Stu_I Posted May 31, 2010 Share Posted May 31, 2010 Im hoping to finalise something on a new 7 and just thinking a head and wondering if i should get a few options fitted. 1) Current car has a normal rollbar. Is it worth upgrading to the FIA bar now? Plan is to do a few track days, and the ring is nearby so will be over there a few times but the car is predominately for road use. I presume to do club track days i need a FIA bar? I've heard there is less visability with a FIA over a normal. Just wondering what peoples thoughts were? Is it that much of a problem on the road? 2) 3rd brake light. Want to put a 3rd brake light on the car. Found loads of previous posts on this but none on the current CC offering. Does anyone have this? How good is it? Plan is to use a half hood and if i go with an FIA rollbar is this a problem? 3) Found a few threads on Side Impact Bar and wondering if its worth fitting. Or is it just for trackdays against other Caterhams? More for peace of mind for the SWMBO. Will this work with full doors? The car has to be used for road and think full cage might be a pain in the 🙆🏻 to live with. 4) Met up with Callum yesterday at the ring with his R300. Was great to meet up and ask some more questions. However it was a VERY wet day, and certainly an interesting day for seeing the R300 in the wet. It got me thinking i've never driven a 7 in the wet and really would like some advanced driving, especially for the wet and a light rear wheel car. Thinking of the Caterham Driving Experience, or something at Cadence. Do people have any recommendations? Thanks for any help, and really interested in any feedback. Stu Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjmmarsh Posted May 31, 2010 Share Posted May 31, 2010 Stu 1. You will need an FIA bar for club trackdays, but most other organisers do not. I have always had one. Remember that it is only really needed when the car is upside down and that is the time you don't want it to fail. The standard roll bar will take quite a bit of punishment though: left roll bar mount failed, but remained intact 2. I used the intructions on Myles' site - worked for me. 3. Side impact bar is mainly to protect against T-boning when racing, but could happen on the road (but much less likely). Some swear by the safety a cage offers, but it is a pain to live with, partictularly if you tour or have passengers. 4. I can recomment Hugh at Cadence for helping you think about how you should drive, but there is no substitute for experience - get yourself on a wet trackday on an airfield with plenty of run off. Cadence can organise skid pan training as well if you want. Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leadership Team SLR No.77 Posted May 31, 2010 Leadership Team Share Posted May 31, 2010 Stu, to add regarding the FIA bar, it is not only stronger but somewhat taller offering better protection if inverted. Still fits under a standard hood though. Make your bar decisions before buying a halfhood - this needs to be specific to the rollbar type. Stu. Joint Area Representative MAD Sevens (Merseyside And District) www.superse7ens.co.uk..........the rebuild 😬 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu_I Posted May 31, 2010 Author Share Posted May 31, 2010 Stu/Steve. Cheers for the reply 1. Just thinking about whether to do the upgrade now or wait but i think as i would like to do a few track days this year i think its a worthwhile upgrade. Also as i would be ordering a half hood im now thinking do it now before i order as later i'll have to change the half hood as well as the bar. 2. I've seen Myles excellent site, and one of the reasons i havent posted loads more questions is because of it! Just wondering whether to go down his route, or to use CC own offering. Not much information on it other than a parts image, and no mention on here whether its any good or not! 3. Reading Myles site, i dont think i can go down the SIB without losing the full doors. Just wondering if that was still the case and what other owners have done. As much as i would like the protection of the full cage, i need to balance it up with touring and daily driver use. 4. I think i'll give Hugh a call and try and get prices and what he can offer. I do like the idea of the wet track day and skid pan training. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gin-fizz-whizz Posted May 31, 2010 Share Posted May 31, 2010 2) 3rd brake light. Want to put a 3rd brake light on the car. Found loads of previous posts on this but none on the current CC offering. Does anyone have this? How good is it? Plan is to use a half hood and if i go with an FIA rollbar is this a problem? I have one of the CC offerings and was one of the first (and one of the very few) to have it fitted. VERY worthwhile accessory. Just follow a Seven in a tin-top and see for yourself how "invisible" the normal brake lights are. It's not cheap for what it is (ISTR £90) but works with roof one or off, spare wheel on/off, and luggage carrier. I'm always amazed at how few cars have them. If you want a picture of it fitted, BM me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu_I Posted May 31, 2010 Author Share Posted May 31, 2010 Gin-Fizz-Whizz, YHM 😬 Definitely interested in seeing it on. Cheers! Stu Edited by - Stu_Innes on 31 May 2010 10:06:59 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stationary M25 Traveller Posted May 31, 2010 Share Posted May 31, 2010 The CC third brake light mounts quite low. Buy a bright LED aftermarket light meant for hatchback, then take the brackets off and fit it under the top tube of the rollbar. Seal any openings with silicone sealant. Buy the loom adaptor from CC which simply connects between the two halves of the loom connector between the fuel tank and right hand wheel arch. This provides a pair of wires to connect to your brake light. This position is the highest you can achieve and can be seen with a half hood and above uggage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu_I Posted May 31, 2010 Author Share Posted May 31, 2010 SM25T. Very new to all this so presume its a relatively easy job to install? I can browse the other sites (myles inc.) to see where they have sourced the light from. As its 90 from CC, it isnt cheap, but had no comments on whether its worth paying the extra or not. Judging from searches it seems quite a bit cheaper to make put something together yourself and buy the loom. Just dont want it looking a dogs dinner at the back 😬 Aim is to possibly have a FIA bar, REbag (at some point), and I wont be having a spare wheel. Cheers again, Stu. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gin-fizz-whizz Posted May 31, 2010 Share Posted May 31, 2010 Stuart, YHM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie_pank Posted May 31, 2010 Share Posted May 31, 2010 I have side impact bar and full doors - it can be done, you have to cut a tiny bit out of the door, but it works fine. FIA bar - definitely. Even go cage if you fancy it. Buying one of these cars and then worrying about convenience, doesn't make sense at all. back here because I want to be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TobyCoulson Posted May 31, 2010 Share Posted May 31, 2010 I don't think that side impact bars fit if you have lowered floors. Posting doesn't get tougher than this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rattie Posted May 31, 2010 Share Posted May 31, 2010 On new cars there's a pair of blade receptacles for the addition of the high level brake light between the RHS of the fuel tank and the cable gland out to the RHS light cluster. I'm about to fit a slimline Hella LED strip to this. I got that from CBS for 30 odd quid. Not cheap, but far superior quality to many add on LED lights. I'll post a couple of pics when I'm done. Martyn R300GRR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu_I Posted May 31, 2010 Author Share Posted May 31, 2010 Cheers GFW . I'll have to check my mail when i get back home. Good point Charlie. I will go with a FIA for sure. Id be interested to see your mod of the side impact doors if you have a pic Toby. Car has lowered floors. Do Academy cars have lowered floors and SIB? Ratti. Yeah would definitely be interested in your progress. I was looking at some of the 3rd braking lights on SVCs website as they seemed to have a good selection. Thanks everyone for the comments and tips. Much appreciated, and gives me now something to think about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie_pank Posted May 31, 2010 Share Posted May 31, 2010 Hi, you'll have to ask someone else as the car is wedged in the garage, and in pieces, the SIPs bar is on the bench to be painted and the sidescreens are hanging on the opposite wall, obscured behind the spare engine for the shopping car! back here because I want to be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevethemook Posted May 31, 2010 Share Posted May 31, 2010 I have one of these Brake light LED'S which I fitted a couple of years ago underneath the top of roll bar.. Takes all of 30mins to fit. Very handy to check whether the brake lights are working when you are in the car as all you have to do is put your hand in front of the LED'S.. Steve Northerner in a Nova Violet Brute.S777 XTC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonboylaw Posted May 31, 2010 Share Posted May 31, 2010 Stu, Go for the FIA if you have any intention of driving it on a track or "spirited" for the following reason here. I have now upgraded to a full cage. Jonathan My Flickr ----------------------------------- 95% there :) 92 Supersprint, Ford LSD LA, RK AX Crossflow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu_I Posted May 31, 2010 Author Share Posted May 31, 2010 Charlie no problem 😬 Thought it was worth an ask. Thanks Steve. Yeah there seems to be a few decent 3rd party offerings. Did you use adhesive only or have any mounting brackets on the rollbar? Just looked at Roy's CC light and looks good with spare wheel but really not sure how it would fit on a non-spare wheel car. The other "strip" lights look good, and i presume everyone neatly has the wiring down the roll bar? Cheers, Stu Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu_I Posted May 31, 2010 Author Share Posted May 31, 2010 Jonathan. Doesnt take much convincing now when you see something like that. The car looks surprisingly intact as well but seeing the image with the car upside down is a bit unnerving as you know your head is under the bar but doesnt look like you have any room to get out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stationary M25 Traveller Posted May 31, 2010 Share Posted May 31, 2010 I simply taped the strip LED under the roll bar, then ran a bead of silicone sealant between the light and the roll bar front and rear. Ran the cable on the surface of the roll bar under black insulating tape. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu_I Posted May 31, 2010 Author Share Posted May 31, 2010 Cheers SM25T. Sounds like a cracking idea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonboylaw Posted May 31, 2010 Share Posted May 31, 2010 Stu, The windscreen was intact after the accident and allowed enough time for me to extract myself before slowly giving way. I am 6ft2 BTW and the bar, although bent, did its job well. Jonathan My Flickr ----------------------------------- 95% there :) 92 Supersprint, Ford LSD LA, RK AX Crossflow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu_I Posted May 31, 2010 Author Share Posted May 31, 2010 Jonathan. It has been interesting seeing those images, thanks for sharing Track bar is now on the list 😬 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Z3MCJez Posted May 31, 2010 Share Posted May 31, 2010 I have full doors, unmodified, and a side impact bar. The door just about squeezes past. For reference, it's a 2009 metric Academy car. Jez Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu_I Posted May 31, 2010 Author Share Posted May 31, 2010 Cheers for the info Jez. When you say unmodified, does that mean it doesn't have lowered floors? How is getting in when you have the hood on? Does the passenger also get one the same design? Sorry if they are stupid questions but only really actually test drove/sat in a few S3s and none have been with a side impact bar. Im looking at Myles site here and seeing what options i have if i wanted to improve protection from the side. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matthew Willoughby Posted May 31, 2010 Share Posted May 31, 2010 If you want to be able to open your doors you will need one of the new style side impact bars like this here. It looks like this fitted, here. If you flick through those pictures you will see a couple of cars with doors on and side impact bars fitted. The new style bars (like the ones in the photos that I've linked to) will fit cars with a lowered floor but I don't think the old style one, as seen on Myles' page that you linked to, will. Viper blue and red Roadsport A. Speed Championship blog here Edited by - Matthew Willoughby on 31 May 2010 18:41:24 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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