Collected the Caterham and visited a simulator

[Crunchie Gears]

I went to The Race Hut to try their simulators with a view of trying out a R500 round Cadwell Park.  . I am now worried as I do not think I managed to get a whole lap without crashing or finding the grass  . Best lap 1.43.  I thought it was quite good but the brakes locked up every time I touched them.

I then had a go at Spa in a LeMans Ferrari.  The car was easier but as there is no consequence I crashed a lot . I was lapping a little quicker than my son.  Then he put in a stormer.  Keeping it on the road he knocked 8 seconds off his best time.  I have learnt that you need to have some respect on Spa and not just Aux Rogue. 

Stopped for a McD

Then on to PT Spors Cars to pick up the Caterham.  Sun shine nice day.  While doing the paperwork it started raining and so I put on the half hood.  Drove home as the weather got worse until it hailed like nothing on earth.

[paintman]

Bet those hailstones made the Caterham a bit twitchy!!

Could have been worst.....driving with no roof on!!     They are really painful when they hit your face!!!

[sanzomat]

I got caught in that hail this morning but in the tin top - you are certainly brave driving in that in the Caterham - glad you survived!

[Lucky Ed]

Despite the weather, it looked like a great day out

[Moleman]

That's still not a bad time for Cadwell park. I did it for this first time last year, I only had the one spin but I was still learning it. I will be doing it again in June. I think you are at SPA in June if I remember right.

Here was the only footage I still have.


Are you happy with your car overall then? 

[Crunchie Gears]

I like the footage and very smooth

The simulator has no consequences so you push harder than you would and the ones we used did not feel like cars so you cannot compare lap times to a real car.  It will be interesting to see how I do round the actual circuit.

I am very happy with the car.   .

It needs a new rear tonneau cover but that is about all the work necessary.  I have ordered one, a rear luggage bag for road trips, a car cover and a FIA roll bar.  As far as driving it the garage have the tyres to hard for me, at 24 psi all round, and I will drop them, maybe try them at 16/17 for the road and 21 hot for the track, and see how that goes.  The steering wheel is very small, the space in the cockpit feels tighter than the Westie too; but not a problem although my left elbow is higher then my right.  It is a very much better road car too as it is a lot quieter, has syncro, windscreen, heater and so forth but is much slower both in acceleration and in grip.  I hope it will be more reliable. 

The car is to replace the Zenos, which is being returned (long story).  So it needs to be a road car, fill in for occasional Trackdays and I thing it will do that very well.    . I also like PT Sports Cars who sold the car; all the people there are petrolheads and race cars.

[benchmark51]

When I was looking at half hoods on the caterhams at Stoneleigh, I noticed they were quite small. The bigger SV was much smaller than Ratbag. About the same width but around 10 inches shorter. Yours is a narrow one, has 7 studs on the hood whereas the SV has 11. Got my half hood from Oxted Trimming who do the trim for caterham. It was easier to buy one and make the car fit it, much to their amusement. , but it worked ok.

[Crunchie Gears]

When I was looking at half hoods on the caterhams at Stoneleigh, I noticed they were quite small. The bigger SV was much smaller than Ratbag. About the same width but around 10 inches shorter. Yours is a narrow one, has 7 studs on the hood whereas the SV has 11. Got my half hood from Oxted Trimming who do the trim for caterham. It was easier to buy one and make the car fit it, much to their amusement. , but it worked ok.

Hahaha you are clearly cleverer than me

I did try and fit the full hood and I think I need to try again on a warmer day as it was half an inch short  .

[Lucky Ed]

Here's another bit of video from our day out at Cadwell. I'm trying to keep up with Moleman and Robp and could only get near them with loads of late braking. My car was running very hot that day, so had to keep it to short stints, so the haitus, where someone clattered the cones, came in handy for me. Shame I'm going to miss out on this Junes trip it's a great track

[Crunchie Gears]

Another great video of how to do a trackday . I am glad I did not get a vid of the sim .