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February 2014 Blat’ ‘Big 2013 the for in Suffolk, Stonham Barns from to roll, Ready for Caterham and Lotus Seven enthusiasts 21164_Lf 02.14 pages v5_Layout 1 28/01/2014 17:04 Page 2
Advertisement REDLINE COMPONENTS
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Enthusiastic family business Parts and accessories available Old and new models maintained Lotus and Caterham 7 specialists Menu servicing or bespoke for your use Modifications or upgrades for road & track
CONTINUOUS SEVEN 1977-2007 SERVICE FOR THIRTY YEARS
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Club administration and membership services Spanish flee: south of the including membership enquiries, changes of address, Pyrenees is the ‘in’ Event Support Vehicle (ESV) bookings, Event Diary entries destination for Sevening and advertising in Lowflying (see page 30) Sam Pearce, Lotus Seven Club, PO Box 7, Abergavenny NP7 5WQ e: [email protected] +44 (0)1873 777303
Annual membership:
£49·50 or £45·50 if paying by direct debit
(UK or Overseas; membership includes Lowflying) www.lotussevenclub.com please download a form from the Club website, or contact the Membership Secretary
this month:
Contacts support research We into Leukaemia Picture gallery: Chairman NtL Coordinator a slice of life from the fridge door 2 Martin Bushaway** Caroline Grubb [email protected] 2 Grafton Close, News and events 4 General Secretary Gosport Hampshire PO12 4GD Gill Elwell** [email protected] [email protected] Get to know your 7 in the Midlands 5 Regalia Manager Treasurer Dave Ardley* Festival season: Nick Chan** [email protected] t: 07590 841674 the Club at Donington and Silverstone 6 [email protected] Track day Coordinator , UK. Company reg. number 3880568. A copy of the Company’s constitution and rules is available on written Merrick Linnett* AA Membership Secretary Bookworm: [email protected] 75 Sam Pearce*, see above a browse amongst some old favourites 8 NP AR Coordinator Robert Jacobs* Ian Bruce* [email protected] The 2014 Lotus Seven Club International 11 t: 07973 291144 [email protected] *indicates Management team The Magnificent Sevens: Advertising **indicates Club Directors racing with the Classic & Sports Car Club 12 Adrian Fenwick* [email protected] Tıcking the bucket 14 Competition Secretary Matthew Willoughby* Lotus Seven Historian The best job in the world? [email protected] John Watson slipping and sliding in a Seven 16 Events Coordinator f: 01923 836637 Robert Peacock* [email protected] Showtime: [email protected] Valuations of Sevens Event Support Vehicle Manager for insurance purposes only Autosport International at the NEC 18 Paul Richards* Guy Munday [email protected] t: 01508 530491 (work hours) Classified advertisements 23 Health and Safety whether technical or otherwise, Opinions, individual writers. of Seven Club Limited (‘the Club’), merely the views and experiences herein are not necessarily those of Views expressed Gill Elwell** Nuke-the-leuk: [email protected] Our former Chairmen the latest fundraising news 33 IT and Webmaster David Mirylees (founder) Barry Sweeney** Lol Pilfold Please note: Area meetings directory 24 [email protected] Nick Richens Members’ Benefits Coordinator Roger Swift Winter warmers: Geoff Brown* Keith Jecks Lovin’ a cold climate… 26 t: 01793 876465 is the trading name of Seven Club Limited. Registered office: Street, 9 Nevill Abergavenny [email protected] Andrew Walker Steve Winterberg Mark Durrant Lowflying Lotus Seven Club request to the Company Secretary.
The Lowflying part in the events promoted or mentioned. Editorial coverage advertising does not imply endorsement. any loss or damage suffered by reader after reading this publication, acting upon matters discussed taking any liability for Submissions by post to: Editor, Designer for Caterham and Lotus Seven enthusiasts Lotus Seven Club, PO Box 7, Tony Pashley* The Club does not accept by suitable qualified individuals. technical and/or mechanical work is only undertaken advice and that specific professional The Club recommends readers to take should not be construed as precise authoritative advice. Abergavenny NP7 5WQ [email protected] Submissions by email to: Editorial support: [email protected] John Aston* [email protected] Advertising: Forthcoming events 28 see Club administration, above Michael Calvert* [email protected] Welcome to our new members 29 Andy Couchman [email protected] Destination Spain: To report non-receipt of Lowflying, change of address or find back issues planning a Peninsula campaign 30 (where available), please contact the Membership Secretary.
Lowflying is printed by Shanleys Ltd, Units 38–39 Britannia Way, Bolton BL2 2HH t: 01204 523773 www.shanleys.co.uk
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The fridge door
Seven-year-old Alex Perry created this Lego Seven, drawing inspiration from father Andy’s car. Alex admits to having a little help from his Uncle Chris, but we think it’s pretty good just the same…
Below: can’t help wondering what left that single tyre track… photograph by Alex Moore.
Rob Jones celebrated his 40th birthday with the help of this splendid cake –complete with Jake, his ginger cat who is often found napping in the passenger seat of the Seven.
Liz and Antony Hawkins bought their Seven shortly before their 15th wedding anniversary, and clearly it soon became a big part of their life. For their anniversary party they commissioned a cake… this charming edible tableau (recalling some Continental trip, perhaps…?) was created by Jill at Those Finishing Touches.
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Did we bring the hood? Ominous clouds gather above the Piercefield Inn at the end of a ‘Taffia’ Fish ‘n’ Chip run; photograph by Ian James.
More low flying at Old Buck.
Below: little and large… Callum Skeat’s 50th Anniversary edition Seven alongside a Trojan Armoured Engineer Vehicle at the Royal Engineers Musuem in Chatham. The Trojan is based on a Challenger battle tank and weighs fully one hundred times as much as the Seven. But it can carry three people… Above: our belated congratulations go to Tim and Dorothy Dunsby who were married last summer. For their honeymoon, they took a seventeen- day blat across Europe, crossing the Alps, spending two nights in Monaco with a Sunday-morning drive around the Grand Prix circuit, before heading into Italy for a tour of the Ferrari factory and a visit to Pagani as well…! They were accompanied on the trip by eight other Club members from the Gloucestershire Area.“We organise proper blats here!” says Tim.
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Management moves Area antics Caterham news
Long-time Club member Jamie Jones has stood Over the past couple of months, many of the The Motorsport Industry Association honoured down from the Management Team after several email addresses for contacting our Area Caterham last month as ‘Business of the Year’ in years of working hard, often ‘behind the scenes’ Representatives have been updated –more ARs its annual Business Excellence Awards. helping with events, projects, and keeping us all are now using ‘lotus7club’ named accounts and The award recognizes the impressive growth and focused on the smooth running of the Club. most of these have been consolidated as ‘.com’ diversification of the whole Group –Caterham rather than ‘.co.uk’ addresses. If you find your This seems an appropriate time to thank Jamie Cars, the Grand Prix team, composites division, messages to them are bouncing, do check for for his tireless dedication to the Club over the the recently launched Caterham Bikes and updates either in the directory in Lowflying,or years; he was an active member and formerly an their Moto2 GP project and CTI (the technology on the Club website. AR in Warwickshire before joining the MT and, and innovation arm which provides specialist among other projects has in the past arranged engineering across the group). CTI joined the our stand at the Stoneleigh Show, compiled Our Flanders and Brussels-based groups have MIA early last year. joined forces to create a single ‘Belgium’ group. email newsletters, and provided a great deal of Caterham’s award was for the ‘larger businesses’ ARs Jean-Marc and Sven will coordinate their photography for Lowflying and for Regalia category –those with a turnover above £5m. promotion. In recent years, he’s coordinated the members and activities jointly; see the directory Also last month, Caterham Cars announced that annual photo competition and the production of in this issue for contact details. Good luck in 2013, over 300 Sevens were sold to overseas the resulting calendar. with this guys–we hope this change brings more of you together on a regular basis. buyers –an all time record for the company, We hope Jamie finds a new Seven soon, so that and up 25% of the previous year, with exports he can more fully enjoy his Club membership, The Shropshire Area members have switched accounting for 61% of cars sold. and that we’ll still see him at events and Club their monthly meetings –still the last Tuesday of New partnerships and dealer agreements are gatherings. Thanks for all your enthusiasm and the month –to The Fox and Hounds at Shawbury; being established in the USA and South America support, Jamie. Tony see the directory on page 25 for details. and new regulations-compliant models are open- ing up markets that were previously restricted. West Wales Area members, aka the ‘Nomads’ We’ll bring you more details on overseas activity Dave Ardley is our new Regalia Manager. have gone a-wandering too; they’ll now be next time. Inevitably, this role entails lots of planning and gathering at The Halfway Inn at Nantgaredig, on The Superlight R300 race series received a boost admin that is largely unseen when everything the A40 between Carmarthen and Llandeilo. for 2014 with news of an updated car. The new goes smoothly, so we wish him well and wait They’ve switched days too –to first Wednesdays – version will use the Sadev 6-speed sequential patiently to let him get to grips with the task and they meet from 7pm. gearbox and Avon ZZR tyres –both are changes before he announces his ideas and plans. expected to improve performance and durability. In the meantime, we feel sure he’d be happy to We wish both Areas well in their new homes. A new, lighter wheel is also offered. The car was hear from you if you have any constructive shown at the recent Autosport International thoughts or particular wishes. Many thanks for show at the NEC; see our review of the show on stepping forward Dave, and good luck! page 18 for more details.
Electrifying Sevens…
Due to be released later this year, this Scalextric The keen-eyed will doubtless notice that the This model is priced at £34.99 –including free Caterham ‘R600’ is finished in the livery in which exhaust is on the wrong side for an R600, and it delivery when bought directly from the maker at it was raced by Jon Barnes in the 2013 CSCC didn’t race with Brooklands screens or a www.scalextric.com Gold Arts-Magnificent Sevens series. The model standard rollover bar, but those are details which features ‘Magnatraction’ –a magnet beneath the are unlikely to concern a lot of buyers and it’s a car which helps to keep the back end stuck great-looking model anyway. to the track; some owners may wish they could We know that many people like to customize have something similar that would work on their their Scalextric models, or repaint them to full-size Sevens! (Some slot racers do remove match their own full-size car; if you do, then the magnet though –it’s more fun that way…) we’d love to see pictures of the results.
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New and events
Rush –the movie
Could this be the start of a Lotus Seven Cinema petrolhead. Alternatively, the cinema is a mere Club? You can join other members for an 10 minutes away from Curborough sprint course, exclusive screening of Rush, the story of the where the latest round of the Lotus Seven Club merciless 1970s rivalry between Formula 1 rivals Speed Championship will be taking place. James Hunt and Niki Lauda. Spectators are always welcome there, so why not The screening will be on Sunday 18th May, at take in some great live motorsport action with 4.30pm, at The Red Carpet Cinema in Barton- fellow Club members, followed by the film? The cost is £10 per ticket, and all profits will under-Needwood, Staffordshire (between Burton- The Red Carpet cinema will host an exclusive on-Trent and Lichfield). go to Nuke the Leuk. screening of Rush for the Club in May. If the promise of an exclusive viewing of a great For those interested in eating, there are a film in a boutique cinema isn’t enough, there are number of great options at the Marina where the also plenty of blatting options available before or cinema is situated, or in the village. after –the Peak District is close enough, for exam- Please note that Rush is a 15 certificate film. ple, for a good morning’s driving before settling To book places, please contact Stuart Bates down to what should be a ‘must see’ film for any at [email protected] or on 07795 576993.
A lively and instructional get-together GTKY7Midlands for those wanting to learn (Get to know your7) about looking after their Sevens. Topics to be covered include: • Safely jacking up a car with the correct jack Saturday 3rd May and axle stand location • Checking of gearbox and differential oil levels and awareness of impending failure After the successful gtky7 events at Caterham Midlands in the past, Club member Stuart Carter • Checking of suspension and steering parts, has arranged for another this year, with Caterham’s Dealer Principal Dean Francis and his team bushes, bearings etc hosting the day. The event will follow the same format as previously and aim to give owners • Checking and changing of brake pads front and information and confidence to undertake maintenance and servicing of their Sevens, or just to rear and changing of brake fluid understand the workings of the car a little better.. • Checking and changing coolant The intention is to have the Club’s esv in attendance with Regalia items to sell, and (always • Basic engine maintenance, oil and filter change, 36 spark plug maintenance, air filter condition and welcome) the butty van for sustenance! There will be a morning session for a maximum of people setting and balancing of Weber DCOE carburettors and, if there’s sufficient interest, a similar session in the afternoon. • Good tyre maintenance, the importance of Caterham Midlands is on the a47, about 8 miles to the west of Leicester. pressures, checking wear
GTKY7 Midlands booking form event date 03·05·14
names membership no. l Please complete the form (a photocopy of it or the information supplied clearly on a separate sheet is acceptable) and send it, together with a cheque, payable to email telephone ‘Sevens Club Ltd’ to: Sam Pearce, Lotus Seven Club, preferred session number of persons po box 7, Abergavenny np7 5wq am or pm (please state): l You’ll receive an email or telephone call confirming your booking. Entry fee is £10 per person l Final instructions will be sent out approx. total remitted two weeks before the event. £ l Payment by cheque is preferred please; but Please note that places are necessarily limited and will be allocated on a you can call Sam on 01873 777303 to first-come first-served basis; payment with booking please. arrange payment by credit or debit card.
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News and events
The major historic events mix the spectacle of international racing with a huge racing car show and plenty of attractions away from the trackside –all in a relaxed atmosphere. We’ll be at two of the biggest this year; John Aston describes a few of the attractions. FESTIVAL SEASON
Christmas and New Year are behind us, the days are slowly getting Variety is a key ingredient of the appeal of meetings such as the longer and it’s time to think about going to the races again. And where Silverstone Classic: from last year’s better than at two of the uk’s biggest historic race meetings? The Lotus race entries, above from far left, Fiat Abarth, Cooper S, Cologne Capri, Seven Club will be in attendance at both Donington and Silverstone, along and the Jaguar XJR14 post-Group C with dozens of other car clubs –from the esoteric delights on offer at the car (a Ross Brawn creation). It’s over two decades old, but the Jowett Jupiter Club to the whaletail fest at Porsche Club gb. Jag lapped Silverstone in 1:46…
If you haven’t attended a big-league historic And finally, at the risk of sounding like donington historic festival meeting before then do try to make it along to Amazon, if you like those then you will also 3 4 5 may either (or preferably both) of these events; and / / probably enjoy two other historic race week- if you’ve been before you probably won’t need Tom Slatter is co-ordinating the Club presence ends I will be attending this Summer –the persuading. What’s the appeal? The biggest at Donington and you can email Tom at: Cadwell Park Wolds Trophy (21–22 June) and draw is the huge diversity of machinery you tom.slatter@sheffield.ac.uk the Croft Nostalgia Meeting (3–4 August). will encounter, from pre-war Grand Prix cars for the special code which entitles you to Few would disagree that Cadwell is one the via sixties touring cars and seventies Formula the discounted booking on the Donington most attractive circuits in the uk and it offers Fords to the rolling thunder of Group c cars; website: www.doningtonhistoric.com unparalleled spectator viewing. The Wolds add in healthy grids (fifty plus for several Trophy is for f3 cars from the Hunt and Lauda races at Silverstone), unparalleled access to silverstone classic era; support races will be the usual mixture of pits and paddock and you have the recipe for 25/26/27 july single seaters and touring cars. sensory overload. You also get the chance to catch up with old friends and new on the Club Ben Ferrey is leading on the Silverstone Croft also offers great spectating, if not stand, as well as (metaphorically) kicking tyres event and full details of the event can be Cadwell’s gradients, and the Nostalgia week- on other people’s Sevens and stocking up with seen at www.silverstoneclassic.com end is now firmly set on the historic racing regalia from the Event Support Vehicle. Ben is contactable at calendar, enjoying acclaim from both racers The Club is able to offer special deals on [email protected] and spectators alike. both events –two-for-one tickets which also Email me at [email protected] for enable you to take your Seven (but only your Please keep an eye on BlatChat for further more details. Neither of these events has an Seven, not whatever else you may drive) on to news of both events. official Club presence, but both are a magnet for the display area on the circuits’ infields. the Seven community. }
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Above: This could be the start of something big… McLaren M1A.
Left: Cosworth DFV-powered Brabham BT49 – Grand Prix cars were never as elegant again.
Right: ever popular Ferrari 512S –worth the trip just to hear it… glorious (and you could find several F1 cars in the same pit garage).
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Reading room
John Aston introduces us to some of his favourite reading.
My first book review appeared in Lowflying five years ago and since Bookworm then I have shared my thoughts on many new titles. None about Sevens but (fingers crossed) I got Motor sport is my principal theme (no I’ve only ever had one hero. I think he’s the away with it. Some of you have surprises there) b ut I am going to start with a most courageous man ever to sit in a racing said you’ve enjoyed my reviews quite extraordinary book from an even more car, the man who the late Harry Carpenter and so I’m going to deviate from extraordinary man: LJK Setright –journalist, labelled the bravest he had ever interviewed engineer, lawyer and concert-standard clar- and the man who was often known simply as new books to not-so-new ones. inetist. Whilst it would be glib to characterise The Rat–Niki Lauda. Extraordinarily smart, Because? Well ... there are plenty Setright as a Marmite author, he was a man articulate and with a phenomenal work ethic, of new titles but the majority are who made no concession whatsoever to his Lauda became the template for the modern unremarkable. They date quickly, readership. You either did your best to keep Grand Prix driver when he moved to Ferrari up, as you might with an inspirational teacher, in 1974. He had started as a pay driver in the too many authors are serial or you gave up, slunk to the back of the class hopeless March 721x in 1972, then shone as a bandwagon jumpers and too few and moaned to your mates that it was all too brm driver the following season until the call of them dare to go a little off piste difficult. And it could be difficult. Latin quota- came from Il Commendatore and Lauda was tions, car reviews written in rhyming couplets, Maranello bound. to explore some more interesting and arcane references which, pre-Google, The 1973 season had seen the once great terrain. We have enough Cobra would leave you stumped for years. Prancing Horse reduced to a back-of-the-grid and 911 picture books to build Objectivity was not Setright’s forte –no dobbin, but under Luca di Montezemolo’s mealy-mouthed ‘just my humble opinion’ leadership and Lauda’s sheer willpower the a small house –and is there really equivocation for Leonard –but, instead, there team bounced back to form in 1974 and, had room for one more f1 driver was prose laced with cast iron conviction, the cards fallen slightly differently, Lauda hagiography? often to the effect that Honda and Bristol might have scored four consecutive champi- were the only jewels in a sea of automotive onship victories. As portrayed in Rush, Lauda I want to share some titles which mediocrity. You might disagree –I did –but nearly died at the Nurburgring in 1976, on the his text was always a verbal treat. Never more second lap of the Grand Prix. One ‘expert’ may be new to you and, although so than his thoughts on speed limits:“…a tool later tried to argue that this race had never all the books are currently out of repression, a codification of yesterday’s taken place, as no points were awarded. of print, all but one of them can prejudices”. Lauda’s response was bone dry –“Ok. So what usually be found on eBay and Setright’s masterwork is Drive On, which is the f **k happened to my ear?” nothing less than the history of the car and Formula 1 –the Art and Technicalities of Amazon or, if you’re attending one its social impact. Chapter headings such as Grand Prix Driving is a comprehensive work of the many big historic motor ‘Scapegoat and idol’, ‘Inconstant mesh’ and on its subject matter and, even for a technical sport meetings this year, from one ‘Changing gears in changing times’ illustrate dunce like me, is both accessible and fascinat- the author’s ambition for this 400-page work. ing. Lauda covers every aspect of Grand Prix of the many specialist booksellers Suffice to say, it is incredibly wide-ranging. car design and, brutally honest as ever, focuses who set up shop there. Quirky, iconoclastic and, as one reviewer put on the human side only where necessary, it, ‘quixotically discursive’; this book is an ignoring it where it is not –such as his crisp education and a delight. And so beautifully dismissal of the many learned works on the written; here is the author on the 1.5-litre perfect line. You don’t get many geometrical Formula 1 of the sixties: “Their tiny jewelled illustrations from Lauda; he just says that if engines sang a pure high strain, a clear clarion you can’t learn the right line within a few laps with six scales and a tiny polished wood- you really shouldn’t be a racing driver. Now a tipped gearswitch to pluck each in turn from period work, this book gives a wonderful the coils of exhaust pipes ecstatic in their insight into the Formula 1 of the early and mating”. You don’t get that sort of reportage mid-seventies, especially from the Ferrari in Autosport now, do you? perspective. Highly recommended
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Speed with Style was the autobiography Revson co-wrote with Car and Driver journalist Leon Mandel. But it isn’t the usual ghost-written pap. There are alternate chapters by Revson and Mandel and the book offers not only an acute insight into Revson the man but also paints a fascinating picture of racing in the early seventies. This book is about Revson’s 1973 season as a driver in Grands Prix and the Indianapolis 500; nowadays such a work would be sponsor- friendly and devoid of any text which might suggest that a driver had an opinion on anything remotely controversial. But then the early seventies were very different from the anodyne climate of the modern Grand Prix paddock. Revson was a man who thought deeply about what he was doing and why and, perhaps uniquely amongst the world of Grand Prix drivers, was able to analyse himself and his career. I can do no better than to quote Mandel’s words: “Revson is a man of education and vision; when his ever present self- approval doesn’t get in the way, he is surprisingly realistic about the lasting worth of his contribution as a race driver (not much) and about his own shortcomings (many).” Mandel wrote those words in March 1974 and within a week Revson was dead, killed as his Shadow dn3 hit the guardrail at Kyalami in a test session. I’m 61 now but I will never forget that grey Silverstone day when the smiling American included a group of Yorkshire lads in his finest hour. P
Above: Peter Revson at the British Grand Prix 1972, Brands Hatch; photograph by Rob Ryder.
Right: Peter Revson and McLaren M23, wearing the Number 8 with which he won the 1973 British Grand Prix –illustrated by Paul Chenard at Automobiliart.com
Peter Revson was a contemporary of Lauda, but he could hardly have been more different from the technophile Austrian. In our strange new century, Steve McQueen may now be a global brand ($500,000 for the bloody sports jacket he wore in Bullitt…) but, in the louche and dangerous early seventies, Revson was every bit as cool as the man who drove the Highland Green Mustang through the streets of San Francisco. A fast and smooth racer, cultured and urbane, Peter Revson was blessed with film star looks and an easy charm which did not leave him short of female company, including a Miss World (Marjorie Wallace). He came from the Revlon cosmetics dynasty but always insisted that he didn’t see too much of the family money. In the louche and dangerous early Revson raced successfully in Can Am (champion in 1971) in seventies, Revson was every his home country and competed in Grands Prix, most notably bit as cool as the man who drove for McLaren for whom he scored two wins, one witnessed by your reporter at Silverstone in 1973. My friends and I were all the Highland Green Mustang wearing our orange Team McLaren jackets that day, and as through the streets of San Francisco Revson went by us on his lap of honour (on the back of a truck –different days…) he spotted our orange garb and in Bullitt. waved back enthusiastically. We were as proud as only twenty-year-old racing fanatics could be.
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Now close your eyes and imagine this if could jump in at the deep end. They could but informed and, far from being a dry and you can. A new racing car manufacturer has have sunk –and they did eventually in the totally objective account, it’s a bloody good just launched on a great wave of publicity, mid-nineties –but they started by swimming read. If you want the facts, they are in the nearly all of which you suspect to be a com- with the sharks of f1 and embarrassing many Appendix but the main body of the book is pound of blind optimism and pure bullshit. of them. about the people and their Machiavellian But at the new season’s first Grand Prix they Their first f1 car, the 701, was a conservative manouevring to become one of the most suc- have cars on the grid and, bloody hell, one of but effective design raced in the 1970 season by cessful racing car constructors in the world. them is on pole, driven by the reigning world no fewer than seven drivers. Next year’s 711 The author admits it: “No writer should let champion, one John Young Stewart. That was was bonkers. Imagine a Flash Gordon retro- the facts get in the way of a good story” which March –and there was more. Lots more. styled spaceship with an oval tea tray on its was precisely the marketing strategy employed In 1970, both f2 and f3 were massively nose which, nonetheless, worked, giving by Max Mosley back in 1970. important, as was Formula Ford and Can Am. Ronnie Peterson second place in the World A great read. The team which came from nowhere had cars, Championship behind Stewart in the first competitive ones too, in every single one of Tyrrell. In 1975 the Monza Gorilla himself, those Formulae. How the hell did that ever Vittorio Brambilla, took the first Grand Prix happen? You can find out in The Story of for a March chassis, which needed more than a March –Four Guys and a Telephone by Mike quick polish after he binned it as he took the Lawrence. The four guys were Max Mosley chequered flag at a soaking Osterreichring. (whatever happened to him?), Alan Rees, His manic waving to the crowd had distracted Graham Coaker and Robin Herd (march– him somewhat from the mundane but very geddit?). In late 1969 this little clique realised necessary job of steering the 751. And in that, with a lot of ducking and diving, some Formula 2, March were often unbeatable, with smooth talking from silver-tongued Max, five European championship victories. some inspired draftsmanship from Robin and Mike Lawrence’s hugely enjoyable work rat- some Cosworth dfvs at £7,500 a pop, they tles along at great speed; his style is breathless
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Reading room
My last book is not easy to find as few were printed and almost at 43 and this book was sold to raise funds for the Royal Marsden. If you nobody wants to be parted from their own copy. The book is simply ever see a copy, then all I can say is just borrow it and forget to return it. called Bulgin and I found a single copy just now on Amazon at an eye- Trust me on this, it’s worth it. watering £250. Is it worth it? If you want to read the best work of the Now let me give you a taste of Russell at his finest… most gifted of all motoring journalists –Russell Bulgin –then yes it is. I About the 190Evo first: have been reading stuff about cars and racing since 1967 and, if I still “This was going to be the perfect evening. What more could a man had the money I’ve spent on magazines there’d be a nice f355 on the desire? Had everything I needed: two South London girls with minds drive instead of piles of yellowing newsprint in what we laughingly call like razors, a stash of Ribena, a cassette of T Rex’s finest work and a the study at Aston Towers (I first ‘discovered’ Bulgin when he wrote for £55,000 Mercedes Benz styled by people to whom the phrase ‘creative ‘Triple-C’ way back when, and it was mostly his articles I kept when those drugs’ was, quite patently, far from oxymoronic.” old magazines finally had to go. ed). On the Dodge Viper in 1996: There are five men who stand out from the general mediocrity of “Just one look. That’s all it takes now. Just one look. And instantly you motoring journalism and they are Setright, Denis Jenkinson, David E are either a believer, a convert or even –just maybe –an evangelist. Or Davis, Pete Lyons and Russell Bulgin. If I think carefully about it, perhaps you don’t get it at all. Don’t care. Want to continue your mono- Bulgin has to be the best of them all. Imagine an amalgam of Stephen chrome life locked in a turbo diesel world. Don’t dare to dream… Look Bayley’s eye for style and the zeitgeist, Nick Kent’s razor sharp prose in once, look twice, drool. That’s the core of the Viper gts.” his glory years at the nme and Tom Wolfe’s effortless cool and you’re And on a motorway accident: getting there. If you want to know about Senna’s day out in the Welsh “Last Thursday morning I had a huge shunt on the m4 westbound. Mountains driving rally cars then Russell’s your man. Or what it feels Early morning, lightly trafficked, perfect visibility: the clean crew had to like to try to Vmax a Lotus Carlton on the Autobahn, or getting down be called. In the restaurant at Heston Services, that tricky cafetiere with the cool kids on the 1990 Chelsea Cruise in a Mercedes 190e Evo /damp tray interface finally got the better of me. I’d been eking out homologation special. grip on dry sections of the tray but the cafetiere suddenly understeered. Bulgin loved cars but he was no girlfriend-free ocd anorak. He loved I couldn’t hold the slide –it hit the carpet like an Indycar tagging the lots of other stuff too, such as hi-fi, music, cycling, it, clothes, football wall at Turn Four.” and, especially, what was ‘cool’, what wasn’t and why. He died of cancer Russell Bulgin, legend –rip. }
Adateforyourdiary: THE 2014 LOTUS SEVEN CLUB INTERNATIONAL We are now in the process of finalizing the all details of SAT 31st MAY this event –but what we can confirm right now is that we have secured use the of the airfield at Throckmorton THROCKMORTON (formerly RAF Pershore) near Evesham, Worcestershire, and we are hoping to offer a broad range of activities to create an enjoyable and memorable day.
The attractions will include slalom courses (one of which we are hoping to run as a timed ‘Autosolo’ event), trade stands and car displays, and possibly a Concours competition for those polishers amongst us! There will be ample parking for all. Camping will be available on the Saturday night for the hardy types, and we are scouring local hotels to provide alternatives for those wanting a little more comfort. Sunday morning should start with an organised blat or two around the beautiful local roads. So, mark the date in your diary now! More details –and a booking form –will be available in March’s Lowflying. It would be wonderful to see as many of you there as possible. Martin Bushaway, Chairman
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Circuit racing The Magnificent Sevens
Always a real highlight for UK-based club racers –the chance to compete at Spa-Francorchamps; photograph by David Smitheram.
Owners who want to race their Caterhams will have a chance of an outright win, against number of s3 and s4 cars racing and winning or Lotus Sevens are spoilt for choice when it cars of similar performance; a greater chance overall in the Swinging Sixties series –which comes to having different race series and of all competitors being able to enter a race also features a 40-minute race with pit stop. championships to choose between. One such without the disappointment of finding that series which has thrived since its inception six the grid is full; and it will be more novice- David Smitheram, our Wiltshire South ar, years ago is the friendly Magnificent Sevens friendly, with a new class for cars up to 125bhp. started working for the cscc a year ago, hav- series, run by the Classic Sports Car Club. It The rules are simple, with plenty of freedom ing checked the website for Magnificent is unique in welcoming all makes and models for modifications permitted within the regula- Sevens race dates and noticed the job vacancy. of Seven-type cars, with classes to suit all from tions. Races are longer than most other series, This has put David’s racing on hold for now, the lowest powered Academy cars through to being 40 minutes in length, including a but he reports that it’s such a fun job that he 300bhp csrs and r600s. Virtually every make mandatory one minute pitstop. This allows a doesn’t mind too much! } is represented –Caterham, Westfield, Raw, mk, single driver to take on water, for two drivers Tiger, Stuart Taylor and Elite –which makes to swap places and share a car or even for a for interesting comparisons on the track. two-car/two-driver team (halving the entry In the 2013 season, many of the races were costs for each). sold –out with reserves –leading to the cscc Thirty minutes of qualifying in the morning deciding to split the series into two separate gives plenty of time to get used to the track groups for 2014 and beyond –Group 1 for cars and make tweaks to setups as needed. The up to 1800cc and 185bhp and Group 2 for bike- racing is close and competitive, but with strict The CSCC is aiming to arrange special engined cars and those above 185bhp. driving standards applied to keep things fair, ticket offers through the year for Lotus Seven Splitting the series into two groups should safe and minimise damage. Club members, so you can enjoy this exciting bring a number of advantages: spectators will race series. now have two separate Sevens races to enjoy, Lotus Sevens are also well represented Full details of the series are available at on the same day; the lower-powered Sevens within the Classic Sports Car Club, with a www.classicsportscarclub.co.uk
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Magnificent Sevens 2014 race calendar
April 13 Snetterton, 300 Circuit
May 11 Silverstone National Circuit
June 1 Brands Hatch Indy Circuit
June 27/28/29 Spa-Francorchamps
July 12 Castle Combe
August 2 Anglesey, Coastal Circuit
August 31 Above: Magnificent Sevens, Donington Park, National Circuit magnificent circuit –the glorious September 20 Oulton Park, largely unspoilt Oulton Park, International Circuit since its glory days of the Gold Cup Formula 1 races, a long and hilly October 19 track and a gorgeous setting for Snetterton, 200 Circuit competitors and spectators alike. But the CSCC meetings span the For the spectator, there’s much more than country: right, Snetterton and below, Sevenesque cars to enjoy: CSCC meetings Castle Combe. Close racing is routine. also feature events for their other series, Photographs by David Stallard. such as… Classic K: nothing to do with Rover Ks, but ‘FIA Appendix K’ – for machinery typical of the great international GT and saloon car races of the 60s Tin Tops: from original Mini Coopers to the more recent Touring Cars Special Saloons: for those more radically modified saloons and modsports from 70s–90s, including the wild ‘Super Saloons’ and Donington GT series cars Future Classics and Modern Classics: catering for all manner of saloons, sports and GT cars from 1970–2000
N.J. Potter Ltd Advertisement Motor Vehicle Engineers PREMIER PAINT GUARD Caterham 7 service, upgrades and repairs. Nick is delighted to announce he has started his own eighth page business. Having worked for Caterham Midlands in a senior role, Nick is ideally placed to offer you the personal service, care and attention to detail your 7 deserves; contact Nick to discuss your requirements. tel 01858 433530 mob 07966221817 email [email protected] www.njpotter.co.uk Unit 5 Holmes Farm, Foxton Rd, Lubenham, Market Harborough, Leicestershire, LE16 7RY
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Sharing a dream Antony and Liz Hawkins helped a young man achieve one more little adventure from his wish list – a list he’s working his way through in the face of mobility problems. Maybe we can help him with one or two more…? Tıcking the bucket
We’d only had our Caterham a couple of months when my cousin John, who (if such a thing is possible) likes her even more than we do, sent me a Having previously experienced a text message: “Have you seen this guy’s bucket list? He wants a ride in a variety of exotica, Danny gets the chance Caterham.” to try something very different… For those unfamiliar with the term ‘bucket list’, it was made famous through a 2007 film – of the same name –whose plot follows two terminally ill men on a road trip with a wish- list of things to do before they ‘kick the bucket’. Perhaps not the most understated film title ever, but since when has Hollywood ever shown great regard for such niceties? Anyway, John’s text included a link to a web page so I went and took a look. Sure enough, there at number 14 on Danny from Sheffield’s list was the aspiration to “ride in a Caterham”, unticked… Well, to be more accurate, he was looking for a “ride in a Caterham or a Westfield”. That was it for me. Marque and Club loyalty kicked in at once and I clicked through to the them already accomplished. Thirdly, Danny Seven measure up, or be a disappointment? contact form, offering our passenger seat for a was born with a form of arthritis which The first challenge is getting in. It doesn’t few hours, on a date to be decided mostly by restricts both his movement and growth, and take long to figure out though; sit on the rear the weather. Danny only lives a few miles up means he has to use a wheelchair. He was ‘arc’ of the chassis, swing feet into the cockpit the road, so I figured this should be easy repeatedly told he’d never be able to drive. But and slide down the seat; done. All belted in enough to arrange; sure enough within a few that didn’t stop him passing his driving test in and off we go –gently at first so as to not hours an excited email arrived back. Our offer 2010; and don’t be confused by the automatic disturb too many of the neighbours –with Liz had been most definitely accepted and we Zafira on his drive –Danny is as committed a taking a short cut to our first rendezvous. We settled on the forthcoming Saturday –the fore- petrolhead as you’ll find in any pit lane. take a longer back route that actually turns out cast was good and ‘there’s no time like the Saturday comes around, and with our out- to be quicker due to lack of traffic. present’. ing duly arranged, we set off to collect Danny, Along the way, Danny relates his ride in a You may be asking “Why?” Why would any- me in the Seven and Liz in our sensible car. brand new 911 Turbo s Cabriolet, courtesy one just randomly volunteer to take a total Our plan is to head off into Derbyshire to of a local dealership. “It’s got launch control stranger out for a ride in their recently- enjoy the roads, and to take some pictures at and when it sets off, it’s amazing!” Cue a acquired pride and joy? Good question. pre-arranged locations. predictably spirited departure from the next Well, firstly, we were still enjoying the initial I must confess to having been a little bit junction… excitement of actually owning a Seven at long nervous at this point since other ticks on his “I love the way the nose lifts up under last. Secondly, Danny’s website conveyed his bucket list included rides in Lamborghinis, a power”, Danny tells me, a little further down overwhelming enthusiasm for all things car- Porsche, a Ferrari and a tvr –exalted com- the road, “and it corners like it’s on rails!” He shaped, from his most extensive Scalextric pany for a diminutive 1950s-derived car, doesn’t draw direct comparison to the 911, nor collection (bigger than ours...) to several of propelled by its 140bhp 4-pot engine from a to the other supercars he’s been in, but I get the other items on his bucket list, many of defunct British car manufacturer. Will the the feeling the Caterham is doing the business.
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We meet up with Liz as arranged and as she sets off to the first photo- of sinuous bliss and, as luck would have it, we do get a reasonably clear pass location, we take a short break to stretch our legs. run, with the Seven’s tiny mass letting us pass more than one slower car We ‘do’ the a57 Snake Pass, possibly the most appropriately-named without issue in the select few locations where this is possible. road in the uk. It has a blanket 50mph limit but almost no straight bits, As we drop into Glossop I have a route planned out, but it appears so it’s perfect for a car that handles so beautifully, and in which 50 feels Glossop is full. We join the queue long before the town centre. Ah well, like 90 would in any normal machine. If you get a clear run it’s 12 miles it doesn’t take long for the plan to go out the window –or possibly out the top of the cockpit, exactly where the roof isn’t –and we do a quick 3- point turn and head back to the Snake. Again the road is empty all the way to the summit leading to one or two less-printable exclamations through some of the tighter turns! We pass Liz again near the summit; later we find the pictures reveal us both to be grinning like idiots. Not that this is news, in my case. From there it’s back home, via a slightly devious route, during which Danny ponders, “Do you think I can get one on Motability?” I think that counts as a success. All that’s left to say is, please do pay a visit to Danny’s website www.dans-garage.co.uk where you can learn a bit more about him, his other interests and hobbies (such as slotcars, rc boats and vehicles, model railways, and his ‘Pimp my wheelchair’ project) and get a sense of his positive outlook and great spirit. You can also find his bucket
Your first ride in a Seven… on the Snake Pass; list there –not all are car-related, some are quite touching –but do drop what more could a boy ask for? him a line if you think you can help him tick off another item. Amongst the Club membership there are, I’m sure, people with access to some of the ‘unticked’ machinery, be that a Bugatti or a jcb, a Jaguar or a tank –and I know there are a number of racers who could possibly help with a couple of the circuit-based wishes. }
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Breaking traction the best job in the world?
Club members who have visited Racer and instructor, Mark Johnston, entertains the crowds at the shows and coaches the Autosport Show at the nec customers on the Caterham Driving Experience. over the past few years cannot have failed to see (and hear!) the tyre- smoking antics of the Caterham So Mark, how did you end up and the surface changes. People describe a Drive Experience. For those who working for the Caterham Drive track like this as almost a living thing, and Experience? that’s not far from the truth. have not come across the set-up My introduction to motorsport came with a The nec here is probably one of the most before, whether at Autosport or the lucky break. I was studying engineering, when difficult courses that we drive –the surface is many other venues which they visit I entered, and ultimately won, a competition so very slippery that you’ve got very little front to drive a Formula One car. Since then I have end grip and you always have to keep the back each year, the Drive Experience raced in a variety of series including Formula ‘wagging’ so that the front doesn’t wash out. allows members of the public to pay Palmer Audi, Formula 3 and the European At other events like Silverstone, where we to be strapped into the passenger Drift series, which is perfect preparation for arrange Drive Experiences to teach customers the style of driving needed here today. driving skills, we have devised a range of lay- seat of a Seven, and really get a feel At heart, I’m just a petrolhead, so alongside outs so that drivers progress throughout the for what these cars are capable of in racing, getting into giving race instruction day. We keep things quite uniform at first with the hands of a professional driver. was almost inevitable. a simple track, but we change this so that it At the nec, the cars were let loose In this profession, I end up working with a gets more and more advanced throughout the variety of manufacturers, but I must say that I day; eventually we get the trainees to the point to drift and slide around a large am always happiest when I get a call from where they can transition between drifts, and indoor circuit of cones and barrels. Caterham to come and work for them. drift while accelerating or braking. The long queues of customers A competition to win a drive in an The cars drive through a water waiting for a ride, the shrieks of F1 car? We had to find out more… bath before a run; is that to help delight from those being flung Internet research revealed that while en route the tyres break traction? to completing a degree in Motorsport Design at No, it’s actually to cool the tyres. We spend around the course and the size of Swansea, Mark had spotted an advertisement the whole day wheel-spinning, and we find the crowd gathered around the in Exchange and Mart for Channel 5’s 2003 that if we give the wheels a blast of cold water course just to watch, clearly ‘Be a Grand Prix Driver’ series, which aimed to when we come in, they last a little longer. It take a talented driver without a racing licence also hardens the rubber up –it’s the same demonstrated what a successful and turn them into a professional. process as hardening metal by heating it up brand-building concept this is. Of the 1,000 entrants selected for the first and then cooling it down. We were keen to find out just what round, he won the competition which ulti- What about car setup –what do it’s like to be a driver at an event mately saw him successfully racing an ex-Martin Brundle Tyrrell in the FIA Thoroughbred Grand you do to them to make them so tail-happy? like this and managed to catch a Prix Championship.) Clearly a talented man! few minutes with Mark Johnston We don’t need to do very much. As you Do the drivers have much say know, Caterhams naturally handle brilliantly for a chat between runs. in the way the course is set anyway, and you find that once you are in tune out for an event like today’s? with the track, where you point the front, the Is the layout similar at each back can be made to follow fairly easily. The venue you visit? only real change in setup from standard is No, it’s always different, and in fact even at a that we run high tyre pressures –40 psi at the single venue, we have to alter our driving back and 30psi at the front. Not that high for a throughout the day as the rubber goes down normal car, but unusual for a Seven.
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Blurred vision: non-stop action from the Caterham Drive Experience at the NEC; photograph by Chaz Snell.
Far left: just like in Grands Prix, the tyres are worked hard and the rubber ‘marbles’ accumulate around the course. Left: big grins all around are a standard feature!
Do you encounter many mechanical The most common reaction is “You’ve got help them get just slightly out of their comfort problems during the day? the best job in the world”–that’s a sentiment zones. The real beauty of those days is that The cars get used and abused from morning which I tend to agree with! There are plenty of drivers get plenty of sessions to really get to to night, but to be honest, they generally run comments like “That’s amazing”, and quite grip with the cars. I do get called on to do pretty much faultlessly. The Sigma engine in often a few expletives! some of the more ‘Gift voucher experience’ particular seems to be able to soak up punish- People also often also comment that the type days, but find these difficult as drivers ment constantly without complaint. The only whole experience was much smoother than don’t tend to get anywhere near enough time thing we need to be a little bit careful with is they had expected, having come in thinking to get any proper feel for the car they are the clutch; if it’s allowed to slip too much, that the whole thing would feel more violent. driving. there may be a risk of the clutch overheating The fact is that when you lose control of a With the Caterham Experience, drivers get at some point during the day. car, it is violent. However, when you go into a a chance to really learn the track, and we see These are just great cars and although I get transition and you can plan what you are confidence build throughout the day; and by to drive Caterhams non-stop on days like doing, it should be relatively smooth. the end, everyone is going pretty damn quick! these, as soon as I get the chance, I want one We end the session by trying to impress cus- You also instruct drivers on for home too… tomers with our driving when we take them the CDX courses. How do out in ‘maximum attack’ mode –and show you start to get people feeling People walking away from the them what these cars can really do… Caterham Experience all seem to confident in drifting around have huge grins on their faces. the cones? So, could this be the best job in the What’sthe first thing they usually Most people have a bit of a natural aversion world? Judge for yourself… say after a ride? to losing traction with the road, so we have to Thanks for talkingto us, Mark. }
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Seen at the NEC
Notwithstanding its increasingly global outlook, Caterham highlighted its British roots with this traditional theme for the lounge area of the stand at this year’s Autosport Show.
Caterham Cars had a strong presence at the Autosport Show this year; Michael Calvert and David Lynch were there to check out what was there, and find out what Caterham could tell us about the cars on display.
Graham Macdonald, the recently promoted ceo of Caterham Group, seemed to system is very effective in helping cars at idle survey the company’s stand at the Autosport Show with a mixture of pride and slight meet inner city regulations, it did nothing anxiety. “The thing is”, he said, “that having won the best stand award here last year, when the engine is at full chat. With this final amendment completed, the first production there can only be one way to go”. customer orders should be arriving in early Whatever concerns his team may have had, it was clear that Caterham was once February. again taking its presence at Autosport very seriously. The stand had been enlarged again from the year before, and packed in a circle of cars from the ever-expanding Back to basics range to tempt passing visitors. On the morning of the first trade day of the show, We moved around the stand to take a look 160 I was given a tour of the vehicles on show by members of Caterham’s sales and at the new Suzuki-powered Caterham . The car on display was the launch model as marketing departments. unveiled in Frankfurt in September, which had much of the bodywork cut away to reveal The flagship Apparently, journalists respond well to loud its inner secrets. The installation certainly We began with the 620r; with the amount of cars so the first press cars had only standard looks neat –the engine itself is set well back in press attention the model has been receiving, silencing, but it’s recognised that owners will the chassis for good weight distribution, and it’s easy to forget that this range-topper was want to be sure they’ll not infringe the ever- as you would expect from a 3-cylinder, 660cc only launched last summer. The car on display closer noise scrutiny at circuits these days. block, the power plant itself is tiny. At the rear, was painted in an arresting blue and yellow They therefore have an ‘extra quiet’ exhaust – the Suzuki-sourced live axle looks spindly, but colour scheme which, to my eyes, looked about to be delivered –which should make the is in proportion to the skinny tyres that this ‘just right’ for a high-performance Seven. car fully compliant. I did ask if they had con- model is designed to wear. Caterham acknowledged that since the release sidered using an exhaust system such as that James Drake, Caterham’s marketing man- of the first press cars, they’d been working on developed for the 485, where the driver can ager was effusive about this new entry-level some refinements to the specification, the control a valve in the exhaust to choose model when I asked him where he saw the most significant being a concerted effort to between ‘maximum power’, and a potentially biggest market for the car. “The level of inter- reduce the model’s noise emissions. quieter mode, but was told that while that est in the 160 ⁄165 has been immense, and we
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are expecting to sell cars both in the uk market and overseas. For example, I’ve spent a lot of time in Japan recently, where the opportunity is significant. We’ve not even launched the car there yet –because cars are so expensive over there, our sales partners take their deliveries in batches, and they need to sell their existing stock before they launch this new product. They absolutely buy into the concept though: the delicacy of handling, the pure ‘Britishness’ of the car. The Japanese do have slightly different emissions standards to Europe, so we’re working on some recalibration which means we’ll probably launch the car out there with a slightly different model name, specific to the setup”. When pushed, James conceded that the idea of a lower-powered, entry-model car was not going to be to everyone’s taste: “Of course, Above: The Suzuki-powered 160/165 –as ‘revealed’ this is a product which will appeal more to at the Frankfurt Motor Show in the Autumn. some customers and markets than others. Its core market is unlikely to be Germany for Below: A new spec for the R300 race car includes example, where customers tend to focus pri- a switch to the Sadev sequential gearbox and the option of this new, lighter wheel. marily on pure performance –who can have the most horsepower to fire down the auto- bahn. However, many, many people do ‘get’ this return-to-basics concept. In fact, our used (with associated suspension geometry lighter than the outgoing model –and the rim biggest problem at the moment is keeping up updates) and a new design of wheel. We were is reckoned to be capable of taking far more with the deluge of press enquiries and requests told that some of these changes had been punishment over the kerbs –I expect most for the loan of our demonstrators.” prompted by requests from the racers in the competitors to be making the switch before As marketing manager, James can probably series; apparently, the drivers at the sharp end the lights go out for the first race… claim to have driven more different models of of the grid tend to be so aggressive with the Seven more miles than most of us could think gearboxes (they flat-shift all the time to of, and he’s clearly genuinely excited about the minimise gearchange times) that the ’boxes car. “It may not be that powerful –yes it will were becoming the weak point of the car, and wind round to 100mph, but it’s not a car in were often having to be rebuilt every few races which you can just dart through the traffic as to remain competitive. you would in more powerful Sevens. But that’s Although a change to a sequential gearbox missing the point… We launched the car to is likely to represent a fairly hefty outlay for the press on the Futa pass in Italy. We had a drivers, it should last a whole season without photo shoot the day before and I got to spend needing to be refreshed. the day driving up and down the pass for the On the tyre front, they’ll now run on Avon cameras. ‘Awesome’ is the only way I could zzrs, already very popular for both road and describe it –possibly the best day’s driving I’ve track driving. Grip levels and tyre life are said Export drive had in my life. The balance of the car, and the to be much improved over the Avon cr500s We then moved on to the Caterham 485, fact that the power and grip levels are so well used previously. Anyone who has driven on designed to offer an eu5-compliant, high- matched mean that you can chuck it around at zzrs in the wet, however, will recognise that performance model for overseas markets. speeds that are still sensible and safe.” because their design is fairly close to that of a Listening to the various languages and accents The first kits for the Suzuki model will be cut slick, its water shifting properties are of visitors to the stand, it was clear that the delivered to customers from early February. I somewhat limited. In response to this, the Caterham message is now reaching out far can’t wait to give one a try. racers are being offered the option of an all beyond the uk, and staff described the 485 as new Avon wet tyre –the zzs. This news has an “amazing smash hit”, saying that at present, A new R300 race car already been greeted with interest by the the challenge was being able to build them fast Next on the stand was the new 2014-specifi- competitors in our own speed series… enough. Markets such as France, Germany, cation r300 race car, details of which had been Finally, the r300 racers will have the choice Italy, Switzerland and Belgium were high- unveiled just prior to the show. The major to use a new wheel design. This may not, you lighted as particular successes at present: changes are the adoption of a Sadev sequential might think, be particularly newsworthy, but “There’s such a pent-up demand because gearbox as used in the 620r, a change in tyres with each wheel said to be over a kilogramme before the 485, we weren’t able to supply a P
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Seen at the NEC
high-performance model to these potential customers. A quintessentially British touch And don’t be deceived by the model name: although And so to the part of the stand that was probably the there are differences in the details, this car is very close in greatest departure for Caterham this year. No, not performance to an r500. In fact, with its wider power another new model this time, rather a retro 1950s band, most people would be quicker round a track in a ‘drawing room’ (see previous spread) complete with 485 anyway…” leather Chesterfields, Union Jack cushions, a fireplace and a table adorned with early cut-away designs for the Technology showcase Seven. On the wall of this apparent time capsule hung a Next on the stand we stopped by what many have selection of photos of Sevens, including (I was pleased to described as a ‘Marmite car’ –Caterham’s AeroSeven see), the aerial shot of Club members taken at the meet- concept. Prior to the show, I had been unsure what to ing at Stow Maries Aerodrome in 2010. expect, the initial press shots having divided opinion The idea behind this area was to provide a space to sit sharply. I have to say that in the ‘flesh’, the design is down and enjoy a quiet coffee –Caterham had offered far more cohesive that it appears in photographs. that any owner would be able to access this area by Nevertheless, it was confirmed that the car will receive showing their car keys. This was certainly a generous some aesthetic tweaks to the front end before it will be gesture but with the hordes of visitors expected on the considered for production –and it was stressed that this public days, I do wonder what the queues will have is just a concept at this stage, to show the sort of been like… development that the Group is capable of. The cti (Caterham Technology and Innovation) group was responsible for much of the development, using it to show off their carbon composite skills, as well as their gdu (’Graphical Display Unit’) which takes the place of the traditional dashboard in the car. Looking at the Aeroseven’s proportions, and at design details such as the swoops in the dashboard, it’s clear that the car is built around a csr chassis –the concept on display is a fully running car, although its current state of development means that it would probably not stand up to hard driving at present. When pushed about plans to take it into production, the staff were somewhat tight-lipped: “Other than from some current Seven owners, reaction to the car has been very positive. What Tony Fernandes wanted, and what I think we achieved in spades, was to make some noise about Caterham’s capabilities at the car’s Singapore launch. For this event, we had hired out a large part of the hotel where the F1 team were staying and arranged a press conference.” “The benefit of this coinciding with the Singapore Grand Prix was that all the F1 journalists came along, and we had also arranged to fly out a number of big-hit- ting journalists from the more mainstream media. Tony Fernandes unveiled the car, accompanied by Caterham’s The AeroSeven Concept F1 drivers, and we achieved huge exposure. Even Alain car, based on a CSR chassis, Prost came along and showed a lot of interest and we features this ‘Graphical Display Unit’ for dashboard were honoured to get photos of him sitting in it!” By the end of the show, Caterham’s staff had talked information. Other cars on display included a Caterham F1 car; it’s with a huge number of enthusiasts –and to potential The map displayed in this amazing to think how just a few years ago, the idea of customers who might become the Club members of the simulation is the track for ‘our’ car company’s name on a Grand Prix car would future. And as for the award for best stand? Caterham the Singapore Grand Prix – the event at which the car have been unthinkable, yet now it almost passes without took the trophy home this year as well; it just goes to was first shown. comment. There was a Caterham Kart too: the kart show the power of a well-placed leather sofa! series, first announced at last year’s show has yet to get And Caterham’s position in the industry was further off the ground as it has taken some time for final details enhanced during the show when it was honoured to be worked out. However, there is still a firm committ- by its peers as ‘Business of the Year’ at the annual mia ment to launching the series, and the first test days for (Motorsport Industry Association) awards. A successful prospective drivers have been announced. few days indeed… }
20 Lowflying February 2014 21164_Lf 02.14 pages v5_Layout 1 28/01/2014 17:05 Page 21
The Lotus Seven Club at the NEC
This year, for the first time, the Lotus Seven Club had its own stand at the Autosport International show. The stand was manned entirely by Club volunteers and was home to a display of a range of members’ cars, from ‘daily driver’ to extreme high-performance.
The opportunity for the Club to attend came about through a chance encounter with a senior employee at Haymarket (the Autosport publishers who stage the event) who, as a car enthusiast interested in purchasing a Seven, called into the Club’s pitch on the London-to-Brighton Veteran Car Run last year. He had a space at the show available and asked if we would be interesting in filling it.
The stand received a constant stream of visitors, from a wide range of backgrounds, over the four days of the show. It was, unsurprisingly, particularly busy at the week- end when the event was opened to the wider public, but even on the trade days, members manning the stand found themselves talking to interested visitors from all over the world –and in some memorable cases, helping them try out the cars for size…
On display were:
A Caterham Roadsport owned by Paul Manning
A Superlight 1600 belonging to Rob Spencer
Chaz Snell’s Caterham Fireblade
James Sharrock’s ‘660R’ (this was the Mick Attree development car which was then used in the development of Caterham’s 620R)
Dave Fender’s Caterham 21 –also known as ‘Project Jigsaw’ (we hope to bring the full story of the re-birth of this car from wreck to pristine racer in a future edition)
Photograph by Chaz Snell
Lowflying February 2014 21 21164_Lf 02.14 pages v5_Layout 1 28/01/2014 17:05 Page 22
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Cars for sale Wanted
Caterham Supersport 1.8k: Parts: 1999 factory-built, 6-speed box, racing brakes, FIA roll bar for a S3,with or without a Petty strut. 4-into-1 exhaust. Jaguar/brg with yellow stripe A pair of half doors. and cycle wings. Red leather, heated screen, A set of 6 x 13 wheels for a de Dion S3. Ads are accepted for Momo removable steering, and all extras. 23,000 One 3" 4-point Caterham harness (in date). Cars for sale miles, never raced, tracked. Only long distance Aeroscreen. Can collect or arrange a courier, (Sevens only please) Parts and miscellaneous events. Immaculate in every respect. cash waiting and happy to make an additional and Wanted Offers £12,000+ contribution to Nuke the Leuk. Maximum 100 words contact: Nick on 01508 482200 contact: Philip on 07949 304200 or email (Bungay, Suffolk) [email protected] How much?
1995 Caterham, blueprinted X/Flow: Series 2 or 3 Lotus 7 (or Caterham)… Club members, Free (quote membership number) Regretful sale. Owned for 17 years. Much work as a restoration project. Basket case, Non-members, £10 per and love – list too long to put in advert. damaged or incomplete car considered. insertion, inc. VAT contact: David Marsden 01452 760474 Aluminium and green. Sale to include Fleetwood Payment by cheque box trailer. £14,000 ovno. or [email protected] payable to contact: Nigel 07973 833309 ‘Seven Club Limited’ Project 7: sent to the address below Crashed, damaged, unloved – anything considered. Also interested in any early Where to? Parts, miscellaneous Lotus, from parts, engines to complete car. by email, to:
Various: Also wanted: [email protected] the small ads 2 x leather seats for K-series, with runners and 1960s/70s Clubmans, Formula Ford or by post, to: headrests all in good condition, £140. or anything interesting requiring work. Sam Pearce, 1 x Softbits Ebag in good condition, £60. contact: Barry on 07990 841093 Lotus Seven Club, PO Box 7, Abergavenny, contact: Ian 07725 232911 (Eastbourne, Caterham and Lotus 7: NP7 5WQ East Sussex) Looking for unfinished project,crashed or damaged, anything that needs rebuilding Deadline? and or tlc, even incomplete cars. to be received by 8th for inclusion Wanted Can be ex-race cars; age does not matter. the following month contact: 07850 234585 Super Sprint Seven: or email [email protected] Contact details? With Rover 1.6 or 1.8 injected engine, de Dion, Please remember to include your low mileage preferred. May consider unfinished Any pre-1976 Lotus cars or parts: contact details (yes, some do forget). project. Model from 1997 to 2006. including engines, any condition considered, Consider indicating your location: contact: Michael on 07721 999 555 or email especially Lotus 7 models. this could be of concern to a buyer [email protected] contact: Neil on 07944 413111 wanting to see a car or collect parts
Recent Nuke-the-Leuk contributions:
2013, lap 12 Jon Ward made a generous donation Our total for Please ensure that cheques are made on behalf of Mitas Tyres £500.00 payable to Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research (there is no NtL account). Caroline Grubb made a donation instead of 2013… sending Christmas cards £25.00 You can also make a donation online at: John Waters donated the proceeds wwww.leukaemialymphomaresearch.org.uk from the raffle held at the North and East If you do this, please email me a copy of Yorkshire Christmas Dinner £165.00 £5,710 the receipt so that I can ensure it is Monthly standing order from a shy, team included in the Lotus Seven Club total. sparring partner of old… £25.00 And please don’t forget to use a Gift Aid Monthly give-as-you-earn donation form where appropriate – you can download from another shy club member £25.00 one from the Club website. Thank you!
This month’s total: £740.00 NtL contact details: e: [email protected] Total for 2013 to date: £5,710.00 Caroline Grubb, Fundraising history,1991 to 2012: £390,847.13 2 Grafton Close, Gosport, Total to date: £396,557.13 Hampshire PO12 4GD NtL
Lowflying February 2014 23 21164_Lf 02.14 pages v5_Layout 1 28/01/2014 17:05 Page 24
Bristol and Bath Hertfordshire London, South H The Boar’s Head, Aust, BS35 4AX 1st Wed The Feathers, Wadesmill, All Bar One, 32 Northcote Road, nr. jct of M48 / A403 at S end of Severn crossing nr. Wade, Herts, SG12 0TH, from around 8.30pm Clapham Junction, SW11 1NZ 3rd Tuesday 2nd Sun Moon & Stars, Rushden, SG9 0TA 1st Wednesday á Tony Alcock from 12 noon; coffee, snacks and 1-hour blat á Adil Patel 07763 477673 07853 168793 á Dick Dixon [email protected] [email protected] 01920 871153 [email protected] London, West and Middlesex ( ) á H Buckinghamshire ‘Penn Sevens’ H Paul Kennedy The Ace Café London, Ace Corner, Old North The Squirrel, Penn Street, Penn, 07778 738428 Circular Road, Stonebridge, NW10 7UD Bucks, HP7 0PX 2nd Tuesday last Saturday, 12 noon Isle of Man AR position vacant á Mark Williams The Crosby Hotel, Isle of Man, IM4 2DQ GBM á contact: [email protected] 01908 521382(h) or 07798 766696(m) 1st Tuesday [email protected] á Mike Scott 01624 622192 or 07624 486500 Merseyside and District (‘MADS’) H http://penn.lowflying.co.uk [email protected] Thorn Inn,Grappenhall Lane, Appleton, Warrington, Cheshire WA4 4QX Cambridgeshire Jersey, Channel Islands last Wednesday The Red Lion, High St, Grantchester, CB3 9HF roving venue, please contact for details á Martin Richards 2nd Tuesday 4th Sunday 07884 437652 á Rachael Sangha á Mark Le Lay á Stuart Forshaw 07974 097771 or 01223 292 400 01534 867743 or 07797 728939 GBJ email for both: [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] á Ian Brandon Norfolk H Cheshire and Staffordshire, North H 01534 852098 (h) or 07797 743887 The Scole Inn, at Scole, near Diss, IP21 4DR The Swan Inn, Main Rd, Wybunbury, Cheshire [email protected] 1st Monday, 7pm 2nd Wednesday á Steve Wright á Nick Chan Kent, East H 01787 882209 (h) 07789 907646 (m) 01782 621818 or 07590 841674 The Ringlestone Inn, Ringlestone Road, [email protected] á Richard Price Maidstone, ME17 1NX www.carrotland.co.uk 01782 616493 or 07770 617127 2nd Thursday email for both: á Steve Lilley Northants, Beds and Bucks H [email protected] [email protected] The Old Swan, Astwood, Newport Pagnell, Bucks MK16 9JS Cornwall Kent, North H 3rd Wednesday AR position vacant The Plough, Eynsford, Kent DA4 0AE á Ben Ferrey á contact [email protected] for details 1st Tuesday 07591 594135 á Richard Brunero 07974 927618 [email protected] area meetings Devon á Ian Bruce 07973 291144 Warren House Inn, on Dartmoor, PL20 6TA emails for both: [email protected] North East H 1st Wednesday, evening (April–Oct) The Church Mouse, on the A167 near 1st Sunday, lunchtime (Nov–March) Kentish Weald Chester-le-Street, Durham á Steve Dace The Spotted Dog, Smarts Hill, last Wednesday 07843 230957 nr. Penshurst, TN11 8EP á Philip Thomas [email protected] 3rd Tuesday 07949 304200 (preferred) www.facebook.com/devonlotusseven.club á Richard Young 01325 492578 (home) 07714 676422 [email protected] Dorset [email protected] Weld Arms, East Lulworth, Wareham, Northern Ireland ( ) BH20 5QQ Lancashire and District ‘LADS’ H AR position vacant 3rd Tuesday The Blundell Arms, Chorley Old Rd, á for more information, please contact á Andy Whittle Horwich, near Bolton [email protected] 01202 692006 (h) 07775 161516 (m) 1st Wednesday [email protected] á Peter Haslam Northumbria 0161 724 6481 or 07719 541550 Newburn Motor Museum, Townfield Gardens, Essex [email protected] Newburn, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, NE15 8PY H á The Hare, Roxwell, Chelmsford, CM3 3HJ Paul Richards 2nd Wednesday 3rd Tuesday, 7.30pm 0161 763 5410 or 07721 564742 á John Sweeney á Mike Burnham www.lads7.co.uk 01661 825623 07758 231051 [email protected] [email protected] Leics, Notts, Derbyshire H The King’s Arms, at Hathern, LE12 5LD Oxfordshire Gloucestershire (nr. Loughborough and M1, J24) The Railway Inn, Station Road, Culham, Colesbourne Inn, GL53 9NP, on the main 2nd Thursday Abingdon, OX14 3BT á A435 between Cirencester and Cheltenham John Minns 1st Tuesday 1st Thursday 01949 876271 (h) 07875 553257 (m) á Brian Soper á Andy Couchman [email protected] 01235 531632 01451 821982 [email protected] [email protected] Lincolnshire The Three Kings, Saltersway, Reading, North Hants & Berks (‘ReHab’) ( ) Hampshire, South ‘Solent Se7ens’ Threekingham, nr. Sleaford, NG34 0AU 2nd Wednesday and last Thursday roving venue; please contact AR for details 1st Thursday The Barley Mow, The Hurst, H á last Friday David Pattrick 07966 171947 Winchfield, RG27 8DE á á Jo and Martin Crisp Liz Lukeman 07881 922837 á Andy Webber 07721 722111 023 9279 1032 or 07506 776604 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] London, Central 3rd Sunday, 1pm The ‘AWESOME’ Meet H The Old Hatchet, Hatchet Lane, Cranbourne, Seema Tandoori – Holborn Hampshire, West Windsor SL4 2EE 41 Farringdon Street, London, EC4A 4AN 1st Tuesday Empress of Blandings, Copythorne, á Tony Whitley on A31 Romsey Road last Wednesday, 6.30pm á www.7rehab.co.uk AR position vacant Fred Gustafsson á contact [email protected] for details 07740 944470 [email protected]
24 Lowflying February 2014 21164_Lf 02.14 pages v5_Layout 1 28/01/2014 17:05 Page 25
Scotland, North Wales, North H Yorkshire, South and Derbyshire, North roving venue – please contact for details Glasfryn, Rakes Lake, Mold, CH7 6LR last Thursday, 7pm-ish á Nigel Simpson 01561 362153 1st Tuesday Ladybower Inn, Bamford, Hope Valley, [email protected] á Chris Proudlove Derbyshire S33 0AX, on A57, at end of Snake Pass www.jock7s.com 01492 544514 2nd Sunday, 8am, April–October only [email protected] ‘Monthly Morning BST Blat’
changes Scotland, South and Borders (‘Borders7s’) departure point & route varies; contact for details ( ) á day and venue currently variable; Wales, South ‘Taffia’ H Antony and Liz Hawkins please contact for details Piercefield Inn, St Arvans, 07800 875428 á Neville Mackay nr. Chepstow, NP16 6EJ [email protected] recent 01750 32705 (on A466, N of Chepstow Racecourse) [email protected] 1st Thursday, 7.30pm Yorkshire, West and Pennines á The Devonshire Arms, Cracoe, BD23 6LA
most Alan Henderson Shropshire 01633 413020 or 07779 958937 (on B6265, 4 miles N of Skipton)
for H á The Fox and Hounds, Shawbury SY4 4JG Martin Lane 2nd Wednesday á www.foxandhoundsshawbury.co.uk 07768 096477 Charles Carter last Tuesday, 7.30pm email for both: taffi[email protected] 07831 668988 á Clive Bridges [email protected] ( ) 01743 232466 or 07855 837335 Wales, West ‘Nomads’ H á Martyn Edwards The Halfway Inn, Nantgaredig, 01939 210908 or 07712 117283 Dyfed, SA32 7NL email for both: [email protected] (on the A40, between Carmarthen and Llandeilo) 1st Wednesday, 7pm á Somerset and Wessex H Paul Andrew 01550 740640 Meetings outside the UK: The Crown, Rumwell, Taunton, [email protected] Somerset TA4 1EL 1st Thursday, 8pm Warwickshire, North (‘Bear 7s’) Belgium H á Roger Ashelford Blue Lias, Stockton Rd, Stockton, venue to be confirmed, but held on…
[email protected] 01823 270373 (h) or 07796 266742 Southam, CV47 8LD 7th of the month
at [email protected] 1st Thursday please contact for more details B á Giles Hudson á Jean-Marc Bikx Staffordshire, Mid 07976 769022 00.32.(0) 495.249.239 [email protected] H á á The Swan with Two Necks, Longdon, WS15 4PN Terri Foulger Sven De Loenen Bruce (off the A51, between Rugeley/Lichfield) 01455 272340 +32 496 065 188 3rd Thursday [email protected] Ian
á Colin Heseltine Canada, Alberta and West Warwickshire,South (‘Warwickshire7s’) 07774 878475 meeting place and times currently [email protected] roving venue (contact or check website, below, variable; please contact for details CA for latest information) á Terry Johns please: Suffolk last Wednesday, 7pm H 00 1 403 986 7915 (h) or 00 1 403 872 2153 (m) á Kevin Scott The Scole Inn, at Scole, near Diss, IP21 4DR [email protected] 1st Monday, 7pm 07714 767371 (evenings) á Philip Ambrose á Pierson Broome France, (‘Entre Deux Mers’) [email protected] 07734 702251 www.warwickshire7s.co.uk Chateau de La Tour, at Cadillac, (on the [email protected] Ave. Liberation, on the way to Béguey)
Coordinator www.carrotland.co.uk Wiltshire, North last Saturday H á Hugh Dent AR The Jolly Tar, Queens Road, F Surrey +33 (0)55 623 9931 www.lotussevenclub.com/AreaMeetings/AreaMeetingCalendar.aspx H Hannington SN6 7RP, 1 mile off B4019 The Parrot Inn, Forest Green, RH5 5RZ [email protected]
the (take junction at the Freke Arms) to (near Ockley), 2nd Wednesday
to 3rd Tuesday á Geoff Brown Germany á Mark Garnett 07766 162032
refer 01793 876465 venue and dates variable, but mostly á Gordon Cross 07990 822631 [email protected] last Sunday email for both: [email protected] please contact for latest details Wiltshire, South á Andreas Seydell please Sussex, East H The Bath Arms, Clay Street, Crockerton, +49.171.4205424 (mobile) D The Ash Tree Inn, Brown Bread Street, [email protected]
amendments nr. Warminster, BA12 8AJ Ashburnham, East Sussex TN33 9NX 2nd Monday www.caterhamcarclub.de 2nd Tuesday á David Smitheram and á Chris Barclay 07718 368173 New Zealand 07816 770697 á Paul Manning [email protected] meeting place and times currently variable; 07989 600950 or 01380 828655 please contact for latest details email for both: [email protected] Sussex, Mid á Nigel Riches 00 64 3318 1440 NZ
Enquiries [email protected] The Gardeners Arms, Ardingly, RH17 6TJ Worcestershire last Thursday, 7.30pm The Nightingale, Spetchley, WR7 4QS á Nigel Roberts Norway 2nd Wednesday 01403 249299 please contact for latest details á Adam Croft [email protected] á Christian Brechan Aas N 07952 546281 [email protected]
[email protected] Sussex, West The George, Eartham, PO18 0LT, Yorkshire, North and East Switzerland venue, nr Chichester Lotus Seven Owners of Switzerland meet
of The Gold Cup Inn, Low Catton,
details 2nd Wednesday near Stamford Bridge, York YO41 1EA on the 1st Tuesday of each month. AR position vacant á 3rd Wednesday Rainer Carspecken á contact [email protected] for details +41 79 401 52 02 (mobile) CH change á John Waters contact 01482 632435 [email protected] www.LSOS.ch or Thames Valley [email protected] recent
a The Pelican, Froxfield (on the A4, 2 miles www.york7.org.uk USA, Michigan date W of Hungerford), SN8 3JY meeting place and times currently variable; 1st Wednesday please contact for latest details á indicates meeting Nick Bassett 07768 051428 á John Donohoe USA á Ben Long 07785 100 100 00 1 517-655-5125 (h) both: [email protected] [email protected] www.simplesevens.org H
Lowflying February 2014 25 21164_Lf 02.14 pages v5_Layout 1 28/01/2014 17:05 Page 26
Lovin’ in a cold climate
Self-confessed ‘Southern softie from Wiltshire’ David Smitheram describes some less obvious aids to cold-weather comfort in a Seven. Winter warmers
This is the time of the year when Heated seat liners, priced at around £10 to £15 These require a little work to fit, however: most of us (well you, as I’ve each from eBay and Amazon. These plug into my wife unpicked the stitching to get to the your cigarette lighter, or you can hard-wire plastic inner so I could trim this with tin snips now sold my Seven!) have their cars them into the car with a separate fuse. The (there’s around an inch to be removed) before tucked away in the warm, away ones I bought have two heat settings, and fit gluing and neatly stitching things back from the salt. Well, sometimes you Tillet seats nicely. We found the current draw together. The result is a snug fitting where the of driver and passenger heated liners was fine back edge of the door touches the arch protec- get the odd day when you’d like to for our twin 12v socket to cope with, even tor, but leaving the full length of the longer take a drive, but the temperature is when both were in use and set on ‘high’. We window and frame. even used them last winter in our tin tops just that bit too cold for the Draught reducer. The most commonly-seen for driving to work. A real bargain, well rec- comfort of you or your passenger, model comes from Softbitsforsevens.co.uk, ommended. 127.50 especially if your Seven has no where these will cost you around £ , or Heated jacket liners, from a company called less when using your Club discount. There are heater. I found a number of Gerbing.com, priced at around £200 once you models to fit both Tillets and s-type seats, and different ways of helping to keep have paid shipping and duty from the usa. they simply attach over the headrests. We used warm and enjoy those longer and My wife and I bought these originally to use ours at all times when we had the screen on, on our motorbikes and they are superb, even except in the hot summer, and it does reduce faster winter drives. in sub-zero temperatures, wearing leathers. drafts a little in the car. They can block rear There are three key aspects to Whilst you can get full heated jackets, we felt visibility slightly, although you get used to this keeping yourselves warm in a the liners were better as we could wear them and it does have the advantage of reducing underneath our usual jackets –plus the liners headlight glare at night. Seven: heat, draughts and keeping aren’t bulky (an issue in an s3-sized Seven). The pocket they come with is a good place dry. Now some of the solutions The entire jacket is heated, including the to keep intercoms or a small Camelback-type are more obvious like a heater or cuffs, sleeves and collar, and they plug into a reservoir for drink. A number of members layered clothing, but here are a few switch or thermostat, which in turn plugs into have made their own larger draught reducers, a fused 12v lead that attaches to the battery. some filling the space within the rollover bar – other options… Our standard battery and alternator coped which could be even more effective. fine powering two jackets, even with lights on Custom made half hood: Again, I chose to use in the winter. Soft Bits For Sevens and took them up on their Heated gloves, also from Gerbing.com. Beth custom-build service to make a half hood to and I bought glove liners, although I sent mine suit my tall roll cage. I wanted longer sides to back as they were a little too bulky when protect from wind and rain, whilst still giving driving with normal or race gloves over the me good visibility to the side at junctions. top. The glove liners plug into a socket in the Overall I was very pleased with the result jacket sleeve which is a neat solution. and the service, although if I have a Seven Alternatively you can use just the gloves, again I would choose to delete the ‘Easy-in’ again plugged into the supplied 12v lead that zip option which can let in water when parked connects to the battery. The newer versions in heavy rain. have their own controller for heat settings. Fan heaters? Some of you may have seen those SV sidescreens: I’ve never seen another s3 cheap, plug-in 12v fan heaters for sale; well, Seven using sv doors, but what a big differ- avoid them, they have no place in a Seven, ence they make! No more cold, noisy draughts producing no noticeable amounts of heat! whipping around the back of the head, neck, side of the face and ear; and they keep down I hope some of these ideas might help you the number of stones coming into the cockpit. enjoy the chilly months a little more. }
26 Lowflying February 2014 21164_Lf 02.14 pages v5_Layout 1 28/01/2014 17:05 Page 27
Above left: standard S3-sized sidescreens; above right: the longer SV sidescreens modified to fit whilst retaining the longer window.
A half-hood provides lots of protection from wind and rain, without too much loss of visibility, A mesh panel between the seats can cut and retains some of the open-air feel. And usefully, down the amount of back-draught; this it still works with the modified sidescreens. one slips onto the headrests and includes storage pockets.
Heated seat liners –cheap, effective, easy to fit and remove; two heat settings.
Small 12V fan heaters –in Dave’s experience, simply ineffective in a Seven; he suggests you save your money! Maybe think twice before ditching the proper heater…
Lowflying February 2014 27 21164_Lf 02.14 pages v5_Layout 1 28/01/2014 17:05 Page 28
MARCH MAY cont
Sat 22 Sat 17 Taffia Track Day, Llandow Dunsfold Handling Day Lotus and Caterham Seven owners driving Caterham More details and booking form to follow in due course; Sevens, Lotus Sevens and Caterham 21s only (sorry to ESV will be in attendance. anyone else). Entries strictly limited to 40 drivers. Only £80 per driver + £25 for each extra driver. Sun 18 A gentle start: sign on from 8am, briefing at 9am, track Rush opens at 9.30am; hope to go open pit lane by about at the Red Carpet cinema, Barton-under-Needwood. 10.15. An hour for lunch; circuit closes at 5pm. An exclusive-for-Club-members matinée screening of the 105dB drive-by noise limit. acclaimed film based on the rivally of James Hunt and No FIA roll bar needed, but you do need a crash helmet; Niki Lauda. See news in this issue for details. and please bring your driving licence on the day! Send cheque payable to ‘Llandow Circuit Limited’ to: Sat 31 Alan Henderson, Cotleigh House, Llanmartin, Newport, Lotus Seven Club International Event South Wales NP18 2EB Throckmorton, near Evesham. or pay by cheque at one of our monthly meets. See announcement in this issue. Full details to follow Sorry, no cash or electronic money transfers. á Alan Henderson t 07779 958 937 e [email protected] JUNE
Fri 13–Sun 15 APRIL please note change of dates from those advertised previously Sat 5 Cholmondeley Pageant of Power More details to follow in due course. Introduction to Sprinting Day Curborough Sprint course, nr Lichfield Sat 28 For those interested in competing in the Club’s Speed Championship to find out more about what is involved Classic and Retro Action Day and how much fun is to be had competing. Castle Combe Circuit, Wiltshire. £50 per member. Advanced booking for one of 60 free admission tickets is There’s no limit on numbers, but the closing date is now open. 22nd April. See more details and entry form in last ESV in attendance in a large display area, plus an month’s Lowflying. opportunity to drive on track in a Sevens-only session news. latest event the Club website for See the á Matthew Willoughby, Competition Secretary (cars on track must not exceed 100dBA). t 01522 861880 Prices and more information to follow. á Geoff Brown Sat 26 t 01793 876465 e [email protected] Taffia Fish & Chip Run After a casual start –with coffee and bacon butties from around 8.30am –we’ll leave the Piercefield Inn, Chepstow,
forthcoming events South Wales at about 10am. A ‘suggested’ route will be available, but there is no fixed JULY drive, go with the flow and at your own pace. Fri 4–Sun 6 The best bit is it’s all free –no booking, just roll up, and sign on. Classic Le Mans ‘The Classic’ sees almost 500 vehicles and 1000 drivers [email protected] á Alan Henderson t 07779 958 937 from across the world racing some amazing machines, e [email protected] many worth millions of pounds. There are Club displays of about 8000 cars, an auction, two concours competitions, an ‘Automobilia’ village, and much more to see and do. A Paddock Pass lets you see the vehicles up close, and MAY chat to the drivers and mechanics. For more information on the event check out Sat 3 www.lemansclassic.com For details of the Club’s Ticket offers, and some accom- Get to know your Seven (GTKY7) modation ideas, see January’s issue of Lowflying, at Caterham Midlands, nr Leicester or www.blatchat.com/t.asp?id=236284 An event to help you get a little more familiar with your
to: details Please submit event Seven, giving you the knowledge and confidence to Sun 13 carry out basic maintenance. It will be held at Caterham Midlands and hosted by the Dealer Principal, Dean Francis Millwood’s Annual Barbecue and his team. A great day out at Millwood’s Gloucestershire premises, Cost is £10 per person; numbers will be limited to a featuring free BBQ and refreshments (we’re collecting maximum of 72. for Nuke the Leuk though, so bring along some cash!); There are more details and a booking form elsewhere in plus check your car’s weight on the flat floor scales; this issue. Closing date will be Friday 11th April. enter the photo competition and lots more! For other information, please contact… Fri 25–Sun 27 á Stuart Carter t 07702 4 63652. Silverstone Classic Historic Racing at Silverstone Circuit. Fri 3–Sun 5 Booking via www.silverstoneclassic.com Donington Historic Festival Use the Club code C14063 for 2-for-1 ticket offer until Donington Park, Castle Donington, near Derby. May 2013. Unlimited spaces. See announcement in this issue for more details. Prices from £39 for 1 day, to £95 for a weekend pass until 31st March (Early Bird prices), then £45–110 from 1st April–31st May. ESV in attendance. á Ben Ferrey t 07591 594135
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AUGUST
Sat 2–Sun 3 the lotus seven club Taffia Two-day Blat speed championship 2014 More details to follow in due course.
Fri 15 Lotus Seven Night APRIL AUGUST Poole Quay, Dorset, 6pm-9pm A gathering of Sevens and their owners from all over Sun 20 Sun 3 the country. Planning is underway to organise some Blyton Park sprint Harewood hillclimb other Dorset-based activities over the weekend 5 miles N of Gainsborough, Lincs, off the B1205 7 mile NE of Leeds, off the A659 (camping etc), more details to follow. Attendance is free and places are unlimited –no booking required. Sun 24 á Jon Lee MAY Curborough 2 sprint t 07472 405554 the Sandra Harrison-Moore Memorial Sprint Sun 18 Sun 24 Curborough 1 sprint Sun 31 Western Canada Lotus Seven Club Meeting just N of Lichfield, off the A38 Loton Park hillclimb The Western Canada Lotus Seven Club is organizing 8 miles W of Shrewsbury, accessed via A458 and B4393 the first all Lotus Seven/Caterham gathering in Sun 24–25 Red Deer, Alberta. Gurston Down hillclimb The event will start at 10.30am in the parking lot a two-day meeting, where we share the bill with the SEPTEMBER of Great Chief Park, Red Deer, Alberta, for a blat British Hillclimb Championship Sat 13 out to Abraham Lake, returning to Sylvan Lake for SW of Salisbury, off the A354 at Broadchalke a Lucky’s steak and shrimp barbecue. Wiscombe Park hillclimb Open to Lotus Seven and Caterhams only. 6 miles S of Honiton, Devon, accessed from the A375 For additional information please contact the JUNE Western Canada AR… á Terry Johns at Sun 15 OCTOBER e [email protected] Epynt hillclimb Sat 4 Sat 30–Sun 31 S of Builth Wells, accessed via the A483 and B4519 Anglesey National Circuit sprint at Ty Croes, Anglesey Shoreham Airshow Sat 28 More details to follow in due course; Aintree sprint Sun 5 ESV will be present. N of Liverpool, off the A59 Anglesey International Circuit sprint á Ian Bruce e [email protected]
JULY Entry forms will be sent to those competitors who have registered for the championship. Sat 19 Enquiries to the Competition Secretary, SEPTEMBER Llandow Circuit sprint Matthew Willoughby 20 miles W of Cardiff, off the B4270 [email protected] Sat 6 See the feature in January’s issue for more details of Sun 20 The Big Blat the series and the venues. Spectators are welcome. More details to follow in due course. Llys y Fran hillclimb Viewing at many events is free – and at most you can á Geof Carlton Smith 5 miles NE of Haverfordwest see other types of car in action as well as Sevens.
Maiden flights: welcome to our new members
Mr Rob Berke,Oxted Mr Ed Keane, Dinas Powys and to these former members who have Mr F and Mrs S Bertaggia-Bikx, Melin, Mr Bill Knight,Beckley returned to the flock… elgium B Mr Louis Lempereur, Embourg, Belgium Mr Andrew Banks, Bristol Mr A and Mrs C Boulton, Burbage M. Nicolas Calleweart,Villeneuve d’Ascq, Mr Stuart Logue, West Malling rance Mr Mike Cocker, Cheltenham F Mr Andrew Mitchell,Warwick Mr Laurent Delaive, Lierneux, Belgium Mr R and Mrs K Harrison,Ulceby Mr Ray Sommerville, Banbury elgium Mr Pascal Deprez, Uccle, Belgium Mr Thierry Joos,Blicquy,B Mr P and Mrs S Summerfield,Carterton Mr Harry Fabian, Wokingham Mr I and Mrs A Lovett, Ashbourne Mr D and Mrs A Faragher, nr Oswestry Mr James Thornton, Stafford Mr Adrian Mortimer,HighWycombe elgium rance MrDFrenchand Mrs C Bradbrook, Stevenage Mr Wout Vandenhaute, Oosterzele, B Mr John Rimmer, La Boussac, F Mr Rupert Garton,London Mr D and Mrs S Goodridge, Worthing We’re always pleased to hear from new members: tell us a little about yourself, Mr Preben Hall, Holbeck, Denmark how you first became aware of the Seven and how you are getting on with Mr William Hindmarch,London the Seven experience (or, maybe, how you tried, but couldn’t live without one!).
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Touring
Looking out on the southern side of the destination Pyrenees. spain
Spain is becoming a firm favourite for Seven-borne adventures: it’s rich in scenery, food, history and culture, has great roads, is largely unspolit and is blissfully uncrowded. Adrian Corser gives some pointers for a memorable touring holiday.
Spain: possibly Europe’s greatest Seven touring Right: at the entrance to the Convent of San destination? Spain is a big country, twice the size of the Marcos at León. This is uk now a Parador Hotel, yet with only two-thirds the population. Looking so you could stay here. for empty roads? Well, you’ll find them in Spain, and You’ll need to Google this to see just what a in abundance! spectacular place it is… The majority of tourists head directly for the Mediterranean coast which means that in the rest of Spain there are few caravans, motorhomes, cyclists or motorbikes. Familiar with that snaking queue of cars over many of the Alpine passes? In Spain, it’s unlikely you will find anything approaching this kind of hold Left: the half-mile long up –in fact you are more likely to drive ten miles Roman aqueduct at Segovia, in central without seeing another car! Spain.
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During the summer months of July and Spain’s economy so there are hotels wherever too) which surround you most of the time. August, temperatures regularly exceed 40°c you go. For me, the stand-out experience is Wherever you go, your Seven will attract away from the north coast. May and the government-run Parador hotel chain considerable attention –the Spanish are very September generally provide the most com- (www.parador.es/en/portal.do). Stay in a friendly and will be very interested in your car! fortable touring conditions and are generally castle, medieval fort, monastery or palace – Language is seldom a problem as English is dry –you have a low chance of any significant there are more than eighty spread right across widely spoken, even in some of the remotest rainfall once away from the northern coastal Spain, so you are never too far away from a areas (though, as ever, it does no harm to show areas, apart from the occasional thunder- unique experience. They are all air condi- willing and learn a few phrases! ed). storm. Just make sure you carry plenty of tioned, with generally large rooms and fur- The Pyrenees are, of course, the major water, a sun hat and sunscreen as it can still be nished in a style appropriate to the local area. mountain range and provide some of the best hot even in these months. Car parking is usually on site and some have driving roads in Europe. From the north coast You can of course drive all the way to Spain. underground secure parking. Breakfasts are of Spain, a trip to the Mediterranean and back The 600-mile journey through France can be very good and set you up well for a day on the is easily achievable in a week, but allow longer both tedious and boring, particularly if you road. Evening meals always have a strong if you want to explore the vast wilderness take the direct autoroute option. It’s far better regional bias with some very interesting areas. Follow a route along the southern slopes in my view to let the boat take the strain and dishes. in Spain and then climb up into the main use Brittany Ferries from either Portsmouth Expect to pay around £100 per night for a mountain range and follow the France/Spain or Plymouth. There are sailings nearly every double room and breakfast. If booking ahead, border back. The n260 is an excellent road day and the 24 hours it takes is well worth it I’d recommend using uk booking agents with seemingly continuous ribbons of fast when you arrive fresh and ready for the road! Keytel (visit www.keytel.co.uk/index.html); flowing bends and hairpins, leading you up Passages on both of the ships which Brittany they will guide you through the large number and down passes as it threads its way for over Ferries use (Pont Aven and Cap Finisterre) are of special offers and deals and put together a 200 miles from just east of Jaca to Ripoll. advertised as mini-cruises and, by and large, package for you. You pay in advance, just Alternatively, use the local c roads to they live up to this billing. The cabins are not before you leave, and use vouchers at each explore some truly remote countryside large but they are comfortable for a night’s Parador. between Tremp and Berga. An exceptional sleep and the food and bars are all of a good The roads throughout Spain are usually well route though the high peaks of the Pyrennes standard. Expect to pay between £600 and maintained, having benefited greatly from eu links the Col de Peyresourde with Col de £700 return for a car, driver and passenger, funding. Petrol stations are generally easy to Aspin and then onto Col de Tourmalet including a cabin. S find and unleaded is cheaper than the uk. (d618). All of these mountain passes have
A small part of the Walls of Ávila, which encircle this extraordinary fortified town, just west of Madrid. The walls are about 2.5km long, with 88 towers, enclosing roughly 75 acres. Although the settlement dates from the Bronze Age, it has over time been a stronghold of Romans, Visigoths, Arabs and Franco- led Nationalists. A colourful history then –as has so much of the country.
Services run to Santander or Bilbao (both Motorways do allow fast travelling and most been made infamous from the Tour de France on the northern coast) and each offers good are toll-free, but it’s usually a far better drive (the cycling version, that is –although the much access to trunk roads. Santander’s ferry port is on the n-roads. lamented Automobile version did visit Mont in the town centre, so for the return trip offers For the best driving experience, however, Ventoux in France. ed) which regularly uses a very easy walk into town from the terminal. look for the ‘c’ designation, which indicates a these routes as some of the toughest stages of Bilbao town is a little further away but does road standard somewhere between the uk’s a the entire event. have the magnificent Guggenheim Museum a and b roads. With generally little traffic, 200 The Picos mountains, located south west of short drive away from the port. miles a day is easily achievable, even on the n Santander, make up a smaller, but still spectac- So, having arrived in Spain, where to stay? and c roads –but be sure to allow time to take ular mountain range. If you pass through this Tourism represents a significant part of in the scenery and the history (and the bars area, do make time to stop and take the P
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Destination Spain
cable car at Funte Dé for a magnificent view across the peaks (you can see this on YouTube, and there’s a Parador Hotel there too). Further west along the coastal mountain range through Asturies and Galicia, the coun- tryside becomes really wild and remote with some fantastic empty roads. Here you are in bear and wolf country, but the sound of a Caterham howling up the mountain pass is bound to ensure none hang out around the roadside! Further south, the Gredos mountains curve around to the north of Madrid. During the winter, this is a popular ski resort area and although a little busier in the summer –due to its proximity to Madrid –it still provides some The mountains of Asturias. excellent motoring. If you venture further south you encounter the Sierra Nevada, with the highest mountain The Col du Tourmalet: bike sculptures in Spain and its year-round snow-capped in yellow, green and polkadot… peaks. Granada is a cultural centre and the Alhambra is certainly well worth a visit. And once there, you are only an hour’s drive away from Marbella, from where no visitor should miss the mountain road up to Ronda and a chance to explore the mountains that surround the area. Whilst there are vast areas in central Spain that are flat and relatively uninteresting, the reality is that with careful route-planning you can seldom be far away from mountain ranges or wilderness areas. Don’t forget there is the rich and diverse history of the country to consider too, with a wealth of interesting places to incorporate into your itinerary.
On the Mediterranean, close to the French border. Galicia, and feeling on top of the world.
Of course, there is always a remote chance that you will come across a group of like- minded Seveners in the middle of absolutely nowhere… But as a touring destination Spain offers fantastic roads and scenery. What better place to take your Seven for a holiday in 2014! }
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CATERHAM AT MILLWOOD MILLWOOD MITSUBISHI ONLY OFFICIAL INDEPENDENT DEALERSHIP OFFICIAL CATERHAM UK SERVICE CENTRE
We’re very proud to be the only factory appointed dealership As one of only three Caterham Approved Service Agents in the country. It shows the trust and confidence put in us by in the UK, you know you’re in good hands. Caterham and our many customers. Expert, factory-trained hands in fact. We supply the whole range of current models, whether factory built or for home assembly. From demo to delivery. We’ve a large workshop complete with M.O.T. bay, laser Our showroom always displays a selection of the very alignment and corner weighting facilities. best used models. So whether it’s a service, parts, accessories, a full build, Please call first, to arrange your visit at a time that suits you. an M.O.T., or simple help and advice you need, talk to us.
T: 01453 541511 E: [email protected] T: 01453 544321 E: [email protected]
MILLWOOD MOTOR COMPANY AND MILLWOOD MITSUBISHI, CAM, DURSLEY, GLOUCESTERSHIRE. GL11 5DH
If you are thinking of selling your Seven, contact Paul Clugston to discuss straight sale, commission sale, part exchange or whatever. t: 01227 728190 w: www.uksportscars.com e: [email protected] : www.facebook.com/uksc1
Detail of Caterham’s AeroSeven concept car at Autosport International; photograph by David Lynch
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