O/T - non Porsche - Caterham

[smallspeed]

I think that "baby" Yamaha engined one would be perfect , however for the money my head would be turned by a ginetta g40 or a Morgan trike I think..

[KS]

/\ /\ The only problem there is that you couldn't get a Ginetta for anything like the money you'd get a good Caterham for. And much though I like the Morgan, I think I'd tire of having to explain to people that a) no it's not an 'original' and b) no, it's not a kit. I love them but don't think it would be a longterm love affair.

But if we all liked the same things, it would be very boring!

[nj1052]

I had a Superlight R in green with a yellow stripe and loved it with overtaking being just like riding a big motor bike i.e instant. But it was a few years old and needed a fair bit of tlc on the chassis mainly because the factory paint is rubbish and falls off. I ended up rebuilding the Rover engine, dry sumping it, fitting and Emerald ECU and new suspension and generally fettling just about everything. There is a whole world of Seven wisdom out there on the Blatchat website:-

https://www.lotus7.club/forum

Cheers

[scalino65]

As an alternative, why dont you get the "real thing" and buy an original Lotus 7?
I have a 1500cc cosworth version. 100bhp, under 500kg and 41/2 inch wheels and is wonderful fun at relatively sensible speeds. Happy to put you in touch with the Historic Lotus boys if its of interest.

not mine, but similar..
cheers
Will

[smallspeed]

/\ /\ The only problem there is that you couldn't get a Ginetta for anything like the money you'd get a good Caterham for. And much though I like the Morgan, I think I'd tire of having to explain to people that a) no it's not an 'original' and b) no, it's not a kit. I love them but don't think it would be a longterm love affair.

But if we all liked the same things, it would be very boring!

G40's are coming in around 17-18k and it wouldn't take much to turn one into a "g40r".. I've seen rebuilt (presumably written off THEN rebuilt) k series Caterham's not far off that money..

[Lightweight_911]

I owned a Caterham Seven for ~ 12 months several years ago - very few road-legal cars can give you the driving experience they are able to provide.

However, I really wanted an original Lotus 7 but they cost more than I wanted to spend at that time so opted for a Caterham model that remained true to Colin Chapman's philosophy of lightness & simplicity allied to nimble handling - I didn't want huge horsepower, wide/ultra grippy low profile tyres, lurid colour schemes, etc.

I ended up with an immaculate low mileage live axle car with ~ 100 bhp - which provided huge fun at sensible speeds:




More recently I'd started looking at 7's again & have now acquired this Coventry Climax-engined car:

[sanjay]

That is awesome !!

Best

Sanjay

[roadiesean]

I also had a polished alloy and green wings one like Lightweight911, Ford crossflow engine and skinny tyres, it was on a Q plate, I bought it from a guy in Manchester who'd built it and never drove it after he got a 911 for a company car soon after ! I bought it 10 years old with 2000 miles from new, scariest drive of my life was home from Manchester to Radlett in pouring rain with no weather cover at all, same level as lorry wheels it was proper scary, but after that, what a blast. Had it pretty much as my daily driver alongside an RSP Cooper S and never drove anywhere without a smile on my face for two years. I couldn't recommend them enough, I never tracked it as it was enough fun on the road, of course more power would have been great as the chassis can take plenty more, but low power and roundabouts with 550kg is still an absolute hoot, it had about 110bhp and was plenty with that weight sideways everywhere and if you were looking around the roundabout through the windscreen you weren't trying hard enough !! It was fantastic and I wish I hadn't sold it (or the RSP come to that !!)

That HPE is a bargain in my opinion, buy it fast or I will !!!!

[Seven]

I had a K Series R300 for several years and it was fantastic fun. As others have said very nimble and direct!

Certainly more than enough power on the roads and possibly even more fun on track days (when I found the time to organise them).

I had both the Porsche and R300 for a year, but ended up selling the Caterham as I felt in the end I couldn't really fully use the power to the extent it deserved on the roads without the possibility of getting into a bit of trouble with the law as you always feel like you should be pushing on! If I had found more time to do track days I might have kept it for longer as it really came more into its own then.

I am hoping that when I get the 912 set up and handling like it was intended to that I will be able to enjoy the handling side of things a bit more safely and able to get out and use it properly more often.

[911hillclimber]

The spec of car Andy had must be the ideal for the 7?
The roads are just too full today, and performance modern cars are becoming irrelevant imho, but such a 7 would be a cure for this when you do eventually find a road with space and not one with every speed limit in the Highway Code in a mile.

I'm with Graham R about the builder.
If worried just have it inspected by a specialist.

I'm currently wondering about selling my Boxster for something completely different, something 1930's or something like this topic that will give a different experience.
For me a 7 has to have clam shell front wings!

If you are worried about a crunch, fit a motorsport cage.

[Goodwood]

The spec of car Andy had must be the ideal for the 7?
The roads are just too full today, and performance modern cars are becoming irrelevant imho,
.

Couldn't agree more, such a shame but sports cars are pretty much a waste of time around here unless you are just into polishing them and looking at them!

[hot66]

You should move up to North Yorkshire , County Durham , Northumberland .... We're lucky to have the best roads in England for sports / Performance cars

[911hillclimber]

You are In a rare spot James.
Locally, I can get anywhere as quickly in my Skoda.
Or even in my wife's iQ....

[smallspeed]

I was reading about the new m5 last week with 600 bhp or whatever and I was totally underwhelmed by the prospect of yet another monster grip / monster power car.. I went to London and brought a 130bhp 2.0 straight six with squishy tyres and nimble steering as an antidote

[sng45]

I also had a polished alloy and green wings one like Lightweight911, Ford crossflow engine and skinny tyres, it was on a Q plate, I bought it from a guy in Manchester who'd built it and never drove it after he got a 911 for a company car soon after ! I bought it 10 years old with 2000 miles from new, scariest drive of my life was home from Manchester to Radlett in pouring rain with no weather cover at all, same level as lorry wheels it was proper scary, but after that, what a blast. Had it pretty much as my daily driver alongside an RSP Cooper S and never drove anywhere without a smile on my face for two years. I couldn't recommend them enough, I never tracked it as it was enough fun on the road, of course more power would have been great as the chassis can take plenty more, but low power and roundabouts with 550kg is still an absolute hoot, it had about 110bhp and was plenty with that weight sideways everywhere and if you were looking around the roundabout through the windscreen you weren't trying hard enough !! It was fantastic and I wish I hadn't sold it (or the RSP come to that !!)

That HPE is a bargain in my opinion, buy it fast or I will !!!!

Going for a test drive on Saturday !