Discussion
After 20 odd years of procrastination I've bought one,I originally wanted to build one myself but its just too expensive.
I'm going to collect a 1.4 K series Supersport with the six speed gearbox. Its going to be used on the road so I want something that I can at least drive without needing new underpants every few miles.
My thoughts were if its not powerful enough ( I doubt it) I can change the liners and pistons and convert to a 1.6 quite cheaply if I do all the work myself.
I was having difficultly with the pedals and have had to by some Karting shoes is this common?
I'm going to pick it up next week if the weather is Ok I don't really want to drive if its salty as it looks like its never seen any rain and is outstanding condition for 21 years old almost looks new and has a raft of service history including the foam baffle in the sump which never seems to get changed.
I can't wait!
I'm going to collect a 1.4 K series Supersport with the six speed gearbox. Its going to be used on the road so I want something that I can at least drive without needing new underpants every few miles.
My thoughts were if its not powerful enough ( I doubt it) I can change the liners and pistons and convert to a 1.6 quite cheaply if I do all the work myself.
I was having difficultly with the pedals and have had to by some Karting shoes is this common?
I'm going to pick it up next week if the weather is Ok I don't really want to drive if its salty as it looks like its never seen any rain and is outstanding condition for 21 years old almost looks new and has a raft of service history including the foam baffle in the sump which never seems to get changed.
I can't wait!
They aren't that quick in the scheme of 7s but you'll still enjoy it...the 6 speed box (a gem) was designed to make the most of the small engine. No point in converting to 1.6 since the 1.4 SS puts out 130 bhp, no more than a standard 1600. Even the 1.6 SS is only at 138 bhp.
So use the car to learn how to drive a 7 and when you're ready, sell it and buy a more powerful one if you do find you're used to it and want a bit more punch on track or when overtaking on A roads.
Kart shoes or puma speedcats are perfect.
So use the car to learn how to drive a 7 and when you're ready, sell it and buy a more powerful one if you do find you're used to it and want a bit more punch on track or when overtaking on A roads.
Kart shoes or puma speedcats are perfect.
Great, I don't think I'm going need any more power unless I decide to do track days, I learnt years ago "less is More" riding motorbikes,you can't ride modern 1 liter sports bikes on the road and do them justice.
I've still got a Ducati 1000ss its best road bike I've ever had dog slow by modern standards but light and handles really well and you can use all off its power without it spitting you off or doing a loop the loop. But it would be useless on a track day.
I just hope I have not made a mistake as a lot of people seem to dismiss the 1.4.I was going to look at a 1.6K and 1.6 Sigma but both had 5 speed boxes and were more expensive.
I went to view this car expecting to dismiss it because of its age but it was outstanding, watch it blow up on the way home!
Hopefully I will pick it up on the 15th if the weather is Ok
I've still got a Ducati 1000ss its best road bike I've ever had dog slow by modern standards but light and handles really well and you can use all off its power without it spitting you off or doing a loop the loop. But it would be useless on a track day.
I just hope I have not made a mistake as a lot of people seem to dismiss the 1.4.I was going to look at a 1.6K and 1.6 Sigma but both had 5 speed boxes and were more expensive.
I went to view this car expecting to dismiss it because of its age but it was outstanding, watch it blow up on the way home!
Hopefully I will pick it up on the 15th if the weather is Ok
If it's not too presumptous would you mind telling me what you paid for the car (a ballpark figure would do)? Sadly I am going to have to sell my 1.4 SS (5-speed in my case) this spring and am struggling to decide what price to put it up at. When I advertised it before Xmas there were posters on here telling me it was too cheap while people were emailing me about it telling me it was too expensive!
PM me if you'd rather keep it off-forum
Cheers
PM me if you'd rather keep it off-forum
Cheers
Hi TTwiggy no problem. I paid £14750, I hadn't intended to pay anywhere that much but the car really was faultless. I looked at much newer cars that were nowhere near as good condition, also it was in my first colour choice or at least it will be when I paint the nose yellow.
They seem to very difficult to value and I bought on condition rather than age, I have seen an indentical spec car 2 years newer 4000 less miles it was £1000 more.
I suppose they are worth what people are prepared to pay,I could of bought a newer 1.8vvc but I didn't like the colour, it had twice the miles, and was in nowhere near the condition.
Also I live in Whitley Bay so its hell of long way from most of the cars that are on sale,that swung the deal a bit in the sellers favour.
They seem to very difficult to value and I bought on condition rather than age, I have seen an indentical spec car 2 years newer 4000 less miles it was £1000 more.
I suppose they are worth what people are prepared to pay,I could of bought a newer 1.8vvc but I didn't like the colour, it had twice the miles, and was in nowhere near the condition.
Also I live in Whitley Bay so its hell of long way from most of the cars that are on sale,that swung the deal a bit in the sellers favour.
Thanks rustbucket. Sounds like thw right sort of price for a 6-speed car. I agree that it's hard to value these things - I had mine up for £10995 and it was far and away the cheapest k-series in the classifieds. I thought I'd get my arm bitten off but all I had was 'nobody wants the 1.4 and it's overpriced' responses. Nobody even came to view it, which is something I've never had before when trying to sell a used car.
You will love it - the 1.4SS is the sweetest engine of any Seven I have driven - not that I have driven that many but of the Sigma, Duratec , VVC and 1.6 Vauxhall I have tried and/or owned the 1.4SS is the most charismatic. Sounds like a racer when roused but does need to be kept on the boil and the six speed will make a huge difference here - the five speed I had did not do the engine justice and your 6th is what my fourth was....
I now have double the power nearly - but not double the fun. So what if a 330D leaves you coughing diesel smoke - he won't be getting up at dawn and sampling the pure joy of an early morning blat in an analogue car which weighs less than a BMW's leccy window motor.
I now have double the power nearly - but not double the fun. So what if a 330D leaves you coughing diesel smoke - he won't be getting up at dawn and sampling the pure joy of an early morning blat in an analogue car which weighs less than a BMW's leccy window motor.
Hi, Thanks that's just what I wanted to hear! Many years ago I used to drive modified classic Minis fantastic fun that has never been replaced by any hot hatch I ever owned.
I have just booked my train tickets and will be picking it up on Monday,should have a nice drive though Peak District and Yorkshire Dales.
I have just booked my train tickets and will be picking it up on Monday,should have a nice drive though Peak District and Yorkshire Dales.
rustbucket64 said:
Whitley Bay
My old stomping ground or rather Shields and TynemouthSister lives in Cullercoats
Currently residing in a village disguised as a muddy field in Yorkshire with my recently repurchased 7, now in bits.
The NE owners club meet at the Metal Bridge in Coxhoe apparently.
Was going this week but got flu instead.
Enjoy
I have a 1.4SS - only a 5 speed mind, but it still goes like hell when I need it to! Last year had it upgraded by DVA with a ported head, TBs/Emerald etc.
One thing I will say is if you can, get the SS cams timed correctly using Piper verniers or similar - my cams were all over the place (as demo'd by DVA) which led to an awful 'shunting' at low speed/low throttle setting... according to DVA most he sees are badly set up.
Also get some good quality track-day type rubber fitted - the difference is unbelievable!
Hope you have fun! :-)
I'm not sure about super sticky track tyres.
I had a set of Avon CR322 (the control tyre for the Academy) fitted to my Westfield XI (yes I know it's not a Caterham, but nor was it a 7 so there!) and I had loads of fun, old school 4 wheel drifting on a handling circuit. I may not have been the fastest there but then I was probably 50% down on power compared to the next least powerful, but I had a blast. Stickier tyres made the other cars much faster through a bend, however, they held on and on until they let go, then not a lot would stop a spin, whereas I was pretty much drifting from the word go and had much more scope to play with the throttle. Oh and whereas they trailered the car to and from and went through a set of expensive tyres per event, I drove to the track did two handling days and drove home again and the tyres didn't need replacing and cost £35 per corner!.
I had a set of Avon CR322 (the control tyre for the Academy) fitted to my Westfield XI (yes I know it's not a Caterham, but nor was it a 7 so there!) and I had loads of fun, old school 4 wheel drifting on a handling circuit. I may not have been the fastest there but then I was probably 50% down on power compared to the next least powerful, but I had a blast. Stickier tyres made the other cars much faster through a bend, however, they held on and on until they let go, then not a lot would stop a spin, whereas I was pretty much drifting from the word go and had much more scope to play with the throttle. Oh and whereas they trailered the car to and from and went through a set of expensive tyres per event, I drove to the track did two handling days and drove home again and the tyres didn't need replacing and cost £35 per corner!.
I think it is probably a case of 'horses for course' with regard to sticky tyres, but my 7 feels much safer & planted wearing better rubber - this is for road driving when I'd rather the car cling to the road than slide backwards into a hedge due to my mediocre driving skills!!
I guess the OP will know once he has his car, but in my experience standard road tyres never got up to temperature on the road - cannot comment on the track, but perhaps they'd be more fun there with plenty of run-off to play with?
Got the car home today, drove up to the Peak District stopped over night in a bunk house next to a pub,the Royal Oak, great. I was going to drive through the Peninnes but it was p****** down so I just went up the A1 not the best way to try the car out
The car seems to stall quite a bit when coming up to junctions, could it be the idle stepper motor? Found a recipit for a lightened flywheel so this might not help,but if you blip the throttle it seem to take a while for the revs to drop, should happen faster with a light flywheel?
I have also noticed there seems to be a very small amount of play in the steering,seems to be in the rack? I have heard that it's common for the steering tie rods to have play from the factory on the early cars, the car drives Ok but seems to wander a bit.
I need to get it out in the dry, it sounds fantastic when you open it up quick enough for me!
The car seems to stall quite a bit when coming up to junctions, could it be the idle stepper motor? Found a recipit for a lightened flywheel so this might not help,but if you blip the throttle it seem to take a while for the revs to drop, should happen faster with a light flywheel?
I have also noticed there seems to be a very small amount of play in the steering,seems to be in the rack? I have heard that it's common for the steering tie rods to have play from the factory on the early cars, the car drives Ok but seems to wander a bit.
I need to get it out in the dry, it sounds fantastic when you open it up quick enough for me!
Hi,
Thanks I've only driven one other Caterham on a track day experience years ago so I can't compare it to anything.
My Caterham has the 260mm steering wheel, I'm going to replace it with a 290mm that might help.
I am going to check the rack and have a look at the preload nut.
Have just bought a Rover 414 manual so I can check all the sensors to try and find out why its stalling/ erratic tickover,although I've just realised that the Supersport is supposed to use 98 octane fuel and I've put 95 octane in.I wonder if that's causing a problem?
My car came with a comprehensive service history but the its never had its valve clearances checked, does the Supersport have solid cam followers and if so does anyone know what the clearances should be and the duration and timing of the cams?
I have also noticed my car has an aluminium inlet manifold with "Supersport" cast into the top and air intake is facing the front of the car, seems different to all the other cars I've seen which seem to plastic or aluminium VVC.
Thanks I've only driven one other Caterham on a track day experience years ago so I can't compare it to anything.
My Caterham has the 260mm steering wheel, I'm going to replace it with a 290mm that might help.
I am going to check the rack and have a look at the preload nut.
Have just bought a Rover 414 manual so I can check all the sensors to try and find out why its stalling/ erratic tickover,although I've just realised that the Supersport is supposed to use 98 octane fuel and I've put 95 octane in.I wonder if that's causing a problem?
My car came with a comprehensive service history but the its never had its valve clearances checked, does the Supersport have solid cam followers and if so does anyone know what the clearances should be and the duration and timing of the cams?
I have also noticed my car has an aluminium inlet manifold with "Supersport" cast into the top and air intake is facing the front of the car, seems different to all the other cars I've seen which seem to plastic or aluminium VVC.
rustbucket64 said:
I have also noticed my car has an aluminium inlet manifold with "Supersport" cast into the top and air intake is facing the front of the car, seems different to all the other cars I've seen which seem to plastic or aluminium VVC.
Mine is plastic but I think it says 'supersport' on it. I will check this weekend!coppice said:
The wandering is probably typical Seven behaviour- they tend to be very camber and lorry-groove sensitive. Lightened flywheel should indeed result in zippier fall and rise of revs
I've only driven a few sevens, but only one (a Supersport 140) was what I would call wayward. Others were perfectly fine, so I suspect it's a tyre/setup thing as much as anything. I have spent a day with the car checking it over, the preload on the rack is fine, but the nearside wheel has masses of play,also the offside cycle wing hits the body by quite a margin!, the rubber on the top ball joint is cracked but no play and my front wheels have 30+ minutes of toe in! looks like that's the wayward steering sorted.
I'd love to know how they got the MOT a week before hand!.
It looks like the rack might need spacers to limit the travel to stop the cycle wings hitting the body?.
Removed,cleaned and checked the throttle body stepper motor and it working also the coolant sensor seems fine so I still have to get to the bottom of the stalling, I will be checking the timing on the cambelt and the lambda sensor
I'd love to know how they got the MOT a week before hand!.
It looks like the rack might need spacers to limit the travel to stop the cycle wings hitting the body?.
Removed,cleaned and checked the throttle body stepper motor and it working also the coolant sensor seems fine so I still have to get to the bottom of the stalling, I will be checking the timing on the cambelt and the lambda sensor
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