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Collection - Simon's 160

700newtons

Entry posted by 700newtons

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image_65.jpg.8fc6ed155157976bc201c7edcd64a70e.jpg

Maybe the best orange car in the world...

I collected the car today from Crawley (with the help of Rob J) and drove it back to Somerset via family in Newbury. We avoided main roads and had a great blast along A roads.

It is fantastic, and better than I imagined. The 160 is a lovely car.

The car handles very well, and has quite a bit more 'poke' than expected. My intentions to run the car in gently with low revs were not always stuck to. Overtaking on A roads was not much of a problem.

Interesting reactions from folks too. A few thumbs up, a few challenges to go faster (but declined).

It took a while to get used to the (rather) limited visibility behind (I need to do a bit of work on my mirrors). I also had a few little anoyances like the key fob got in the way when using the clutch.

The IVA

It took two attempts to get through the IVA (but nothing to do with my build skills, I hasten to add). Fortuntely I paid caterham to get it through, and this turned out to be a good move. The hassle would have been considerable.

Registration

This took 2 weeks. The DVLA returned my built up vehicle report for some extra details, and this slowed down, but when I rang them they were willing to help rush it through.

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  • Leadership Team
700newtons
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Great news (at last!)

It is surprisingly nippy for a small engine isn't it? I find that I tend to catch up with traffic on country roads promptly.

M25 is rather intimidating for the first drive too, especially when you have less rear view visibility than modern road cars.

enjoy,

Simon

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Martin B2

Great news, so hopefully there will be 5 160s on the 13th at the Pot Kiln. Should be the biggest 160 turnout in the UK ever!

keepinf everything crossed for good weather

Martin

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NedK

It will certainly get us into Low Flying magazine, I'd have thought...

I will bring a camera! 

Ned

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Martin B2

Hi All, I hope you haven't forgotten that Sunday is the highlight of the 160 year, the weather is looking ok but I will have my hood in the boot just in case. See you all at 12 noon at the Pot Kiln

regards

Martin

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NedK

Looking forward to it too. I am bringing my co-builder and older son. He's better at quickly getting the hood on than me!

Ned

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700newtons
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We had our school Seven delivered today (....ahem... If your child goes to Millfield they can get to build a Seven).

I recognised the delivery guy from when my own car came. He said that he has delivered 12 160 kits (and of course there are owners with factory built cars). There are not too many of us!

The car the school is building is a 270.

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Martin B2

Great to meet you all today and put faces to names . Don't forget to send me your photos for the low flying article

regards

martin

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PeterM

Likewise; it was great to meet and greet you all to to discuss the niggles and fun bits about building and driving a 160............... ...........a little beauty as someone has already tagged it! Phots will be on the way soon Martin.    

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Martin B2

Hi Boys, here is the text I sent to the editor of lowflying plus some of the photos

 

Sunday the 13th of Septmber was the date chosen as the largest 160 get together in the UK at The Pot Kiln pub in Frilsham, West Berkshire. This venue was chosen as it seemed a central location for the 5 of us all coming from different parts of the country. It was a bit off the beaten track, but once there then meeting up were Michel, Peter, Ned, Simon and Martin for the first time. Five 160's in a row! A great sight to see and all different in their own way. We had all built them roughly at the same time and had copious emails and blatchat exchanges during each of our builds, including 3 excellent blogs by Simon, Ned and Michael that helped us all to overcome the challenges of a Caterham. So we having spent the last almost 10 months swapping notes, photos and email so it was a pleasure to finally get together to re-live the highs and lows of a Caterham build. We all took the opportunity to extensively review the cars, did a lot of non-stop chatting and generally chewing the cud for a couple of hours about all our build problems was great fun and something I'm sure we will repeat. We have also now built up a bit of experience building a 160, so if there is anyone out there building or contemplating a build then we would be delighted to share our combined knowledge of building these fun cars"

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  • Leadership Team
700newtons
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Any more thoughts about sprinting? Perhaps a gentle way in would be to consider a suitable track day (or handling day) in the spring.

By the way, another 160 owner has popped up under Mike's recent blog.

Simon

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700newtons
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Hello folks,

It looks like I managed to sweeze in on the Goodwood event on the 11th October. I'll see some of you there.

Did you get you suspension adjusted Peter?

simon

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PeterM

Hi Simon,

Front camber all sorted - it was set at -2deg when it should have been -0.5deg. Paul G admitted it was their fault due mismatch between Jan14 and Aug 14 assembly manuals regarding threads showing on the top wishbone knuckle - so nothing to pay.

I think we did quite well with our builds, Paul was showing me a 125 Roadsport that needed 19hrs of work at PBS - a record apparently! 

I haven't got into Goodwood yet but still hopeful.

Peter M

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700newtons
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Hey, your car got in Low Flying, Peter, but no sign of ours!

Next month then?

Simon

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Martin B2

I sent the text shortly after our meet up, do maybe it didn't make the cut for the October issue, let's wait and see if we appear next month

martin 

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700newtons
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I think that I might have solved my starting problem... (The car struggles to restart when hot. This happened at Goodwood, but I just got it going in time)

The fuel line was up against a heater pipe. I think that the fuel was turning to vapour once the car was stationary, and hot.

I have now moved it away with cable ties.

 

 

 

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PeterM

Well done Simon; it couldn't have been much fun on the grid at Goodwwood as all those cars took avoiding action!

No on more surprised than me to get my car in the Oct Low Flying - however now looking for a triple as Pot Kiln and Goodwood to come! Sorry Guys, it's the distinctive white I'm afraid. 

Simon and I did 'duo blat' on coming away from Goodwood. If you are ever in the area take the Petersfield to Chichester road - good blatting tarmac! 

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  • Leadership Team
700newtons
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Hello folks,

i have just signed up for the Gurston Hill Climb school on the 12th April (£165). Another fellow from the Somerset L7 club is doing it with me, but I thought that this might appeal to some of the 160ers.

To be honest, I don't know a great deal about it, but from what I have read it looks interesting and fun. Here is the link... 

I was also thinking of a track day at Llandow (I think that this would be a similar sort of cost). However, nothing sorted yet.

cheers

Simon

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