LesG

Kevsta, that link only goes to match.com?

Found it! Cheers!

Hi, just picking up on your brake bias valve post, is it a worthwhile upgrade on something as light as a caterham? I have an AP lever-type bias valve spare in the garage that I took off my Golf (when I swapped to balance-bar pedal), should I be thinking of fitting into the brake line now, while the chassis is completely stripped? What is the DVA type you mentioned?

Thanks Brian, will sort some piccies.

Ok, I'll give Arch a bell tomorrow, and see what they say. I already have all the outer skins from them, and maybe this'll spur me on to get them to do the whole job together! Potentially, they may even swap the earlier side skins for the later type, if they'll change the shock mounts for me? I'll let you know, cheers!

I don't suppose you have any 'before' and 'after' pics of your rear bracing bar mods? The newer de-dion bar is a lot nicer/newer than the rusty old thing I have, so that's defo going in. I'm still undecided about the shocks though, I'm reskinning the chassis anyway, and realise now that the (earlier) skins I've ordered do have the hole in the wrong place for the later struts. Doh! I thought these cars were all the same! Thanks for your input, I take it you have a similar, early car too?

Hi Adam, For the front shocks, do you mean the wide-track spacers? I have already removed them, and they still look too long, but you think they'll fit without moving my top mount on the chassis? As for the rear, I've bought a newer de-dion tube from ebay, I'll have to check what you mean by the 'through the tube' mounts etc., but there are 2 differences that I've noticed; one is the triangular box-section is a lot wider than my original; and the other is the tube is approx. 10mm wider than the original. The mounts appear to be the same, but without having another look, I'm just guessing here. I'll try and get into the workshop tomorrow and take some measurements etc. Cheers!

Hi, I have an older ('85) de-dion chassis car, with the Triumph trunnion type front uprights originally. I have upgraded my top and bottom front wishbones to standard-track tubular type, and also bought new uprights to do away with the trunnions and utilise the spherical joint in the later type bottom wishbones. Still with me? Good! I have bought a nearly-new set of Superlight R road-going Bilstein shocks (MO suffix) with the Eibach springs on adjustable platforms, and have found a problem. both the front and rear units are about 2 inches longer than the units I am replacing! Now then, surely I'm not the first person to try this conversion? Obviously I'm going to have to fabricate a new top mounting for the front struts, and weld into place. This I don't think will be too difficult. The other thing that is troubling me is, the length of the rear units. As they just bolt into position, will I be able to lose the extra length by simply winding up the platforms? Or will I have to get a shallower top-hat for the spring? Can anybody out there help? Les.

Hi Brian, yes, these wheels are for a de-dion car (that's what I have). I can sort you photos later this week, can you send me your email addy? You'll have to have a look at the wheels/tyres first before any offer is made mate, you might not want them after all! Cheers, Les.

I have a set of 5 x 15" Prisoner alloys, with alloy centre caps, for sale. The set will need a refurb as two of the wheels are pretty corroded, I can provide photos if required. There are also 4 good tyres, and a barely-legal spare if you like. Open to offers!

Thanks Neil, I'll check out that location when I get a look in the workshop on Wednesday.

Hi Nick, the car was originally built in '85, Xflow powered with De-dion, and at the minute is stripped to bare chassis (after grit-blasting and repaint). I don't know anyone else using the more basic/traditional rollbar on their cars, most have either the full safety Devices kit, or the hooped type, which is why i'm appealing for help here. But thanks for your reply! Les.

Hi all, I'm a newbie Caterham owner, and also a newbie in here, but I'm guessing I'm not going to be a stranger for long! I'm currently rebuilding my seven, and my first appeal for help involves the petty strut; It's quite obvious where it should bolt to on the FIA roll bar I have, but I'm struggling to work out where it should connect in the passenger compartment? Nobody seems to use these in other cars I've seen, presumably because it gets in the passengers' way (doh, obviously!), but with them being only bolted in, I'm planning on using the strut for sprints/hillclimbs, and (hopefully) unbolting it for the road and trackdays. Can anybody help, particularly with a photo if poss? Cheers, Les.