thinking of doing the academy
Discussion
Since I find it difficult despite my years to sensibly control my right foot on the roads I'm thinking of selling the road car and doing the Caterham academy. The intention would be not to road register the car but to trailer it.
Anyway, I would appreciate some advice from posters who have been through the academy. I'm relaxed about building the car - good winter project in retirement. But I'm getting on a bit at age 67 so I am less sure how long I will want to continue the racing side. So my two main questions are:
1/ what sort of a market is there for ex academy cars and at what sort of prices?
2/ what sort of motorsport is on offer to academy cars after the academy year?
Anyway, I would appreciate some advice from posters who have been through the academy. I'm relaxed about building the car - good winter project in retirement. But I'm getting on a bit at age 67 so I am less sure how long I will want to continue the racing side. So my two main questions are:
1/ what sort of a market is there for ex academy cars and at what sort of prices?
2/ what sort of motorsport is on offer to academy cars after the academy year?
I'm doing it this year so ask me in 12 months!
Academy cars seem to make about £14k - £15k if they are in good shape, quite a good buy for someone looking for a first car I reckon. People who do the Academy can obviously choose to stay in the official Caterham ladder and go to Roadsports but some go to grads or take up sprinting instead, and I'm sure there are all sorts of other options.
The Academy does make quite a cheap route into Caterham ownership, but to compete reasonably well does make the cost add up a lot. I've put a fair bit about it on my blog site www.sevenracing.co.uk have a browse.
Academy cars seem to make about £14k - £15k if they are in good shape, quite a good buy for someone looking for a first car I reckon. People who do the Academy can obviously choose to stay in the official Caterham ladder and go to Roadsports but some go to grads or take up sprinting instead, and I'm sure there are all sorts of other options.
The Academy does make quite a cheap route into Caterham ownership, but to compete reasonably well does make the cost add up a lot. I've put a fair bit about it on my blog site www.sevenracing.co.uk have a browse.
Come and race in the Caterham Graduates Racing Club! Alternatively, do the Academy and then come and race your standard Academy car in Sigma Graduates the next year- you'll only need to remove the windscreen, fit Yokohama tyres and a rear anti-roll bar (optional).
www.graduates.org.uk
Grads will cost less and you'll get several times more racing time (albeit without the sprints and hillclimbs)
www.graduates.org.uk
Grads will cost less and you'll get several times more racing time (albeit without the sprints and hillclimbs)
Academy car does indeed have to be registered and taxed, but you don't have to drive it to the events. I drove to all the sprints and one of the races, but trailered the rest.
Don't expect to want to sell the car at the end of the year though :P It's highly addictive, and the next seasons upgrades always seem like such a good idea!
At 67, you wouldn't be alone in that age bracket. There are a good few men of leisure in the various Caterham Championships, and the grid would be a poorer place without them. It's part of the fun and diverse cross section that makes the racing such great fun. No matter what your ability, you'll always find someone to race against.
If you're genuinely interested, I'd highly recommend coming along to one of the races and saying hello to this years lot, Jenny Grace (Championship Coordinator) and Simon Lambert (Motorsport Manager).
Alternatively, as others have said, if you fancy going straight in to racing, the Graduates club offer a great way in, and if you chat to Caterham, you can usually enter Roadsport or Tracksport directly if there's space (which there usually is!).
Don't expect to want to sell the car at the end of the year though :P It's highly addictive, and the next seasons upgrades always seem like such a good idea!
At 67, you wouldn't be alone in that age bracket. There are a good few men of leisure in the various Caterham Championships, and the grid would be a poorer place without them. It's part of the fun and diverse cross section that makes the racing such great fun. No matter what your ability, you'll always find someone to race against.
If you're genuinely interested, I'd highly recommend coming along to one of the races and saying hello to this years lot, Jenny Grace (Championship Coordinator) and Simon Lambert (Motorsport Manager).
Alternatively, as others have said, if you fancy going straight in to racing, the Graduates club offer a great way in, and if you chat to Caterham, you can usually enter Roadsport or Tracksport directly if there's space (which there usually is!).
Plenty of people on here have been through it, including me
There are cheaper ways of going racing but the all novices together aspect and the brand new car make it a great option
Put your name down, you wont't regret it
Or buy a second hand race car and jump it at the deep end. I've got a driver making a racing comeback (after 40 years) who's definitely in your age bracket
There are cheaper ways of going racing but the all novices together aspect and the brand new car make it a great option
Put your name down, you wont't regret it
Or buy a second hand race car and jump it at the deep end. I've got a driver making a racing comeback (after 40 years) who's definitely in your age bracket
BraddersCat7 said:
Grubbster may tell you otherwise but I thought Academy needed to be road registered as they need to go through an IVA.
I bought an ex-Academy / Roadsport B by the way. Has a great history file and I love it to bits.
You can go through an IVA without then road registering it. I know this sounds daft, but if its available for use on the roads, I will use it on the roads and no doubt drive it altogether too fast on the roads. So part of the idea is to drive it on circuits only where at least the traffic is one way and you wont hammer round a blind bend to find someone's kiddie playing in the road.I bought an ex-Academy / Roadsport B by the way. Has a great history file and I love it to bits.
If it has to be registered with number plate and taxed etc then I'm not interested.
As per the 2012 regulations :
5.2 GENERAL DESCRIPTION
The 2012 Caterham Academy is a one make racing series for competitors participating in 1.6 Ford Sigma engine
powered Caterham Sevens specifically produced for the 2012 Caterham Academy Series in road going form to a
controlled specification. No modifications whatsoever are allowed from the basic specification except those
described below.
All cars must comply with “Construction and Use” regulations in every way. Competitors should be prepared to
produce registration documents at scrutineering.
5.2 GENERAL DESCRIPTION
The 2012 Caterham Academy is a one make racing series for competitors participating in 1.6 Ford Sigma engine
powered Caterham Sevens specifically produced for the 2012 Caterham Academy Series in road going form to a
controlled specification. No modifications whatsoever are allowed from the basic specification except those
described below.
All cars must comply with “Construction and Use” regulations in every way. Competitors should be prepared to
produce registration documents at scrutineering.
bordseye said:
Spoke to Caterham. |They said that the car must not only go through SVA but must also be road registered. On that basis I'm not interested.
So you wouldn't just not drive it then? Is it possible you have less self-control than me? 
There must be lots of places to go racing without a road legal car. What about formula V? http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/motorsport/... I think the bloke selling it is a decent chap too!
There's always an SR1/SR4 in the Radical world!
BErt
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