Matt Prior

Oh, apparently nothing.

...just wondering what, if anything, happens when you reach 200 postings (pretty poor seeing as how I've been registered since April 2000)

I used to have a Westfield SEi with a 7-grille on it so I can't see why it wouldn't fit a pre-91 Seven, or at least be persuaded to fit without too much trouble!

Okay, we all know Sevens generate lift at the front, whether on cycle or clamshell wings. So, given enough speed, lift will overcome weight, and the front end will become airborne. Anyone want to work out the Seven's take-off speed?

I just wondered this: if Caterham was supplying cars without indicator repeaters when it was in fact legally obliged to do so, should the company not recall these flared-wing Sevens for modification at its own expense? After all, Ducati had to issue a recall because it didn't put KPH markings on UK bikes' odometers. And say I'd been driving a Seven and another drivers' failure to see my indicator resulted in an accident, where would I, and the company, stand then? Just who would be to blame for my illegal motor car and, therefore, invalid insurance? Can o'worms. Try another MOT centre.

As well as agreeing with what's been said here, I just feel it's worth emphasising the importance of having a lid correctly fitted. As well as just sizing it for your head, the (trained fitter) should try and pick you up by it to make sure it's snug enough (it's likely to feel too tight when you first try it); also make sure that it fits all over your head - if the lining is only making contact in a few places on your scalp then the helmet probably just isn't right for you. It may be that the manufacturer's particular shape doesn't suit the shape of your head. My ex-girlfriend's Arai is a great helmet, but I can't wear it because I wear glasses, while she had to turn down many manufacturers (including Shoei) because they didn't suit the shape of her head. The fitter should also check that your chin and nose don't make premature contact with hard edges of the lid (ie. around the visor) when it's moved around on your head. Worth considering, too, that the more you pay, generally, the quieter it'll be (though this mostly relates to wind noise - more of a problem on bikes than cars).

I'll have another 7, don't fret; I just might try something else in the meantime. I still can't believe the result anyway, the bastards.

Peter, Can you give me details of the 911? Just sounding you out as I might be interested if you're selling. Was planning on a few months off the loan repayments - just sold my HPC, see - but if it's nice and available, who knows... Cheers, Matt

DDC? A bit. H&T? All the time. LFB? Only mid-corner on my favourite roundabout to provoke lunatic oversteer. teeth.gif

I love the look of the Seven Classic on its 14" steel wheels. So much so, in fact, that I might get a set. First off then, anyone tried a De Dion Vauxhall HPC with this wheel/tyre combo (unlikely, I know)? Fancy having a bit less grip too. I drive on the road a lot. I like oversteer. It makes me smile. Like this: teeth.gif

An unrelated screw warning. I couldn't get the drain screw out of my broken boiler (on Xmas Eve, conveniently), so just removed the larger thermostat-housing-bolt to drain the system (and save a £120 call-out charge from a plumber). My advice: please make sure the water is turned off from the header tank in the loft before you do this, as its pipe may not go through the airing cupboard with a valve, like I erronously thought mine did. Otherwise, you're in for hours of fun. Classic moment for me was holding a full bucket of filthy water in one hand, with a finger of the other hand plugging the boiler, realising that I had couldn't get back to the garden to both empty the current bucket-load AND retrieve the plugging bolt which I had emptied onto the lawn with the previous bucket-load of filthy water. Frank Spencer, Lee Evans and Victor Meldrew combined couldn't have done it better. Still, saved a £120 plumber's call out charge.

Charles, I used to have this problem on my W*******d, but was too lazy to get around it, plus my insurance company thought I had one fitted so I stuck with it. But now, things are a little better - I have a battery cut-off switch which, if removed, disables the immobiliser and leaves the battery nicely charged. Plus, if some thieving scumbag chooses to have a go at my Seven, he first has to overcome the battery switch, and then the immobiliser which becomes active as soon as the power's reconnected. So I'm happy, my insurance company are happy (so happy they sent me a Christmas card), and the thieving scumbags aren't.

I haven't tried anything other than the usual stuff but had a similar problem with my high compression 1700 X-Flow in my old W*******d; even a new battery with a high cranking capacity was a complete nightmare if the engine was hot. Some other advice though - if you've got an electric cut-off switch, remove it when in the garage so your immobiliser doesn't flatten the battery.

Alrighty then: A roof will reduce the drag co-efficient by a bit, because it promotes laminar airflow to the rear of the car. A flat plate (like the winscreen) is as bad as you can get for aerodynamic efficiency. However, the roof would be better still if was fitted flushly, not by press studs, and was rigid so it didn't flap about in the breeze. Doors should be used with the hood to reduce drag, as the roof with no doors is like any other open car window. Without the roof on, whole doors are likely to be better than half doors, which are better than nothing. Unless, you remove the windscreen, then half doors are better than full doors (especially as you'd have nothing to attach the full doors to teeth.gif). Better still though, remove the windscreen, rollbar and spare wheel, sit as low as possible in a half-doored car, remove the headlights and affix teardrop style enclosed fairings around the front and rear wheels (like on a light aircraft), reduce ground clearance to an absolute minimum, slap on a flat aluminium plate to the bottom of the car and fit a rigid tonneau. Result: you'd have an ugly car with a still-appalling co-efficient of drag. smile.gif

Get a straight cut box. Can barely hear the engine, let alone any rattles. Haven't had the hood up yet, waiting to go a bit deafer naturally first. Hmm, snow, deserted industrial estates....what am I doing inside when my boiler's broken? Bye.