Brucey

Steve, Thanks for your offer, I'll try and confirm with Arch/CC if your FIA Bar will fit my car. Coyote, I'm not quite sure what you mean by 'recesses'. I have a square tube running full width accross the top of the rear bulkhead with the rear most edge roughly on the centre line of the roll bar uprights. There is one mounting bolt close to the roll bar tube at approx 45 deg towards the back outside edge on each side. I'm assuming there are additional mounts where it goes through the rear suspension turrets. Bruce,

Thanks for the respose guys I've e mailed CC as I'm still a little unsure of the difference between a 'Track Day' and an FIA Roll Bar. I'm assuming an FIA Roll Bar is tested and certified for racing and a Track Day one isn't. Bruce.

My 50th birthday is approaching fast 😔 The good news is that my wife says she will buy me a Caterham experience day. After looking at the costs, I think I would prefer to spend the equivilent money on an FIA roll Bar and do a couple of cheaper track day sessions (maybe at Lydden or Brands Hatch). The problem is I can't see an FIA Roll Bar for a 1993 Dedion on the Caterham website. I've tried for 2 years to get one 2nd hand without success. Would the xflow/long cockpit one on the CC website fit my car or should I see if Arch can supply as Caterham don't list it. I guess I will need to change my boot cover and 1/2 hood as well 😔 Any advice appreciated Bruce.

Ian, Many thanks, I'm sure both my Sons will cherish them for a life time (especially Snap On kit). No 2 Son has just finished sticking tinted film in the Peugeot 205 diesel I gave him a year ago And number 1 son has stayed up for the privilage of returning my Caterham to its rightful place in the garage (after a quick blat to turn it around at the end of the road). At least I know I've passed my car loving genes on successfully Bruce.

Ian, Thanks for your kind offer, it's much appreciated. I'll await MrP's response with baited breath! I bought both boys a Halfords profesional socket set last year which have been used consantly as they attempt to keep their respective cars going. Good quality tools last for life (or until your kids start borrowing and loosing them)! They both look after their own tools better than mine. Bruce.

MrP, If you would accept £110 each for both of them (£220 total) incl delivery, I'll take them for my 18yr old and 21yr old sons Xmas presents. Best Regards, Bruce Yule

I went to the Aldington Down Hill Push Kart Event today and I can feel a project comming on! There was a wide range of machinary there including a very nice Go Kart made by John Nash (who is well known in the kit car fraternaty). He raced a beutifully prepared 3 wheeler. To my suprise a 4 wheeler won the event and it wasn't the most stream lined, lowest or lightest Kart there. My thoughts for building a competitive racer are as follows: 1. 4 x 26" wheels (narrow, high pressure tyres) Maybe wheel chair wheels? (I dont think cycle wheels are strong enough for the side loads during cornering) 2. Body below axles (to keep C of G low) 3. Acerman steering (adjustable castor & camber?) 4. Simple independant rear suspension (am I going too far ) 5. Negative camber on rear wheels (to help cornering) 6. Highish roll bar for safety and to help pushers. I can't make my mind up about the weight as there was quite a long gliding section. Also 2 Karts at a time went down the hill so I guess front & back bumpers wouln't be a bad idea as slipstreaming certainly played a part as well as maintaining speed through the corners. All drivers had to go feet first and the Kart had to be able to hold the driver on a 1 in 4 slope using the brake. There were quite a few crashes and buckled wheels. Has anyone else built one of these or got any advice (or parts )? I've got a year to design & build the winning kart for next year, well, we can't let these kit car folk take the glory..........................can we? Bruce.

I have the same unit on my 7. I mounted mine onto 2 plastic right angled brackets (modified black drain gutter mounts) and then onto 2 plastic clamps that fit to the Roll Bar (from a couple of bicycle light mounting kits). Normally it sticks straight out the back, but If I have the full hood up, I rotate the roll bar brackets 90 deg down and swivel the brake light 90 deg (so it faces the back again). This effectively lowers the light assembly so it can be seen through the rear window with the full hood up. It stays where it is with the 1/2 hood up and fits nicely into the recess at the back of the 1/2 hood. Hope that makes sense Bruce.

O.k, missed the one in the for sale section yesterday 😔 Awaiting a reply from Mick, but not heard anything yet There must be one out there somewhere Bruce.

Mic, I'm also interested in the steering wheel if Foggy doesn't want it (I've got a wanted ad for one) Would also like picky if poss. Suede or leather (I'm assuming leather) Does it include a boss (non QR) Is it 3 hole fixing (I have a Racetech boss) Horn push? Where abouts are you? Bruce.

I've just taken my 2006 Nissan Micra back to the dealers for the 3rd time in an attempt to rectify a 'rattle' that comes from the engine at around 1500 rpm. It also has a flat spot at around 2000 rpm. So far, the Nissan dealers have 'reprogrammed' the ECU and refubished the injectors. They are now telling me that this noise is normal for a car with 53K on the clock which I feel hard to believe, especially as the noise is not consistant over the rev range. To me it sounds like a small end as it tends to be worse when cold and when under load. My fear is that it may be the start of something more serious that will fail when the warranty runs out. They are obviously getting cheesed off with me repeatedly returning it for the same fault. My next step will be to ask to hear a similar car make the same noise! Any advise would be appreciated, especially any pointers as to possible causes. When I asked if it had hydraulic tappets, they said buckets and shims so I was suprised when they said they had not even checked the valve clearances. Bruce.

I'm still looking Ideally black suede with a flat bottom that will fit a fixed Racetech boss. My budget is around the £50 mark. All this may be unrealistic so I'll consider anything at the moment. I know 260mm is too small and 300mm is too big so anything from 270 to 290 will be considered. If anyone else is looking for good value 255mm diam suede wheels, Rally Design (Faversham, Kent) have a good selection on their web site at below £50 Unfortunately they go from 255 mm to 320mm in 1 step 😔 Bruce.

John, Look in the 'For Sale' section. Finmac has a pair in good condition for sale! Bruce.

Ive been looking for an FIA Roll Bar for my 1993 Dedion for ages so would be interested in the price also. Bulk buy opportunity? Bruce.

Finmac, 1st dibs on the 14" wheel please. Can you confirm it is a std Caterham Minator for Dedion fitment. Can you also advise postage costs to Kent (no rush so cheap as poss!) What Avon tyre is fitted? Best Regards, Bruce.

John, I had this problem x 2 when I went from a fully internal K exhaust to a side exit exhaust. I phoned Bruce at Arch who said all 7's had the rear exhaust mount fitted (which I found with his help), but few had the front mount fitted as standard. In the end, I used the exhaust as a template and drilled and fitted an M8 rivnut in the middle of the lowerchassis rail for the front mount. Hope this helps, Bruce. (not from Arch!).

Steve, What do you want to know? I'd guess the engine would fit into the hole with the engine mounts and probably mate to a 5 speed type 9 box with Marks bellhousing (though not sure about input shaft lengths) You would have to source inlet manifold (I have injectors that go with the engine), alternator, oil filter housing and wiring which are fairly easily available from a breakers yard. That leaves a super sport ecu (or emerald) and plenum chamber which do come up on here when people put throttle bodies on. Quite a few s/h k series exhausts available around the £100 mark. I was getting over 40mpg from the 1400 so you may be able to justify it on fuel savings alone! You would have to balance the issues going fuel injected k series as apposed to zetec which is the most common x flow upgrade. If you want any more info, don't hesitate to contact me on 01303 260665 (evenings) Bruce.

Thanks for your advice chaps SM25T, I need the tow bar to take my box trailer to the tip and tow my and my Son's Gas Gas trials bikes around. He has my old Peugeot 205 with a tow bar fitted, but I can't stand his driving any more! I can't remember the bit in the highway code that says you drive with one hand on your bo**ocks and your other arm on the window ledge while the rear window vibrates in sync with the sub woofer! After restling with it for another 2 hours I realised you just have to keep pulling and levering bits hoping that none of the numerous plastic clips break. Cars don't seem to have bumpers these days, just expensive bits of plastic with lumps of polestryne behnd them. I must be getting old, though saying that, the Caterham isn't exactly over endowed in the bumper department! Tow bar is fitted but I've got to take it off again to fit the piece of polystyrene I found laying on the garage floor that goes behind the bumper . Then I've just got to sort the multitude of electrical connectors and miles of Nissan tow bar wiring harness. Maybe I should have just payed the garage the £170 they wanted to fit it, but where's the fun in that! Bruce.

Cheers Mav I'll go and try to find the '4 bumper bolts'! Still not sure about the rear lights. It looks like you need to remove them to change the bulbs Bruce.

Has anyone done this? No Haynes Manual available yet and I'm stuck at the first test! The instructions show the rear lights and valance removed. I have undone the 2 screws on each of the rear light clusters and they wiggle about but won't come out! I've also taken as many screws out of the rear valance (well 2 actually) but still can't see how that's removed. I'm assuming I have to undo something when the rear lights are removed. Any advice appreciated as my Caterham is getting very wet stuck outside the garage! Bruce.

Malcolm, Your probably right, it just seems such a shame to split such a peach of an engine that is almost ready to go straight into a car. I also thought it would be ideal for anyone converting a Rover 1600 or 1800 for use in a seven as all the bits you need are there. I may hang onto it. If I can't get a minimum of £250 for it. I'll keep it for spares. Bruce.

My 1993 1400Kss was factory built with a completely internal exhaust system and 16inch wheels. I think the HPC cars also had these options. Both rear wings go to the bottom of the body at the front. I've since fitted a side exit exhaust system with no problems as the tailpipe stops in front of the LH rear wing. So, Caterham must have had a supplier for full length LH rear wings somewhere. My guess is Dartford Composites (who used to make the fibreglass bits for CC) may be able to help. I intend to contact them to see if there was a difference in clamshell wings on cars that had 16 inch wheels fitted. The replacement one I got from Woodcote doesn't match the shape of the original. Hope this helps, Bruce.

Anyone 🤔 Please don't make me e bay it Bruce.

Cheers John, May be a good excuse for a blat your way! Bruce.

Capt. C, I thought about changing the brake fluid as it could be upto 15 years old I don't have any issues with the 'feel' of the pedal (still solid), just how hard it needs to pushed to stop the car! Looking at the rust on the bleed nipples (especially on the front calipers), I just know replacing the brake fluid will end in tears Ian, Under the dash handbrake I'm afraid. The only time I used it last year was parking on hills (incase some toe rag knocked it out of gear), Waiting in a que on a hill at Lydden Circuit for 40mins (left leg went into spasm after 15 mins!) and for the MOT. Bruce.