re: What do you fee about this one?

[vincesf]

What do you feel about this one?

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/nby/cto/2716420250.html

Should I wait for one needing less repairs or is this an opportunity?

Thanks

vincesf

[Doug Liedblad]

You need to look at it in person or at least have more high quality photos.

Do you have the skill or the time to learn the skills needed to do this yourself. Is it a salvage title?

If the chassis is straight and it doesn't need to be reskinned the parts are bolt on repairs.

With the proper tools and time you can probably measure any bending of the chassis. A frame shop would be the best place to determine that.

Generally when a wing is torn off it pulls the mounting screws out of the aluminum skin and enlarges the holes. These can usually be repaired.

The parts aren't cheap but if the chassis is undamaged then it looks like a resonable deal.

Add up the cost of the replacement parts plus your time to remove and install. I don't know what repair shops charge for this kind of work but I would guess it will be several thousand.

Then add in for hidden damage which may or may not be there but you must assume it is.

[moosetestbestanden]

Depends on where you are and how much time you have. If I were close I'd go give it a look. If the frame is tweaked then the repairs become geometrically more difficult, time consuming and expensive. And that may be difficult to determine.

Note that Caterham will sell you their 'Starter Kit' here. Last price I saw was around آ£8000 ($12,500 +/-). So you take all the bits off of the crasher and move them over to the replacement chassis (necessary due to damaged original hint hint) and presto, a virtually new car.

Of course, you may want to junk that heavy Zetec (and the mush seats) in the process, so that you'd have a real superlight :D

[Doug Liedblad]

I assume it has the Raceline wetsump so be sure to look at that closely. Any cracks and it's scrap. A new one with shipping is $1000آ± all by itself.


As Chris says, any chassis damage and the costs can go up very quickly.

If the Chassis is straight then I'd wonder why the owner is selling it rather than fixing it.


'There is damage to the nose, hood, radiator, and front suspension' Just this could be several thousand dollars in parts but not enough to make it not worth the owners effort to repair.

Just look close.

Zetecs are fine engines and if what he says is correct it's as good or better than a stock Duratec.

[vincesf]

Thank you for the advice on this one. It is appreciated.

vincesf

[magnusfeuer]

"The right rear wheel hub bolts were sheared away from the DeDion tube"

Quite a bit of stress there.
Check the DeDion tube ears' welds for cracks. Check the tube itself for creasing/deformation.

Check the watts linkages' mount points in the chassis for stretching.

The car has CA registration, which means that you don't have to go through DMV hell to register a new one. Although the certificates apparently last quite a while these days, it is still a hassle.

Also: Nicely specced car.

I would get an experienced local 7 guy to have a look at the car before you buy. It minimizes the risk of a post-purchase "oh shit" moment when you start to look things over.

/Magnus F.

[Doug Liedblad]

Perhaps just replace the DeDeion tube with a new one. A proper check might cost more than new.

Just get new ears and toss the old. Too many unknowns.

As Magnus suggests check the Watts link mounting points and all the hardware.

The holes might look OK but put a long bolt in and see if it's perpenticular to the chassis.

The mounting boss and it's weld can bend in a crash. I have seen this in another members car.

[rzempel]

Im only 20 minutes away from this car, today Wish I had time to look before I go home tomorrow :-(

[moosetestbestanden]

Im only 20 minutes away from this car, today Wish I had time to look before I go home tomorrow :-(

Doesn't have to be tomorrow (today) does it?

I'm intrigued but I'm up to my neck (and beyond my wallet) in the current project. First and foremost because any offer on that car, which clearly has been heavily damaged despite the description, should be more around $8000 - $10000, not the asking price.

I think the CC starter kit & this donor would make for a very nice project and virtually new car for around 20 gees, maybe a bit more if one wanted good bits like Nitrons, inboard front suspension, CSR front wings etc. The starter kit can be ordered to a custom (Caterham says 'bespoke' - gawd I HATE that word) specification. Race car anyone?

[Mike Bearden]

superlight

From reading the description, the seller knows what he has...and he has decided that it's better to let someone else deal with the cost and questions. The insurance paid him off. It appears to be track damage to me...that looks like a slick on the right rear. Might be a perfect opportunity for personal bankruptcy or a fun rebuild. Worth a look though.

Craiglist is just a scary deal these days.

[rzempel]

I looked at the car this morning. The owner mostly drove it on the track, hence the slickery. Unfortunately, one morning he decided to drive it into town for gas. Along the way, he put his foot in it and the back end broke loose. As it started to come around, he over corrected and the back end came around the other way. He hit a curb, and rolled the car. He was knocked unconscious, spent several days in intensive care for broken back, crushed shoulder, and broken ARM. Insurance totalled the car, and he bought it back--so it *does* have a salvage title.

Visually, I can see the repair will require new nose, radiator, right skin, bonnet, rear skin, dedion stubs, right spindle plate (or whatever that piece is called), front wing, wing stay, and rear wing. The impact bent the spindle plate, severed the bolts holding it to the dedion flange, bent the clang, and bent and broke frame tubing behind the drivers seat. All the other parts mentioned above were mangled as well.

All in all, I think this would be a good deal for me, but I have access to a talented race car fab and repair shop.

The owner set his price based on what he believes the drive train and undamaged parts are worth. He, and especially his family, have no interest in repairing the car.

I took a few photos of the damage, but only have cell phone connectivity right now. If there's interest, I will post photos tomorrow.

Randalll

[rzempel]

I looked at the car this morning. The owner mostly drove it on the track, hence the slickery. Unfortunately, one morning he decided to drive it into town for gas. Along the way, he put his foot in it and the back end broke loose. As it started to come around, he over corrected and the back end came around the other way. He hit a curb, and rolled the car. He was knocked unconscious, spent several days in intensive care for broken back, crushed shoulder, and broken ARM. Insurance totalled the car, and he bought it back--so it *does* have a salvage title.

Visually, I can see the repair will require new nose, radiator, right skin, bonnet, rear skin, dedion stubs, right spindle plate (or whatever that piece is called), front wing, wing stay, and rear wing. The impact bent the spindle plate, severed the bolts holding it to the dedion flange, bent the clang, and bent and broke frame tubing behind the drivers seat. All the other parts mentioned above were mangled as well.

All in all, I think this would be a good deal for me, but I have access to a talented race car fab and repair shop.

The owner set his price based on what he believes the drive train and undamaged parts are worth. He, and especially his family, have no interest in repairing the car.

I took a few photos of the damage, but only have cell phone connectivity right now. If there's interest, I will post photos tomorrow.

Randalll

[Elv15]

Yes, pics please...

Also what is a clang?

[rzempel]

Sorry. My "smart" Android it pretty stupid for handling the forum...hence the double post and mysterious "clang" that was supposed to be "flange". I also forgot to mention the steering rack may be broken and the roll bar is slightly bent.

Randalll

[magnusfeuer]

Toss the De-dion tube and all its associated parts.

It worries me that you have broken frame tubing. It would have cracked either where the central A-arm is mounted just at the front end of the wheel arch, or a bit higher up where the watts linkage boss is. In either case, you need to check the straightness of the frame and be prepared to straighten it or buy a new one.

It may be easier to get a starter kit and transfer everything over.

/Magnus F.