New Member Checking In

[scannon]

Hi all,

My name is Skip, I live in Colorado and I recently purchased a new Caterham SV from a dealer in Arizona. The car is a 2004, assembled by the dealer but without an engine or transmission.

Since I have spent the last 11 years driving and building Miatas, I have decided to install a Miata engine in my Caterham. The engine will be a stock 1.8 liter with a turbocharger and will use a Miata 5 speed transmission. Down the road, I plan on building a 2.0 liter Miata engine with turbo that should put in excess of 300 HP to the rear wheels.

I have started the project and some pictures are available at:

http://www.cardomain.com/ride/636168/10

I have some excess parts that came with the car that are for sale on the previous page:

http://www.cardomain.com/ride/636168/9

Page 1 of that site has pictures of my Miata if you are interested and later pages have some unusual cars on them as well.

I'm sure I will be asking lots of noob questions, please be patient with me as I find my way into the wonderful world of the Caterham.

Below are a couple of pictures of the car from the dealer's website.

Skip

[Roll a 7]

Welcome aboard!!

[scannon]

Roll A 7,

Thank you, glad to be here and anxious to get this project up and running.

Skip

[scannon]

Update - A Donor Car has been Found!

http://www.cardomain.com/ride/636168/11

[scannon]

Project Update 3/29/06

The drivetrain is complete and installed for what I hope is the last time. Now I have to get started on the plumbing, electrical and linkages.

http://www.cardomain.com/ride/636168/12

http://www.cardomain.com/ride/636168/13

Skip

[moosetestbestanden]

Nice machine work - the mounts are beautiful.

Be advised that forced induction is officially cheating according to the purists technical rules book and this will force you to run w/ the Swedish Menace on track days :D

[scannon]

Project Update 5/25/07

The project is almost finished! The car is running and has been driven a number of times, I'm just waiting for the DMV to crawl through its paperwork cycle to get the plates so I can go on a real blat.

I've posted a couple of videos on youtube:

First Engine Start: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GUgYhYk7B1M

First Drive: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQErxpxhF_Q

Video Walkaround: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l56QVUAbBcg

There are still a few problems to solve; making the speedo work with the Miata sensor, a red charge light that refuses to go out even though the alternator shows 14.3 volts, some heat insulation and carpet to be installed and a slight tendancy to dog walk under full throttle acceleration. I'm also in the process of designing and fabbing shrouding for the radiator and intercooler.

The 3 3/4" sump clearance has dropped to 2 1/4" with the addition of the turbo system and fluids in the engine. I have ordered a set of adjustable spring perches from RMSCI to raise the car a bit.

The car weighed in at 1,371 lb with 4 gallons of fuel, spare tire and wheel, full weather gear and the jack and lug wrench on board. Track weight should be close to 1,300 lb.

Skip

[moosetestbestanden]

If you haven't already do corner weigh it asap. That may help w/ the dog walk. If dog walk means oversteer, well, under full throttle acceleration they're supposed to do that:D

[scannon]

If you haven't already do corner weigh it asap. That may help w/ the dog walk. If dog walk means oversteer, well, under full throttle acceleration they're supposed to do that:D

We did corner weigh it but until I get the adjustable spring perches there is not much I can do about it. Without me in the driver seat the front weights were exactly equal, changing to about 40 lb higher on the driver side when I was in the car. We will realign and corner weigh it again after I get the adjustable perches installed.

The dog walking is a slight movement of the rear end to the right under heavy acceleration (without spinning the tires). It is controllable and does not slew back and forth, just takes a slight steering correction to keep the car straight. Happens in 1st, 2nd and 3rd which is as far as I have taken the acceleration.

Skip

[EliseStrapped]

That is TEMENDOUS!!!! Thanks for posting the first-drive video!!!

[Elv15]

Skip, the videos are great. Thanks for sharing your build with us!

Do you have an LSD fitted? If not, could the one driven wheel cause your "dog walking"?

[magnusfeuer]

Just for the record.

The Swede is purging his Caterham of his forced induction impurity using the power of Jes... Cosworth!


/Magnus F.