Am I mad???????

[cambridgejames]

Okay. I'm thinking of buy a 7 in kit format. My only spanner experience is changing discs/pads etc

Am i kidding myself thinking I can get the car built without too many issues???

[Shaun_E]

Pretty much anyone can put a Caterham together. The kit comes complete with everything and the really tricky stuff like wiring, brake pipes and panels are already fitted for you. Caterham reckon about 70 hours to assemble. Other 7 type cars will take a lot longer and may involve stripping parts from donor cars, fabrication of some bits and wiring/pipework/panelling.

[cambridgejames]

Great. Thanks for that shaun.

I'm not work shy, but having looked at build manual from the web site...........I started to get cold feet

I'm going midlands caterham tomorrow so I'm hoping again they will settle the nerves

[tel777.]

I built my academy car in the winter it took me 90 hours with zero experiance, never even done a service on a car and didn't even own a spanner.

The build was frustrating with lots of parts missing and an out of date assembly guide but I now understand that caterham have an up to date guide.

Hugely rewarding once built, no one could believe that i took on the build as i'm known for wrecking cars(ie running them short on oil, water etc) not fixing them.

If I can do it then anyone can.

I did ask alot of questions on pistonheads during the build and was given alot of help

go for it and save yourself a few grand for track days.

Tel777

[Shaun_E]

If you join the Lotus 7 Owners Club you'll get acess to Blatchat where you can ask as many questions as you like during the build - plenty of experience and advice on offer and probably someone local to you who can lend an extra pair of hands if required.
Go for it - you won't regret it.

[cambridgejames]

Thanks for the links Shaun. I'm sure I'll be a frequent visitor!

I just started having doubts about getting half way through and having to give up. It was the electrics that started panicking me, but if they are already included, then I'm sure a numpty like me can connect them up!

Tel - I've got at least 2 spanners so it should be breeze

[ewenm]

If, as your username suggests, you're in Cambridge, there's a thriving Se7ens community there that I'm sure would offer help/expertise/tools in return for tea/biscuits/beer

They have a mailing list here: www.se7ens.net linked to here: http://mailman.se7ens.net/mailman/listinfo/cam7

Enjoy (but be prepared to run away!).