a handful of track days each year.

[rubystone]

Yes. Buy a more modestly powered 7 and run it for a year first to learn how to drive it (totally different from a slease)...

[idontknow]

rubystone said:

Yes. Buy a more modestly powered 7 and run it for a year first to learn how to drive it (totally different from a slease)...

Just because of the 'power''?

[Steve Campbell]

What experience do you have in this type of car ?

The R500 is very "raw"....hard set-up, more power than is sensible :-) and not a great daily driver ! Not just the power...the whole experience....although 500bhp per tonne with no driver aids should not be sniffed at or treated lightly.

I have an R400D which has more power than I can ever use on the road and remain alive / out of jail (at least if I try and use it for more than a few seconds at a time). However, the way I would describe an R400 is a pussy cat below 3k rpm, an angry cat between 3-5k rpm and a raging tiger above 5k rpm :-). I can go for a sensible summer drive, enjoy the experience and never get above 5k rpm. I think an R500 might just be a raging tiger all the time ! It wouldn't be for me...and I've driven Caterhams for 12 years.....I agree with the advice ....walk before you run...less is more sometimes ! An R300 would be where I would start...or if you have a powerful Elise, stretch to an R400.

I do 3-5 track days per year and < 3000 miles.

Edited by Steve Campbell on Tuesday 12th February 22:06

[rubystone]

idontknow said:

rubystone said:

Yes. Buy a more modestly powered 7 and run it for a year first to learn how to drive it (totally different from a slease)...

Just because of the 'power''?

The delivery of it and the fact that a 7 is a different car to drive compared to any othe car...

[JeffC]

idontknow said:

a silly idea for a first Caterham?

Looking for a replacement to my Lotus Elise and need to scratch the 7 itch. Mainly road but a handful of track days each year.

I think its a cracking idea I would be surprised if you regret it ! , although personally I would rather have a duratec powered car but that will be budget dependant.

I dont agree to buying a slower car as the ones Ive had sub 200bhp dont give me the buzz driving on the road due to the lack of acceleration once you get up to speed aerodynamics take over and lower powered cars struggle . but to balance out that I would say Ive had the most fun ever on track in the slower 7"s Ive owned .

one of the first road bikes I bought after I passed my bike test was a Honda CBR600 which when I first drove it frightened the living daylights out of me after 2 months I had sold it and was riding the back tyre off a Fireblade and looking for more power! my first 7"s were bike engined hayabusa powered and I drove them as hard as i felt comfortable (looking back I was slug slow! ) but got up to speed after a few trackdays learning.


I would say do it but respect it !

Edited by JeffC on Tuesday 12th February 22:29

[Toaster]

idontknow said:

a silly idea for a first Caterham?

Looking for a replacement to my Lotus Elise and need to scratch the 7 itch. Mainly road but a handful of track days each year.

The R400/500 is totally different to drive compared to an Elise if you do go for a R500 do yourself a favour Budget to get some training and learn about how the car should be driven.

http://www.cadence.co.uk/

Edited by Toaster on Tuesday 12th February 22:28

[chris_speed]

I went from a hot hatch being the quickest car I'd had, to an R400, when I was 22. It took me six months to recalibrate - but as long as you respect the performance and the trouble it can get you into, go for it. Training's always a good idea though.

[jontysafe]

I say do it, after all, it's not like the throttle is an on off switch. I've just bought my first seven and it's by far and away more powerful than any production caterham. Try 867bhp to the tonne. As stated get some tuition, go on some trackdays but most of all spend some time in the driving seat.

And be careful goes without saying!

[chris_speed]

Um, any chance of some specs/pictures of your new 7 on a new thread Jonty, sounds mildly entertaining

[jontysafe]

Not wanting to thread hijack but this is spec:

Seiw chassis modified and strengthened in all the right places, cross tunnel bracing, fully gusseted diff cage and rear chassis. Strengthened engine bay.
Fully blasted and powder coated after above work carried out.
Rose jointed rear suspension arms top and bottom
Wide track front suspension arms
All new joints and bearings all round
Hi spec 4 pot front brakes with Ferodo track spec pads all new
Rear brakes std sierra rear calipers with yellow stuff pads all new
Diff low miles sierra cosworth LSD 3.92:1
All new rear drive shafts and CV joints boots etc etc
Suspension spax adjustable all round
Rear anti roll bar fitted with rose jointed drop links
Front in board anti roll bar kit with rose jointed drop links
Image 3 piece split rims with nearly new 205.50.15 yokohamma A048r rubber
Steering standard Westfield with quick rack
Bodywork 2007 Fk body with rear detachable arches with new V8 bonnet
Brand new mick made carbon dash panel and all new switches and wiring loom
Stack dash
Removable steering wheel and boss kit
Gel battery and fuses inside car under the dash
RUNNING GEAR
Engine....
SIERRA COSWORTH 200 block with ported and polished head fully rebuilt by cosworth specialist and replacement of following parts..
New wiseco pocketed race pistons and rings
Race spec main and big end bearings
Group A three layer cometic head gasket
BD14 inlet cam and std exhaust cam
Race spec ported and polished head skimmed and tested
New high pressure oil pump
Big winged aluminum flat sump with modded pick up pipe
New water pump and all sensors
GT3076R roller bearing turbo
4x4 cosworth exhaust manifold
Stainless steel turbo down pipe
SBD carbon race silencer
2wd modified inlet manifold matched to head
Siemens 83lbs injectors
3 bar map sensor
Engine has had all new gaskets and sensors, plugs leads etc. etc. through out
Cooling system Radtec aluminum race radiator
Turbo cooling charge cooled radtec radiator and combined oil cooler radiator cooled with Focus RS charge cooler pump
Gearbox very low mileage T5 cosworth gearbox with modded short lever.
Paddle 6 plate Alcon clutch kit
Hydraulic clutch conversion for super light and easy operation (lovely clutch feel)
Fuel system 404 motorsport cosworth fuel pump
Facet redtop lift pump for swirl pot
1.5 lt swirl pot
Westfield fuel injection race tank
All fuel lines are braided goodridge hoses and fittings throughout all new with front to rear hard lines.
All new cables and clips throughout,
All new blue silicone water and boost hoses throughout.
Shortened and strengthened cosworth propshaft and uj's

Interior
Westfield race one piece seats
Brand new 5 point 3" TRS harnesses
Stack dash
Apexi avcr electronic boost controller for adjustable boost and programming
All new lighting and switches inside and out with 5" small lights

This was the original advert:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Westfield-COSWORTH-Turbo...

I have posted a few times about the car before but I`ve only managed about 250 miles in it so far because of the bad weather. I want to change a few things, full cage maybe, carbon airbox, wider rear rubber. I`ll be able to post more after a few track days. The current temps don`t really work with the Yoko A048Rs.

[Ult-Jim]

The K-Series R500 was my first owned car ever! I guess I am unique, living abroad and at sea for most of my life I have always hired, borrowed, shared, and used my friends & parents cars. I love the rawness, and yes agree its too much power to enjoy fully for the road alone, however if set up properly it can be made to behave even in traffic. Beware to keep a R500 in tip top condition and to respect the highly strung engine and the servicing costs it can build up if abused. I am lucky with my playground being the Cote d'Azure mountain roads, I am able to use the power on good open road surfaces more than many in the UK.

If you want one, go for it! Take it easy with the loud peddle and you can never say you need more power.

[BertBert]

Here's my perspective...how do you know you will like an R500? There are people (moi) who actually prefer lower powered 7's. When I buy again it's unlikely to be a high power 7. I fancy something at the D-R300, but I don't know because I've not driven one yet. I do know that my fav caterham so far is a 1600k supersport. I enjoyed it way more than the R500. So I would recommend getting out there and driving a few and then decide. Whatever you do DO NOT decide based on other people's opinions of what's right for you. That can't be a very clever idea I reckon!

Bert

and BTW

jontysafe said:

I've just bought my first seven

Fibber

[jontysafe]

Yes perhaps I shouldn't have posted that on a caterham forum!!

[framerateuk]

I find my Roadsport 140 enough of a handful at the moment, I dread to think how an R500 would feel to drive.

It's a totally different experience to an Elise, and it takes some getting used to.

I'm sure I'll be wanting more power eventually, but I'd rather find the limits of a lower powered Caterham before moving to an R300 or higher....

[Toaster]

framerateuk said:

I find my Roadsport 140 enough of a handful at the moment, I dread to think how an R500 would feel to drive.
.

Same as my R400 as some journalist said of the old Superlight R 'they are all Fur and Claws' I didn't know what they meant until I upgraded from my Roadsport, they will bite if your not respectful :-)

Still though, not a silly idea if the guy goes for some training as BertBert says go and try some others power variants, a 7 is not just about outright power and with a right driver you probably wont find much difference between a 400 and 500. Going back a few years there was a series 2 7 out at Brands hatch with a a pack of modern 1600's he was in the last 1/3rd of the field of cars, now that says a lot about power and performance. The guy could clearly drive and manage to keep the car in the race with its modern counterparts.

Edited by Toaster on Thursday 14th February 13:38

[idontknow]

Thanks for the feed back guys. I'm hoping to get down to Caterham (south) on saturday for a chat to explore my options

[rubystone]

BertBert said:

I fancy something at the D-R300, but I don't know because I've not driven one yet.

Best Caterham I have ever drive in terms of user friendliness. Try one and you'll see how benign it is - a bit like turning the Supersport 1600 wick up from 7 to 10 but preserving the balance that is lost when more than 200 bhp is bolted into them.

[nigelpugh7]

jontysafe said:

Not wanting to thread hijack but this is spec:

Seiw chassis modified and strengthened in all the right places, cross tunnel bracing, fully gusseted diff cage and rear chassis. Strengthened engine bay.
Fully blasted and powder coated after above work carried out.
Rose jointed rear suspension arms top and bottom
Wide track front suspension arms
All new joints and bearings all round
Hi spec 4 pot front brakes with Ferodo track spec pads all new
Rear brakes std sierra rear calipers with yellow stuff pads all new
Diff low miles sierra cosworth LSD 3.92:1
All new rear drive shafts and CV joints boots etc etc
Suspension spax adjustable all round
Rear anti roll bar fitted with rose jointed drop links
Front in board anti roll bar kit with rose jointed drop links
Image 3 piece split rims with nearly new 205.50.15 yokohamma A048r rubber
Steering standard Westfield with quick rack
Bodywork 2007 Fk body with rear detachable arches with new V8 bonnet
Brand new mick made carbon dash panel and all new switches and wiring loom
Stack dash
Removable steering wheel and boss kit
Gel battery and fuses inside car under the dash
RUNNING GEAR
Engine....
SIERRA COSWORTH 200 block with ported and polished head fully rebuilt by cosworth specialist and replacement of following parts..
New wiseco pocketed race pistons and rings
Race spec main and big end bearings
Group A three layer cometic head gasket
BD14 inlet cam and std exhaust cam
Race spec ported and polished head skimmed and tested
New high pressure oil pump
Big winged aluminum flat sump with modded pick up pipe
New water pump and all sensors
GT3076R roller bearing turbo
4x4 cosworth exhaust manifold
Stainless steel turbo down pipe
SBD carbon race silencer
2wd modified inlet manifold matched to head
Siemens 83lbs injectors
3 bar map sensor
Engine has had all new gaskets and sensors, plugs leads etc. etc. through out
Cooling system Radtec aluminum race radiator
Turbo cooling charge cooled radtec radiator and combined oil cooler radiator cooled with Focus RS charge cooler pump
Gearbox very low mileage T5 cosworth gearbox with modded short lever.
Paddle 6 plate Alcon clutch kit
Hydraulic clutch conversion for super light and easy operation (lovely clutch feel)
Fuel system 404 motorsport cosworth fuel pump
Facet redtop lift pump for swirl pot
1.5 lt swirl pot
Westfield fuel injection race tank
All fuel lines are braided goodridge hoses and fittings throughout all new with front to rear hard lines.
All new cables and clips throughout,
All new blue silicone water and boost hoses throughout.
Shortened and strengthened cosworth propshaft and uj's

Interior
Westfield race one piece seats
Brand new 5 point 3" TRS harnesses
Stack dash
Apexi avcr electronic boost controller for adjustable boost and programming
All new lighting and switches inside and out with 5" small lights

This was the original advert:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Westfield-COSWORTH-Turbo...

I have posted a few times about the car before but I`ve only managed about 250 miles in it so far because of the bad weather. I want to change a few things, full cage maybe, carbon airbox, wider rear rubber. I`ll be able to post more after a few track days. The current temps don`t really work with the Yoko A048Rs.

Sorry but this has no relevance to the op, and it's not the place to be promoting a vastly inferior Westfield!

[Darumvej]

nigelpugh7 said:

Sorry but this has no relevance to the op, and it's not the place to be promoting a vastly inferior Westfield!

Typical blatchat quote (is it worth it)