Paul Mason

Thanks for posting Powderpuff

Hi, I'm looking at doing some track days so will ideally need to get some alternative tyres (and at some point some cheap wheels also - however desperate current funding is very problematic!!). My car is on 13's and is 175/55 at the front and 235/45 at the rear (Kumho Ecsta's) so would happily take anything you have which would be suitable to save mine if I do track days? Many thanks in advance

Thanks Jason and I'll have a good read of your update - my plan is on a dry day to go for a drive in the middle setting, then again 2 "clicks" softer and then again 2 harder (than the original) so I've got a like for like feeling of the difference and then go from there. I'll need a little trial and error to find a setting that I'm comfortable with (suspect it won't necessarily be the best set up, possibly just one that feels right to me)

In that case it's a wide track as the front wheels are 175 and the rears 235 they stick out the same

I've recently disconnected my battery to fit a trickle charging cable plug and had no issues. 2001 car by the way, not sure if there are different variations of immobilizer

So, having checked today, fronts are 225lb Eibach 7inch long, 2.25 inch inner and rear 140lb Eibach 9 inch long 2.25 inch inners. 1 way adjustable Nitrons, 25 click settings on rear, 23 on front. I have set rears to 12 (were 6 of 25 on drivers side and 8 on passenger) fronts now at 11 (were at 8 out of 23). I am now wondering whether they were a little too soft and the hard crashing ride was due to the springs doing more of the work than the dampers? (that's a wholly uneducated guess mind as suspension is not my strong suit). Will drive when the roads are next dry and see how it feels and go from there having set everything to the middle now

Thanks Clive, I'm going to have a look today to understand how they work......then doubtless will be back with more questions!

Hi Richard, believe it's wide tracked (description when bought) however don't know how to verify. Car came with a current suspension set up and a suspension geometry/corner weight set up sheet showing toe, camber etc. All a bit foreign to me to be honest. Car grips very well, though needs tyres to be warm (Kumho V70a's think AA heat rating though not sure whether that means hard, medium or soft to be honest). My reservation is that it can skip on a bumpy road and is lively when damp (appreciate it's never going to be planted by its nature and I need to adapt to that). Looking to back it off just a little as think it set more track orientated than road......don't want to lose its sharpness, just want to dial in a little more wriggle room with a slightly softer balance

Thanks Richard, so the front ARB I have is the softest being the thinnest? With regards to the dampers, if I go anticlockwise (as it's at the bottom of the damper I'm guessing clockwise from below, anticlockwise from above) what will the effect be, just a little more compliance? If the springs are a little stiff, will softening the damping be noticeable or for the full effect will I need to soften the springs too?

My front anti roll bar has orange bushes (not sure if that means anything?) The front end has nitrons with an adjustment screw knob on the bottom and 225 lb springs. Rear is nitrons also though not sure what springs, think 180lbs? Think the springs are probably about right from what I have read so maybe softening the shocks is what I need to do. However, no idea which way to turn or the effect it could have, so will leave well alone until I have some money to go see an expert.

Thanks Paul, good to know that lots of people go without and to be honest, wouldn't want the rear of my car any more slidy, if anything I'd like to soften a touch, would rather be slightly slower and a little more compliant on the road

The ones above are the ones I am probably going to order for my car, however a friend has just bought one of these ( https://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/5-75-LED-Projector-Daymaker-DRL-HeadLight-Fit-Harley-Iron-XL-883-Sportster ) for his Harley Davidson, so when he has it delivered, I am going to try in the 7's headlight bowl as very reasonably priced (though not as bright as the classic LED's - but a lot brighter than the current H4's) and think it could give the 7 a different look? Will report and update with some photos when I try them.

Thank you Oily. I was confident that there wouldn't be a problem with it......after all there's an invoice from your good self in the cars history file, so the engine must be a gud'un!! Assuming I've associated the right name with the pseudonym that is......

I always thought they just dropped to the ground with a slight degree of delay? Whatever they do, yes, does indeed sound like I have a Caterham chicken

Mine can't be a chicken though.......she flies!!

Thanks for the explanation 7 Wonders.......I think I understand. Seveducation is progressing (slowly but surely)

Spot on, thanks Mark......I was hoping for the "they all do that sir" response. Just for my own curiosity, why does it quieten down, it it just as the oil goes through the pump and lubes everything?

Don't worry, not another Christmas turkey joke........have heard a noise when starting my 1.8k from cold (which, as I bought the car in October and live in the North, it's always been cold thus far). Thought it was a "clack clack" as the tappets filled. As oil pressure spot on (c. 70 on tickover immediately after starting) and as the noise goes fairly quickly (c. 90 seconds) didn't worry unduly. However, started the car today to cure a bit of silicon I've put on the exhaust primary joint, with the nose off and the car on stands and the "clack clack" is actually a "cluck cluck" seemingly eminating from the dry sump pump (a Pace one). Noise went and oil pressure all spot on as per usual. Is this usual for a pace pump? The clucks seem to be in time with the gushes of oil back into the top of the oil tank? Thanks as ever in advance

Not sure whether mine is EU2 or 3. But yes, I just accept a slightly rough few mins for the wonders that lie beyond once all is warmed up! Will be starting today as had the exhaust off yesterday to put a little silicon around the primaries where there was a little blow and running up to temperature in the garage on axle stands and expect the same rough few mins as its cold oop North today!

Ditto. And my issue only occurs in the cold. Would say less than 10 degrees is the cut off where becomes more difficult and less than 5 is a challenge.

Hi James, can't offer much advise, but can say I have a similar starting experience I believe (2001 car with a 1800 k of unknown age....c. 10 years since built on jenvey and emerald). In the cold, car turns over quite a lot and will "catch" after a good few turns. It then fires very slowly and will sometimes die. Then restart and catches again and will tickover very lumpy (almost hearing each fire). I just leave it for a moment (always checking that the oil pressure comes up). Slowly the car will clear it's throat and start to find a steady idle. I leave still as I hear the quiet clack of the tappets filling. There is a fairly heavy smell of fuel throughout and a light fuel mist from the exhaust. After a couple of minutes though, car achieves a clean and steady idle, temperatures and oil pressure all good and runs sweets. Thereafter, idle is very good, very steady and never even close to a concern. It will also poottle around and deal with traffic no issues at all (to the extent passengers have commented how jeckyl and Hyde the car is). So I have just accepted that its a fairly cammy engine, a high compression and a map to give lots of top end power so never going to be the best starting in the cold?

Sounds perfect......and yes, want to.......but the budget currently allows for a second hand towbar from eBay to pull the Sprite with.....if I'm lucky!

The gearbox is the only thing about my car I don't love. Its not bad so to speak, got a lovely change and feel to it, but first is a little useless often times (got a 3.92 diff and 13 inch wheels) and in comparison 2nd and 3rd seem a touch too long and 4th and 5th a little too close? Maybe something I just need to get used to? If I had the money, definitely something that would be on the upgrade list. Would ideally like a longer first, stacked 2nd, 3rd and 4th, then a longer 5th to drop into and cruise if needed. And, having been under the car a bit recently......the alloy dry sump tray, alloy bellhousing, alloy diff........all seem to be spoiled by the lump of pig iron in between them........but now I'm wandering into namby pamby aesthetics and away from the original question and also the technical things

Looking at the Tracsport website.......I wish I had a couple of grand spare!! The type 9 casings even look sexy!! Apols, totally useless statement in regards to the original question, just had to say!

I'll have a look on the DeDion to see if there is anything but guessing not based on what I've seen and comments thus far. Yes, got a centrally mounted handbrake vs. under dash on previous car. Guessing I may need a later build manual after all