Houston we have a problem… well sort of

Rob from (the excellent) RatRace Motorsport phoned last night with an update.

The throttle bodies are fitted and that project is complete (just requires setting up on a rolling road, which will be down to me – when it is a little warmer!).

However, having stripped the rear suspension down to fit the new De Dion tube and then set the car up, he identifed that the car required new springs all round (something to do with being the old style progressive springs… I think), and that one of the adjustable spring platforms had seized (at the front I think he said). In his experience it is apparently very dificult to free a seized platform without damaging the unit. Closer examination had also identified damage to at least one of the rear shock absorber units. He notes that they had been hand painted; womtehing I was aware of when Seven and Classics overhauled the suspenion last summer (2017).

His ris o fthe opinion that the current suspension is original and is at the end of its servicebale life and recommends that it should be replaced.

Original Bilstein suspension are currently very expension through Caterham cars and therefore this makes upgrading the suspension to something like one of the Nitron or Quantum range, a sensible proposition.

He is going to make some enquiries and get back to me.

I mentioned Simon at Meteor Motosport and that I was aware that he offers Caterham specific valving for the Nitron NTR1 and Quantum Zero One ranges. I think Rob was going to speak with Simon. I may do so myself as having read Simon’s excellent buyers guide he likes to tailor spring rates etc to the specific car and how it will be used / power level / weight of the driver etc etc.

Watch this space…..

As an aside, what concerns me about this, is that my car has only ever been trusted to marque specialists with strong reputations for knowing 7’s inside and out and also excellence. What is now apparent, is that they all without exceptions have missed things or in the case of the suspension damaged it and either not noticed or not flagged it up to me. This isn’t about proportioning blame or naming and shaming but is has been a salient lesson to me and I am pleased that I appear to have found someone who is really very good.