fao Derestrictor

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L100NYY

Original Poster:

35,493 posts

250 months

Monday 2nd August 2004
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Just wondered if you could enlighten me as regards the spec etc of your new 7? Always find it interesting to find out what colours/options people specify.

granville

18,764 posts

268 months

Monday 2nd August 2004
quotequote all
Colour is black, in fact there is none, none blacker.

13" wheels, aero screen/full screens, 'doors,' the so-called weather protection (not sure why I bothered with this), heater, FIA roll over bar, battery cut-off switch and finally, an armrest - I want to be comfortable with a nice cigar for my inevitable segue into a ditch.

Although I have my doubts it will arrive before the General Election: production is an entirely random, optional concept for the Caterham collective, or so it feels.

How's yours?

Marki

15,763 posts

277 months

Monday 2nd August 2004
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Derestrictor said:


and finally, an armrest - I want to be comfortable with a nice cigar for my inevitable segue into a ditch.



bertie

8,566 posts

291 months

Monday 2nd August 2004
quotequote all
Have you tried the armrest? I found it a pain in the arse, well in the side to be precise.

Or is yours an SV?

granville

18,764 posts

268 months

Monday 2nd August 2004
quotequote all
bertie said:
Have you tried the armrest? I found it a pain in the arse, well in the side to be precise.

Or is yours an SV?


Whoops, er - no and no!

Something of a tickfest when faced with such a puny options list.

L100NYY

Original Poster:

35,493 posts

250 months

Monday 2nd August 2004
quotequote all
I personally would not be without the armrest as my R400 hasn't got one but the R300 did. It really makes such a difference and you don't end up with a bruised elbow on a long journey (believe me, after driving to Le Mans with no armrest it hurt)!
My cousin had a black R300 and it looked very good, menacing and classy!
As for my R400 - awesome doesn't do it justice. If you're a fan of oversteer you will love this car, although you do have to have to keep your wits about you! It's even more fun in the wet! I had a quick blat in it yesterday but I'm really looking forward to the Brands track day at the end of August.

murph7355

38,906 posts

263 months

Monday 2nd August 2004
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Is it an R400 DeR? or ther spec.

One warning on the colour front (incidentally, I know a chap who has a fully matt black one), be careful.

These cars are notoriously difficult to spot, being small and faster than shit off a shovel, and black won't help matters.

A fluoro orange noseband would help...it wouldn't look quite so good under the wheels of an artic'...

PS A pair of air horns help massively too.

L100NYY

Original Poster:

35,493 posts

250 months

Monday 2nd August 2004
quotequote all
Murph, a fluoro orange noseband would look superb on a black car! I think I might just go and get my car painted black.............
On a serious note, 90% of the time I drive (the Caterham) with the lights on anyway for that very reason and I guess that's why bikers do so too.
Mmmmmm...........can't get the thought of black with orange noseband out of my head now! I wonder how it would look on my dark blue car.

granville

18,764 posts

268 months

Monday 2nd August 2004
quotequote all
R400 it be, my lord Murph, that it be.

I hope only to use it before dawn and/or when DIY/ sports clothing centres are closed.

bertie

8,566 posts

291 months

Monday 2nd August 2004
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If you've got the Tillett seats, two things..

First, the glassfibre ones scratch very easily and soon look shoddy, so go for the Kevlar jobs. Much cheaper as an upgrade than to replace later.

Second, the Oxted trimming tillett seat covers, which are like a huge panty liner and go from shoulder harness holes down to front edge of seat, make it much more confortable and stop the "icy arse" syndrome from the wind whislteing under the seats on a cold day.


Also, carpets are a waste of time, make sure you get the rubber mats, hood bag is very uefull, if you have the aero and windscreen you want the half doors to go with the aero, and you want a cat replacement pipe.

Just my 2p worth for now...I'll think of some more soon no doubt.

It's a money pit...Enjoy!!

murph7355

38,906 posts

263 months

Monday 2nd August 2004
quotequote all
Sadly the mongo drivers are no longer restricted to such luminary polyester wearing classes...

Lights on all the time will help mind.

Are you leaving the carbon bits in the raw?

Bertie makes some fine suggestions too. Particularly the half doors which you will not get 2nd hand unless you're Mr Lucky McLuck in Luck week. And they cost stupid amounts.

Loony - a fluoro orange nose band and 7 (in the 7 grille) would look very, very good on a dark blue car.

The R400 is, to me, the perfect 7. Some say it's not quite as balanced a package as the original SL and lacks fluidity.

I say - there's nothing quite like having the option to scare the shit out of all and sundry with the speed of the damn things.

My lack of talent meant that I included myself in that number with an R500. I also found it very difficult to drive it as smoothly as an R400 equivalent - granted, wheel time was significantly less in the 500, but as you approach corners a good chunk quicker, you have to brake harder and earlier etc. So it's very much more on/off even than the R400 types...

Happy days. Stuck in Tokyo at present. 7 being looked after and other motor sat awaiting servicing and storage.

Find myself pondering engine options for the 7 and met. orange Murcielagos for some reason...

granville

18,764 posts

268 months

Monday 2nd August 2004
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Just come off the blower with sales and I'm not at all confident of a last rays of summer delivery; seems that the SVA people play funny buggers with Caterhams quite randomly just to be socialists.

Looks like snow tyres are inevitable then, damn it!

bertie

8,566 posts

291 months

Monday 2nd August 2004
quotequote all
Are you not building it yourself then? Missed out on a big part of the whole thing if you haven't.

It's almost the best bit.

You also need the pushbutton start and a so called "helicopter switch" for the ignition, saves banging your knees on the keys and ignition barrel all the time. And a handheld fire extinguisher if you're going on track.

L100NYY

Original Poster:

35,493 posts

250 months

Monday 2nd August 2004
quotequote all
I'm sorely tempted with the fluoro orange '7' and noseband with the 'R400' stickers done to match. Funnily enough I've just changed the orange '7' on the grill to black but only because the orange used was not the right shade. I have to say that black actually looks very good althoughthe fluoro orange would look better.

murph7355

38,906 posts

263 months

Monday 2nd August 2004
quotequote all
Leave the R400 decals IMO. Would look too fussy...

Bertie's on the nose again with button and aircraft toggle switch for ignition. Also, do they come with a master battery cut off these days? One of those is very handy too.

As is the removable steering wheel (I personally prefer Racetech to Momo, but then I'm often considered odd). Ultra cool and handy to help ingress/egresss and a good anti-theft measure.

bertie

8,566 posts

291 months

Tuesday 3rd August 2004
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murph7355 said:

As is the removable steering wheel (I personally prefer Racetech to Momo, but then I'm often considered odd). Ultra cool and handy to help ingress/egresss and a good anti-theft measure.


Very true, knew there was something I'd missed.
Almost essential with the Tilletts and Harnesses, and I find the crutch strap good on track days, but they are a apin is the arse to fit as an afterthought as the seat has to come out, so if you think you might want them, get them in from the start.

murph7355

38,906 posts

263 months

Tuesday 3rd August 2004
quotequote all
6pt belts are a must for any serious road/track work. Once you've worn them, you won't go back or feel safe without.

So there you go DeR, another few grand knocked on the head...

granville

18,764 posts

268 months

Tuesday 3rd August 2004
quotequote all
I can assure the right honourable gents that to me, cars are like trousers; I'm perfectly happy to pilot them with copious hamfistedness but their construction and workings are of limited interest.

Possessing little or no car craft, I am nonetheless blessed by overflowing rivers' full of blind faith in the design and honing talents of others and that, afaic, is what one's stumping up for.

(Must say though, the Sopwith Camel style firing up mechanism sounds something like - how'd'you get that then?)


bertie

8,566 posts

291 months

Tuesday 3rd August 2004
quotequote all
The push button start is a factory option, talk to Caterham, not expensive. Also means re-starting once you've stalled or spun is muck quicker.

The aircraft swich ingintion with the flip up red cover has to be done after SVA, but again the factory will do it for you.

I'd deffinately reccomend the crutch straps, make you feel much more secure and stop submarining in the event of an "event."

I trust you're having 13" wheels and Avon CR500 tyres?

If not, you must! Caterhams are much better on 13" rims than 15", also the selection of tyres available on 13" is huge and they're much cheaper when you wear them out, and you will be wearing them out believe me!

granville

18,764 posts

268 months

Tuesday 3rd August 2004
quotequote all
bertie said:

The aircraft swich ingintion with the flip up red cover has to be done after SVA, but again the factory will do it for you.


Consider it done, Mr.Wooster.

bertie said:

I trust you're having 13" wheels and Avon CR500 tyres?


Indeed; this apeears to be an express rule of purchase, according to the people who know...