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  1. Does anyone have any details of a good oil filter for a 1.8l K Series? I wondered if there was any upgrade or if anyone has had a good experience with any particular manufacturers?

    If anyone has any advise I'd be glad to hear from you,

    Cheers

    Mike

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    So, not 100% sure how all this works, but thought I'd give it a go anyways!

    New Year, new car, new excitement to come. Thought I'd start to keep a bit of a diary of my year so to speak. So here we are in January, having had the 7 tucked up over winter. Going to try and get out as often as possible when weather permits. Spent the last few weeks with the car tucked up, on stands, trying to get to know her a little better. Nothing really done other than checking nuts and bolts, levels, adding a little grease and copperslip to where I thought it needed to be...........and maybe a little bit of polishing too. All seems as it should be.

    First run out at the weekend, nowhere in particular, just some time behind the wheel - fairly short (30 mins or so) as it was COLD and still a little slippery as a result. Haven't got used to the point where power overcomes traction and the rear wheels light up. Not something I particularly enjoy as yet to be honest (hoping to do some track days to get accustomed to that). Track day tyres, light car, decent power are new to me.....want to drive within my capability (which will be far below that of the car) and slowly work up to what the car can do (appreciative of the fact that I'll never do that until on a track) so meaning spirited but sensible driving on the roads.

    Couple of bits I have done and am pleased with (and thanks to the forum for the advice) is sorted a leak on the collector from the exhaust primary and tweaked the settings on my dampers - seemingly successful on both counts, though am going to experiment with the suspension to get a feel for different settings (25 settings on rears and 23 on front and I've started bang in the middle).

    Planning on more trips out as often as possible, going to try to get a go pro or similar to record some and also planning on a local club blat in March and Rockingham Novice Track Day in April.

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    The last blat of the year, and I was ready for it even if the weather wasn’t. I had my foul weather kit on, I’d checked the fluid levels and topped up the oil. I donned waterproof gloves, furry "keep my ears warm" hat, wiped the aeroscreen clear and started up.

    Putting on my harness caused the rain god to laugh and then cry very heavily over the village and on me specifically. Muttering "If you can't take a joke, you shouldn't have joined" I set off in the rain and under the disapproving eye of my daughter. Quote "You're not invincible, you know" - as if I didn't.

    It wasn't too bad until approaching Whiddon Down when a combination of a passing truck and a simultaneous switch into storm mode "Hail" saw me loose my hat and a good deal of my remaining goodwill to all men. I stopped at Whiddon Down bus stop to unpack and don my helmet. The hail promptly filled the car and covered me in ice. I may have given the driver and the passengers in the bus that stopped opposite me something to talk about that evening, but somehow that was no consolation.

    I pressed on, conscious that the road and weather conditions were playing merry harry with my route timings, as indeed the melting hail soaking into my clothing did to my sense of comfort and well-being. I have a native son's love of the red soil of Devon - but not when it is mixed copiously with water and spread in random puddles and minor floods on Devon's narrow high hedged lanes. Splashing the sides and wings of the Seven, yes: covering my right arm and body, check, but pink water running down my visor? This is not what I understand about seeing the world through rose-tinted glasses!

    As I approached our meeting place I began - fool that I am - to cheer up at the thought I had nearly made it, and would soon join others with the same kind of approach to "enjoyment", and a chance to escape the storm showers for a while. First, Hubris, then Nemesis follows. It caught up with me at a junction.

    The Seven just stopped. Zero, nil, zilch, nowt, null, nothing. The engine turned over like a jet turbine winding up, but again nothing. A kind chap on a Kawasaki stopped and helped me to push the car to a safe off-road location, before apologising that he could not help me further, other than pointing out where I might get a hot drink in my time of need.

    I tried, unsuccessfully, the various things that sprang to mind before giving up and calling the RAC. They were very busy, but responded, I thought, very quickly, and the helpful engineer who turned up apologised for not being more familiar with the Seven, before telling me how impressed he had been when being shown around the CC plant when a much younger man. He diagnosed a fuel pump failure, and arranged for recovery back to my local garage. This turned up about two hours after I first started thinking about hypothermia, and my shivering fits started crowding together for company.

    The recovery vehicle driver was first class. He greeted me by saying that I looked frozen, and that when he had been told it was a Caterham Seven he was rescuing had put his vehicle heater on full. Out of the rain and the wind I was luxuriating in the cab when my 'phone rang,and my local garage chap told me he was away for the weekend! I just hoped that one of the workshops in the small industrial estate was open, and was fortunate to have a neighbouring garage take it under cover. The recovery driver offered to drive me home, but he was well into overtime, with a long way to go home, so I walked to the Wolborough Inn, had Tim pour me a pint, and 'phoned for a taxi.

    My luck of the day continued. "Twenty minutes" said the taxi firm. "Great!" I thought, settling into a local paper and my pint at the same time "I can make a pint last twenty minutes if I have to".

    Ten minutes later my 'phone bleeped to announce my taxi was at the door. I grabbed my helmet bag, outer-layer fleece, water-proof jacket and game bag, downed my pint, and jumped into the taxi.

    Home at last, undressed and with a hot bath running, my home ‘phone rang – I had left my mobile ‘phone in the pub...

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    I have a 'single minded' rev counter. It may decide to work, there again it may not!! Tried various forms of 'encouragement' but to no avail. Suspect a dry joint, unless someone has a miracle suggestion?

    Jeff.

  2. Hello L7Cers,

    My name is David Poole and I am the new owner of a 2005 CSR 260.  Well, six months owner.  

    Recently my thoughts kept drifting back to the Lotus 6 (1498 Laystall-Ford) that I owned when I joined the RN.  It had a hood, but no side-screens or heater, and I loved it dearly.  I drove it from the Britannia Royal Naval College, with my kit stuffed into the passenger seat, to my next posting, where I crashed it.  But I had another Lotus 6 (1466 XPEG Laystall-MG) some years later, and then a Seven (1500 Crossflow) – all road cars.

    I live in Weymouth, work from home and in London, so it was not much of a stretch to get the train to Caterham at Gatwick.  They had a lot of nice cars, and let me drive a somewhat ratty 420R demonstrator.  But I was not totally sold, and so I arranged a drive in a new 420R and new-ish 420S at Williams in Bristol.  Now this was interesting, since the 420R had a six speed gearbox.  But although I liked the R – and the six-speed - quite a lot (but did not like the S much) somehow I was still not bonded to either car.  And then I saw that Chapman Cars in Kent had a 2005 CSR for sale.  Now I have always thought that the CSR was the pinnacle of Caterham engineering, and had been looking for one for some time.  How CC managed to produce such a sophisticated car was a mystery to me, and why they stopped making if after a few years was an equal mystery.  But I could not resist… so I put down a deposit, arranged the train tickets, was collected at the station by Anthony Paine, and had a test drive.  In the rain… and that, as they say, was that.  And this blog is an attempt to document my progress, and also solicit advice from you chaps who are clearly more experienced with these cars than I.

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    And this is it… a 2005 CSR 260.  Many owners, 20,000 Miles, built as a knockdown CSR 200 (kit) car, converted to a 260 by Caterham in 2007 with a 260 engine and six speed gearbox, and a Quaife ATB in 2008 when it had its first MOT.  It has a very comprehensive service history and is in wonderful – almost like new - condition, but although the paint was great it was jolly dirty in the cockpit despite Chapman’s best efforts.  When I test drove it the diff whined a bit, but it was nothing to complain about.  After the high speed run down the M3 to Weymouth it was a different story, and it was howling like a banshee and had a lot of freeplay by the time I arrived.  I initially thought that this was going to be a case of caveat emptor, since I could not imagine anyone being sympathetic to a Caterham owner complaining about a noisy diff (!).  I was considering pulling it out and getting it rebuilt myself, but I thought that some advice from Anthony and Damien at Chapman would be useful… and the response was quite outstanding.  They insisted that I brought the car back to them and let them have it rebuilt by Road and Race – and I then called Philip at R&R and after a chat he found a 3.14 CWP that he had in stock and he fitted that, new bearings and seals, and rebuilt it.  He said that many of the original 3.48s had been manufactured by Hewland for racing and they were not too concerned about noise.  It also had no preload…. But the rebuilt unit is totally quiet, the freeplay has gone, the ratio is ideal, and you can only hear a whisper from the ATB on corners when you have the sidescreens off.  Philip clearly knows what he is doing.

    I put this table together in Excel to see what the ratios look like in practice – and this is with the standard CR500 245/40R15 rear tires at 896 revolutions/mile.  Max power is at 7500 and max rpm is 7800, and you can see what a beautiful set of ratios these are for this car.

    Speed in gears    RPM    Final    Tyre R/Mile    1    2    3    4    5    6
        1000    3.14    896    8    11    13    16    19    21
        2000            16    21    27    32    38    43
        3000            24    32    40    48    57    64
        4000            32    42    54    65    75    85
        5000            40    53    67    81    94    107
        6000            48    64    80    97    113    128
        7000            55    74    94    113    132    149
        7500            59    80    101    121    142    160
        7800            62    83    105    126    147    166
                                        
    Ratios                2.69    2.01    1.59    1.32    1.13    1.00
    Percentage change                    -34    -26    -20    -17    -13
                                        
    Next gear RPM at 7500 change                5604    5933    6226    6420    6637    
    Next gear RPM at 7800 change                5828    6170    6475    6677    6903    


    Sine then I have rebuilt the front suspension – I thought one of the Heim joints was rattling, but after I replaced them all it turned out to be the lower steering column hitting one of the exhaust primaries.  But I did discover that one of the steering rack gaiters was torn and the rack slightly rusted, so I replaced it with the high ratio “race” rack, which turned out to be the same 2.0 turns lock to lock as the original.  I thought it was going to be around 1.6, but a chat with Darren at CC parts cleared up that misapprehension.  I also replaced the lower column, which was getting a bit ratty, and had not realized that the lower column sets the end-play in the upper column, which was grinding against the horn button slip ring.  So this turned out to be the proverbial “n birds with one stone” deal.  At the same time I swapped the original Momo 300 mm Team steering wheel for a 320 mm Jet, since the 300 mm wheel made the indicator and light stalks (I have the integrated cockpit) stick out like Ross Perot’s ears.  As they say…

    And over the summer – when I was grounded since the builders were in – I pulled the exhaust off and had it media (Aluminium oxide and the glass bead) blasted, and insulated the primaries with titanium wrap; replaced the windscreen, which had some dings; fitted a set of weather equipment from Thundersports (the car had never had any); and compounded and polished it with my random orbital polisher.  

    And then I tackled the on/off throttle transition problem that had plagued me – more or less – since I bought the car.  It was always easy to promote a kangaroo hiccup if I was not extremely smooth in applying throttle, and I managed to compensate somewhat by pressing my foot against the side of the cockpit.  In the past I had improved idle quality by changing to Iridium plugs, so I decided to try them in my CSR.  And the results were pretty amusing – they irritated the car immensely, and it became almost undriveable.  So I swapped them back to the originals and thought about it for a couple of days.  Now the plugs were pretty black, but Damien said that the Cosworth engines typically run rich.  But there is rich and rich, and I came to the conclusion that the ECU was running open loop and that probably the Lamba sensor was not – well – sensing.  So I replaced it with a Bosch equivalent, and after 100 miles or so I presumed that the trim maps had been updated and the engine settled down to a very civilized behavior.  So I put in the Iridium (TR7IX) plugs again, and it became even better, and now the transition problems have gone and it is a delight to drive.
    Next year I plan to refinish the wheels since they are losing the paint on the inner tears 9but I am not sure about the color – originall or body colour, that is the Question), and replace the tires. I think I will stick to CR500s since they were designed for the car and I am not enthusiastic about modifying the front mudguards to take the larger section ZZS.  And I am going to get the gearbox rebuilt when I investigate the rattle in reverse, which I think is the clutch.  And that is about it, apart from bonnet stripes and a shift light – but I am unsure about the seats, which are not (quite) a pair, and I have been thinking about the Thundersports GT seats and would welcome comments on the choice.

    So my conclusions?  Chapman cars are a truly excellent company, and I have no hesitation in recommending them without hesitation.  And the CSR?  Pure magic.  Great ride, wonderful feedback, more power than you (usually) need, best engine and gearbox ever, outstanding brakes and roadholding.  I am bonded.

  3. Thanks to Martin Phipps I have discovered that my Seven was originally build at the end of 2004 with Academy specification and the Roadsport B upgrade. First registration was on 01.11.2004. Probably for competition in the season 2005.

    Still looking for pictures of the original specification, Academy race cars, with following options:

    - Academy 16 K Series (EU3) with uprated valve caps

    - triple pass radiator

    - full painted in Caterham yellow

    - black pack

    - black-silver KN Minator alloys with Avon CR500 tyres

    ​- rear ARB

    - plumbed in fire extinguisher

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    Hi I have had this Caterham for 12 months and finally joined the club. I am trying to find out the history if any for this car. We think it came from Ireland and it belonged possibly to Edmund Irvine senior father of Eddie Irvine. It then ended up in Yorkshire we think. It was possibly used in Sprints and Hill Climbs.                            Any help would be great. Think the car may have been blue in the past and fitted with mudguards at the front.

     

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  4. Looking for a replacement nearside mirror for my 2005 140SV.  Really need bracket and mirror due to corrosion of bolts.  Would consider changing both if compatible and don't want to split, or advice as to where I could source.  Many thanks.

  5. OliverSedlacek
    Latest Entry

    A perennial gripe of Seven ownership is a lack of creature comforts. I'm not looking for GT levels of luxury, but not taking the car out on a lovely summer day because of cockpit heat is not ideal. I made a custom heater/blower a while back and I'm trying to upgrade it with more powerful fans. I'll post more as the project progresses, but here's a photo of the frame with its new flap motorisation. The fans bolt either side and suck air from the footwells. From the main body the air is then either expelled through the bonnet if you want cooling (flap position as per photo) or blows through the heater matrix and comes out under the dash.

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    A quick intro, what does au-yt stand for, its critic, Whitey "yt" is my nick name and hey you,"au" is a classic Aussie term even if it's a bit non PC. And au is the Internet reference to Australia.. OK your bored now ..

    Back to why I decided to get a 7, loved these for years and now I'm retired and have far to much time on my hands and can now spend more time with grown up toys. When I moved from Sydney I met two guys with brand new Morgan's and I thought it's about time I got a 7 to chase them around the local roads.

    I also wanted a basic car no computers barking Webers, and 30 years old, for cheap local rego.

    After a few phone calls I put a wanted add in the local Lotus club mag for a  S2 S3 7 needing TLC. Bingo 

    I got a call from a guy who, sadly was clearing his estate due to terminal cancer and wanted his 1985 Caterham 7 to go to a good home. I bought an Elan Sprint from another terminally ill person only 4 years before, scary.

    Enough of that history, the car is a Australian kit built long cockpit car, originally with a 1600 push Rod , replaced in 92 by an Elan plus 2 motor, and a late Twin Cam head. Due to the guys illness it has been sitting for a while and when he started it I suspect has a broken ring gland ( leaking head gasket maybe), as it is running but there is a Gail from the cam cover. The rest of the car is in quite reasonable condition. And only has a reasonably history file, nice for 32year old Caterham.

    I collected the car parked it at home and am now on holidays in Norway..and am having my garage extended so I have some decent toy room, after all there was never a garage built big enough.

    The picture isnt that great but I will start with just one.

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  6. When I went to the caterham show room it was full of amazing caterhams, from the fastest to the slowest, plus a 21 a f1 car a clay model of the caterham/alpine car plus track cars

    i tried not to look at the faster cars as I knew I had a very limited budget

    the salesmen (James Wilson) came over and after a discussion explaining my situation he showed the one in my budget. He did try to get me to spend more, with the 3 next cheapest cars, but i stuck to my guns, telling myself just to be happy that your getting a caterham at all.

    James did say that the car won't go down in value any more and that if anything the value will go up , but I took that as salesman talk and guaranteed if I needed to sell it I would get far less for it

    So the one I chose was a 1999 k-series 1.6 roadsport 120 with 35000 on the clock, which was standard except for a track day rear roll bar (with a added diagonal bar) and a removable steering wheel

    I was like a kid at Christmas, I was so excited, but I did have in the back of my mind it might be not as fast as I hoped. I did hire a caterham roadsport 140 about 20years ago and that was just about the minimum right speed I wanted, so I was concerned a 120 roadsport would be to slow.

    i agreed to buy the car on the proviso that when I came to collect it I could test drive it first to see if it was fast enough. So I paid a deposit. James said it would take a week to service, mot, and check the car over. In that week I had an email from James saying it was all done, they had to replace the Dion tube as there was a hairline crack. 

    So I rolled up one Saturday later, James sat me in the car , explained all the controls and we went for a test drive. I had forgotten how amazing just driving a caterham is. I couldn't stop smiling and the speed thing didn't seem to matter anymore. I did give it a couple of boots down the dual carriageways and though while it's not tear your face off fast it was scare my wife fast, which I thought will do.

    so we got back, I agreed to buy it, I paid the money, James taxed the car online, I had already insured the car in the week with the caterham recommended one £235 ( including 5 track days). James gave me the history, service book etc. Plus a £150 vouch for a track day, plus membership of the lotus7 club

    It was then mine. It was a bucket list moment, very surreal, it didn't feel right, things like this don't happen to me - this must be the feeling you get when you win the lottery 

     

  7. Hi. My Name is Masatoshi Sampei. 

    I am a Japanese member of Lotus Seven Club.

    I have a 1.4 liter K engine Seven(’95). I bought it in 2000.

    I have traveled to Hokkaido (island in the north of Japan) from July to August. I'll show you a photo of the tooling to you.

    <Ferry to hokkaido>

    001_IMG_3407.JPG.8dcd3050cbe2dec5cace40b87f761938.JPG

    I went by ferry to Hokkaido from Niigata. It was a cruise of about 17 hours.

     

    <In the ferry>

    002_DSC_4119.JPG.39f641c75fc586d62ac907e959d0c0e9.JPG

     

    <In the ferry>

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    <Arrived in Hokkaido>

    004_IMG_3442.JPG.fc3a024b14148ca8c59b18557e14d8cf.JPG

    I arrived Otaru in Hokkaido early in the morning. I drove Hokkaido in a pleasant morning.

     

    <Mt. Yotei and my Seven>

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    I went to Dam Lake and ate delicious curry.

    <Houheikyo Dam>

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    <Delicious curry made by Indian people>

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    I went to the museum in Sapporo, a big city. I went to the museum in Sapporo,

    <Elephants were in ancient Hokkaido>

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    <A clay made by a person 3200 years ago (a national treasure but it is a replica)>

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    I stayed at Asahikawa in the central part of Hokkaido.

    <Delicious beer and grilled chicken dinner>

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    The next day I moved to Nukabira and saw a concrete bridge sinking in the dam lake. Concrete bridge shows in the summer because of drought.

    <View from Mikuni Pass>

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    <Taushubetsu bridge>

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    It is said that this bridge will collapse soon.

     

    <It is not a Roman aqueduct :D>

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    The foods in Hokkaido are very tasty. Marine products, vegetables, dairy products, meat...

    <Butadon (Pork bowl)>

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    I also love to go to the art museum.

    <Aihara Kyuichiro Museum of Art>

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    Aihara's painting expresses the landscape of Hokkaido very well. Unfortunately photography is prohibited in the inside.

    The next day I moved to Kitami and had a meal with my friend.There was not much pictures left because it rained.

    <Obihiro Parking>

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    <Kitami's Shopping Mall>

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    The next day I moved to Teshikaga and stayed for 3 nights. Teshikaga is a town with two famous lakes in Japan, "Mashu" and "Kussharo", and it is in a very convenient location to go around East Hokkaido.

    <Kussyaro Genya Youth Guest House>

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    <Dinner at this hostel is also delicious>

    020_IMG_3859.JPG.5d6da75a3e3fccf5882c02d87e0c7df0.JPG

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    In East Hokkaido I watched sand spit and moors. The weather has been cloudy all the time.

     

    <Lake Mashu>

    022_DSC_4514.JPG.c136930b41dc731d4a5eeb23fdfaef4e.JPG

     

    <Kaiyodai Observatory>

    023_DSCN5444.JPG.902698d63ae3e46dc7fabdf7d49e9d0a.JPG

     

    <The wild deer which is in the sand spit>

    024_DSC_4536.JPG.9aa872fd492c89ca06a4c37eff459697.JPG

     

    <Todowara (pine trees of dead)>

    025_DSC_4716.JPG.b638aad00b104f8645f0c1b6b620156a.JPG

     

    <Hokkaido is similar to England's countryside>

    026_DSCN5522.JPG.3d66cc9f12fbedec4e8aa2f54bcef55f.JPG

     

    <Marinade of appetizer>

    027_IMG_3988.JPG.d91093a711291551e4c7417ff4c2cbbc.JPG

     

    <Shunkunitai(wetland)>

    028_DSC_4784.JPG.046cfd12fcb22e40931e2c997725d3f7.JPG

     

    <Lonesome landscape>

    029_DSC_4803.JPG.782c617fb7d992c1649191a01ea48a74.JPG

     

    <Influence of the high tide>

    030_DSC_4818.JPG.0d0605d7c46fa1dbef7d712a36457761.JPG

     

    <Deer and waterfowl>

    031_DSC_4870.JPG.ac39a4150ecf3c95fc3deb19bcc2598d.JPG

     

    <Japanese red-crowned cranes>

    032_DSC_4927.JPG.4d19826ce617acaf5ec9873ad38e8a79.JPG

     

    <The way from the town to the city is also fun>

    033_DSCN5681.JPG.851865777ee0c2ed38eb1fed256e0438.JPG

     

    <Friend's restaurant>

    034_IMG_4053.JPG.8fd5e3327b6221309d0378acc68c951f.JPG

     

    <To the hostel!>

    035_DSCN5700.JPG.148714941b8504cffb8c0a3594f8ff2d.JPG

     

    I left the hostel, crossed Hokkaido, headed to Yoichi. Yoichi is a famous city in the distillery of whiskey. Do you know Nikka Whiskey?

    <Interesting tunnel>

    037_DSCN5752.JPG.ba34fda7aafe1b771791296cde284e4e.JPG

     

    <Distillery>

    038_DSC_5034.JPG.32ef0443cdea8b9b985f8b3443d2d2b7.JPG

     

    <The pot still is under construction>

    039_DSC_5044.JPG.bd0b56cf5aa8ac4d02cf0ee17ee4b9d6.JPG

     

    <Warehouse of barrels>

    040_DSC_5066.JPG.77cde34103bc014e8a35e0ab11173474.JPG

     

    <Kaisendon(rice bowl topped with seafood)>

    041_IMG_4136.JPG.f46c2c3a2df7b737b8d0f708fe73816c.JPG

     

    I went to Mukawa on the last day. The fossil of the big dinosaur appeared recently in Mukawa.

    <This is a model of extinct marine reptiles.>

    042_DSC_5085.JPG.78af40bb97c40177da60bd4dd64f7e0d.JPG

     

    <This is the bone (but a replica) of the dinosaur>

    043_IMG_4180.JPG.fd01080fa9b137b6c0452ad4c83fe23c.JPG

    I left Hokkaido by ferry on the evening of that day.

     

    <Train waiting>

    044_DSCN5777.JPG.b1205244aa5371774aa770a158a38812.JPG

     

    <Wait for ferry at East Tomakomai port>

    045_DSCN5781.JPG.5808ce4f3d6096b2fbf6a5df3b541678.JPG

    It was a very fun touring. I drove about 3500 km (2200 miles).

    Chao!

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    Hi all,

    Just joined, I've been looking around the site and see there's a lot of useful information. Thought I'd share my search for a car, the research, learning and decisions made both as a record of the process for myself and maybe something useful for others.

    I've been a long term Lotus Elise owner and just love the marque since first seeing the Type 72 F1 JPS - the most wonderful looking car and as history has shown the most successful F1 car of all time. Well I digress, my cars are here; http://www.type72.com/72/ - I guess this picture is acceptable in these parts . . *whistle*

    elisehouse.jpg.6ce5b0fbd87e24f8681091945d27f8c8.jpg

    At 53 and with a very supportive wife I want to place a Caterham alongside the Elise, I'm 6'2" and 18 stone so the first thing was to try a car, with most advice provided so far suggesting it'll almost certainly be an SV chassis for me.

    Living in Maidstone and with some near perfect timing my search / research started just as Sevens & Classics Ltd were having one of their open days so off I trotted Saturday 29th July and Andy and Callum plus every owner I spoke to were extremely helpful. 

    I can get in an S3 chassis (with a lowered floor pan) however it's snug mainly my right shoulder being outside of the lines of the bodywork, that aside the driving position was good, my size 11 feet felt fine on the pedals (with my driving shoes on). An SV chassis gave me more room and is probably the way to go.

    However driving is the ultimate test so my friend and I are going to hire two cars from the factory for the weekend an SV and an S3 so we can both put some real miles in each to make a final decision. 

    In terms of what car am I in the market for it'll be a K Series, I'm very familiar with it as a power unit being an Elise owner, I have an engine in the garage and lots of spares. Power 120 - 150 bhp ideally and with a lowered floor pan. That's about as far as I've got until I test the two chassis.

    Couple of questions still in my mind at this point;

    • If I find the right car and it not get a lowered floor pan, how easy is a retro fit?
    • Can the old style "clam" wings (is that the correct name?) be replaced with cycle wings?
    • Are there certain "must haves" in terms of the spec - 6 speed -v- 5, LSD, suspension etc?
    • Like the Aero screen, how practical is driving with one (mirror placement, wind, crash helmet or not)? 

    That's it for me now, would welcome any comments or feedback will update later.

    Thanks Jason

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    hi there, have owned my 1999 Caterham for almost a year now, has anyone got any recommendations as to getting her locally serviced and MOT'd?​ Many thanks

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    Jamessy
    Latest Entry

    1991 1.4 K Series SuperSport
    white12.jpg.400a0d1ab138e2f22a953c21b9f936d1.jpg

    18558930_10154422544596857_57108000374857816_o.jpg.c025cebacabb3ace58440e02762768a8.jpg

  8. Silverstone Grand Prix circuit 27th March 2017. Foggy start delayed access to the track but once we got out it was a dream to drive the GP circuit. The last time I was here was over 20 years ago and then only the national circuit (North). The day was split into three sessions of 20 minutes each hour. There were three clubs  accommodated, led by the the MG club and including our glorious club and Lotus on Track. I believe the 20 minutes each hour was a good format and allowed time for the car to cool, the driver to think and chatting with colleagues in the garage. 

    Lessons learned for me included;

    Confidence - It took a while to really push in the fast corners after straights. These included Copse, nearly flat with an excellent run off, Maggotts, with interesting direction change while slowing, Stowe, depends on your gearing, Abbey and Farm, flow really nicely to the braking at Village. Even Brooklands has a fast entry but needs care as there are multiple direction changes immediately afterwards.

    Gearing - I have a 6 speed, 3.92 diff and 13 inch wheels so topped out on Hanger (120 ish). With only a 1.8 K SS to push me I caught, but could not pass, faster cars who signaled over on the straights. It didn't help to get some laps with Simon Lambert in the 620R (now that is the power I need). He was braking well before me as he had achieved massively more speed on the straights.   

    Overall it was a very well organised event and I for one thoroughly enjoyed it even if I did miss out on getting some tuition!

    Bring on the next one!

  9. This a DIY version of the Quaife Type 9 top cover that I first saw on Guy Lowe's gearbox.  It makes it much easier to check and top up the gearbox oil level.  It's a simple access hole through the top of the case made with plumbing fittings. The exact parts don't matter, I couldn't get the same parts Guy used so I improvised.

    The olive is not used, the nut is simply to hold the coupler in place. It's a good idea to Loctite or lockwire the nut in place. 

    Access is still a bit restricted on my car but a plastic knitting needle can bend enough to get into the hole and then drop under the chassis rail. We calibrated it by filling the box with 1.2L and then dipping it. 

    You can do this mod without taking the box out though undoing the back bolts of the cover plate is... challenging!

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    I finally got my Caterham 2012 Road sport with super light spec in 2016. Now I just need to learn how to drive it, maintain it and customise to get the most out of it. 

    I did my first track day at Thruxton in 2016 and I am hooked .. more tuition booked, more track days booked and a many aspirations to tune, tweek and arm myself with all the kit and skills I need. 

    This blog is for anyone who is in a similar position to me to share learnings along their journey and for anyone more experienced who can offer any pointers on: 

    - Good kit

    - Good first engine tunes, upgrade I could do for a complete novice

    - How to videos, tutorials, books etc

    - Good UK Drives (preferably South East as I live just outside Basingstoke, Old Basing to be exact)

    - Good track days, clubs, insurance companies etc. etc. 

    Thanks in advance for your advice and happy days to all .. 

    Olearyusmaximus .. 

     

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    Hi, I'm owning a CSR and looking for a car cover to be used when I carry my car on the trailer to go to various circuits.

    Can someone recommend a good car cover that can be fixed on the car and that will remain in place when pulling the trailer at good speed on the highway?

    This car cover should protect my CSR when transporting it on the trailer and avoid other drivers to recognize the car transported on the trailer.

    Thanks.

  10. So in response to Sean's comment I thought I would create a blog for pictures, to see if it is easy.

    Here goes.

    the problem with posting pictures in threads is two fold, it's hard to navigate the process to get the picture posted, and a lot of the time larger files over 2mb won't be uploaded at all due to the size resotrictions.

    So let's say I want to post all my pictures taken recently of my 620R.

    IMG_3397.JPG.09d09a401dee363e80e624b98f0c59ac.JPG

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    If any one is interested the above group will be meeting at various places with regard going to Kit CAt Show at Stoneleigh on Sunday 30th April - meeting points are s follows:-

    0800hrs Shell Saxondale Fuel station, Bingham NG13 8AY (A46/A52 junc)

    0830hrs Extra Services Leicester (A46/A6 junc) Birstall, LE4 3LH

    0900hrs Mill on the Soar, Broughton Astley, LE9 6QA

    If anyone wishes to join everyones welcome.

    See you Sunday

    John

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    Hi Chaps

    New member

    Caterham owner two weeks now, first time driving the car the speedo was a bit bouncy The Caterham magic that every one talks about I thought, asked a few owners at the Caterham open day last week about it, the conclusion was a mixed bag when it comes to speedos. Then it stopped working altogether then it worked then gone again.

    I know ,  looked it up on the Blatchat Tech page lots of information on the subject seems to be a common fault, although at first glance the abbreviations and general Caterham undercover code words took a while to work out as obviously people know the cars well, all new to me.

    Ok, called around to find a garage near me (Bexhill) and nothing, the nearest to me was Caterham Gatwick, so called them to book it in, "we are booked up for the next 4-5 weeks they said as this is the busy season with racing and customers wanting to get their cars on the road".

    Now this was the bit that amazed me " If I had one of our technicians speak to you, do you think you could fix the problem yourself" I couldn't believe what I was hearing, I cant imagine my Range Rover dealer saying that to me, loss of business etc.

    Anyway, spoke with a Lady mechanic who was wonderful and over the phone relayed to me in great detail as to what needed doing, she made it so clear and me having not even looked under the car thought maybe I could do this. I have lifted the bonnet by the way.

    Right lets have a go, went and bought a trolley jack, 2 axle stands,13mm spanner and a feeler gauge.

    POSSIBLE FIX

    Speedo Sensor needs adjustment:  FEELER GAUGE GAP NEEDS TO BE 1mm Or (0.0394 0f an inch with an imperial feeler gauge), the gap between the cog & the speed sensor needs setting correctly, adjust two locking nuts  using a 13mm spanner. The action all taking place under the drivers  rear wheel arch.

    Mission accomplished, shocked myself surely now I am a true Caterham enthusiast.

    Took it for a spin, speedo is no longer bouncing around its  now as smooth as clockwork, really enjoying the needle whizzing round, fast, but maybe just that little bit faster would be really great, I think they call it the Caterham catch.

    Does  anyone have a really fast cat? please reply on blatchat?

    DRH 

     

     

     

     

  11. Would anyone know where to buy a coolant recovery tank for a 1990 Caterham S3? Or know who makes the tank? It's harder to find than I thought., Been hunting for ages for one.

    Thanks,  John

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    Evening all,  A new member checking in for the first time.  Just picked up an S3 1800 Super Sprint (prisoner style) as a project.  looking forward to being a member here. 

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