PeterM

Pages 72 - 74 in the book 'The Magnificent 7' by Chris Rees has pictures, identifying features and seems to explain the difference very well. 

Hi All,

So far I'm booked into the Saturday at the Silverstone Classic; a blat in Wales organised by the local area; Goodwood FOS (spectator!) and BMW Golf Championships at Wentworth to satisfy my other passion! I have also registered for the Soft Top Sunday at Goodwood (but not expecting a mere kit car to be selected) and Dunsfold Handling Day is on the cards when details are issued in March.

Meanwhile the 'white 160' has grown a white painted 7 on the grille (looks nice) and has a draught reducer between the seats courtesy of a Chrissie present.    

Peter

Hi Simon,

Happy New Year to you and all 160 owners...............we need a separate blog or blatchat section to keep the conversations going!

I have also done a tightening up all round. Whilst I wouldn't call them loose I was able to 'get a bit more' with the torque wrench around a couple on the back suspension. And the LH lower front wishbone fixing, where the spring washer had started to spread meant the bolt had loosened.  

I almost took the car out for a small blat in the sunshine this past weekend but thought of the salted roads and chickened out. So here's looking forward to the 1st blat of 2016.

Regards to all

Peter 

Hi Ned.

I know this is way our sequence with the blog above but I must congratulate you on your Goodwood footage. Excellent presentation and how the hell did you get those dials and course map on it - you must be an IT wizard!

Are you going to Handcross for the London to Brighton on Sunday; if so I'll probably see you there........if the promised foggy morning is not too bad.

Peter M  

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! 

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

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.    

See you Guys tomorrow. 

All's well that ends well; glad you are on the road at last Ned. 

Peter

Looks good to me.

Poole was good fun and a very good turn out. Simon and I had a veritable crowd around our cars wanting to know about the 160 that they had read about but not seen too much. However, good advice for those attending next year; don't park under a lamppost because the seagulls will 'lighten their load' all over your bonnet as they take off to grab a piece of fish!   

Hi Guys. Thread found. Back in contact. Sept 13th is in the diary. Pub lunch is a great idea. Looking forward to seeing Simon at Poole Quay tomorrow evening.

Peter    

Goodwood was.................well very good. But the only 7 on the site was the well worn racing 7 belonging to Steve McCulley on the Help for Heroes stand + a few in the car park of course. But alongside a lot of super fast machinery it was as if Caterham has ceased to exist. I've written to Crawley but I suspect the reply will be 'too expensive'.

Noise - now there's a problem I didn't imagine. Looks like ear defenders for a longer trip because a steady 50 would be really boring! 

Mod 1 - I have fitted a high level brake light and have experienced immediately that cars stay further behind than without one. Bought it on eBay, about £4, came all the way from Hong Kong! Removed the bracket, used two sticky-on tie wrap holders and made up my own loom extension. My car is going well, about 750 on the clock. Although I have a squeaky top bush on the steering when just moving the steering wheel - anyone else experiencing the same? Mind you, at normal speeds can't hear it anyway.

Hi Simon. A mention of the special tools that need to be made - axle seal driving-in tool and engine oil level tool - is perhaps needed.

Carpets in the cockpit are good as far as I'm concerned as I think they deaden things a bit and stop my left leg getting too hot!

Having seen the hassle others have had with IVA, despite paying Caterham to take it to their 'tame' test station, I'm an advocate for having a go yourself. But take time to investigate with your local motorsport garage the names and pet hates of the Inspectors; fix the pet hates and start the inspections by calling them by their first names............ .........it worked for me!     

After all the 'missing bits' sagas I too am very pleased with the final result and looking forward to 'blatting' it to the Goodwood Festival Of Speed this coming Sunday.

Thanks Mike - I was wondering how we find out part numbers as the Owners Hhandbook is particularly poor in this area.

Update on my brakes - applying copper slip to either side of the anti squeal shim on the front discs seems to have worked. And I 'wire wooled' the rear brake pads to rough up the top surface where they had yet to wear - this also seems to have worked. 

Hi Mike and Simon. Another drive last night and the front brakes were squealing like a frightened piglet! Took the pads out today and confirmed that there is an anti-squeal 'washer' fitted but it is stuck to the pad and when it got really hot the painted finish on the other side seems to have got stuck to the caliper piston, so no wonder they squealed. I prised the washers off the pads and spread copper slip on both sides. Test drive OK but longer period of test needed before I can report it has fixed the problem. Rear brakes........still a bit of a mystery! 

100 miles done today on a Solent Se7ens outing to the Sammy Miller motorcycle museum at New Milton, Hants. If you are into bikes it really is a superb visit.

My squeaky brakes are not getting any better - has anyone else experienced it. It is predominantly the left rear when lifting off or feathering. 

You have whetted my appetite Mike, a handling day sounds like ideal low level competition without putting the 'toy' at risk; but do you need a 'special' roll bar?

Returning to a previous blog of mine - is anyone else booked into the Silverstone Classic?

Congratulations Simon. Totally agree your conclusion that it's a great little car.

Re mirrors - they are a bit of a problem. This morning I got into and out of my car about 10 times trying to get some sense out of the  passenger side mirror! I'm going to Google an alternative wider interior mirror - I understand they are available in the US. Re speedo - mine was about 6% light at IVA (within tolerance the man said!) so they seem to be a bit hit and miss.

A good tip if you have bought a hood cover roll to velcro behind the roll bar. I was annoyed that it sagged in the middle and potentially might be putting a nice 'fold' in the hood plastic windows. A So7ent Sevener gave me a tip to put a length of guttering in the roll to keep it straight - it works a treat.   

Hi. For number plates I velcroed the back and use Halfords white plastic bolts for the front where the front GRP area is quite small. However, I used small plates (still legal), not the full size ones as I think they look neater at both ends. I also have 'show plates' and unevitably the 'plod' will catch up with me so I didn't want anything too 'sticky' that would risk the paint when I have to 'report to the station' with proper plates!     

Miles 200 report - a few local 'blats' over the weekend saw the 200 come up; still staying below 4k revs (but occasionally higher for short 'blats' when leaving a 'juicey' roundabout!) and everything going really well. Annoying bits are; occasional squeaky back brakes when hot/lifting off/light on the pedal and the passenger seat belt buckle rattling against the cockpit side. I chamfered off the leading edges of the rear brake linings (remembered from my Mk1 Mini days!) but it doesn't seem to have worked; they probably need more bedding in. And a bit of carpet velcroed to the cockpit side to stop the rattling!

I've also managed to get my golf clubs AND trolley in the car - result or what! 

In the diary. Probably me only; Mrs M has yet to commit to a long drive! 

Hi Fellow 160 owners. Looks like we might be zeroing in on Aug and lunch in Somerset sounds good to me. Sat 8th OK with me, but 9th is a no:no I'm afraid

Well done Simon and Martin, some good news at last.

I got my PBC bill today; nothing knocked off for the IVA steering wheel postage, not that I expected any with CC making a £millions loss last year! Anyway, they did a good job on the PBC to get me through IVA so I've paid up. 

I see in this months Low Flying interview with the CEO he admits they overstretched themsleves and CC's suppliers couldn't keep up - explains the missing bits we have all experienced. 

Now where's this Clarks Village place..........................? 

You're right of course................must be an illness you get when you have built it yourself! 

Good luck for good news tomorrow