What is the cheapest new (diy build) Caterham you can get?

What is the cheapest new (diy build) Caterham you can get?

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VAG_LUVER

Original Poster:

26 posts

224 months

Thursday 23rd March 2006
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What is the cheapest new (diy build) Caterham you can get?

Shaun_E

748 posts

267 months

Thursday 23rd March 2006
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Here - Caterham Classic £12950. This is a complete kit - everything you need including engine, gearbox, etc. - and just bolts together. This will give you a new car with a current registration.
If you want to source some of your own components such as engine/gearbox then you need a Starter Kit. Depending on the number of secondhand components (more than 2 major I believe) then this could get a Q prefix.

vag_luver

Original Poster:

26 posts

224 months

Thursday 23rd March 2006
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Best get saving - this or more likley than a tvr. Could I race it in any series.

This is a bit of a way off but no point not finding out!

Eric Mc

122,856 posts

272 months

Friday 24th March 2006
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Check out what is happening in the Caterham Academy series. The idea of this was that you bought a very basic Caterham kit and built it to racing spec - then took part in Sprints, Hill Climbs and eventually racing. Many ex-Academy racers then move on to Caterhan Graduates.

The cost of the car includes entry into the series so it is very good value.

vag_luver

Original Poster:

26 posts

224 months

Friday 24th March 2006
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Thanks Chaps

catgreenhorse

42 posts

238 months

Friday 24th March 2006
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Academy cars cost c £16.5k for basic car and racin.Factor in desirable extras and bits and that is up to £21k for Academy series.
Look at graduates .org.uk they have details of Caterham racing and some affordable cars. Academy cars change hands in year 2 for between £12.5- £14 k on the private market.
Regards
Rich

lukeb

89 posts

285 months

Sunday 26th March 2006
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If you know your way around a 7, you can trim the price down from the full kit price by buying a chassis starter kit + all the Caterham specific parts from Caterham, and getting everything else cheaper. That's not for the faint of heart though.

What is an easy way to save money is to just source the engine yourself. When I built mine, Caterham list price for a VVC engine was nearly 6k. I bought one off a scrapyard, and even with reconditioning and some porting it stood me in at less than 2k. Caterham's base 1.6 K series doesn't cost as much, but it's still around 4k.