Which '7' type car to buy...

[Creamcracker]

Hi all

I suspect I'm resurrecting a well-worn topic here; looking for a Seven type car so obviously started looking at Caterhams.
Quickly became obvious that you pay a hefty premium over other non- Caterham brands which is understandable given that they are the genuine article, Lotus heritage, support network, club stuff etc. And good residuals which is important as I will need to sell it one day and not lose a fortune.
Budget £12-14K, want a nice looking car, post-2000 (year), proven good handling, 150+ bhp, properly 'sorted' car.
Had a drive in a Kawasaki 1000 engined MAC the other day which was a manic screamer and just brilliant (but the owner couldn't recommend them as a company).
Road use plus track days and maybe the odd sprint or hill climb.
Opinions on MK Indy, MAC, Tiger R6, MNR Vortx ?

[Equus]

Creamcracker said:

Opinions on MK Indy, MAC, Tiger R6, MNR Vortx ?

Of that list, MNR Vortx.

I'd also suggest looking at the Sylva/RAW Striker/Phoenix, which is dynamically better than any of those currently on your list

[Birky_41]

I agree on the mac bit as I also had one. A type 9r to be exact. It was one of their light builds with carbon everything running a digidash, savage switches, toyo 888s, uprated performance calipers, gaz shocks you name it

Engine was the 918 which was quick enough although not spectacular. Was quoted just a touch over 300 brake per tonne given the weight of it

I wouldn't recommend mac though. Had issues and they were slow to deal with things, expensive at times and you'd badger them to get something done (I'm talking weeks, into months) and when done if you didn't collect within a week they charged you storage

I would if buying again go mnr or mk

I'm very much for bec as its frantic and agile although cec with the right lump can be really good fun

[Creamcracker]

Thanks for that chaps. Hadn't thought of the Sylva - drove a Fry some years ago at Castle Comb and although underpowered, was sweet to drive.
BTW, what is cec?

[Creamcracker]

Thanks for that chaps. Hadn't thought of the Sylva - drove a Fry some years ago at Castle Comb and although underpowered, was sweet to drive.
BTW, what is cec?

[Creamcracker]

I don't disagree that there must be a lot of 'sheds' out there not as well designed and not engineered as well as a proper Caterham, but surely there are well designed and executed cars too? A well put together Westie should be a good car?
I accept that any car, be it a real Caterham or not, needs to properly checked before trusting one's life in it.

[soad]

Shame that Westfield SEight is no longer produced.

[Toltec]

Creamcracker said:

Thanks for that chaps. Hadn't thought of the Sylva - drove a Fry some years ago at Castle Comb and although underpowered, was sweet to drive.
BTW, what is cec?

Car engined car, otherwise known as a car, backronym'd from Bike Engined Car by people that obviously cannot have enough TLAs in their lives.

[anonymous-user]

I have a Caterham, a Locost and a Sylva, My choice is the Sylva, but it was professionally built to my spec, The suspension on the locost is compromised by its design/source, I use it as a cheap track day car. Caterhams are more consistent not better, I've not physically looked at a car in the flesh to buy in years, but looking at adverts I'm amazed what you can get for the money from a Sylvia, you just need to check its well put together, I'd look for a well constructed basic car and leave money aside to improve to your spec, my Sylva runs 720BHP/T, easy and cheap to get 400
I also had a ZXR900 fantastic bike, eats cars but the correct place for that engine is in a Kwasak chassi.

[Creamcracker]

Thank you Berw, that's interesting and correlates with what I've heard elsewhere (i.e. Caterhams are generally more consistent). There's Striker for sale in Holland which looks, well, striking! https://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/...

[Frankthered]

Creamcracker said:

Thank you Berw, that's interesting and correlates with what I've heard elsewhere (i.e. Caterhams are generally more consistent). There's Striker for sale in Holland which looks, well, striking! https://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/...

You might get more joy and a few more helpful comments (like Berw's) if you post this in the Kit Car section, or even get onto Locostbuilders.co.uk, which isn't just about Locosts!

You can get a really, really nice car for your budget - if it were me, I'd probably be looking at Westfields, but others know these cars better than me.

I do believe that, while Sylva/Raw Strikers are very capable, they are a little on the small side, so it might be worth checking if you fit before you commit to one!

[autofocus]

Hi there,

I would seriously urge you to take a look at GBS (Great British Sportscars).

http://www.greatbritishsportscars.co.uk/

I spent quite a bit of time looking at various ‘7’ type cars before settling on GBS. For me the thing that clinched them as the people I was going to spend my money with was the engineering, it’s superb.

I have spent 18mths building mine and all being well should have it on the road in about 2 weeks.

I’ve gone quite a bit over your budget but I reckon you could get a car built for the money you have to spend or maybe find a decent used one.

Here’s mine.



Regards

Tim

[livinginasia]

I have owned two Tigers, one an R6. Excellent cars and well made, don’t believe the nonsense that they aren’t.

[Creamcracker]

Thanks Autofocus/Tim, that is a gorgeous looking car, I love the colour scheme. I have just looked at GBS website, they seem very credible and the proportions of the car look just right. What engine does yours have?

Have thought of Tiger too, they're quite close to me (Cambridge/Ely) so might go and have a look at their set-up. I do wonder whether the people who slate everything non Caterham are looking through rose tinted glasses....

[T0MMY]

I've got a very early Vortx so considerably less trick than the newer ones, 540kgs and only 122bhp R1 engine. It's definitely more agricultural than a Caterham but will happily lap faster than the Caterham academy and roadsport cars which are similar power:weight so it's definitely a cheaper way to get the performance (no doubt the sequential box helps). Not sure I'd recommend a bike engined car unless it's mainly for track use but they do an MX5 based version now which is surprisingly cheap as a built car! That said however, spend 13k on a caterham and it'll be worth 13k in 2 years time. Not sure you could say that about an MNR or any of the other clones.

[T0MMY]

Toltec said:

Car engined car, otherwise known as a car, backronym'd from Bike Engined Car by people that obviously cannot have enough TLAs in their lives.

BEC is an initialism, not an acronym, so technically it would be a TLI

[anonymous-user]

I looked at that Dutch advert, you haven't said what you want the car, for, track days, road, but for that money in a Sylva I'd be looking at an IRS car not a live axil especially for 12k which is stong money.
My Sylva was originally built to run a atlas axil and a getrag 5 speed, transmission tunnel on my car is wider than slandered, (Built that way by Jeremy Phillips). I designed my own IRs for it and had a new 'rear' chassis fabricated. The IRS car is quicker, wiht a light blackbird engine up front and a heavy live axil I'd have a good look at corner weights,

[T0MMY]

That Dutch Sylvia has been on sale for at least a year, I think I may even have seen it the year before too, if not the year before that!

[Toltec]

T0MMY said:

Toltec said:

Car engined car, otherwise known as a car, backronym'd from Bike Engined Car by people that obviously cannot have enough TLAs in their lives.

BEC is an initialism, not an acronym, so technically it would be a TLI

I've generally used the rule that if it is a pronouncible word, near enough, it is an acronym and otherwise an abbreviation, TLA in either case.

[Creamcracker]

Toltec said:

T0MMY said:

Toltec said:

Car engined car, otherwise known as a car, backronym'd from Bike Engined Car by people that obviously cannot have enough TLAs in their lives.

BEC is an initialism, not an acronym, so technically it would be a TLI

I've generally used the rule that if it is a pronouncible word, near enough, it is an acronym and otherwise an abbreviation, TLA in either case.

Well I'm glad that's all cleared up then.
Thanks peeps, all helpful info (well, mostly!).