What are the build options for a caterham
Discussion
Ive spent the last few weeks looking at the cars, the options and the specs etc. Ive looked at the L7 owners club site but to post a message on there seems a bit like joining the freemasons (the secret society not the club dance mix people!)
I am wanting to build my own car preferably a roadsport, not sure whether to go for the fat or thin bloke model yet.
Is it an all or nothing thing with caterham i.e will they only sell you a full kit, all new parts with the layout of one lump sum. I know Westfield do a module staged build where you but the bits in 4 or five stages as you need them. You can also build using a single donor vehicle.
If the C can be built from a donor vehicle what are the options, costs etc
Any advice would be helpful. I rang Caterham who promised me info in the post but never sent me anything.
I am wanting to build my own car preferably a roadsport, not sure whether to go for the fat or thin bloke model yet.
Is it an all or nothing thing with caterham i.e will they only sell you a full kit, all new parts with the layout of one lump sum. I know Westfield do a module staged build where you but the bits in 4 or five stages as you need them. You can also build using a single donor vehicle.
If the C can be built from a donor vehicle what are the options, costs etc
Any advice would be helpful. I rang Caterham who promised me info in the post but never sent me anything.
Speaking as one of the converts 
New Caterhams (S3/Standard or SV/wider chassis) are built as a series of option packs with packs being termed front suspension, rear suspension, lighting, weathergear, interior, miscellaneous etc.
I am not sure if its much cheaper to buy the option packs as a whole with the chassis or not. I suspect there isn't that much in it. The main kit is the starter kit and contains the bare ali body & chassis with GRP coloured wings and nosecone pre-fitted and removed for transportation, scuttle and bonnet. The wiring loom and brake lines are fitted and all instruments are fitted and wired in the dashboard.
You can buy as many of the option packs as you wish in addition to the starter kit. It may be an idea to have the chassis and packs to make a rolling chassis and then to supply your own engine, gearbox and diff. Dependant on the engine variant you should be able to source the engine mounts and other items to complete your build from Caterham.
The downside to building a car piecemeal is the delay in fitting various packages. Start to finish, a complete kit can be comfortably constructed in 100 hours. Having to wait between packages could be frustrating but understandable if you are on a budget.
There is no donor vehicle as such for a Caterham as most parts are specific to the marque.
HTH
T
New Caterhams (S3/Standard or SV/wider chassis) are built as a series of option packs with packs being termed front suspension, rear suspension, lighting, weathergear, interior, miscellaneous etc. I am not sure if its much cheaper to buy the option packs as a whole with the chassis or not. I suspect there isn't that much in it. The main kit is the starter kit and contains the bare ali body & chassis with GRP coloured wings and nosecone pre-fitted and removed for transportation, scuttle and bonnet. The wiring loom and brake lines are fitted and all instruments are fitted and wired in the dashboard.
You can buy as many of the option packs as you wish in addition to the starter kit. It may be an idea to have the chassis and packs to make a rolling chassis and then to supply your own engine, gearbox and diff. Dependant on the engine variant you should be able to source the engine mounts and other items to complete your build from Caterham.
The downside to building a car piecemeal is the delay in fitting various packages. Start to finish, a complete kit can be comfortably constructed in 100 hours. Having to wait between packages could be frustrating but understandable if you are on a budget.
There is no donor vehicle as such for a Caterham as most parts are specific to the marque.
HTH
T
The majority of cars are sold by Caterham as complete knock-down kits (CKD). This is simpky a kit of all-new parts with everything supplied to build the car.
They also do what's called a 'starter kit' which is basically just the chassis. You can then buy the rest of the bits you need in modular chunks (front suspension, rear suspension, engine etc.). The only real reason to do it this way is if you already have some of the parts or an engine. I think it works out 10-15% more expensive than the CKD to build a whole car this way.
http://www.caterham.co.uk/assets/html/showroom/starter_kits.html
You can of course also buy cars factory build.
They also do what's called a 'starter kit' which is basically just the chassis. You can then buy the rest of the bits you need in modular chunks (front suspension, rear suspension, engine etc.). The only real reason to do it this way is if you already have some of the parts or an engine. I think it works out 10-15% more expensive than the CKD to build a whole car this way.
http://www.caterham.co.uk/assets/html/showroom/starter_kits.html
You can of course also buy cars factory build.
Join the club (here) and you can post on BlatChat - we're not at all like the freemasons honestly.
As above you can buy a starter kit and add you own engine, gearbox and differential. The brakes can also be sourced from elsewhere (fronts are Triumph, rears are Sierra) but nearly everything else is bespoke to Caterham. Caterhams are more of an assemble it yourself car than a kit car. There is no fabricating required - everything just bolts together and assembly can be completed in 10 days or so.
As above you can buy a starter kit and add you own engine, gearbox and differential. The brakes can also be sourced from elsewhere (fronts are Triumph, rears are Sierra) but nearly everything else is bespoke to Caterham. Caterhams are more of an assemble it yourself car than a kit car. There is no fabricating required - everything just bolts together and assembly can be completed in 10 days or so.
As has been said, as Caterhams are component cars not kit cars, there is no donor.
They've cracked down so hard on the new car building process now that for major parts (engine/box/diff, etc) you need to buy pretty much everything new anyway, well, you do if you want anything other than a Q plate.
Most of the non-major components can only be sourced from Caterham (either directly or indirectly) so there's not a huge amount to be saved IMO. You can save money on things like front uprights(Triumph), Ford brake callipers(Caterham take the pee with these), plastics and using used weather gear, screens, etc. but it's very hard for someone new to Caterhams to find out what they can and can't save money on.
Perhaps if you pick a car spec (say the basic Sigma one) you might be able to get more specific money saving info, for example, I think Ford do a complete new 'crate' Sigma motor for less than £900 all in. I'm betting that's a LOT cheaper than Caterham, but you will need some RWD ancillaries to get it to Caterham's spec. These may be Caterham only parts that cost a fortune and blow all the money you saved by getting a motor from Ford.
All things considered, unless you're prepared to put in a lot of research and rely on advice from others (which can always be wrong/out of date) I think you'll struggle to beat Caterham's CKD price to be honest.
They've cracked down so hard on the new car building process now that for major parts (engine/box/diff, etc) you need to buy pretty much everything new anyway, well, you do if you want anything other than a Q plate.
Most of the non-major components can only be sourced from Caterham (either directly or indirectly) so there's not a huge amount to be saved IMO. You can save money on things like front uprights(Triumph), Ford brake callipers(Caterham take the pee with these), plastics and using used weather gear, screens, etc. but it's very hard for someone new to Caterhams to find out what they can and can't save money on.
Perhaps if you pick a car spec (say the basic Sigma one) you might be able to get more specific money saving info, for example, I think Ford do a complete new 'crate' Sigma motor for less than £900 all in. I'm betting that's a LOT cheaper than Caterham, but you will need some RWD ancillaries to get it to Caterham's spec. These may be Caterham only parts that cost a fortune and blow all the money you saved by getting a motor from Ford.
All things considered, unless you're prepared to put in a lot of research and rely on advice from others (which can always be wrong/out of date) I think you'll struggle to beat Caterham's CKD price to be honest.
Thanks folks, I have spent a bit more time on the caterham website and it does lean very much towards the factory or CKD route.
I think I am right in believing that for a non Q plate I need to use 2 major components from a donor vehicle. Does that not open some options to build a car from, for example a sierra using the diff and gearbox/engine then all the rest of the stuff new from caterham.
Im not averse to 'CKD all new' Im just exploring the options.
Is there no engine/back axle/gearbox single vehicle donor source that is compatable with the caterham "kit" that would collectively allow me to build a car on a none Q - age related plate
I think I am right in believing that for a non Q plate I need to use 2 major components from a donor vehicle. Does that not open some options to build a car from, for example a sierra using the diff and gearbox/engine then all the rest of the stuff new from caterham.
Im not averse to 'CKD all new' Im just exploring the options.
Is there no engine/back axle/gearbox single vehicle donor source that is compatable with the caterham "kit" that would collectively allow me to build a car on a none Q - age related plate
Have a look under the kit car section here; there was quite a long thread in the last few months arguing about exactly what is needed to get a new or non-Q plate. You don't really want to have a 2008 car carrying an age-related plate off a Sierra donor - that will not be good for your re-sale value.
adamh said:
As has been said, as Caterhams are component cars not kit cars, there is no donor.
They've cracked down so hard on the new car building process now that for major parts (engine/box/diff, etc) you need to buy pretty much everything new anyway, well, you do if you want anything other than a Q plate.
Most of the non-major components can only be sourced from Caterham (either directly or indirectly) so there's not a huge amount to be saved IMO. You can save money on things like front uprights(Triumph), Ford brake callipers(Caterham take the pee with these), plastics and using used weather gear, screens, etc. but it's very hard for someone new to Caterhams to find out what they can and can't save money on.
Perhaps if you pick a car spec (say the basic Sigma one) you might be able to get more specific money saving info, for example, I think Ford do a complete new 'crate' Sigma motor for less than £900 all in. I'm betting that's a LOT cheaper than Caterham, but you will need some RWD ancillaries to get it to Caterham's spec. These may be Caterham only parts that cost a fortune and blow all the money you saved by getting a motor from Ford.
All things considered, unless you're prepared to put in a lot of research and rely on advice from others (which can always be wrong/out of date) I think you'll struggle to beat Caterham's CKD price to be honest.
Not sure about the uprights, I know the live axle cars with trunnions on the front are Triumph, but I understood the non trunnion front uprights on de-dion cars are bespoke..They've cracked down so hard on the new car building process now that for major parts (engine/box/diff, etc) you need to buy pretty much everything new anyway, well, you do if you want anything other than a Q plate.
Most of the non-major components can only be sourced from Caterham (either directly or indirectly) so there's not a huge amount to be saved IMO. You can save money on things like front uprights(Triumph), Ford brake callipers(Caterham take the pee with these), plastics and using used weather gear, screens, etc. but it's very hard for someone new to Caterhams to find out what they can and can't save money on.
Perhaps if you pick a car spec (say the basic Sigma one) you might be able to get more specific money saving info, for example, I think Ford do a complete new 'crate' Sigma motor for less than £900 all in. I'm betting that's a LOT cheaper than Caterham, but you will need some RWD ancillaries to get it to Caterham's spec. These may be Caterham only parts that cost a fortune and blow all the money you saved by getting a motor from Ford.
All things considered, unless you're prepared to put in a lot of research and rely on advice from others (which can always be wrong/out of date) I think you'll struggle to beat Caterham's CKD price to be honest.
casbar said:
Not sure about the uprights, I know the live axle cars with trunnions on the front are Triumph, but I understood the non trunnion front uprights on de-dion cars are bespoke..
Uprights are the same . . . The trunnion gubbins just bolts on the bottom, see below:http://www.rimmerbros.co.uk/spitfire/images/91a.gif
Still, you don't save a huge amount buying RimmerBros uprights . .. c.£40 a car, ish.
Gassing Station | Caterham | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff