Caterham Seven 360R
Discussion
Master Bean said:
The half hood stays clipped to the car and stows in the boot. I can put it up in less than one minute. My 1.6 sigma measured 93db at Castle Coombe so you should be fine with the 2 litre.
My car has a chopped down numberplate. Here's a pic for comparison.
Hmmm very tempting.My car has a chopped down numberplate. Here's a pic for comparison.
Your car looks well!
A quick update.
Since I spent the weekend before last getting the 500 run in miles done, I changed the oil and oil filter as recommended by Caterham. I also checked the torque on all the suspension components.
Didn't get many pictures of this - you know the drill...
I bought an oil filter socket to make it easier getting the old filter off. However, I took the replacement filter to the auto parts shop to find a suitable socket. When I came to unscrew the old filter, it was clear the socket was the wrong shape
. Mole grips to the rescue!
I'll just have to make sure I buy the same filters from now on.... God I sound boring!
Another small point to make; Caterham say the engine should take around 6.5 litres of oil. When I first filled it up during the build, it took a good 7.5 litres before reaching the 'full' mark on the dip-stick. I put this down to the engine being bone dry.
After draining the old oil and refilling, it still took 7-ish litres. This seems loads for a 4 cylinder engine! Anyone know why?
Other than that, I've just been enjoying the car and learning how to drive it. I'm slowly getting the confidence to deploy full throttle coming out of corners. There's no denying it's a very fast car, but with it being so close to the ground and so exposed, it feels completely bonkers.
Going fast over bumpy roads can be a bit brown trouser-ish. You get the impression you're going to get spat off the road - but now I'm starting to relax and let the car move about a bit, I'm beginning to trust it more.
Time will tell!
I've barely taken any photos due to driving it all the time and being too lazy to unbuckle and buckle myself back in when a photo opportunity arises.
One my mate took the other day:
One I took after a quick wash:
Later this month I've got the 1000 mile service booked at Caterham followed by a flat floor setup at Gemzoe Motorsport, then a track day!
More next time...
Since I spent the weekend before last getting the 500 run in miles done, I changed the oil and oil filter as recommended by Caterham. I also checked the torque on all the suspension components.
Didn't get many pictures of this - you know the drill...
I bought an oil filter socket to make it easier getting the old filter off. However, I took the replacement filter to the auto parts shop to find a suitable socket. When I came to unscrew the old filter, it was clear the socket was the wrong shape
. Mole grips to the rescue!I'll just have to make sure I buy the same filters from now on.... God I sound boring!
Another small point to make; Caterham say the engine should take around 6.5 litres of oil. When I first filled it up during the build, it took a good 7.5 litres before reaching the 'full' mark on the dip-stick. I put this down to the engine being bone dry.
After draining the old oil and refilling, it still took 7-ish litres. This seems loads for a 4 cylinder engine! Anyone know why?
Other than that, I've just been enjoying the car and learning how to drive it. I'm slowly getting the confidence to deploy full throttle coming out of corners. There's no denying it's a very fast car, but with it being so close to the ground and so exposed, it feels completely bonkers.
Going fast over bumpy roads can be a bit brown trouser-ish. You get the impression you're going to get spat off the road - but now I'm starting to relax and let the car move about a bit, I'm beginning to trust it more.
Time will tell!
I've barely taken any photos due to driving it all the time and being too lazy to unbuckle and buckle myself back in when a photo opportunity arises.
One my mate took the other day:
One I took after a quick wash:
Later this month I've got the 1000 mile service booked at Caterham followed by a flat floor setup at Gemzoe Motorsport, then a track day!
More next time...
Took the Caterham down to Donington yesterday for it's 1000 mile official service and a proper flat floor setup.
I was a bit disappointed that I wasn't allowed to loiter round the workshop and watch the work get carried out - I might have learnt something. Completely understand why I wasn't though. Probably a good thing too, as I would have asked as many (irritating) questions as possible!
Finally found out why my car took so much oil - 7 litres as opposed to the standard 5ish. The dipstick tube was too long for some reason so the dipstick wouldn't actually register until there was too much oil in the engine. This would also explain why the car had been consuming oil at a fairly fast rate. After 500 "brisk" road miles, I calculated to have used about 1/2 a litre of oil, which was fairly alarming. Now I know it was simply burning off the excess that muggins here had put in! Anyway, Caterham sorted the dipstick tube out and now all is well!
I suppose I did learn something actually: There is a rubber O-ring on the dipstick. This causes a vacuum when inserting the dipstick back into the tube, which ends up giving you a false reading because it pushes oil back into the sump. Removal of said O-ring gives a consistent and true reading. Must remember to put it back once I've finished measuring the oil.
Apologies for the boring update. Hopefully there will be a more exciting one next time because I have a track day on Sunday!
And because no update is complete without a photo:
More next time...
I was a bit disappointed that I wasn't allowed to loiter round the workshop and watch the work get carried out - I might have learnt something. Completely understand why I wasn't though. Probably a good thing too, as I would have asked as many (irritating) questions as possible!
Finally found out why my car took so much oil - 7 litres as opposed to the standard 5ish. The dipstick tube was too long for some reason so the dipstick wouldn't actually register until there was too much oil in the engine. This would also explain why the car had been consuming oil at a fairly fast rate. After 500 "brisk" road miles, I calculated to have used about 1/2 a litre of oil, which was fairly alarming. Now I know it was simply burning off the excess that muggins here had put in! Anyway, Caterham sorted the dipstick tube out and now all is well!
I suppose I did learn something actually: There is a rubber O-ring on the dipstick. This causes a vacuum when inserting the dipstick back into the tube, which ends up giving you a false reading because it pushes oil back into the sump. Removal of said O-ring gives a consistent and true reading. Must remember to put it back once I've finished measuring the oil.
Apologies for the boring update. Hopefully there will be a more exciting one next time because I have a track day on Sunday!
And because no update is complete without a photo:
More next time...
Well, the track day was immense!
It was down at Blyton Park on the Eastern Circuit. It's a slightly tighter layout than the Outer with fewer straights and more corners.
I chose Blyton because I know if fairly well and there isn't too much to hit - a sensible choice for my first outing in the Caterham.
I used the first part of the morning getting familiar with the car and track, then spent rest of the day going sideways. Not the fastest way round but (because I'm a yob/child at heart) definitely the most fun.
I had a couple of spins in the process. Nothing too major - one where I was a bit too enthusiastic, and another where I tried to link two corners whilst still sliding. Got cocky here and didn't get enough opposite lock on in time for the 2nd corner.
I took a mate with me who weighs 15 stone. I was quite shocked at the difference it made to the car's behaviour with him sitting next to me. Safe to say, a Caterham handles better with one person in the cockpit!
Only downside to the day was driving home at what felt like 2mph. It really labours the point as to how far away from a car's limit you are on the road. Only one thing for it - more track days!
More next time...
It was down at Blyton Park on the Eastern Circuit. It's a slightly tighter layout than the Outer with fewer straights and more corners.
I chose Blyton because I know if fairly well and there isn't too much to hit - a sensible choice for my first outing in the Caterham.
I used the first part of the morning getting familiar with the car and track, then spent rest of the day going sideways. Not the fastest way round but (because I'm a yob/child at heart) definitely the most fun.
I had a couple of spins in the process. Nothing too major - one where I was a bit too enthusiastic, and another where I tried to link two corners whilst still sliding. Got cocky here and didn't get enough opposite lock on in time for the 2nd corner.
I took a mate with me who weighs 15 stone. I was quite shocked at the difference it made to the car's behaviour with him sitting next to me. Safe to say, a Caterham handles better with one person in the cockpit!
Only downside to the day was driving home at what felt like 2mph. It really labours the point as to how far away from a car's limit you are on the road. Only one thing for it - more track days!
More next time...
Been a while since I've updated this – in interests of keeping the thread alive, here’s a quick one:
I'm now a keen meteorologist, checking the weather everyday in hope of some sun. A sunny/dry weekday evening usually translates to Caterham time.
Not that I'm averse to driving in the rain, I'm just trying to keep the car dry until I cover it in ACF-50.
Luckily the Peak District is within a stone's throw from me so I have the pleasure of being able to tackle Snake Pass pretty frequently. It's a good 40 minute blast from my house to the end of the pass where it meets Manchester road. So I usually turn round and repeat in reverse order. I do on occasion link it up with the Strines which has recently been resurfaced for some push bike race thing... However, it’s not my favourite road with visibility and width lacking in most sections.
Having instant fire power under your right leg and a small footprint generally means that getting stuck behind a stream of traffic isn't really a problem!
Not far from Ladybower Reservoir (which Snake Pass hugs) is Winnats Pass. The road going through it isn't much of a driving road but the scenery is incredibly awe-inspiring - definitely worth a visit.
It’s a faff getting in and out of a Caterham so I never stop to take photos of it, but I really couldn't resist here:
Worst thing about owning a Caterham? Sooooo many dead flies. It gets to the point where it’s hard to see out:
It has made me think of going full aero but I'd end up consuming said flies instead of having to clean them off my windscreen every night. And having had conversations with bikers – getting hit in the throat by a bee at 80mph is “f**king painful”!
I recently attended an evening session at Donington which was OK-ish...
I didn't enjoy it as much as Blyton due to the openness of the circuit. Don't get me wrong, it's a massive rush dropping down into the Craner Curves but I reap more pleasure from something tight and twisty.
However the main problem was the dreaded understeer....yep, understeer in a Caterham. At Blyton it was oversteer on tap, at Donington it was understeer on tap. Even a lift, chuck and prod of the throttle wouldn't cure it. Trail braking helped but as soon as I got back on the power, the front would push wide.
All the corners at Byton are left-handers bar one right-hander where I did notice a bit of understeer but had it down to maybe a slightly different surface - I was having too much fun to care!
Every corner at Donnington is a right-hander.... Well I suppose the chicane leading onto the pit straight isn't but that's barely a corner.
The car was flat-floored back in May at Caterham so should be right, but having spoken to other fellow Seven beards, it seems this may not be the case.
The car is booked into Gemzoe Motorsport at the end of the month for a check over / proper set up. I'll then be paying Donington another visit - if it still understeers, I guess I need to learn how to turn right!
A quick snap I took outside the paddock:
Other than a quick oil change the other day, that's been it.
More next time...
I'm now a keen meteorologist, checking the weather everyday in hope of some sun. A sunny/dry weekday evening usually translates to Caterham time.
Not that I'm averse to driving in the rain, I'm just trying to keep the car dry until I cover it in ACF-50.
Luckily the Peak District is within a stone's throw from me so I have the pleasure of being able to tackle Snake Pass pretty frequently. It's a good 40 minute blast from my house to the end of the pass where it meets Manchester road. So I usually turn round and repeat in reverse order. I do on occasion link it up with the Strines which has recently been resurfaced for some push bike race thing... However, it’s not my favourite road with visibility and width lacking in most sections.
Having instant fire power under your right leg and a small footprint generally means that getting stuck behind a stream of traffic isn't really a problem!
Not far from Ladybower Reservoir (which Snake Pass hugs) is Winnats Pass. The road going through it isn't much of a driving road but the scenery is incredibly awe-inspiring - definitely worth a visit.
It’s a faff getting in and out of a Caterham so I never stop to take photos of it, but I really couldn't resist here:
Worst thing about owning a Caterham? Sooooo many dead flies. It gets to the point where it’s hard to see out:
It has made me think of going full aero but I'd end up consuming said flies instead of having to clean them off my windscreen every night. And having had conversations with bikers – getting hit in the throat by a bee at 80mph is “f**king painful”!
I recently attended an evening session at Donington which was OK-ish...
I didn't enjoy it as much as Blyton due to the openness of the circuit. Don't get me wrong, it's a massive rush dropping down into the Craner Curves but I reap more pleasure from something tight and twisty.
However the main problem was the dreaded understeer....yep, understeer in a Caterham. At Blyton it was oversteer on tap, at Donington it was understeer on tap. Even a lift, chuck and prod of the throttle wouldn't cure it. Trail braking helped but as soon as I got back on the power, the front would push wide.
All the corners at Byton are left-handers bar one right-hander where I did notice a bit of understeer but had it down to maybe a slightly different surface - I was having too much fun to care!
Every corner at Donnington is a right-hander.... Well I suppose the chicane leading onto the pit straight isn't but that's barely a corner.
The car was flat-floored back in May at Caterham so should be right, but having spoken to other fellow Seven beards, it seems this may not be the case.
The car is booked into Gemzoe Motorsport at the end of the month for a check over / proper set up. I'll then be paying Donington another visit - if it still understeers, I guess I need to learn how to turn right!
A quick snap I took outside the paddock:
Other than a quick oil change the other day, that's been it.
More next time...
OpulentBob said:
Love it dirty. Looks like it's being used properly! 
Next time you do a track day, a go pro on the dash would make an awesome YouTube video for us...
I might have to invest in one of these - would love to watch a track day back. Next time you do a track day, a go pro on the dash would make an awesome YouTube video for us...
Update time.... thought I may as well since my last post was a photo of some horse poo.
After a minor disappointment at Donington with the car understeering around right handers, I was very keen to get a proper flat floor setup. It had initially been done by Caterham at Donington whilst I had the 1000 mile service. I didn't fancy the slog back down the M1 for that - luckily Gemzoe Motorsport are only a stone's throw from me and have a very good reputation in the Caterham world. Such a good reputation in fact, I had to wait until the end of July for an opening. It was worth the wait - I'll get onto that later.
Early July saw a few of us head up to North Yorkshire for a day of wearing out tyres and an evening of supping ale.
A mate and I drove up together, me in the Caterham, and him on his bike:
I bought a pair of ear defenders to save my hearing during a motorway slog:
Once I'm off the motorway, I switch to those little yellow squishy bud things; the type people wear when sharing a bed with a loud snorer.
We convoyed up the A64, turning off just after York to sample some back roads that take you to Malton. The biker chose this part of the route so I followed him. It was like being in a Fast and Furious film - keeping up with a bike was incredibly exciting!
Once we got to Malton, I took the lead over some back roads I know that end up in Helmsley. The biker didn't enjoy this part of the journey too much with the route being very twisty....perfect for a Caterham.
Once we had made it up to Helmsley, another couple of mates joined us in a hired K-series Caterham:
More silliness ensued tearing up the loop over Blakey Ridge and up Rosedale Chimney. Blakey Ridge is a lot of fun because it's so open and well sighted. You just need to keep an eye out for sheep, and BMW X5s with flashing blue lights on top with angry men inside dressed as police officers!
After all this excitement we dropped down to a good pub I know to cool down a bit.
After a short brake, we were back at it again. Another mate turned up in a Boxster to join in on the fun of the Helmsley to Stokesley road, aka Chop Gate. The biker had resided in the pub at this point, and the other Caterham lads had to nip down to Thirsk to check into their digs for the evening.
So it was Caterham vs Boxster. I lead the way and managed to lose the Porsche fairly quickly - my advantage being overtaking power. Once I'd got to the Stokesley end of the route, I turned round and headed back to Helmsley. It was 10 minutes or so before I came across the Porsche who was stuck behind a load of cars I'd managed tp pick off.
That's one of the many great things about a Caterham, you have the instant grunt and diminutive size to get past things when the smallest opportunities arise.
After that, it was back to The Feathers for a well earned pint, then up to the village we were staying in for a good pub session.
The Sunday just consisted of a brisk drive back home reflecting on my favourite weekend of the summer so far. It's really made me want to live in North Yorkshire purely for the roads - they're amazing. I need to try Wales and Scotland next, and then I'd imagine I'll be all on for setting up camp there!
After that weekend, it was back to my usual blats around the local area and sometimes over to Snake Pass. Whilst waiting for the flat-floor to come round, my attention turned to lighting, or lack thereof. Someone posted up a photo of an LED conversion they had undertaken on the main and dipped beam. Not to be confused with the pricey Caterham option of replacing the whole lamp unit.
This was the cheap option of just swapping the bulbs:
They're definitely brighter than standard but don't really project much further. Might have to revisit this at a later date.
Now onto Gemzoe Motorsport. The long awaited flat-floor:
Long story short, the settings that had been previously dialed in were a fair way out. I'm not saying Caterham Donington did a bad job; I've done at least 2000 miles since they initially set the car up so anything could have happened since then.
Anyway, it now drives a lot better. I'm getting that lovely pivoting sensation round tighter corners, both left and right. Roundabouts were the biggest show of understeer previously - they can now be taken at speed, with little worry of the front end washing out.
Dave at Gemzoe is a top bloke and very informative. Really keen to explain the process and work with you to set the car up exactly the way you want. Definitely recommended to anyone with a Caterham in West Yorkshire or who is willing to travel.
I'll report back after my next track day with a more tested account of the difference it has made. ......this brings me onto my next point.
I've booked Blyton again for this bank holiday Monday. Really need to be a bit more adventurous and explore tracks I haven't done before...
Anyway, I went out last night on my usual Snake Pass blast. On the way back, I turned off Woodhead Pass and headed up toward Holme Moss. There's a nasty dip in this road that contains many gouges left by people hitting their sumps.... You can see where this is going can't you?
Well, muggins here knows about this dip but proceeded to attack it at full tilt....this resulted in a nasty thud at the front end of the car. What a fool.... I kept a beady eye on the oil pressure gauge which didn't drop thankfully. Perhaps (fingers crossed etc) I'd just grazed it slightly?? Wrong! Pulling up in the nearest petrol station confirmed I hadn't been so lucky.
It could have been much worse to be fair. I could have smashed a massive hole in it and gushed the engine's contents all over the tarmac. Oil was definitely coming out but in a small weep, so I managed to get the car back to work (where I built it) and up on axle stands.
I undid the sump plug and let the oil drain overnight. Then this lunchtime just gone, pulled the sump off the car for closer inspection:
Whilst it is weldable, the crack goes through a threaded bolt hole and halfway towards the back of the pan. By the time it's been welded, helicoiled and skimmed, it'll nearly add up to the price of a new sump - so I've cut my losses and ordered a new one from Raceline. Their sumps are identical to Caterham's...they just say Raceline along the belly instead.
So please can everyone cross their fingers that everything arrives in time and I can fit it before my track day on Monday?! To make it more interesting, the only free time I've got this weekend is Sunday morning. The odds aren't looking great...
Edited by ECG1000 on Thursday 24th August 18:12
Well, lucky me. The new sump pan and oil arrived this morning.
Just finished fitting and so far, so good.
I've been out for a quick drive to get it up to temperature and ensure the oil pressure remains good.
Now parked up with newspaper underneath. Will revisit tomorrow to see if we have any leaks.
Fingers crossed again!
Just finished fitting and so far, so good.
I've been out for a quick drive to get it up to temperature and ensure the oil pressure remains good.
Now parked up with newspaper underneath. Will revisit tomorrow to see if we have any leaks.
Fingers crossed again!
Max5476 said:
Interesting the biker though the road was to twisty, I'm a biker and the twistier the better. Not sure I would be keeping up with your caterham though, I'm more likely to find my speed being seriously hampered by very poorly surfaced b-roads, a caterham might iron out the bumps more.
I think it was the fact that the twisty-er parts weren't that well sighted compared to the more open and flowing route we took prior.Edited by Max5476 on Saturday 26th August 07:55
Max5476 said:
One of the reasons I love the bike is how easy it is to overtake slower traffic, it needs a much smaller gap than any car would.
That's something I noticed when I first drove the Caterham on the road. I can imagine the step up to a bike is even more mind boggling.Edited by Max5476 on Saturday 26th August 07:55
noddyrocket1 said:
Brilliant thread. I am looking into Caterham ownership and have just read all the posts.
Enjoy the car, it looks spot on and the satisfaction you get from (having built it yourself) must be huge!
Thank you very much. Enjoy the car, it looks spot on and the satisfaction you get from (having built it yourself) must be huge!
Yep, it does feel good driving around in something I've put together. It's comforting knowing I can fix anything (within reason) if it goes wrong.
Definitely get one! They are such a joy to drive - making normal tin tops feel so numb in comparison.
Time for an update after the sump debacle which occurred just before the August bank holiday weekend...
As previously detailed, it was a mad rush to get the parts delivered and fitted in time. I only had the Friday night to get this done due to having plans Saturday and Sunday, then a trackday on Monday. The Caterham needed to be fighting fit for this. Luckily the stars aligned and everything went to plan.
The Saturday plans...? Well that was a full day at Palmer Sport:
I'm the mug with the flat cap...
What an incredible day out! If you haven't been already, you need to go. It consists of a day tearing round six different tracks in seven different cars - plus an off road course in a Defender (which was surprisingly good fun despite the far quicker machinery on offer).
The standout feature for me was the Formula 3000. This is the first time I've been aware of downforce working and now I'm hooked. It's such an alien feeling to keep accelerating when you're sliding to suddenly find a whole load more grip!
I managed to snag the fastest karting time of the day. Then came 3rd out of 67 overall once all the points scored in each vehicle were added together. "Chuffed" is an understatement.
Itching to go back now...!
On the Sunday I had a birthday party to attend which was incredibly lame compared to the day I had experienced before. I wanted to be back at Palmer rather than watching someone blow out 30 candles!
Then it was up bright and early Monday morning for a day out in the Caterham at Blyton.
Another good day here but I won't be going back for a while. The track is fantastic and a great place to have a good play with your (and the car's) limits - but I've done it too many times now. I need to swallow a brave pill and do some more serious tracks. Cadwell next perhaps? Or maybe I need to revisit Donington now I've got a proper geo setup.
A couple of photos I bought:
The car performed faultlessly all day despite the heat. Pretty sure it was 27 degrees at one point!
We no longer have understeer around right handers - just lovely throttle adjustable balance....thank you Gemzoe Motorsport.
There was however one mishap... I may have clipped an apex cone which may have smashed the rear wing a bit...
The front tyres are now goosed, nearly through to the thread on the insides. The initial flat floor at Caterham is partly to blame for this... The rears aren't far behind but have nice even wear.
Otherwise that's been it for the 360. I'll get the rubber replaced before the end of the month so I can get a few last blasts in before the weather turns. Then it'll be up on axle stands over the winter where I plan to give it a thorough spanner check and liberal coating of Acf-50.
What about fun drives/track days over the winter I hear you say? No.....just me?
Well the recent sale of my GT86 ( thread here: https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&... ) left a fun shaped hole in the garage.
Which was soon filled with this:
Always wanted to try a Fiesta ST ever since reading good things about them.
Plan is to run it for 6 months, then move it on... hopefully losing little to no equity. Then try something else - always wanted an MX5 for example or even a 350z, and what about those Panda 100hp things everyone raves about? Etc. etc.
That's the plan anyway but it'll likely change as the little Fezzie has got right under my skin. It's such a laugh! I might even start a thread for it...
As previously detailed, it was a mad rush to get the parts delivered and fitted in time. I only had the Friday night to get this done due to having plans Saturday and Sunday, then a trackday on Monday. The Caterham needed to be fighting fit for this. Luckily the stars aligned and everything went to plan.
The Saturday plans...? Well that was a full day at Palmer Sport:
I'm the mug with the flat cap...
What an incredible day out! If you haven't been already, you need to go. It consists of a day tearing round six different tracks in seven different cars - plus an off road course in a Defender (which was surprisingly good fun despite the far quicker machinery on offer).
The standout feature for me was the Formula 3000. This is the first time I've been aware of downforce working and now I'm hooked. It's such an alien feeling to keep accelerating when you're sliding to suddenly find a whole load more grip!
I managed to snag the fastest karting time of the day. Then came 3rd out of 67 overall once all the points scored in each vehicle were added together. "Chuffed" is an understatement.
Itching to go back now...!
On the Sunday I had a birthday party to attend which was incredibly lame compared to the day I had experienced before. I wanted to be back at Palmer rather than watching someone blow out 30 candles!
Then it was up bright and early Monday morning for a day out in the Caterham at Blyton.
Another good day here but I won't be going back for a while. The track is fantastic and a great place to have a good play with your (and the car's) limits - but I've done it too many times now. I need to swallow a brave pill and do some more serious tracks. Cadwell next perhaps? Or maybe I need to revisit Donington now I've got a proper geo setup.
A couple of photos I bought:
The car performed faultlessly all day despite the heat. Pretty sure it was 27 degrees at one point!
We no longer have understeer around right handers - just lovely throttle adjustable balance....thank you Gemzoe Motorsport.
There was however one mishap... I may have clipped an apex cone which may have smashed the rear wing a bit...
The front tyres are now goosed, nearly through to the thread on the insides. The initial flat floor at Caterham is partly to blame for this... The rears aren't far behind but have nice even wear.
Otherwise that's been it for the 360. I'll get the rubber replaced before the end of the month so I can get a few last blasts in before the weather turns. Then it'll be up on axle stands over the winter where I plan to give it a thorough spanner check and liberal coating of Acf-50.
What about fun drives/track days over the winter I hear you say? No.....just me?
Well the recent sale of my GT86 ( thread here: https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&... ) left a fun shaped hole in the garage.
Which was soon filled with this:
Always wanted to try a Fiesta ST ever since reading good things about them.
Plan is to run it for 6 months, then move it on... hopefully losing little to no equity. Then try something else - always wanted an MX5 for example or even a 350z, and what about those Panda 100hp things everyone raves about? Etc. etc.
That's the plan anyway but it'll likely change as the little Fezzie has got right under my skin. It's such a laugh! I might even start a thread for it...
seiben said:
I'm with you on Blyton, it's a great little track but I tend to avoid it now. It never really 'flowed' for me.
My personal favourite is the Snetterton 300 - a nice mix of fast and technical, with enough run-off in most places not to feel too daunting. Here's me taking the Westfield round earlier this year (a sprint, admittedly, but you get the idea)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cELR9VzjKLo&t=...
That looks fantastic! Well done on the class win too.My personal favourite is the Snetterton 300 - a nice mix of fast and technical, with enough run-off in most places not to feel too daunting. Here's me taking the Westfield round earlier this year (a sprint, admittedly, but you get the idea)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cELR9VzjKLo&t=...
I may need to invest in a trailer for next season. Anything more than 2 hours on the motorway is pretty miserable in a Caterham.
OliilO said:
Long distances are definitely not their strong point. I drove from Hampshire to Inverness in a day in my BEC with an aero screen and it nearly broke me. It's so tedious when you know how much fun the cars can be!
Bloody hell, I bet that was awful! Was that to get you to the start of the NC500?It's a combination of the noise and having to sit at 75 due to said noise which gripes me.
Suppose it's my fault for choosing the 6 speed 'box - 75mph (indicated) equates to pretty much bang on 4000rpm.... The diff makes a bit of a din too.
OliilO said:
I moved up there for work for a couple of years. The roads were fantastic with minimal traffic at any time; being back down south is rubbish in comparison!
My gearing works out at about 6800 rpm at 70 which gets wearing after a while. When I brought the car back I drove cross country over 2 days after picking some good routes from google maps which was a much better way to do it.
6800?!? wow, thought I had it bad.My gearing works out at about 6800 rpm at 70 which gets wearing after a while. When I brought the car back I drove cross country over 2 days after picking some good routes from google maps which was a much better way to do it.
I've always wanted to pick the fun route like that but fear I'd spend too much time stopping to look at a map to make sure I'm going the right way.
mikeulster500 said:
How are you getting on with the new headlight bulbs? Thinking of getting the same. Have you got a link for them?
Thanks
Here you go mate: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/110W-22000LM-H4-Bi-Xenon...Thanks
They're OK - not life changing. They do a good job of illuminating the area immediately in-front of the car but don't project much further (if at all) than the standard filament bulbs.
I don't do a great deal of night time driving though so can't really complain. Worth a punt at £20...
I may as well post something (exciting or not) to keep this thread alive.
Not much to report as I put the Caterham away for hibernation at the end of October.
(Apologies for the photo quality - screenshot from Instagram)
The car's up on stands in a heated warehouse until April. I start it once a month to get some heat into it and have a trickle charger connected so the battery doesn't expire.
Plans up until April?
- Fit new tyres (currently piled up in my office).
- Replace the rear wing that got smashed at Blyton.
- Fit cat-less collector. Should make a nicer noise with added flames.
- Change stripes and repaint "7" emblem in the nose cone grill.
- Proper spanner check
- Apply a liberal coat of ACF50. Hoping this will leave me less inclined to shy away from wet roads!
- Finally, down to Caterham for their official 12 month service.
Will update once I’ve fitted the “de-cat”.
Not much to report as I put the Caterham away for hibernation at the end of October.
(Apologies for the photo quality - screenshot from Instagram)
The car's up on stands in a heated warehouse until April. I start it once a month to get some heat into it and have a trickle charger connected so the battery doesn't expire.
Plans up until April?
- Fit new tyres (currently piled up in my office).
- Replace the rear wing that got smashed at Blyton.
- Fit cat-less collector. Should make a nicer noise with added flames.
- Change stripes and repaint "7" emblem in the nose cone grill.
- Proper spanner check
- Apply a liberal coat of ACF50. Hoping this will leave me less inclined to shy away from wet roads!
- Finally, down to Caterham for their official 12 month service.
Will update once I’ve fitted the “de-cat”.
Edited by ECG1000 on Friday 2nd February 11:25
FELIX_5 said:
Great thread!! Interested to hear your thoughts on the ST, as that's an itch I need to scratch?!! Please start a thread! 
Hmmm, I might just do that. I've taken it around Anglesey circuit and done a couple of tweaks so will have a bit to talk about I suppose.dibblecorse said:
Not sure how I missed this first time round, great thread and great to see it being properly enjoyed post build.
Thank you very much.Minor update...
Last time I made a list of things that needed doing before April when I was due to re-tax the car:
- Fit new tyres (currently piled up in my office)
..........fronts done. Rears to do, still have 2mm on originals - drift practice maybe?
- Replace the rear wing that got smashed at Blyton.
..........done.
- Fit cat-less collector. Should make a nicer noise with added flames.
..........done.
- Change stripes and repaint "7" emblem in the nose cone grill.
..........done.
- Proper spanner check.
..........I'm lazy, see point after next.
- Apply a liberal coat of ACF50. Hoping this will leave me less inclined to shy away from wet roads!
..........pretty much done. Sooooo boring so only did the front wishbones, then from the gearbox back.
- Finally, down to Caterham for their official 12 month service
.........in progress. I’ve left the spanner check to them – may as well get my money’s worth!
This wouldn't be an update without any pictures would it...?
Old stripes to come off:
After a while I had this:
The old stripes were stuck like sh*t to a blanket but peeled off eventually after some intervention with a hairdryer.
Then began the laborious process of sticking the new stripes on. Last time, I did it dry (euphemism not intended) which kind of showed if you looked closely. There was the odd air bubble and some of the stripes were a bit wobbly.
This time round, I sprayed a mist of soapy water onto the bodywork which allowed final adjustments to be made once the stripes had hit home, plus any air bubbles could be squeegeed out quite easily.
This took much longer but I'm happier with the neater result.
I really liked the look of the 420R Donington Edition but didn't want to completely copy so I came up with my own colour scheme.
The eagle eyed amongst you will notice the absence of the rear wings. I had to take one off to be replaced, on the other side it made it easier to pull the silencer off and allow me to sandwich the side stripes between the body and wing when it was back in situ.
Silencer back on after fitting the de-cat.
"7" powder-coated yellow to match the stripes. Last time I used Plasti-dip which did the job but with it being soft, it was difficult to clean the cast of “A Bugs Life” off after every brisk outing.
Now onto putting the passenger seat back.....which didn't go too smoothly.
When I first built the car, I chose to fit the rear wings, followed by the radius arms. Meaning I needed to undo the radius arms to remove the rear wings. The caphead bolt for the arms is conveniently blocked by the seats, so the fixed passenger seat has to come out too. (Luckly, the driver's can be slid forward enough to gain access.)
To avoid this, most people cut a notch in each wing allowing it to slip over the radius arm during assembly/removal. I have done exactly this. Better late than never I suppose...
During one particular enthusiastic drive with a heavy passenger, the car bottomed out with a bit of a bang coming from the passenger's side. Upon inspection, it was clear the bolt that goes through the floor and into the seat rail had been the only point of contact. "No bother" I thought and forgot all about it.
This little incident had actually bent the seat rail and displaced one of the rivnuts within it:
When I came to putting the seat back in, the bolt went half way into the rivnut until it started spinning. The same happened when I tried to undo it...
Disc-cutter to the rescue, and new rail ordered:
This time, I threadlocked grub screws into the rails, then used brass nuts to secure the assembly to the car - tightening using an allen-key to stop the grub screw spinning. This gives me a couple of options when/if I need to take the seat out again.
Job done:
Next was to re-fit the rear wings. After faffing about getting the wing protector rivetted to the new wing and headlight hole drilled, everything went back together just fine.
The old fixings had become rusty so I replaced them with stainless versions:
Done:
I fitted my new number plate whilst I was at it. The old one fell off somewhere between Huddersfield and Wakefield....
I also bought a small bike plate for the front. Due to the size of “legal” number plates, I never fitted one to the front before. To me, a smaller plate looks much more in proportion.
Car finally on the ground before its first outing of the year:
Back home safe after a very slippy 50 miles or so. 2mm tread and cold, dry salty roads don't mix well with a heavy right foot. **Must exercise more restraint**
I can confirm the new cat-less collecter allows a flame or two to be spat out the side of the car which really satisfies my childlike mind. It also has a pleasingly “parpier” sounds to it without being much louder than the cat-ted setup.
That's it for now as the car is down at Donington awaiting a service next week. I took a chance on Monday when it was sunny and made it down there in the dry.
I don't have a preference over the old or new stripes - they both look good to me. Time will make my mind up.
Cadwell booked in a couple of weeks which I am pretty nervous about.... it looks great fun but very little margin for error. If it's p*ssing it down, I may wuss out and take the Fezzy...
More next time...
573 said:
Oooh, nice work.
Cheers 
Peanut Gallery said:
Epic!
In relation to your first question, - what to do with well worn tyres, - no question, drift them to submission!
There's quite a big yard at work....I'm sure they wont mind.In relation to your first question, - what to do with well worn tyres, - no question, drift them to submission!
nigelpugh7 said:
Sorry could not spend ours breaking your post down, but CC provide a very nice off the shelf kit that would help you mount with those rails!
Plus it has the advantage that it’s nice a low profile and does not stick out to get caught on speed bumps etc!
https://caterhamparts.co.uk/fittings/5903-seat-fix...
Thanks Nigel, although I'm hoping my latest solution will solve the problem.Plus it has the advantage that it’s nice a low profile and does not stick out to get caught on speed bumps etc!
https://caterhamparts.co.uk/fittings/5903-seat-fix...
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