anthonym Posted October 30, 2017 Share Posted October 30, 2017 Question is, what would you do?There's nothing wrong with the car as such and she is bog standard and I don't propose to change that, trunnions and drum brakes included.Thing is contemplating the project, what comes up for you?The carbs have been refurbed and look amazing. Anthony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anthonym Posted October 31, 2017 Author Share Posted October 31, 2017 no comments and this hasn't scrolled yet....<sigh> I dunno... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomB Posted October 31, 2017 Share Posted October 31, 2017 The worlds your oyster! But if your intent on keeping it standard, not much to say! I mean you could go with revised front suspension to incorporate the post 1996 mods, you could fit roll cage mounts, remove the spare wheel and have a plain rear panel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anthonym Posted October 31, 2017 Author Share Posted October 31, 2017 Hi Tom what are the post 96 mods? I am going to add the top wishbone mod which is dare I say a standard bolt on mod..and I have had dark thoughts about storing the rear and cycle wings and replacing with carbon painted the same colour, mainly because carbon is resilient where grp is fragile.. store with the original gearbox and diff.. ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomB Posted October 31, 2017 Share Posted October 31, 2017 The post 96 de-dion front end included anti dive geometry and separate upper damper/ wishbone mounts. If its a genuine BDR, Id imagine you're probably best leaving it standard from a value point, rather than affecting its originality if its a rare model . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anthonym Posted October 31, 2017 Author Share Posted October 31, 2017 yes best not, far as I know it's a genuine one... can't quite imagine one not being genuine, how would that look? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomB Posted October 31, 2017 Share Posted October 31, 2017 Could be an old Crossflow re-engined with a BDR engine, as opposed to an original BDR as supplied from CC. It would be akin to converting an old ex race 1.4 car into an R500 spec car - it might be an R500 specification, but wont be an R500. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Area Representative Piers300 Posted October 31, 2017 Area Representative Share Posted October 31, 2017 According to Chris Rees in the Magnificent Seven book (v2), only 149 x 1600 BDR's and 269 x 1700 BDR's we built. The majority are in Japan I suspect. You don't see them very often.I would keep it absolutely standard if you are keeping it as an investment, as that is what it will be. According to Jez Coates - it is the one to have. However, if you intend to use it, changing the front suspension to a better specification would not be a bad thing, as long as you kept the original components that could be refitted if needed.A old friend of mine "Clive Stevens" had one and called it the Blue Meanie - registration number VNJ 7 which replaced his immaculate Holbay 1600 Sprint. He was never that fond of it and sold it to Japan and bought a Lime Green TVR. Unfortunately, he is no longer with us. I have some photos of it at a East Kent Meeting at Pluckley.I also have some pictures of a BDR that turned up to a 7 Meeting at Goodwood in the summer of 1984. My new 7 was on order and I went there to chose a colour. This car must have been very very new and it was registration number: B444JTF. The photo I have of the engine looks like it has a Blue top cover.On Clives car, it looks to be alloy and uncoloured.Piers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Area Representative Piers300 Posted October 31, 2017 Area Representative Share Posted October 31, 2017 In Rees's book, the BDR's have a chassis number within the sequence "4628 to 30696" with an HP suffix. See page 74.Piers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Area Representative Piers300 Posted October 31, 2017 Area Representative Share Posted October 31, 2017 Sorry - should have given this information in above: In Tony Weale's book - Lotus Seven, he gives the following: First BDR Engined Caterham 7, serial number: LCS 4268 BD R M-BDR001 Piers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anthonym Posted October 31, 2017 Author Share Posted October 31, 2017 no, it is not a re-purposed crossflow thank you. I dunno... loose lips cost lives...https://www.lotus7.club/blogs/hpc-v-bdrv Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrightpayne Posted November 3, 2017 Share Posted November 3, 2017 Why not just make it as original and best it can be. I know many dont like cossetted concourse cars - perhaps a usable version that is 'just so'.Whilst not the most valuable, out of all the cars caterham ever made, the BDR is my No1 favourite. Keep it original so its ultra desirable.Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith_T Posted November 4, 2017 Share Posted November 4, 2017 Earlier this year sold some bits to go on a 550 mile BDR resident in Kent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul_w Posted November 5, 2017 Share Posted November 5, 2017 Redline still did the extra top link kit with negative wishbones about 18 months ago when we did my Dad's HPC, was fairly reasonably priced IIRC. It works very well based on my short trip out in the car last summer, much better than the original set up on my Classic, and (fairly) easily reversible in the unlikely event that you'd want to go back.Otherwise, I'd agree, try to keep it original, they may not be the fastest anymore, but they are special cars, and I suspect the value of the engines has made the survival rate lower than other quick 7s - I recall some club members telling me that they knew of a few people years ago who bought BDR cars, sold the engines for a nice wedge, then put a crossflow in and sold the car for not much less than they'd paid for them! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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