Apologies, I'm not sure why the paragraphs aren't being picked up correctly. Hi "at last I have a Seven”, something I’ve been waiting to say for many years having wanted one as a teenager 30 years ago. When I had my first job acceptance the first thing I did was to write to Caterham Cars for an order form for a Seven, unfortunately having to move to central London meant that the order form was never filled out but I still have it today, dated October 1986, then another dated 1991, also a list of second hand ones dated 1998

However, earlier this year I picked up my year 2000, blue with silver stripe, k-series Roadsport 140 from Caterham Cars and drove it the 20 miles home to Epsom in the pouring rain – not how I envisaged my first drive in a long awaited Seven! Part way through the journey the passenger side wiper blade flew off and before I had time to pull over, the bare metal wiper arm had scratched the heated windscreen with a permanent arc. Great service from CC though, after a few emails back and forth to salesman James with a photo and it was booked in to have the windscreen (and wiper) replaced.

With hindsight, this January and Feb hasn’t been the best choice to pick up a Seven but I have managed a few local trips with the roof off in between the rain and snow and I hope to try and come along to the local Surrey Se7ens meetings.

One reason I have delayed buying one is that living in a Victorian house, there is no garage and only a small off-road area to park the car so mine will be kept outside under wraps which whilst not ideal I decided that it was this or nothing. I have a Storm-force cover fitted for a Seven which certainly keeps the recent wind and rain away and I’d be interested to hear from anyone else who also has to keep their Seven outside in terms of key areas to keep clean and dry – I guess all of it!

In terms of longer trips, I am born and bred from Carmarthen in West Wales and spent my formative years hooning around in a Mini on roads that you’d swear were designed by Colin Chapman and Alec Issigonis. I’d love to take the Seven there and retrace some of the routes at some point but the only trouble is that between Epsom and Carmarthen lies over 200 miles of M25 and M4 which isn’t the greatest environment for driving a Seven (thinking of Mrs MarkD).

I’ll try and upload some photos when I can get to take a few, but in the meantime, that order form from 1986 – in component form with engines from Ford 1.6 GT (84bhp) £7,590, Ford RS 1600 BDR (150 bhp) £10,624. Loads of extras such as Heater £76.47, De Dion £569.25, Aeroscreens £35.02 and Lucas electronic ignition for £56.12.

Bye for now thanks

MarkD