What to look for on K1.4 super 7 & what perf. upgrades pos?
Discussion
Does anyone have any buying tips on the 1.4 K series cars? Car is a DeDion with 5 speed from 1992/3.
I know most Caterhams are basically the same under the skin so can anyone comment on how hard is it to get more power out of these units - its the MPi out of the metro n'est pas? Can I straight swap to a 1.6 or 1.8 using the same loom, 5speed box, prop n diff? and will the brakes be up to the job with more power...?
I know most Caterhams are basically the same under the skin so can anyone comment on how hard is it to get more power out of these units - its the MPi out of the metro n'est pas? Can I straight swap to a 1.6 or 1.8 using the same loom, 5speed box, prop n diff? and will the brakes be up to the job with more power...?
TisWow said:
Does anyone have any buying tips on the 1.4 K series cars? Car is a DeDion with 5 speed from 1992/3.
Yes, don't. Even if it's a Supersport the 5 speed kills the engine. If it's a boggo 100 bhp engine it's even worse
TisWow said:
I know most Caterhams are basically the same under the skin so can anyone comment on how hard is it to get more power out of these units
Not worth the effort
TisWow said:
- its the MPi out of the metro n'est pas? Can I straight swap to a 1.6 or 1.8 using the same loom, 5speed box, prop n diff? and will the brakes be up to the job with more power...?
Yes to all of these, but is it really worth the effort? - go and find a 1.6 or 1.8 car in the first place. You can find a 115 bhp Roadsport for under £10k and that is a much better basis for upgrading...but in the main, its cheaper to buy the car you want than upgrade an existing one...Having said that, one guy did upgrade his engine to an 1800 and IIRC did it for about £1k.
Have you considered a 2.0 VX engined car - much maligned, always by those that have never owned one.
>> Edited by rubystone on Tuesday 4th April 18:01
Cheers for the info. Is the 1.4 really thats bad? I drove one in a metro single point version back in 91 and it seemed pretty good... admittedly I had a Polo back then... ;p
Im kinda limited by choice as im not in the UK so few cars come up for sale here. Do you have a link to the info on the guy that did his conversion as that may be my only way...
Im kinda limited by choice as im not in the UK so few cars come up for sale here. Do you have a link to the info on the guy that did his conversion as that may be my only way...
poorcardealer said:
I have just sold a 1.4 Supersport and having owned a 1.6 Supersport in the past, I would go for the bigger engine, there seems to be lots more torque, although the 1.6 had a six speed gearbox which makes a lot of difference
Twas a nice one that 1.4, pity i wasnt able to get it before it was snapped up! (tho you reckoned that one was upped to 130odd bhp didnt you?)
wouldnt say the 1.4 was *that* bad... depending on what your used to. If you havent had one before then 100 odd bhp in 500-600kg car is very different to the same power in other cars.
and could always have the 1.4 till you find a good 1.6 to upgrade to. There are some one blatchat who advocate changing the 5 speed to the 6 which is better suited to the engine, or keeping the 5 speed box and chaning the ratios (since the origonal ratios are from sierra)
Get the engine you want from the outset, upgrading a 1.4 to a 1.8 does not make it a valuable as a 1.8!
1.4 with 5 speed is rather laboured because the ratios are not suited to the engine. 6 speed is far better on all K-Series engined cars with a nicer change and far more suitable ratios.
Buying a car with a view to upgrading the engine to the same as the model above doesn't make a great deal of sense. Buy the more expensive car first and enjoy the performance from day one. Whatever anyone tells you, upgraded cars are harder to sell on if you decide you want to go to a different model later on. Modified cars scare some people and although some people would be more than happy with a modified Seven you will limit your market.
1.4 with 5 speed is rather laboured because the ratios are not suited to the engine. 6 speed is far better on all K-Series engined cars with a nicer change and far more suitable ratios.
Buying a car with a view to upgrading the engine to the same as the model above doesn't make a great deal of sense. Buy the more expensive car first and enjoy the performance from day one. Whatever anyone tells you, upgraded cars are harder to sell on if you decide you want to go to a different model later on. Modified cars scare some people and although some people would be more than happy with a modified Seven you will limit your market.
dino ferrana said:
Get the engine you want from the outset, upgrading a 1.4 to a 1.8 does not make it a valuable as a 1.8!
1.4 with 5 speed is rather laboured because the ratios are not suited to the engine. 6 speed is far better on all K-Series engined cars with a nicer change and far more suitable ratios.
Buying a car with a view to upgrading the engine to the same as the model above doesn't make a great deal of sense. Buy the more expensive car first and enjoy the performance from day one. Whatever anyone tells you, upgraded cars are harder to sell on if you decide you want to go to a different model later on. Modified cars scare some people and although some people would be more than happy with a modified Seven you will limit your market.
I'd agree with Dino about the gearbox if most of your time is spent on track or not doing long journeys. The top ratio in the 6spd box is the same as 4th in the 5spd box. If the car is going to be used for touring, the 5spd box makes for much more relaxed progress.
There are two approaches to getting into Caterham ownership:
1. Buy what you can afford now, work out what you really want, save up, sell what you have and buy your "perfect" car; OR
2. Buy what you can afford now, work out what you really want, gradually transform your car into what you want.
I'm doing method 2 (6 years in now, still changing stuff) but it's not cheap and resale value is poor - fortunately I don't care about resale value
but thanks to Tom Carabine I've just saved myself £700 off the bill 
Thanks for all your help guys. I drove the car in question and it whilst it was no rocket ship it was fun enough until I can get my mits on a 1.8 conversion so ive bought it. Like I said there are very few cars available to me and this car is mint with full history etc showing it was a motorshow car etc
TisWow said:
Thanks for all your help guys. I drove the car in question and it whilst it was no rocket ship it was fun enough until I can get my mits on a 1.8 conversion so ive bought it. Like I said there are very few cars available to me and this car is mint with full history etc showing it was a motorshow car etc
Was it a 5 speed or a 6?....You didn't mention what you paid for it. As a guide a 6 speed 1400 Supersport can sometimes top £10k, but only if it's exceptionally clean. A 5 speed struggles to reach £9k.
There are quite a number of decent cars around - but you didn't mention what your budget was either. Not all are openly advertised as such. By way of example, 3 weeks ago, a Roadsport A sold for £9k - 2004, done a season or two but great nick, with 6 speed, 1.6 Supersport 140 bhp engine, dry sumped, widetrack (IIRC) LSD, all the goodies for a decent road/track combination and an absolute steal! Find £13k and there's a rather nice 1600 Superlight for sale right at the moment...and if you don't mind having to go through the pain of an SVA, there's a Superlight R about for the sale money!
Enjoy the car, but don't spend tons on upgrading it, sell it and buy another one
TisWow said:
Cheers for the info. Is the 1.4 really thats bad? I drove one in a metro single point version back in 91 and it seemed pretty good... admittedly I had a Polo back then... ;p
I dont think 1.4 SS is too bad, sure its no rocket ship but in SS form its nice & free revving & I def prefered one (6 speed) over a boggo 1.6 (5speed) roadsport I drove on the same day.
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