Trackday with R400 (Caterham) pics

[bradfincham]

Took the R400 out for a play in the sun on saturday at Woodbridge Airfield.

Cheap day out, car ran like a dream and didnt get overtaken all day.

Was good fun embarassing some skylines with crazy power and porsches.

Pics below:

 

[lewisniven]

awesome! id love a go in one of them.

 

[bradfincham]

Yes there was a Nissan Primera which was stripped and caged and that had a bloody Yozzasport sticker as well!

Fred any ideas?

 

[Ex-User (19928)]

How much ?

When I looked at hiring cars for trackdays they always quoted silly money/excess.

 

[Ian_182]

Would love to know how fast that feels

 

[_Tom]

Yes there was a Nissan Primera which was stripped and caged and that had a bloody Yozzasport sticker as well!

Fred any ideas?

Jon on here?

 

[_Tom]

http://www.cliosport.net/forum/showthread.php?t=263504&highlight=primera

 

[bradfincham]

How much ?

When I looked at hiring cars for trackdays they always quoted silly money/excess.

Trackday was £80 i think
Fuel was £90

That was it, its my caterham so that didnt cost me anything!

Book a Track is probably the cheapest way to hire one for the day.

 

[bradfincham]

And yes that was the Primera, just sent him a PM thanks for showing me the link!

 

[jon_r]

Hi Brad, you should've come and said hi! Was a great day weather wise and had a good laugh. Car performed well, but the place was harsh on tyres! (Hadn't been there before). Your car was easily the quickest there, was bloody flying. I was watching when that white Cossie spun in front of you, he was trying to show off!

Like the Javelin days, they always seem fairly well run to me and a good price. Did a few laps, but also let all my mates that were there have a go in the car, so it was going at different speeds all day.

Only got a couple of pics.

 

[Ex-User (19928)]

How much ?

When I looked at hiring cars for trackdays they always quoted silly money/excess.

Trackday was £80 i think
Fuel was £90

That was it, its my caterham so that didnt cost me anything!

Book a Track is probably the cheapest way to hire one for the day.

Sorry I didn't realise it was yours. Kudos.

 

[Darren S]

^^^ - ah, there's plenty of life left in those tyres jon - what are you worried about?

Who needs tyre shoulders anyway?

D.

 

[jon_r]

They've actually started de-laminating. Had to go and change one half way through the afternoon as they wouldn't let it on track!

 

[bradfincham]

Hello Jon,

Yeh i like the Javelin days, they closed the track for 2 minutes while they recovered the Nova and that was it all day.
They let you push the car to the limits which is what its all about, with no incidents as far as i saw.

I had a nice play with that skyline, once he let me past after a few laps i was gone. He was shocked it was only a 1800 k series as well! :rasp:

Primera went well, I was following you for a bit and it sounded nice.

My dad was driving half the time with me, split the costs!

I only saw the Yozza sticker when we had loaded on the trailer and some lad was taking a photo of your rear wheel.

Look forward to seing you at the next one in feb i beleive

 

[Darren S]

They've actually started de-laminating. Had to go and change one half way through the afternoon as they wouldn't let it on track!

PMSL! Ring every inch of life out of the rubber, eh?!

D.

 

[jon_r]

It goes OK in a straight line, but a bit better round corners! Can't decide if I want to spend some money on it making it go better in a straight line, or sell it for something rwd. I really fancy a 7 type car now my Dad has sold his, but can't afford one at the moment.

The Caterham was going really well, I only realised it was a K as well at the end of the day, assumed it was an XE or a Duratec! Lovely car, i'm very jealous!

Only decided on Friday afternoon to do the day as we had planned to go to the Ring over the weekend, but I couldn't drum up enough enthusiasm amoungst the troops!

Had a scare first time out coming along the back straight I braked hard for the 90 degree left having put the offside wheels outside the landing lights and the car went 'bang' over a light! Thought i'd holed the sump! Avoided them from then on, the car needs raising on the standard wheels.

Good day though.

 

[jon_r]

Post the links if you find anymore pics Brad, I forgot to take a camera.

 

[bradfincham]

There the pics from the sports photography people, bought dad the CD for xmas as it was first outing with the car.

Yeh i spun at that 90 left as well, where it goes over that lump i got a little too much power on the go!

Apart from that I didnt have any dramas, dad was driving when that cossie nearly wiped him out!

We sold our old stuart taylor which is back on piston heads now
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/264531.htm

However we sold it in May for 2k less than that price.
Was a good car and used purely on track.

Thing ive noticed, you can spent a fortune on a car to handle better or be faster but it still wont handle or go round a track as well as a 7 or well built kit car 7 replica.

 

[jon_r]

Definatly Brad, if only the aerodynamics were better! One day ill have one.

 

[paul_h172]

caterham looks ace, primera looks good jon

 

[Ali]

Great shots!

Did JLF paint your lid?

Also need a chat at some point over the rear suspension on our caterham!

 

[Ian_182]

I would love a track toy.Is yours road legal brad???

 

[bradfincham]

Ali - Yeh JLF im very good friends with Jason!

Ian - no this car has never been road registered.

It won the Roadsport championship in 2000, R400 Superlights in 2001,2002 and had a full rebuild with new bodywork and panels in 2005. It has done 3 races since that and I rebuilt the engine, Box, Diff before we bought it in October this year.

 

[The Seer]

Ah yes...an R 400 Caterham.Wonderful.

This time last year I was aiming at buying one myself. Unfortunately just couldn't spend the whole of my 24K when it came to it.

Gonna have to settle for a Megabusa or a Westy with an XE (220 hp) instead. Not quite as nice but finances dictate.:dapprove:

 

[bradfincham]

Ah yes...an R 400 Caterham.Wonderful.

This time last year I was aiming at buying one myself. Unfortunately just couldn't spend the whole of my 24K when it came to it.

Gonna have to settle for a Megabusa or a Westy with an XE (220 hp) instead. Not quite as nice but finances dictate.:dapprove:

Second hand market!

I know of a mint R400 road car for 18k with very few miles and full race spec and engine!

 

[Ian_182]

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/259529.htm

Heres a bright road one...

 

[Ian_182]

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/262588.htm

Are these any good brad?

Just looks a bit pricey

 

[bradfincham]

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/259529.htm

Heres a bright road one...

Imagine the rebuild cost if you grabbed the wrong gear!

The CSR i find a little less fun than the Superlights as its fully independant rear and not as responsive as the s3 chassis.

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/217624.htm
Thats the car I know, and its had a fortune spent on it.
Engine is good and if it does goes pop through you missing a gear or whatever then £600 later and you will be fully rebuilt.

 

[Ian_182]

Why's it so bad if you miss a gear.I miss them in the focus all the time...lol

 

[bradfincham]

Why's it so bad if you miss a gear.I miss them in the focus all the time...lol

With a race car gearbox it wont grind like it does in your focus it will mesh the gear and lock the rear wheels and increase the engine revs.

This is the singlemost cause of damage to race engines.

Grabbing 2nd instead of 4th or 1st instead of 3rd etc.

This usually means the valves meet the pistons and they dont get on too well :dapprove:

 

[The Seer]

Ah yes...an R 400 Caterham.Wonderful.

This time last year I was aiming at buying one myself. Unfortunately just couldn't spend the whole of my 24K when it came to it.

Gonna have to settle for a Megabusa or a Westy with an XE (220 hp) instead. Not quite as nice but finances dictate.:dapprove:

Second hand market!

I know of a mint R400 road car for 18k with very few miles and full race spec and engine!

Sounds a good price, but a very cheap one indeed.

Unfortunately 18K is no longer mine do with as I please.

I've about 11.5 K to spend with a few K left in the bank. An XE powered Westy will fit the budget. Not quite a Superlight variant. Though I'll move on in a year or so.

Thanks.

 

[GarethM]

great pics

 

[JoelDee]

Class

 

[bradfincham]

Second hand market!

I know of a mint R400 road car for 18k with very few miles and full race spec and engine!

Sounds a good price, but a very cheap one indeed.

Unfortunately 18K is no longer mine do with as I please.

I've about 11.5 K to spend with a few K left in the bank. An XE powered Westy will fit the budget. Not quite a Superlight variant. Though I'll move on in a year or so.

Thanks.

XE powered westfields are certainly fast!
Wont depreciate either

 

[Diesel_Power]

Have i seen that car on DW? I was thinking about that the otherday, and cant remember why you gave reason for the directional tyres to be on the otherway?

 

[bradfincham]

Have i seen that car on DW? I was thinking about that the otherday, and cant remember why you gave reason for the directional tyres to be on the otherway?

DW???

The reason the tyres are ran anti-directional is because it stops the build up of rubber on the tread pattern. This way they run cleaner and you dont get rubber build up which in turn means less contact patch with the track and increased slip angle.