Bought a yellow Caterham R400 2004.

[V8 OHV]

Having read what I have, the car will stay n/a I reckon, but this is NOT going to be a track car!
I want it for the road. To show a few expensive cars up whilst having a ball!

Track work will be a twice a year affair probably.

[rubystone]

It's the Russel Savory RS-T V8 basically a bespoke block with motorcyle innards

[murph7355]

jeremyc said:

And theres me thinking Murph was leading the fatwah against the fat boy models.....

It's all too easy to be attracted too the dark side

And besides, the Caterham feels a bit short on cylinders these days.

This engine really was very, very sweet in a way that the R500 unit dreams of being. And even though I have a fair bit of wheel time in quick Caterhams, I was quite staggered with how quick this one was - my brain was about 3secs behind the action (I was in the passenger seat) which has never happened before.

The only downside is traction. It has so much grunt that it was spinning away a lot of its power even at speed. And I'm not sure there's much that can be done about that in a 7's chassis - traction control can be configured, but that again is cutting power...

Any which way, Santa is going to be needing a big sack this Christmas...

Ruby - I'm not sure Russell will thank you for that description! Pretty much everything to do with that engine is custom...

DeR and V8 - I really, really urge you to get on track with your cars. With non-Caterhams running. You'll be blown away at how quick they are.

And if you really want more power, the Duratec cars are looking quite good these days. Or the RST-V8

[murph7355]

PS DeR - I think what you're demonstrating here is that you quickly adjust to straight line speed and quick cars. To the point where *anything* will feel slow with familiarity.

[Mikeww]

DeR
I can't believe anyone would find the R400 slow!!!!
Either you are some sort of 'driving god' or your not using it right
How much track driving do you do?

[rubystone]

Murph - I didn't have time to give the full specification - was going to look for a website to quote a line but couldn't be arsed either, so a 1 line description was called for....

[V8 OHV]

GOT IT!
(My back aches already, hopefully I will adjust).

By heck, it goes like a rat up a pipe.

I can only imagine what the R500 Evolution goes like, with 50 more bhp and 40kgs less. If you own one I hate you already!

[MikeE]

There's a few Caterhams with significantly more than 250bhp including a 280+bhp Duratec and several 300bhp VX engined classic sized (i.e non-SV) 7s.

[V8 OHV]

Rather quick then!

[jaycee72]

Seems like us newies all jump on the power bandwagon, which is no doubt missing the point of a 7..?
Remember reading a Autocar article when they tested every model in order to choose a long termer. Settled on an R300 on the basis of balance/usability. Bet a few of you have gone the power route and regreted it?

[murph7355]

V8 OHV said:

...and 40kgs less...

Don't believe all that you read from Caterham on weight.

They get invited to do the weigh-ins at Weight Watchers regularly.

Spring next year I'll give you a go in mine. It should have quite a lot more than it currently does

Enjoy the car and read up on Isaac Newton. Discretion is always the better part of valour, and these cars, no matter how good, can get you into trouble.

[rubystone]

Once you've sampled SLR/R400 power you'll want more of it...but I aagree that the R300/SL isthe best balanced package...but that bang in the back at 4k is totally addictive and on track the extra power gets you past anything

[dino ferrana]

I reckon the RST-V8 would be much better in a CSR chassis. The new chassis seems to have a lot more traction than any before. The power balance thing seems to be slightly different with the new indy rear on that car.

I think that engine and a CSR chassis is a match made in heaven, plus the RST V8 is lighter than a 2.3 Duractec.

[rubystone]

I agree Dino. The current SV chassis has the Freestyle setup IIRC (but I'll check tomorrow) and its major issue is getting the power down

[murph7355]

The current RST car had outboard Nitron front dampers ruby. So don't think it's the inboard Freestyle set up.

As for IRS, I don't want an SV.

I wonder what the theoretical maximum power is on the deDion rear of a 7 before it breaks traction. And what the real limiting factor is. Didn't some Astons use the same set up on the back?

All things to ask RST in a bit...

[rubystone]

Andy, Russell deffo mentioned he had Freestyle suspension but I didn't mean the inboard stuff - the external Nitrons kind of gave the game away

CU2M

[dannylt]

murph7355 said:

I wonder what the theoretical maximum power is on the deDion rear of a 7 before it breaks traction. And what the real limiting factor is. Didn't some Astons use the same set up on the back?

Huh? This is all down to torque at the wheels. I'd hope ANY DeDion seven will break traction in first in a straight line with any engine! Mine breaks traction in any gear on the dry given a bend, and top gear in a straight line in the wet. And this is "only" 250bhp. If you don't like breaking traction, fit wider stickier tyres.

[V8 OHV]

R400 gone.
Moved the car along, sadly.
(I had to dabble or I would never have known, but it was just a little TOO raw for me.)

Will still try and get along to a few of the meets and I won't forget the 30 which turned up at Aberystwyth promenade some weeks back, out of the blue.
An awesome entrance by the lads and lasses in their nippy motors!

[jackal]

yep... pretty much the point i was trying to express in teh other thread


hope you find something which suits soon

[Murph7355]

V8 OHV said:

R400 gone. Moved the car along, sadly. (I had to dabble or I would never have known, but it was just a little TOO raw for me.) Will still try and get along to a few of the meets and I won't forget the 30 which turned up at Aberystwyth promenade some weeks back, out of the blue. An awesome entrance by the lads and lasses in their nippy motors!

Shame.

Do you know what it was that didn't suit? Have you tried an SV Roadsport?