RE: A Caterham For All Seasons: R300 Vs Roadsport 175

[williamp]

peter pan said:

The Seven is one of the few sports cars that competed in a Grand Prix.

Eh. can you explain?

[Toecutter]

williamp said:

peter pan said:

The Seven is one of the few sports cars that competed in a Grand Prix.

Eh. can you explain?

From Wikipedia:

"A Seven's top speed greatly depends upon the body configuration, engine power and gearing. Early models with low-powered engines had difficulty exceeding 90 mph (140 km/h), although a race-prepared Seven was clocked at 127 mph (204 km/h) by Brausch Niemann through a speed-trap at the 1962 Natal Grand Prix.[7] In addition, clamshell style wings tend to create drag and generate lift at higher speeds. Cycle guards help alleviate this tendency, and low height Brookland aeroscreens that replace the windscreen help improve top end speed"

[Uncle John]

Although not a Caterham I have just picked up a car of the same ilk, a Westfield with 328 bhp/ton and I'm loving every minute.

Where did the yearning come from?

Well, I hired a Roadsport SV from Caterham for a day and from that moment on I was smitten.

Beware if you are a petrolhead you will want one - You have been warned!!!

Couldn't afford the spec of Caterham that I would like so I turned to a Westfield.

They're all great cars!

[Garlick]

Uncle John said:

Although not a Caterham I have just picked up a car of the same ilk, a Westfield with 328 bhp/ton and I'm loving every minute.

Where did the yearning come from?

Well, I hired a Roadsport SV from Caterham for a day and from that moment on I was smitten.

Beware if you are a petrolhead you will want one - You have been warned!!!

Couldn't afford the spec of Caterham that I would like so I turned to a Westfield.

They're all great cars!

They are addictive alright, and I am still looking at buying one but also need to factor in the cost of hiring a garage in London which makes it less attractive financially.

I did drive a Westie once, but it broke down on the M25 in freezing conditions (I don't mind driving them in any weather) and had to wait for 4 hours for recovery. I'll never forget that night!

[leon9191]

I have always loved these cars and they are literally the only sports cars my girl friend would entertain me having. And since we are moving to norfork the home of the se7en I think it would be rude not to get one.

Not sure what kind of spec to go for to start with I always think that you can't go far wrong with the fastest model avaliable but maybe not with a se7en.

[maturin23]

I bought an early 90s HPC Caterham (Vauxhall Red Top with Weber 45s) earlier this year and I absolutely love it.

Certainly quick enough (c. 600kg and 175bhp/175lb/ft) without being silly, every bend is a pleasure, even the North Circular has been fun.

Managed to do 700 top-down miles last week including an A&B road-only trip to North Devon and back. It's fairly thirsty (c. 20 mpg) and very lively on greasy roads but that's using some or all of the beans most of the time

Garlick - not sure where you are in London, but I'm renting a (dry) lock up behind a small apartment block in Finchley Central for £80 a month. I've fitted the Brain James Minno trailer in with the tow end at the back of the garage, so when I fancy a blat in the 7 I drive the Caterham off the trailer, put my 205 in its place and lock the door.

I do park it on the driveway at weekend and I'm on quite a busy road and the only 'hassle' T've had was an Italian couple knocking on the door and asking if they could sit in it and have a photo taken.

The car has an immobiliser, a removable ignition cut-off and when I'm parking away from home I fit a bright yellow toughened u-lock through the front wheel and round the wishbone.

As everybody seems to have said there seems to be no 'negative' response to this car - most blokes know exactly what it is, little kids love it, the chavs think it's 'sick, man', even get some smiles from the ladies too

Plus a cheap halfords booster seat fits in and my four year old son can come out for a drive. He loves it more than me!

[Garlick]

£80 per month isn't too bad actually.

I don't mind leaving it outside my flat (I'm over in SW) but there will be periods that I don't use it for some time - when I have test cars for PH, or want to use the 944 or RR.

I'd prefer somewhere to keep it away from the elements during this time or I will be in the same position as I was with the RS2 (it was too nice to leave on the street for weeks at a time).

[darth_pies]

williamp said:

peter pan said:

The Seven is one of the few sports cars that competed in a Grand Prix.

Eh. can you explain?

http://www.lotus7register.co.uk/springbk.htm

Rand Grand Prix, South Africa 1962

"By far the most unusual entrant was the much modified 1958 Lotus Seven Series One of Cape Towner, Brausch Niemann."

"Clark led all the way and won the race itself, followed closely by Taylor, Surtees and Hocking with the Seven finishing in a respectable 10th place having beaten three of the Climax powered Lotuses."

[ewenm]

ZeroTwo said:

The one thing that gets with the R300 is the dash - it is ABYSMAL!!! Those three rows of diagonal buttons just look pants and contravene just about every bit of usability guidance on the planet.

I don't disagree but the sheer (small) size of the dash means that nearly all the controls are within finger-tip reach without letting go of the wheel. On the old dash I can reach the same controls from the wheel that I can in the OH's Volvo (indicators, lights, horn, wipers)!

Of course, if you're building a 7 you can customise and group the switches as you wish

[ewenm]

darth_pies said:

williamp said:

peter pan said:

The Seven is one of the few sports cars that competed in a Grand Prix.

Eh. can you explain?

http://www.lotus7register.co.uk/springbk.htm

Rand Grand Prix, South Africa 1962

"By far the most unusual entrant was the much modified 1958 Lotus Seven Series One of Cape Towner, Brausch Niemann."

"Clark led all the way and won the race itself, followed closely by Taylor, Surtees and Hocking with the Seven finishing in a respectable 10th place having beaten three of the Climax powered Lotuses."

Great story and pic!

[Garlick]

ewenm said:

ZeroTwo said:

The one thing that gets with the R300 is the dash - it is ABYSMAL!!! Those three rows of diagonal buttons just look pants and contravene just about every bit of usability guidance on the planet.

I don't disagree but the sheer (small) size of the dash means that nearly all the controls are within finger-tip reach without letting go of the wheel. On the old dash I can reach the same controls from the wheel that I can in the OH's Volvo (indicators, lights, horn, wipers)!

Of course, if you're building a 7 you can customise and group the switches as you wish

I liked the dash layout on 'my' SV, seemed to be very logical.

[Nicodema]

Well, it's a 3 x 3 grid, like a skewed cash machine keyboard. I for one can't remember my PIN, but can type it in blindfold. I'm happy to conjecture that the mental mapping will manage to cope after a bit of driving our R300...
...once we've got it...
...and built it!

[darth_pies]

Mental mapping? Not that complicated is it?

[peter pan]

One of the other issues, is that when something as good as a seven turns up, you first start thinking that you should keep schtum about them, because you dont want them to become cl*torus cars, like the the Escort XR3 did, but with something this good thats almost impossible!

[williamp]

ewenm said:

darth_pies said:

williamp said:

peter pan said:

The Seven is one of the few sports cars that competed in a Grand Prix.

Eh. can you explain?

http://www.lotus7register.co.uk/springbk.htm

Rand Grand Prix, South Africa 1962

"By far the most unusual entrant was the much modified 1958 Lotus Seven Series One of Cape Towner, Brausch Niemann."

"Clark led all the way and won the race itself, followed closely by Taylor, Surtees and Hocking with the Seven finishing in a respectable 10th place having beaten three of the Climax powered Lotuses."

Great story and pic!

That is superb!

[Beverlonian]

A great write up, it catches the esscence of what its all about.

Its the car that makes for the driving experience, don't you just use the power to get to the next corner? Driving with your a$$ a few inches from the ground just that bit too qiuck for comfort makes you bite your bottom lip with concentration. Focuses the mind

I had to build a Se7en before I could drive one and I wouldn't swap it for anything else.

Smitten enthusiast!
Andy

[sege]

Now this is a great write up!
Forget all the narrative non-Fiction nonsense, just give us the facts and tell us what the cars are like to drive.
It helps of course when it sounds like the cars are really great to drive! but, all the same, thanks for a great article guys.

[Pingman]

Reading that superb article has reminded me exactly just how much I want a Caterham!

It's just a shame that they are so ludicrously expensive - just add a few necesary factory options (you know, like, PAINT!) to an R300 and its so very quickly over £30k

[DWT]

Best car in the world!!!!!!!!!!!!!
have done the Caterham drift day twice now,
most fun you can have in a car park

[Ecosseven]

Pingman said:

Reading that superb article has reminded me exactly just how much I want a Caterham!

It's just a shame that they are so ludicrously expensive - just add a few necesary factory options (you know, like, PAINT!) to an R300 and its so very quickly over £30k

Older sevens start at 6K. My first one was 6.5K in 2001 from Caterham midlands. Granted it did only have 84 bhp but it was huge fun. 10-11K will buy you something nice.