Metric chassis??

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Discussion

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

61 months

Sunday 6th November 2011
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Evening all
I've just bought a Caterham and was wondering how to tell if it's a metric or imperial.
It was registered in 2007
Cheers

mickrick

3,705 posts

180 months

Sunday 6th November 2011
quotequote all
2007 was the change over year.
Look at the lower horizontal chassis tube in the rear wheel arch, the one that the rear ARB is bolted to. If it's round for the full length, it's imperial, if it's square halfway, then changes to round, it's metric.
Also if you can see weld spatter near the joints, it's metric.
Imperial will also have AM and a number (jig number it was built on) stamped under one of the roll bar mounts, but of course you will have to remove the roll bar to see it, which if it's a track day one (with diagonal) means removing the rear shock absorbers.

Hope this helps. smile

Oh, and congratulations on your new purchase! wink

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

61 months

Sunday 6th November 2011
quotequote all
Thanks for that. It would appear that it is Imperial. Still goes round corners like it's on rails! And it is far more comfortable than the Morgan I had!

mickrick

3,705 posts

180 months

Monday 7th November 2011
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Congratulations again for having a nice handmade chassis with soul, lovingly assembled by guys with twigs in their beards, in a shed.
Lovely flowing braized joints instead of horrible welded ones with the spatter powdercoated over.
God forbid if you twang it, they will put it back onto the jig it was originaly built on, removed any damaged tubes, and lovingly braize new ones back in, re-powder coat it, and re-skin it, and give it back to you as new!
Of course the marketing suits at CC will tell you the metric one is 12% stiffer. rolleyes
Based on some Guy going round a track a 10th of a second quicker in a newer car.

Pictures? We like pictures. wink

Yellow 7

177 posts

179 months

Monday 7th November 2011
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We did a couple of area club visits to Arch Motors - always interesting and informative. You would see a whole box of front wishbones or bonnets pre and post rolling, all lined up.
Great place - not been there since about 2002 - They did lots of other work too, I guess that has expanded.

How are new chassis doing corrosion wise?

Suits working things out - similar for the switch from VX race cars and K series - had to bolt bigger tyres on (cheapest form of laptime tuning) to beat them - but of course better cos that's what the suits wanted.

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

61 months

Monday 7th November 2011
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Here are a couple of pics of my new motor...

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

61 months

Monday 7th November 2011
quotequote all
Well, one pic!Here's another

RobM77

35,349 posts

241 months

Monday 7th November 2011
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Very nice smile

mickrick

3,705 posts

180 months

Monday 7th November 2011
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Thanks for posting the pics. Very nice, and very shiny! thumbup

downsman

1,099 posts

163 months

Monday 7th November 2011
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Nice car, I like Sevens in red smile

The mud flaps look like they will work well.

V7SLR

456 posts

193 months

Wednesday 16th November 2011
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Was it Simon's car? (Bolton area).

DaveK-S1

286 posts

208 months

Wednesday 16th November 2011
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Subtle numberplate as well smile

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

61 months

Wednesday 16th November 2011
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Well spotted! It was Simons car - he looked after it really well and was a great chap to buy from.
He was reluctant to let me drive it away as it was raining!

lord summerisle

8,148 posts

232 months

Thursday 17th November 2011
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purplepenguin said:
as it was raining!
Thats unusual for Bolton!



Domus

3 posts

156 months

Thursday 17th November 2011
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Simons car out in the rain, whatever next.