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Opinions please Caterham vs. Series 2

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SteveT

Jedi Hopeful
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Need some opinions about the following, possible purchase, which would you go for and why:

1989 Caterham vs. 1965 Lotus Seven Series 2

1989 Caterham:
1700 Super Sprint, dual side draft Webbers, tube headers, DeDion rear, large tube, 5 speed, full weather plus heater package, leather seating. 9,000+ miles

1965 Series 2
Original numbers-matching "7" per Super 7 Club of Great Britain; 1500 cc engine with Weber 40 carburetor. Updated with alternator, gear reduction starter, electric fuel pump.
(Original Weber carb, mechanical fuel pump, starter, and generator are included.) Negative ground, top and side curtains, engine rebuilt, reinforced frame. New shocks, new interior, instruments rebuilt. Original nose cone. Converted to L.H.D. (The original R.H.D. steering rack is included.)

Thanks -- Steve
 
Oh, talk about a curve-ball question!

The Caterham will be a more useable (you can never use the word "practical" when talking about these cars unless prefaced with the word "not") car, and dare I say marginally safer in the event of an argument with something more solid.

The Lotus on the other hand is an original, numbers-matching legend in its own lifetime. A true automotive icon. This is the real thing!

The 1965 "7" will always do it for me!
 
Afraid I'm with Steve. Hands down the 'original' if there's a choice. Nothing wrong with the Caterham version, just the 'history' factor is so compelling. The value of the "real" Seven should always be there, too.
 
Depends on what you want to do with it. If you are looking for an "investment" than the Lotus, but I'd rather have the Caterham. I buy my cars to drive, unless it is some rare race car, who cares about its history?
 
I kind of agree about the original 7, but when I was in high school, my friend had a very early Caterham, 1973, actually a SV 7 and it was so fun and fast! Twin cam, Webbers and such. I'll get more info on the SII, but I'll bet the Caterham is much faster. Although I wonder if it can be registered as an antique?

Steve
 
SteveT said:
I have heard that Caterhams registered as a 1960s era car, not sure how but. . .

Steve
Click to expand...

Kit cars can often be registered according to the age of the donor car that provides the bulk of the automotive parts. This is usually the engine, although some people have just used the donor's data plate with the arguement that the car is just a rebodied MG or Austin or Ford. Some states allow replicas of older/historic cars to meet the standards applicable at the date of manufacture of the original. This is how all those hot rods with new frames and fiberglass bodies can register and smog a big ol' V8. This is the route I plan on taking when my Westfield kit is ready for inspection and assignment of a VIN by the CHP. This is often call the Special Construction process and requires a few more inspections than the data plate method, nothing difficult, headlights and tail lights need a sign-off by a state certified shop that sort of thing. My Eleven replica has no windscreen and thus needs no wipers, because the 1955 Lotus 11 was sold and registered without them back in the day and I can bring down the pictures off the internet to prove it. Seriously, there's nothing better than precedent for a bureaucrat looking to get you out of his hair while still covering his butt: just make sure it is your precedent and not his!!
 
Thanks for the info; I knew there was a way. Now, how does one find the data or VIN plate for an old 7?

Steve
PS - Have you donated to your favorite LBC forum lately?
 
A friend of mine has 2 Caterhams, and a third on the way. His son has one too! He runs strictly Solo comp in SCCA. He takes it to the National competition every year where he loans the car to a women that has 9 National Championships with the last two in his car and she is using it again this year. He never drives them on the street but his original one put together in the 70's looks just as new as day 1. As said in earlier posts, all in what you want to do.
 
I'd go for the orig Lotus version. Only a limited number of those around where as they are lots of reproductions.
 
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