Your 7?

[Roll a 7]

I'm curious about the 7s represented on this site. Mine is a Caterham SLR registered in California under SB100 in 2002. The motor is a zetec of about 200HP with cams, headwork, light flywheel, underdrive, dry sump and Jenvey throttlebodies. The trans is the Cat 6 speed and the LSD is a ZF. The car is painted yellow and can be seen in the gallery section on this website. I bought this lunatic fringe vehicle because it was the least compromised sports car available, ie.: no power anything, no radio, no air conditioning, minimal doors, everything is stripped off the car to maximize the performance driving experience. And that is exactly what I wanted. Purest driving exhiliration with no interference from the numerous systems (performance sapping extra weight)required/mandated by all conventional street cars. Every time I drive the car I like it better :!: So, please tell the rest of us about your car, how it is specced, why you bought a 7, and how you like it(the 7). If you don't presently have a 7 then tell us why you are intersted in 7s and/or what sort of 7 you would like to get your hands on(so that you can start having fun with those of us who get together for the purpose of enjoying our 7s ):!:

[slomove]

Always wanted to have one

I was interested in a Lotus Seven in the 70's but never found one that I could afford as a student. Stayed in the far back of my mind while I had other hobby priorities but suddenly popped up this January. I found that Caterham made a replica of the Lotus Seven and rented one for a day. Great car, loved the performance and fun factor but not the price.

That is how I got to buy a Birkin. I don't care about brands or heritage and from a technical perspective they are almost indistinguishable (live axle only!). Minor differerences I have seen: the stock seats really suck in comparison with Caterham but front suspension, radiator, pedal/master cyl. assembly and hydraulic plumbing are so much nicer.

My car is from '98 with a 2.0l ZX1 engine on 45DCOE carbs, maybe 160 bhp. I wish I had bought a car with EFI :roll: Otherwise no special things except Raceline wet sump and water rail. I bought it with 600 miles, i.e. almost new. It was registered as a '69 Birkin (??) in California and Florida before and that is how I kept it. I am by no means a Pistonhead and would never service my other cars myself but naturally I found myself upgrading the Seven, e.g. new Magnaflow exhaust, new Cobra seats, new Emerald ECU. Maybe I am going to upgrade the cams next.

After all, I love it!!!

Gert

[Ronbo]

Mine is a '93 long-cockpit de-dion chassis with the 135 hp 1700 Super Sprint and 5-speed. I ordered it as a kit from Sevens & Elans and spent a couple of months on assembly. It's pretty much standard issue, but does have the 4 into 1 competition exhaust, 15" Prisoner wheels, and Moto-Lita steering wheel. The only mod is the Momo shift knob (the spun aluminium ball type). It has BRG fiberglass (clamshell wings) and bare aluminum body. It's been a great car in the 10 years I've owned it. No track time, just the local canyon roads.

[ira]

Re: Always wanted to have one

I was interested in a Lotus Seven in the 70's but never found one that I could afford as a student. Stayed in the far back of my mind while I had other hobby priorities but suddenly popped up this January. I found that Caterham made a replica of the Lotus Seven and rented one for a day. Great car, loved the performance and fun factor but not the price.

Interesting, I bought my first 7 in 1972 for $1500 and passed over one for $2500. Sadly once I learned more I realized I'd bought the wrong car. It was my daily driver for the 5 years or so. Years ago I also acquired a RHD Caterham frame and last month I picked up a series 3 Lotus 7. Now it's time to get them all running.

I'm in West LA and after the first of the year will have access to digital corner weighting scales and a dyno if the group ever wants to have a Saturday play day at the shop. Might have to collect some money for dyno runs for the boss, but it shouldn't be bad. The scales are there now, the dyno is supposed to arrive in december.

Ira

[slomove]

Scale and Dyno

Ira,
I guess you will be a very popular guy. I would be definitely interested but need to get my setup straightened out first. Please keep us informed about the Dyno!!

Gert

[Jim Gunther]

:)
Good Morning from the Right Coast,

Been enjoying this forum for a while now.

I've been building a www.StalkerV6.com for a couple months. Just can't wait for Spring to arrive in Connecticut.
Been interested in a Super 7 since I began driving in 1963 but, like most folks, always fantasized about more power.
About 3 or 4 years ago, began hanging around the Cobra forums and have been keen on building an FFR replica.
The Stalker, however, has given me an opportunity to "have it now" and, frankly, if I screw up the build, I won't lose too much money. I don't have a LOT of confidence in my mechanical skills.

As it turns out, the build has gone quite well. The Camaro V-6 and the S-10 transmission are very easy to deal with (and unbelievably CHEAP) and look so cool. Wish there were more bolt-ons available but 200 HP ought to be good enough for my first year.

Hope to see some of you folks at the "Gathering of the Sevens" in Indy next June ('04) and -if the river don't rise- perhaps I can get to the West Coast in time for the British Invaision.
Be well,

[Elv15]

My Caterham Seven

I have a 2003 Clubsport with a 200HP Duratec and a 5sp transmission. It is polished aluminum with yellow fenders and a yellow nose. Leather seats, FIA roll bar.

Pics at: http://www.pierats.com/

[Jim Gunther]

GREAT picture gallery. Thanks!
Be well, Jim

[moosetestbestanden]

Mine is a 2003 SLR w/ a 2.0L Duratec & a 5 speed close ratio box, no paint. Not yet on the road or licensed, but both processes are well in progress. It looks frickin awesome in carbon fiber and bare aluminum, sorta like Janet Jackson (mostly) in her halftime suit nyuk nyuk.

I'm a Lotus guy from waaaay back. I drove a 64 Series II Elan back in the late 60's and was hooked. Lotus made the 2 seat roadster that all the other marques (Triumph, MG et. al.) always should have made imo. It was simply the best 2 seat roadster there was - rotoflex couplings notwithstanding. So along the way a few Elans came and went, along w/ 2 of the ultimate Lotus' (imo), namely the Lotus Cortina Mk I. What a car! Gawd I wish I'd kept the 2nd.

Anyway, I'd been drooling about a Se7en since then, although a mid 80s' trip to Caterham showed me that at 6'3 n' change I'd never fit in the car. So I went down the mid-engined "exotic" route instead, only to realize over time that most - all really - of those vehicles are more about status & waxing than they are about speed and driving fun. Simply stated, for me they're too dear, too fast for the public road and too slow on the track. Like many others these days, I found myself becoming more interested in track days and technical fiddling around w/ an ongoing project track car than in sitting, stuck in traffic on the way to work, in a mid-engined "sports car".

So I went to see an SV, drove it, then hopped into a 'normal' 7 and quickly realized that the changes that had transpired over a decade or so made it possible to actually fit in one. WooHooo! Goodbye mid-engine, hello roadster! And so commenced the saga of the build, which at 6+ months is pretty close to being done, finally. I'm really looking forward to some track days this spring and summer and as I live in the White Trash Hills of Tujunga, the mountain roads ain't but a few minutes away as well.

Lower & Upper Big T anyone?

[slomove]

Pretty close

Hi Moose (I guess you will need a shorter nickname)

I am in Pasadena, only 30 min from your place. Get your car finished and we can try your area of the mountains. When do you expect to be on the road then?

Gert

[moosetestbestanden]

Don't know. the vast majority of the car is built. I've not gotten the engine started because I don't have any electrical inpulse whatsoever. I hope to have some resolution from the dealer soon. Hopefully I'm only a few weeks from finished.

The only real big build item remaining are the dreaded (by me anyway) Cycle Wings. Registration process is underway - I've got my number whew - so it's just the referee, the chp n then the whee!

[magnusfeuer]

Moose,

Drop me an email if you want help with getting the engine started and/or help with the cycle wings.

I got my wings perfect at the first try. (Well actually, I overtightened one bolt so that minute surface cracks appeared on the gelcoat. But now I know).

I'll be back in the U.S. on Sunday.

/Magnus F.
[email protected]

[Elv15]

attaching cycle wings.

I attached my cycle wings with adhesive. DOW 997 I believe is what I used. Works like a charm and no chance of cracks.

Cheers,

Tom

[moosetestbestanden]

Those on my car are in CF. I've seen some of the English using a fastener called a Bighead - it's glued to the underside and simply zip-tied to the support. I haven't been able to find a similar product here though. I don't know much about the gel coat on CF but I reckon an appropriately strong adhesive like Araldite epoxy would do. I'd sure like to avoid bolts and drilling holes if possible. Of course, I could always screw up the glue too.

[Rod]

My car is a 202 hp Zetec in a De Dion. I have the old style flared fenders in BRG with a yellow nose and stripe, no bare aluminum. (More like the prisoner car). I got the body in 2002. It is now on the road registered and smog exempt under the SB100 program.