Discussion
I'll try and make a start.
Roadsport, Supersport, Superlight, R300, R400, R500 are generally all Rover powered cars and becoming progressively faster. Cars in the last year or so are now Ford Powered.
Roadsports were about 120bhp, Supersport had head work 140bhp, the others had more engine work/power and became lighter/faster/expensive.
Prior to the Rover cars you started with the Ford Xflow, some rover cars, vauxhall 1.6-2l.
Gearboxes were 4 speed, 5 speed and 6 speed depending on age/power/ road/race preference.
The cars in the classified are generally priced by age/engine/power. So the cheaper ones are often older traditional cars and the expensive ones are newer and often powerful cars.
The Good thing is there will be a caterham for everyones budget. You will have fun whatever you select.
Roadsport, Supersport, Superlight, R300, R400, R500 are generally all Rover powered cars and becoming progressively faster. Cars in the last year or so are now Ford Powered.
Roadsports were about 120bhp, Supersport had head work 140bhp, the others had more engine work/power and became lighter/faster/expensive.
Prior to the Rover cars you started with the Ford Xflow, some rover cars, vauxhall 1.6-2l.
Gearboxes were 4 speed, 5 speed and 6 speed depending on age/power/ road/race preference.
The cars in the classified are generally priced by age/engine/power. So the cheaper ones are often older traditional cars and the expensive ones are newer and often powerful cars.
The Good thing is there will be a caterham for everyones budget. You will have fun whatever you select.
gxp,
Where are you situated?
A good place to start is by visiting a Lotus 7 club area meeting or two
see here: -
http://www.lotussevenclub.com/AreaMeetings/AreaMee...
You'll find plenty of different opinions on what you should go for!
It's sometimes disappointing when someone turns up having just bought a car, but they have not thought about how they are going to use the car, and what options they should have choosen.
Remember, not two Caterhams are quite the same, where a Superlight may have been specified without carbon, but a Roadsport may well have been specified, or upgraded, and could quite easily have a very similar spec. . Both the same car, but with a different price tag.
Where are you situated?
A good place to start is by visiting a Lotus 7 club area meeting or two
see here: -
http://www.lotussevenclub.com/AreaMeetings/AreaMee...
You'll find plenty of different opinions on what you should go for!
It's sometimes disappointing when someone turns up having just bought a car, but they have not thought about how they are going to use the car, and what options they should have choosen.
Remember, not two Caterhams are quite the same, where a Superlight may have been specified without carbon, but a Roadsport may well have been specified, or upgraded, and could quite easily have a very similar spec. . Both the same car, but with a different price tag.
Red Seven said:
gxp,
Where are you situated?
A good place to start is by visiting a Lotus 7 club area meeting or two
see here: -
http://www.lotussevenclub.com/AreaMeetings/AreaMee...
You'll find plenty of different opinions on what you should go for!
It's sometimes disappointing when someone turns up having just bought a car, but they have not thought about how they are going to use the car, and what options they should have choosen.
Remember, not two Caterhams are quite the same, where a Superlight may have been specified without carbon, but a Roadsport may well have been specified, or upgraded, and could quite easily have a very similar spec. . Both the same car, but with a different price tag.
agreed, decide what you want, and then buy the car with the right bits. Unless you are concerned with having a 'superlight' rather than an XYZ with superlight equivalent parts, this won't affect you. Resale will be lower, but you'll have paid less (for essentially the same car) in the first place!Where are you situated?
A good place to start is by visiting a Lotus 7 club area meeting or two
see here: -
http://www.lotussevenclub.com/AreaMeetings/AreaMee...
You'll find plenty of different opinions on what you should go for!
It's sometimes disappointing when someone turns up having just bought a car, but they have not thought about how they are going to use the car, and what options they should have choosen.
Remember, not two Caterhams are quite the same, where a Superlight may have been specified without carbon, but a Roadsport may well have been specified, or upgraded, and could quite easily have a very similar spec. . Both the same car, but with a different price tag.
Also, most 'issues' with any cars can be rectified fairly cheaply. Don't walk away from a car just because of a couple of issues. There are a lot of clean looking cars out there which haven't been driven hard, but these aren't necesserily the most sorted cars, as they've never had to go through a 'shakedown' or had any development time spent on them.
The difference between the owners can be quite marked. There are the polishers, the modifiers, the 'guys who quote a couple of people as gospel on blatchat', and the people that cruise in the their cars (with goggles, flying jackets, etc) and the people that thrash their cars to within an inch of their lives. You will get a very different response from each of the above. Personally, I like to muller mine once it's warmed up, hence me be a bit nervous to use it on the road (prison or hospital are the options that often spring to mind!)
Horses for courses at the end of the day. As already mentioned, there is a 7 for everyone at the right price out there. Also, try and get potential sellers to remember that they are only cars after all, so don't get suckered into paying over the odds.
Thanks for the advice. I want the car to blast about a bit on the road and a few track days. I know I don't want one that looks like a tourer with luggage racks etc and a more 'full on' sporting appearance seems more appropriate. A windscreen and heater would be nice though!
I think the spec I want is something like:
about 150bhp - don't care which engine
6 speed box
lsd
4 pot brakes
Any idea whci spec is going to deliver the above?
By the way I am in Chelmsford, Essex. Any area meetings in my neck of the woods?
I think the spec I want is something like:
about 150bhp - don't care which engine
6 speed box
lsd
4 pot brakes
Any idea whci spec is going to deliver the above?
By the way I am in Chelmsford, Essex. Any area meetings in my neck of the woods?
gxp said:
Thanks for the advice. I want the car to blast about a bit on the road and a few track days. I know I don't want one that looks like a tourer with luggage racks etc and a more 'full on' sporting appearance seems more appropriate. A windscreen and heater would be nice though!
I think the spec I want is something like:
about 150bhp - don't care which engine
6 speed box
lsd
4 pot brakes
Any idea whci spec is going to deliver the above?
By the way I am in Chelmsford, Essex. Any area meetings in my neck of the woods?
Sounds like your looking for an Superlight R300.I think the spec I want is something like:
about 150bhp - don't care which engine
6 speed box
lsd
4 pot brakes
Any idea whci spec is going to deliver the above?
By the way I am in Chelmsford, Essex. Any area meetings in my neck of the woods?
Sounds like you need the Joy of BECs.
Don't rule out Blackbird or Fireblade engined CATs, plenty of smiles/mile
There's a couple of guys up Essex way (me thinks) with Blackbirds, take a look on BlatChat and search BEC/Blackbird, etc.
I had my heart set on an R300 or Superlight but just wasn't getting to my target budget, then the Blackbird I eventually bought came up for sale and one ride out (with quite an extreme blast by the then owner) and I was hooked (and deaf and devoid of any capability to stop my legs shaking......).
Chris
Don't rule out Blackbird or Fireblade engined CATs, plenty of smiles/mile
There's a couple of guys up Essex way (me thinks) with Blackbirds, take a look on BlatChat and search BEC/Blackbird, etc.
I had my heart set on an R300 or Superlight but just wasn't getting to my target budget, then the Blackbird I eventually bought came up for sale and one ride out (with quite an extreme blast by the then owner) and I was hooked (and deaf and devoid of any capability to stop my legs shaking......).
Chris
Edited by Krismuss on Tuesday 16th December 23:29
Interestingly 150 bhp is quite a hard no to hit!
Your baseline starting point should be:
1.6k series supersport 135bhp. What's commonly known as "executive superlight" spec. Should have 6 speed, big brakes, widetrack, LSD, Apollo tank, quick rack, screen and heater. Could actually be a superlight, or just a raodsport specced to that.
Then you have two things to consider. Other toys to add to that spec, and/or more horses.
Other toys might include - removable windscreen, Tillet seats, stack dash, removeable wheel, starter switch, dry sump (for engine safety on track). Must be loads more.
More horses - 1.8k - supersport, R300 engine, supersport R engine, superlight R engine (190/200), R500 engine (230), other (such as DVA) tuned K series with TBs etc.
Then finally you can go for different engine types - eg a Duratec conversion, or Bike power. Both are leagues different from the baseline starting point.
If you are new to Caterhams you will find the 1.6k supersport with the 6 speeder to be just a blast. It's still my favourite combo. Others will tell you that you can't have enough power, just personal choice.
Bert
Your baseline starting point should be:
1.6k series supersport 135bhp. What's commonly known as "executive superlight" spec. Should have 6 speed, big brakes, widetrack, LSD, Apollo tank, quick rack, screen and heater. Could actually be a superlight, or just a raodsport specced to that.
Then you have two things to consider. Other toys to add to that spec, and/or more horses.
Other toys might include - removable windscreen, Tillet seats, stack dash, removeable wheel, starter switch, dry sump (for engine safety on track). Must be loads more.
More horses - 1.8k - supersport, R300 engine, supersport R engine, superlight R engine (190/200), R500 engine (230), other (such as DVA) tuned K series with TBs etc.
Then finally you can go for different engine types - eg a Duratec conversion, or Bike power. Both are leagues different from the baseline starting point.
If you are new to Caterhams you will find the 1.6k supersport with the 6 speeder to be just a blast. It's still my favourite combo. Others will tell you that you can't have enough power, just personal choice.
Bert
Gassing Station | Caterham | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff