Lotus Boy

Well I have just secured a model from the States on ebay for £240 including delivery. Obviously still got the import duty to pay but not at all bad I don't think. The model box looks sealed in a cellophane wrapper so may not even have been opened yet. With this and a Lego Unimog to build, it looks like I have some fun hours ahead of me. Just need the kids to grow up a bit so I can gain back some free time! If anyone has a JPE engine they want to swap... ;-) Cheers David

SL91, Many happy belated returns!! A real shame that Tamiya do not provide continuous support for their static kits. Interestingly when I looked at their website it only shows the Caterham in the Master Coachworks series - not sure if they have done others or if the Seven was just a one off. The kit was obviously a considerable undertaking. Problem for me with the JPE kit is my car has flared arches currently and , although my sig pic shows my car on its MB wheels, I also have a set of Prisoners for touring hence the BDR kit works well from a external perspective. I am planning to switch to cycle wings one day but not for a couple of years at least and would probably prefer to capture the model of the car as mine is now. As for a K-series engine, my internet trawling led me here. It's all very impressive - the MBs are incredible! No idea if Angus takes commissioning work or another modeller could do it for you but I guess you could recreate your Superlight or R500. Cheers David

Hi Neil, I would be very interested if you think you'll never get round to building it. It's going to a good cause i.e. helping me get through my 40th birthday in a month and a half's time. As SL91 said, they are available as new from Japan but I would rather buy locally and give one a good home ;-). Thanks for replying and let me know your thoughts. Dave - I have a VX HPC so would love to fit the JPE engine version to a kit (albeit with a repainted engine to match the silver/red of the less well tuned versions) - wonder if Tamiya sell spare parts?? Cheers David

Hi, Before going on eBay I just thought I would check on here...long shot but... does anyone happen to have a Tamiya Caterham Seven 1:12 kit that they haven't yet built sitting collecting dust in the cupboard/loft and would be happy to move on? I am after the flared arch BDR model (fitted with prisoner wheels). Thanks David Edited by - Lotus boy on 1 Sep 2013 21:55:32

Dave, This happened to me in my Inj HPC some years back. Gave me a fright too I can tell you. it's just a by-product if you like of having an engine designed to go tranversely in a car mounted longitudinally and won't harm anything. I did the SBD mod and all is fine now. Well worth doing and quite straightforward. The only horrid task is getting rid of ALL the old sealant. I used a unipart gasket remover spray can to soften the sealant before gently brushing off. I may have some photos of the mod somewhere if that helps but once you whip the cam cover off it's quite straightforward. Cheers David

Thanks for the replies. Sounds like the tank needs to come out for inspection then Rampmonkey. Is it ok to remove with small amounts of fuel in (to then drain completely once outside the car)? SM25T - that sounds like a sensible upgrade. I'll do that. I'm guessing it is easy to get hold of those strips? rgrigsby - the top of the tank is bone dry with no witness/stain marks - has to be either a pin bole or the pump gasket I reckon. Shame as that would've been a much easier fix! Cheers David

Hi Jerry, I read your post with interest. Looks like I have suffered a similar problem. See my recent post here Does my story and photos look similar to your experience? Not sure if I will need a new tank yet but could be on the cards. Thanks David

Can someone guide me as to the problem I have with escaping fuel please? I noticed faint whiffs of petrol recently, only when parked up in garage and smelling the boot and wheel arch area. I then spotted a wet area on the chassis rail underneath the point the leading edge of the RHS bar on which the tank sits, joins to the chassis. At first I thought the fuel pump gasket had perished and indeed it does look a little shiny and wet but when I looked down the front of the tank it looks like there is a damp/moisture line about a 1/4 way up from bottom and this patch is the full length of the tank. Has anyone else seen this? See pic below. Picture - looking down from above the tank. The front face of the tank - hopefully you can see the damp area at the bottom of the tank. http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2859/9319993508_8ccebf0946_b.jpg Fuel tank front by snapper seven, on Flickr Picture - looking up from under the car. I wonder if some of the padding has come away from the bar causing the tank to rub against metal? Any thoughts? http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7371/9320019928_0a09371997_b.jpg Fuel pump gasket by snapper seven, on Flickr I guess I am looking at taking the tank out and inspecting though probably won't be able to do this until after the Silverstone event. To add, the car is a '94 HPC Injection model. The pipes look ok with no cracking when squeezed and the fuel sender gasket looks ok too, there is no evidence of fuel on top of the tank. I'll probably have some tank removal questions in a little while too if I can't find them through searching. Anyway, any thoughts advice would be welcome. Cheers David Edited by - lotus boy on 19 Jul 2013 13:37:30

Thanks guys. Got home last night and had another go. Eventually the boot freed itself, it must have just 'welded' itself to the rubber strips it sits on. No silicone thankfully. 2 minutes later it was out, without needing to remove the fuel filer pipes too which was a result. On inspection I can see dampness around the bottom of the tank. I will start another more appropriately named post (with photos) to get views on what the problem might be. Thanks again. Cheers David

Silver Machine - yes I have removed the plastic filler neck shroud. Will have a look from underneath. Marcus - Is yours visible from above or only from under the car? Have you removed your boot floor - if so how did you approach it and how did it go? I have sinced phoned Caterham and they said that the race cars were more than likely to have silicone sealed floors but mine is purely road car and they couldn't give any more help than that though sadly. Essentially saying all injection cars come supplied with the tank and floor installed on kit builds and 'who knows' how the assembly guys decided to put it together. Should add that the car is a '94 HPC (injection model) with the ali honeycomb floor sections split by the ali strip. Thanks David

I've done A LOT of searching on this topic but can't quite find the answer, hopefully someone can help. I have some fuel smells from the back of the car, I actually wonder if it is the fuel pump gasket as I have dampness on the bottom chassis rail and it looks a bit dirty direcly under the face, but of course it could also be cracked fuel lines or fuel sender gasket. I am trying to remove the boot floor but it won't budge. I have removed all self tappers (running along the ali strip and two at the rear under the brace for the spare wheel bolt) and it refuses to jiggle or even hint that it might move. Is there a posibility it has been bonded in with silicone? If so, anyone got any ideas for next steps to get the thing out? Thanks David

Spotted you twice in fact!! Green with yellow stripe, "S" reg but suspect private plate. Today heading towards Minehead on the A39 (hope you didn't have to travel on the recently resurfaced road with all the loose grit!!) But also spotted you on Monday again on the A39 going past Dunster. Cheers David

The grub screw is on the back of the mount. Mine was failing to hold so I called Spa Design and bought a replacement mount and stem for about £15. Cheers David

As above, I would contact Spa Design. My formula mirror stem would no longer hold the mirror so I called them and they happily sent a replacement. Far far cheaper than buying a new complete mirror. Ask for Steve, very helpful. Cheers David

Nick, I've given up on barrel foot pumps. Like you I just don't seem to find one that lasts. Having looked on Amazon the ones that get the good reviews are the compressor type that Shaun mentions. I received my Ring Automotive RC610 analogue one last week which I used at the weekend for the first time. So far things are looking great. Seemingly decent screw on valve fitment rather than the lever type - hopefully this means it isn't as breakable. Only thing is, you have to be quick unscrewing it so as to not let too much air escape when taking it off. Cheers David

Interesting, don't think I have seen a Seven on 15" minilites. Rears tend to be 8" wide rather than 9". Can't help with the offsets I am afraid but I would imagine it would be different between fr to rr. Fronts are much more offset to the centreline than rears. I'm sure if you do a search on here you will find relevant info. ...or why not put a Wanted ad on here. Perhaps somebody would have a set to sell? Cheers David edit for bad spelling! Edited by - Lotus Boy on 10 May 2013 21:19:11

GN12 *** - Saw you parked up in the Cowdray Ave retail park. Wife wondered what I was doing driving the long way round the car park to go to the exit but thought I would have a closer look. Thought the colour scheme works really well and even didn't mind the new headlights. Nice day for it, if a bit on the cold side eh? Cheers David

For you Debs?

Tim, I was right. I did fit a red silicone bottom hose. Looking at my invoice, the part you need from CC is one in the link below. It is a universal hose which you then cut the short bend off to fit. here I hope that helps. Cheers David

Tim, I need to correct my previous post. Re the Samco kit I couldn't use the bottom rad pipe as it was too short. I spoke to someone at CC about this at the time (May 2008) and he said the Inj hoses are made from x-flow hoses. I can't for the life of me remember what I did with the bottom rad hose - I think I just ordered a replacement x-flow rubber one (though I seem convinced in my head it is red!). I will check tonight and let you know. Cheers David

Don't bother with the Samco kit. I bought it through Merlin Motorsport for my VX Inj and as you say the kit isn't right - no need for the J pipe as it is metal on ours. I contacted Merlin and Samco to inform them of the error and basically they didn't want to know. All I could use was the top and bottom pipe and cut up the remaining for some of the shorter sections. Seem good quality hoses though I must say. Cheers David

The person I use ( and a couple of other Essex club members) is Steve Tillbrook of Tillbrook garages in Wethersfield, just the other side of Hedingham. I appreciate it's not Colchester but a) I wouldn't take mine anywhere else and b) they are cracking roads to get there! Cheers David Just to add I am in Colchester too! Edited by - Lotus Boy on 21 Jan 2013 21:17:31

Quoting Stationary M25 Traveller: Plates obviously need to be covered. From what I remember of mine, there was a plastic moulding down from the cap with a little flat section on the end which could have been a 'max' level marker. This is my understanding also. I had to top mine up last week as it has been on trickle charge for nearly 3 months and that tend to dry the battery out. Filled to just above the flat marker. I also found a little LED torch useful to get a better view inside. Cheers David

I have both fitted but have never used the reel belt on drivers side, I just feel like I would fall out of the car. I have found the inertia rell belt useful on occasions on the pax side for securing bulky items such as camping stuff, camera bag etc. If you want a good reason not to use inertia reel as your only means of restraint then read the thread on PH (link below). The driver's head is what is responsible for mangling the steering wheel!! here Cheers David

God yeah I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me!! *eek* Really sorry to see that you are selling Stew, I can imagine it wasn't an easy decision in many respects, it is a wonderful car. Fond memories of passengering in it on one of the club Big Blats thinking it was going to be a mare on the roads but really surprised by its manners. Well best of luck with your business expansion, glad to hear that things are going from strength to strength. Sure you will return to ownership one day. Cheers David