paul jacobs

Gordon, I'm after a nearside front lower wishbone, would you be interested in selling one on its own, if so how much would you want for it? Failing that how much are you looking for for the complete set?

Yes Mike, I've often wondered about this "sneeze factor". I first heard about it being used on American cars, but if it was so important, why aren't people who drive small open two seaters, with no more than 2 turns lock to lock, and who are more likely to sneeze from having a cold gale blowing down their necks, considered to be so much at risk. I believe that Alfa Romeo are now using 2.5 [or less] turns lock to lock on the 156 and possibly other cars too. Have car designers finally realized that car drivers aren't acutally so stupid after all?

As far is changing the camber is concerned, the easiest way is to put some spacers [washers] between the back of the ear and the end of the DD tube, this is easy and effective, but you do need a camber guage, [sp.?guague/gaugue/gague, oh bu**er it] a camber measuring instrument, to set it up properly, I borrow one from my local garage.

Arnie, Didn't I remember you posting earlier that you still had a small leak from this area too. Have you managed to identify where it is coming from and how have you managed to stop it? I was speaking to a Vauxhall fitter the other week, and he was saying that a lot of the 16v engines he sees have leaks from the sump flange, which didn't fill me with a lot of hope in curing mine, although I did hear that Steve Broughton is trying to develop a dry sump pan with a built in rubber seal which may help ['though I know your feelings about this gentleman!] Next time I have my pan off, I will try replacing it without the windage tray and see what effect this has. Thanks for your reply.

Does anyone know what sort of power just fitting DTHTB on a 1.6 SS, and changing the ECU to match, would make, in other words, trying to save the work and expense of opening up the engine.

Whilst we're talking vauxhall sumps, perhaps someone can tell me if the windage tray that should be fitted to a wet sump to stop the oil being churned up, is needed when a dry sump system is fitted? Theoreticaly there should be very little oil in the sump pan once the engine is running. I have always had some very annoying oil leaks in that area, and I feel that if I could do away with one of the gaskets, and the windage tray, I could make a better seal around the sump flange.

Yes, I've got a pair of brand new progressive rate rear springs knocking around in my garage roof somewhere. Haven't tripped over then for a year or so, but I know that they are there somewhere. Assuming I can find them soon, would a price of 33% less than new factory cost [whatever that is] seem reasonable?

Talkaing of filters, I've often wondered if there is really differnce in OE, Halfords, Bosch, Champion and any others that are available, and surely a bigger filter is better [given that it isn't going to be wiped along the road of course]. Anyone got any thoughts on this?

Build it, but just don't be in too much of hurry to finish the build, 'though I suppose you will be 'cause you'll want to race it. Most people feel a small sense of loss when they finish, because it is designed by Caterham to be so easy that it is really very pleasurable [OK for 90% of first time builders anyway] and almost and end in itself. The instruction manual is good and is backed up by excellent service from either the factory or Dereck Moore [at least it is good compared with all the other kits on the market]. All the other reasons put foreward so far are also very valid. Go for it - you won't regret it, and you will get one hell of a kick out of completing it yourself.

Well, I've used "Gripfill", and as PR said, it's obtainable from any builders merchant at about 2ukp per tube. The last time I used the stuff, it was on a pair of flared wings, and I used a bit the size of a threepenny bitquestion.gif on the wing stay, and when I came to remove the wing, I had to cut it off with a Stanley knife, cause it was just delaminating the fibreglass when I tried brute force! Previously I had used the car for sprints/hillclimbs, and maxed it out at around the 135 mark, with it still intact, so had no qualms in using it again on the cycle wings. Incidentaly, I've overcome the excess lock, when the new cycle wings hit the body sides, utilizing the existing rack, if anyone is interested.

I think that you'll have to bite the bullet, and go for a 4.1 cwp, and get the box out and get 1st gear "lengthened" so that it becomes useable, 'cause there's no use in having a 5 speed box, only to end up using 4 of the ratios. If you do this, you'll find it so much nicer. But it is going to be expensive, so you should investigate the cost of a 6 speed box, and retaining your current 3.92 cwpquestion.gif there might not be too much in it, but use Arnies' calculator and check all your ratio/road speeds.

That's all right David, thought it might be worth a mention anyway, you never know. Best of luck in your search.

Yes, but if the panel was sealed no moisture should get in in the first place? I think that we shouldn't get too hung up on weight, especially if it's mainly a road car, but that etch primer stuff can be very nasty to work with, not to mention expensive, however if the rest of the tub is being painted from new, it wouldn't be too much of an imposition to do under the car at the same time?

Yep, I could be parted from mine if you asked nicely. 40 Webers, Side exit exhaust, cycle wings, leather seats, hi-visibility weather gear, 5 speed, dedion and only 9500 miles, reg. April '93. Hope you like black though. I wouldn't even want a large bag of cash - only around 10,950:00 ukp. Only downside [yes there is always one, that's why one never ends up with the "perfect" car], it's on a Q reg. Get back to me if you're interested. I live in Somerset if you want to have a look, my number is in the back of Low Flying as an AO for Somerset and Wessex.

OK, if one were building a new car, with the intention of using it all the year round, there would seem to be obvious places that would need attention, from what others have already said. Wayoil or similar does appear to be a very good [if messy!] idea, how about making up a panel to close off the gap under the fuel tank, fixing with a silicone seal, that should save that area. When the tub is new, and with no engine or suspension fitted, would it be a better idea to paint not only the inside of the engine bay, but also under the floor and the bits inside the rear wheel arches where the rear springs live too, so that all naked aluminium is covered and protected, and as the front suspension is always so suspect, how about nickel or chrome plating all the relevant parts which normally get stone chipped, then rust?

Why go to all the trouble and expense of fitting a 4-1 system, with all that hole cutting and spannering [those manifold studs are always absolute little sods!] Do what I did, and modify your existing rear exit setup to a nifty side exit, gives better sound too, and I don't suppose that it does anything good or bad to the power curve. Take off the silencer, remove the clamp holding the rear exit portion of pipe, shorten the front end where it fits over the front primaries, by about 2" or so, having done this, find a trusty stainless steel exhaust bender, and get him to make a curved exit pipe that will clamp over the stub of the silencer exit, so that it finishes just ahead of the rear wheel, he must put a bracket on it and hey presto, for about 20-30UKP you've got a really smart side exit system. If you have problems locating a little man to do the bending, contact me, and I'll see if my guy will do it, using the original one he did for me, as a jig.

Luke, If Arnie can't use the rad, I most certainly can. Any chance of 2nd refusal on it please?

Yep, that sounds logical Arnie.

On the subject of scavenge pumps et al, can anyone recomend a pump other than the ones supplied by the factory? If I understand it correctly, doesn't the engine use part of the inbuilt pump as well as the external one, like the old Vx supplied dry sump system, but most people ended up using a pace scavenge pump and ditching what was left of the inbuilt oil pump. The other worry I have with the factory supplied kit is the drive belt. I believe that it is only grooved, with no teeth, is this such a good idea, and was it responsible for the self detonation of a couple of factory engines?

Aren't the rear discs/[disks/rotors]the same as the front? Aren't the front discs off a GT6 originally? I don't know that they would've changed that much either. Anyone with a definitive answer?

I assume that by high swirl tower you mean an extension on the filler neck of the bell-tank. What is the purpose of this higher neck, and what happens on the original low filler neck tanks that could be detrimental, other than only taking 5 l. of oil?

I finally worked out that I needed the bigger M/cylinder, shame that the factory didn't recomend it when I ordered the big brake kit when the car was new, they've just made another 160 UKP out of me, or is this what they call "business"? I only got it this week, so haven't had a chance to fit it yet, it looks as if all the pipes are the same, my problem is that I really need a remote resevoir, because on the 21 the unit is fitted in front of the bulkhead and points forewardm and ends up under the throbble botties, which means it fouls the no. 4 air filter/trumpet, and is difficult to fill, though thankfully that isn't often. Graham Ford advised me that twin m/c and balance bar layout wasn't as good as the pukka factory part, so I've taken his advise. Great to have friends isn't it? P.S. The matchstick trick sounds like a great idea.

I've got the older grey APs' with vented rotors and not had the vibration problem, but I have had overheating and a soft pedal with little bite. They will lock eventually, but certainly don't inspire confidence, and will fade when hot too - very unsatisfactory. I'm currently putting on even bigger rotors, up to 285mm fronts, with standard rears, spacing off the calipers and as well as the bigger discs, which I hope will help with the cooling, I'm installing the bigger 13/16" "competition" master cylinder. Anyone done any of the above, or had the soft pedal problem with the standard m/c. It occurred to me that perhaps the factory should specify the bigger m/c as a matter of course if the big brake kit is specified? BTW, the overheating only occurs on the track, and I ought to mention that it is not on a se7en but on a 21, with a 245bhp Vauxhall engine installed, so a restriction in air around the rotors/calipers, but surely no worse than any other full bodied car?

What do you [or he] consider a sensible offer, don't want to cause offence by coming in to low?

Has anyone got a pair of high visibility sidescreens that are surplus to requirements? I'm also after an aeroscreen stanchion and/or an old windscreen [frame and stanchion], glass not required though, so doesn't matter if it's broken or cracked. A perspex JPE screen would also do if there is one going. Please get back to me with prices and locations etc. Thanks.