AG2728

In your photo your master switch is not in the normal location, hence why the conflict with the screen, it's normally located in the gap in the middle of the windscreen stantion, Hi Chris It is in the correct place, it was in the middle of the original windscreen stanchion. The problem is that the new screen flares away significantly from the bodywork. If I don't need the brow, then that's fine. Cheers Andy

In fairness though once you've fitted the captive nuts for the aeroscreen/windscreen there's no reason not to put them back. I suppose not, although I always thought they were a bit pointless, especially in a track car, as it doesn't have to look pretty. I did actually use screws when I built it, as I was considering changing to aeroscreen after I had done a few road miles to run it in. The fuse box cover on mine is just a plastic box on some velcro tape, is yours more elaborate? Elaborate it is not. It is however quite a lumpen metal device, with a (redundant) integrated 12v socket. It is held in suspension from the top only, by being deformed to wedge against the bulkhead and dash, together with will power and some added velcro for the ultimate in security. As it's well back against the bulkhead and I'm never going to have a passenger, due to petty strut, it just seems spurious bulk, if not required. I'd look at the blue book for advice on the kill switch shroud/eyebrow. I can only find reference to the purpose and the required position of the switch. Thanks for the input. I just want to have all bases covered and not to let myself down on a technicality. Andy

I have a couple of questions (newbie here, so apologies in advance). I decided to buy an aero-screen, as my intended usage will predominantly be sprints, hill climbs and track days. It arrived yesterday (out of the box it is, without a doubt, the most badly fitting factory backed component I have ever had the misfortune to endlessly fettle to achieve a reasonably acceptable fit, but that's another story). My questions are specifically with regard to scrutineering. Firstly, the battery kill switch shroud will now not fit around the new screen without some grinding, cutting and modifying .Was the shroud purely for IVA purposes and as such, will I be OK just having the shroud-less key protruding from the outside of the tub? Like this. Secondly, I have not yet refitted the fuse box cover and either of the knee panels. Will I be OK to leave these off or is it a no no. Would just seem to leave easy quick under dash access if they were left off? Your thoughts please. Thanks in advance. Andy

Like this?

I swapped mine for a set of these last month as I found the Caterham harnesses a pain to adjust. So easy to adjust. Wish I'd done it earlier. Andy

#2 I think all the newer kitscars are supplied with the lap belts which you pull up to tighten. Not before time either. I ditched mine the other month as they were impossible to adjust once in the car. Wish I'd known the new Lukes' were "pull-ups", as I'd have bought a set. I ended up getting a set of Schroth pull-ups instead, which are simple to tighten when you are in the seat. Also went for the 6 point option for another 25 quid or so. Rude not to. Andy

Just looking at your photo in #10, is this a photo of the mounts your using for the crotch straps on the lower chassis rail behind the seat...? Hi I am going to make a C section mount from 3mm steel with an eye in the middle. The bottom of this will attach to the floor, the top will attach to the underside of the existing seat mount and the back will sit against the bulkhead. Agree, snap hooks are more bulky but sit well away from the seat or mechanism even when the seat is at full adjustment. Andy

Did the retailer not ask what vehicle it was for and advise accordingly....? Retailer didn't need to ask, as he had already sold me what I had asked for. ie. A set of Caterham specific 4 points. It was my decision to get the crutch strap which, as I have said, is a generic part. We did discuss the fact that in a tin top application, the mounting point would be much further forward than in a Caterham. We also discussed that there didn't seem to be a 100% consensus on the optimal mounting point/method. Fortunately at work we regularly have belt sets made up, so I threw mine in the next box going out for some 150mm longer tail straps to be added. Andy

I eventually went down the same route as StevehS3 and have had some longer tail straps made. Rgds Andy

Not clear if this is the same? Hadn't seen those before. Different again though. Unless it's the photo, it looks like the shoulder straps reduce from 3" to 2". The crutch straps seem to have plate end fitments as per 7 wonders comments but can't see from the photo how they attach at the front.. Suppose its academic to me now as I wont be spending another £350 at this time, so will have to work with what I've got for now. Got to say I'm really happy with the Schroth 4 point set up and the 6 point issue is all of my own doing, as I took a flyer on the crutch straps being good to go, which was an incorrect assumption on my part. Thanks for all the input. Andy

To mount the crotch strap you can either use the lower side mounts (so its really a 4 point and is somewhat frowned upon) or drill out the small holes on the two old type seat mounting points at the base of the seat area. I have decided if I am going to have 6 straps, then I would like 6 mounting points. Otherwise I will stick to 4 point harnesses. As it happens, the crutch strap mounting kit supplied did not require any drilling to attach to the old seat mounts. Maybe dimensions haver changed on later cars?? Cheers Andy

7 wonders Yes, I've got snap hooks, mounting eyes and 3mm mounting plates. I do have lowered floors. I don't understand how swapping to plate ends would help me, as if they were mounted in the same place, my belts would still be too short. Have I misunderstood? The anti-submarine ASM mechanism is peculiar to Schroth and is incorporated in 1x shoulder strap. Yes it sounds weird. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8nsg_ze-CG8​ As said, the 4 point set are indeed Caterham specific. The crutch straps however are generic. I have built it back up as 4 point only for now until I get my head around the best way to solve it. Thanks Andy

My Titan belts needed ordering with extra long crotch straps to suit the 7. Makes absolute sense. Just can't believe this is first time I have heard this mentioned, after my rigorous and extensive due diligence and research. Why is it the simple jobs are never straight forward?

Why those rather than the Schroth Caterham set? They are the Schroth Caterham specific 4 points, with the ASM system. The crutch strap set is generic.

I have never got on with the Caterham (Luke) harness / Tillet seat combination as the pull-down lap belt adjusters were a pain to use, so after much research on here and elsewhere, I bit the bullet this weekend and bought a set of Schroth ASM 4 points (pull-up adjusters) with the anti-submarine mechanism built into the shoulder strap. While I was in a rare spending mood, I decided to go belt and braces and also get the crutch straps as they seemed a reasonable price. So tonight I took the seat out and fitted the Schroths and they are a marked improvement in terms of ease of use. I have, as others seem to have done, bolted the locating eyes for the crutch straps to the original rear seat mounts. Straps then routed under the seat and exiting though the centre hole in the seat base. My problem is that even adjusted to full extension on all 4 adjusters on the straps, they are still too short by around 75mm, when my seat is in the correct position. Has anyone come across this before or is there an alternative place to locate the crutch strap mounts, ahead of the seat mounts I have used??? Andy

I have just spoken at length to Chris Bramall and now have a much clearer understanding of how the classes have been structured in light of a new blue book. I didn't have have issues with HANS per se, it was rather my lack of understanding of "Safety (K) regulations for modified cars". Chris kindly informed me that being a later car, I should already have the alternative shoulder strap mounting points hidden under the boot cover. I checked and he is correct. I only built the thing this year and hadn't remembered or even noticed this Looks like an afternoon moving the harness points today, a trip out for a Simpson Hybrid tomorrow and signing up for class 5 the following day as the entries open. TRP you are quite correct. I will keep my ZZRs for trackdays as I really rate them when they get some heat into them. Thanks to everyone for the advice and input. Calm has been restored.

One of the attractions of class 4 for me was that there was no scope to get carried away with upgraditis within the class regs. I have ruined road cars before, by making them too track focused. I can't trust myself in this regard. Aeroscreens- My car actually came with ZZRs, a 1C tyre and so I bought a set of ZZSs, and did a few trackdays to get used to the 1Bs I thought I would be using. This is a proper curveball and leaves me with an unexpected and unwanted decision to make just 2 days before the entries open. In hindsight, I should have saved myself a few grand and ordered a 310, as per my initial intentions. Who knew? Finally, can anyone advise, if I were to enter into class 4, once the entries had been closed and it was indeed the case that I was the only competitor in this class, would I be able to change classes before the season started? Andy

Tom Exactly my thoughts. Class 4 was always a no-brainer for me until I read the new regs this morning. Seemed a perfect fit for my car in its current roadgoing spec. Maybe I might have to re-visit the HSA regs as their B2 class seems to suit my car. Its not the end of the world and all that but it just seems strange to me that a marque specific L7 championship looks to be less accommodating for me than the HSA's generic sprint series. Andy

Thanks for the quick reply Richard. Just to clarify, I am not at all concerned about the competition within any given class. I am doing this purely for the enjoyment of doing it. You do seem to have confirmed my concerns about the the requirement for a HANS device, but as I couldn't find anything outlining a explicit requirement in the 2020 class 5 regs, I was unsure. This would be a complete turn-off for me as I have read about modifications to harness mounting points etc. I have no intention to go 'all out racing car' as I use my car regularly on the road as well. I am even keeping the screen. I would much prefer to do as you have suggested by "entering whatever class my car currently meets" but with all other potential class 4 entrants reading this part of the regs...... "Whilst entries are accepted into this class, to aid competition we would encourage competitors in this class to consider entering Class 5 or Class 6". ...... I just wonder whether they will move, as suggested to class 5, leaving me in an otherwise empty class. Andy

Hi After having attended and enjoyed the introduction to sprinting at Curborough earlier this year, I had decided there and then, to take the plunge and to compete in 2020 either with the L7C or the HSA. Over the last couple of months, I thought I had done enough research, made the decision to go with the L7C, checked my helmet and safety gear is acceptable, got the relevant licence etc and was convinced I had got all bases covered. My car is a non-modified, bog standard 420R, which I use for both track days and road use and from reading the 2019 regs, it would appear to have fallen firmly into class 4. This morning however, I notice the club have now posted the 2020 regs and it seems I am being encouraged to enter either class 5 or 6 (I presume this is due to a potential lack of entries into class 4?). If so, then this is perfectly understandable to me. As far as I can see, if I were to enter in class 5 instead of 4, the differences are that I would be able to use list 1C tyres and would be competing against bike engined cars and possibly highly modified cars? Is there anything else? My other confusion/concern is this line within the class 5 regs, which is not mentioned in the class 4 section - ....."meet the Motorsport UK Specific (S) and Competitors: Safety (K) Regulations for Modified Cars – specialist production." I've got a blue book headache now and would be grateful if someone with more knowledge could let me know if I've understood everything correctly or missed anything important and in reality, what the difference would be for me to compete in class 5. Thanks Andy

Hi Richard I had the immobiliser bypassed and the loop removed. I wont bother with a replacement and will have to rely on my removable battery kill switch and removable steering wheel as deterrents. My thoughts are that a Caterham is nowhere near the top of the TWOCCERS league table. Aside from the fact it doesn't even have any doors or a steering lock. If someone wanted it that badly, the reality is that they could just lean in, push it into the back of a van and drive off. Andy

I had exactly the same misfire issue. New 420R registered this year. It was fine on the road but I went to a trackday at Croft and would run great for about 7 or 8 laps then would frustratingly start to misfire at high revs. It couldn't pull more than 6k. Cooled down and it would be OK for another few laps and it was like this all day. I rang Oakmere who suggested a possible immobiliser issue. I was very sceptical about this to say the least and even went down there to buy myself a set of coil packs and plugs to swap out at my next trackday as a process of elimination. I also booked it in for the imobiliser to be removed, as I had nothing to lose. Have done 3x Oultons and a Brands Hatch trackday since the imobilser went and the issue hasn't reoccurred. I have purposely stayed out for more than 30 minute sessions to provoke it but all seems good. I would have bet money on that not being the problem, but it seems that it was. HTH Andy

I ended up buying one of these mobile lifts that run off a single phase supply. As I also needed to redo my garage floor last year before I started my Caterham build so I decided to sink it into the floor to give me greater ground clearance, as I don't really need it to be mobile. Worked well for me and really helped me complete the build in a tight single garage space.

What is the difference between RS inter club and RS National? Which one replaces the non-race National B for 2020?

Helmet now sold.