Discussion
AFAIK, the pre 90 HPC's had a BDA Cosworth 1800 engine fitted, produced around 175 bhp. They were the ultimate 7 at the time!
Not sure on the chassis number nomenclature but I would have thought that a look in one of the 7 books of the period should answer that question - from memory, my old 85 super sprint an 8 digit number starting CKD (complete knock down ie kit). It was registered on a Q plate. I think all the HPC's were factory built.
ETA http://7faq.com/owbase/ow.asp?ChassisNumbers should help!
Cheers
Mike
Not sure on the chassis number nomenclature but I would have thought that a look in one of the 7 books of the period should answer that question - from memory, my old 85 super sprint an 8 digit number starting CKD (complete knock down ie kit). It was registered on a Q plate. I think all the HPC's were factory built.
ETA http://7faq.com/owbase/ow.asp?ChassisNumbers should help!
Cheers
Mike
Edited by Dieter7S4 on Tuesday 24th May 10:22
I should have given some more info.....i did have a look through BC's identification page but still never shed any light:
Chassis number KDL0920R
It seems the car has been rebuilt from an older car, new chassis skins etc to avoid a 'Q' plate although not sure to what extent how many origional parts were used, this was done in 2002.
The first part Kit/De Dion could be plausable but the L0920R is a mystery. Its vauxhall engined but registered in 89 which could indicate the BDR lump was its origional engine.
Seems a fine car but how would you put a price on it? C20XE lump standard form, carbs, MBE, breahter mod. Close ratio gearbox, 3.92 diff to name a few of the good bits.
Chassis number KDL0920R
It seems the car has been rebuilt from an older car, new chassis skins etc to avoid a 'Q' plate although not sure to what extent how many origional parts were used, this was done in 2002.
The first part Kit/De Dion could be plausable but the L0920R is a mystery. Its vauxhall engined but registered in 89 which could indicate the BDR lump was its origional engine.
Seems a fine car but how would you put a price on it? C20XE lump standard form, carbs, MBE, breahter mod. Close ratio gearbox, 3.92 diff to name a few of the good bits.
Just back from a brilliant No Limits tour of the Isle of Mansam919 said:
I should have given some more info.....i did have a look through BC's identification page but still never shed any light:
Chassis number KDL0920R
It seems the car has been rebuilt from an older car, new chassis skins etc to avoid a 'Q' plate although not sure to what extent how many origional parts were used, this was done in 2002.
The first part Kit/De Dion could be plausable but the L0920R is a mystery. Its vauxhall engined but registered in 89 which could indicate the BDR lump was its origional engine.
Seems a fine car but how would you put a price on it? C20XE lump standard form, carbs, MBE, breahter mod. Close ratio gearbox, 3.92 diff to name a few of the good bits.
If the car is now a Vauxhall engined newer car and doesn't have an appropriate chassis reference then really it isn't an HPC IMHO. Even if it started life as a Ford engined HPC (and I'm not familiar with their chassis references) it is now Vauxhall engined so really doesn't qualify and likewise its not a Vauxhall powered HPC as its too early a registration and doesn't carry the correct chassis reference (with the H in the middle of the SDKRD.... ). So this car is a vauxhall powered seven with a good spec which is absolutely fine unless the seller is majoring on its HPC origins.Chassis number KDL0920R
It seems the car has been rebuilt from an older car, new chassis skins etc to avoid a 'Q' plate although not sure to what extent how many origional parts were used, this was done in 2002.
The first part Kit/De Dion could be plausable but the L0920R is a mystery. Its vauxhall engined but registered in 89 which could indicate the BDR lump was its origional engine.
Seems a fine car but how would you put a price on it? C20XE lump standard form, carbs, MBE, breahter mod. Close ratio gearbox, 3.92 diff to name a few of the good bits.
Thanks. All history aside it a nice vauxhall powered seven whatever but as for what its worth is another grey area.
HPC's are around for 12, all origional good nick, decent low mileage etc (theres a nice blue one on at the moment i think, somehow managed to get fixated on one or two of the pics!),so whats one that isnt an HPC worth, in the same sort of condition.
HPC's are around for 12, all origional good nick, decent low mileage etc (theres a nice blue one on at the moment i think, somehow managed to get fixated on one or two of the pics!),so whats one that isnt an HPC worth, in the same sort of condition.
It's an interesting question. When buying my HPC 6 years ago I only wanted a genuine HPC and wouldn't settle for less. There are quite a few 'Caterham Vauxhalls' out there where someone has bought a starter kit and fitted their own engines (often identified by having NS in the chassis number for '(engine) Not Supplied', nothing wrong with them and I am sure they are lovely cars but not for me. In the same way I wanted a Caterham rather than a Westfield I wanted a 'proper' HPC. I hope that doesn't make me a snob but it was my preference.
A car is only worth what someone is prepared to pay. Like for like I would have paid a premium for a genuine HPC, or to put it another way I wouldn't have paid top money for one where someone has sourced and created their own HPC (regardless of whether an LSD is fitted - which is standard on VX HPCs I believe).
Just need to be careful that the one you are buying is not a bitsa car. i.e. bit of this, bit of that. Although not many, there are some HPCs on the market at the moment so worth taking your time to find the right one. I took 5 months!
If I may be allowed to be biased, if you are looking for an HPC you could not go wrong with this one
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/2764550.htm
I say biased as I know the car and I know the owner and both are totally genuine, you would buy with confidence. His reason for sale is totally genuine too as you would find out if you gave the seller a call!
Cheers
SS
A car is only worth what someone is prepared to pay. Like for like I would have paid a premium for a genuine HPC, or to put it another way I wouldn't have paid top money for one where someone has sourced and created their own HPC (regardless of whether an LSD is fitted - which is standard on VX HPCs I believe).
Just need to be careful that the one you are buying is not a bitsa car. i.e. bit of this, bit of that. Although not many, there are some HPCs on the market at the moment so worth taking your time to find the right one. I took 5 months!
If I may be allowed to be biased, if you are looking for an HPC you could not go wrong with this one
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/2764550.htm
I say biased as I know the car and I know the owner and both are totally genuine, you would buy with confidence. His reason for sale is totally genuine too as you would find out if you gave the seller a call!
Cheers
SS
Had to have a peep at this thread since it was about HPC's.
Snapper, thanks very much for your nice comments on my HPC, appreciated a lot.
As for what is a HPC the story goes always hazy with time. All pukka HPC's did come with an LSD as standard and not as an option, although I guess some people may have opted out after a chat with the factory and exchanged the LSD for some other goodies...........the factory would not turn an order down would they?
The 1996 and 7 cars mentioned above came in 2 guises, Caterham had a batch of re-worked engines identified by being painted grey, these cars were often passed off as HPC's and indeed an LSD was not standard.
The last few with new engines I seem to remember were called Vauxhall Caterhams and not HPC's but nothing is standardised and gospel with Caterhams. I didn't think a genuine HPC was sold with the post 96 chassis but I stand to be corrected...........by genuine I mean H in the chassis number and not just the HPC on the pro forma which served as a feel good factor for the buyer.
As for the car in question from the OP, I think I know the car, is it green/ali?............don't know anything about the car or have any comments on it but the owner is a smashing bloke if it's the one.
Cheers,
Kenny
Snapper, thanks very much for your nice comments on my HPC, appreciated a lot.
As for what is a HPC the story goes always hazy with time. All pukka HPC's did come with an LSD as standard and not as an option, although I guess some people may have opted out after a chat with the factory and exchanged the LSD for some other goodies...........the factory would not turn an order down would they?
The 1996 and 7 cars mentioned above came in 2 guises, Caterham had a batch of re-worked engines identified by being painted grey, these cars were often passed off as HPC's and indeed an LSD was not standard.
The last few with new engines I seem to remember were called Vauxhall Caterhams and not HPC's but nothing is standardised and gospel with Caterhams. I didn't think a genuine HPC was sold with the post 96 chassis but I stand to be corrected...........by genuine I mean H in the chassis number and not just the HPC on the pro forma which served as a feel good factor for the buyer.
As for the car in question from the OP, I think I know the car, is it green/ali?............don't know anything about the car or have any comments on it but the owner is a smashing bloke if it's the one.
Cheers,
Kenny
Edited by kenny.R400 on Wednesday 25th May 15:45
and it came just about at the time of going from the VX on carbs to injection (how did Jez C describe the VXi in LF? The least inspiring caterham ever?).
And I think that Caterham got a batch of refurbed or resomethinged VXs at the time that went out on carbs with just the 16Valve badge on the front.
Bert
And I think that Caterham got a batch of refurbed or resomethinged VXs at the time that went out on carbs with just the 16Valve badge on the front.
Bert
Kenny, its a black and bare ali car.
I put an add for the sale of my porsche but px for a caterham and the guy approached me with this car. Im really up for anything caterham but had never done any homework into the HPC/XE engined cars, only dealing with k's and duratecs upto now. Although before i started racing i was looking into using the C20XE lump as its highly tunable as we all know. A guy Robert Pritchard used to race one in the NSSCC, SMRC and NWSC and it was rapid......300+ thing and had some wicked battles with another guy in a 700hp Focus Cosworth.....until his 870hp thing came along.
Anyway thanks for the info......check the size of the fronts...= 1.25.4 at Croft!
http://www.ianhardy.net/gallery/main.php?g2_itemId...
I put an add for the sale of my porsche but px for a caterham and the guy approached me with this car. Im really up for anything caterham but had never done any homework into the HPC/XE engined cars, only dealing with k's and duratecs upto now. Although before i started racing i was looking into using the C20XE lump as its highly tunable as we all know. A guy Robert Pritchard used to race one in the NSSCC, SMRC and NWSC and it was rapid......300+ thing and had some wicked battles with another guy in a 700hp Focus Cosworth.....until his 870hp thing came along.
Anyway thanks for the info......check the size of the fronts...= 1.25.4 at Croft!
http://www.ianhardy.net/gallery/main.php?g2_itemId...
jason61c said:
Didn't EVO magazine recently say that the HPC was their favourite caterham when they tested against the r500/300 etc etc?
Not a bad review for a car on 16" wheels with a 'heavy' lump up front.
Jason, if I recall the article you are referring to (by John Barker?) it was the very rare and rapid JPE that won his affections out of all the variants he tested. The example he drove had a six speed box and was sitting on 13"s but regardless, I suspect even if the car had a 5 speed and was on 15" dymags it would still have been his favourite. Not a bad review for a car on 16" wheels with a 'heavy' lump up front.
If it's a different article I would be interested to know which issue it was in.
Sam - I guess the Duratec is the best of both worlds - lightweight al engine (like a K) but with all the grunt, torque and bullet proof reliability of the C20XE. If it was between a K and VX though, for me it's VX all the way!
Cheers
SS
Edited by snapper seven on Thursday 26th May 13:10
snapper seven said:
Jason, if I recall the article you are referring to (by John Barker?) it was the very rare and rapid JPE that won his affections out of all the variants he tested. The example he drove had a six speed box and was sitting on 13"s but regardless, I suspect even if the car had a 5 speed and was on 15" dymags it would still have been his favourite.
If it's a different article I would be interested to know which issue it was in.
Sam - I guess the Duratec is the best of both worlds - lightweight al engine (like a K) but with all the grunt, torque and bullet proof reliability of the C20XE. If it was between a K and VX though, for me it's VX all the way!
Cheers
SS
It was sometime in the past 6 months, does it seem like the same one?If it's a different article I would be interested to know which issue it was in.
Sam - I guess the Duratec is the best of both worlds - lightweight al engine (like a K) but with all the grunt, torque and bullet proof reliability of the C20XE. If it was between a K and VX though, for me it's VX all the way!
Cheers
SS
Edited by snapper seven on Thursday 26th May 13:10
I'll have a dig around to see if i've got it lurking somewhere and scan the pages for you.
Price-wise for a well sorted and specc'd VX powered de dion seven in very good condition I would expect to be £11-12k with an HPC being around £13-15k, again dependant on condition & spec.
The 16V 2 litre red top is a superb engine and suits the seven really well for road and track use. I had one and did trackdays in it and could leave it pretty much in 3rd for the old Anglesey circuit. The lads running 6 speed K series cars used to say it was like driving an auto but I reckon that was jealousy watching them change gear like a fiddlers elbow
The biggest problem I had was when I decided to do more trackdays and look to get into sprinting and then you feel the weight of the heavier VX engine over the K series which was much more nimble. It was lots of fun and nigh on unburstable and excellent value for the money.
The 16V 2 litre red top is a superb engine and suits the seven really well for road and track use. I had one and did trackdays in it and could leave it pretty much in 3rd for the old Anglesey circuit. The lads running 6 speed K series cars used to say it was like driving an auto but I reckon that was jealousy watching them change gear like a fiddlers elbow
The biggest problem I had was when I decided to do more trackdays and look to get into sprinting and then you feel the weight of the heavier VX engine over the K series which was much more nimble. It was lots of fun and nigh on unburstable and excellent value for the money.
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