Last week my brother in law asked if I would help him pick up his old Jeep Cherokee from a garage in North Norfolk where we had all been staying on holiday when the Jeep gave up the ghost.
As an inducement, he suggested we go up in his Caterham 7, and that he would insure me to drive it back. Now, this is no ordinary 7 (is there such a thing?), but a 620R. 310 bhp in something that ways around half a tonne and with a straight-cut sequential gearbox.
Well, needless to say, I agreed. A lovely warm sunny day, and I drove the last leg of the journey up there with him in the passenger seat to make sure I got the hang of it. Finding neutral is a dark art but the rest is surprisingly easy, no need for the clutch or to even lift off the throttle on the way up the box.
The drive back was hilarious. I don't think I stopped laughing the whole two hours! Acceleration is simply awesome. Overtaking is a doddle as long as you remember to pull out before you hit the gas.
A day I will remember for a very long time!
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A friend got a neon green 400R the other day, complete with hard carbon-fibre bucket seats with no padding(!). Not been in it yet, but would love to!!
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What a phenomenally quick device. One's heart goes out to it, but frankly I wonder whether at my age I am fit enough, with arms and legs steady and strong enough, to do anything better than pootle cautiously in such a sensitive little slingshot.
I don't think I'd put it up a tree but I'm pretty sure I would take a long time to be able to do it any sort of justice. Of course I might enjoy the process, and would love to try.
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You wouldn't get in it, would you Lud?
You certainly wouldn't get out of it!!
Tee hee.
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>> You wouldn't get in it, would you
I certainly would. Pretty sure I could get in and out too, with a bit of effort.
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Getting in is surprisingly easy as long as the roof is not up. The four point harness is a bit of a faff, but otherwise once you are in it is comfortable and you are nicely wedged in.
I must say overall I pootled back, just enjoying the acceleration when overtaking as I was a bit paranoid, it not being my car.
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Caterham would be my car of choice if funds allowed. Great bit of kit. Quick without it being outrageously fast. Light, excellent handling and a bit more exclusive than your run of the mill BMW's, Porsches, Ferarri's. More smiles per mile too and at a fraction of the cost.
I've been hooked on Lotus 7 type cars since my mate had a Westfield and we'd regularly go to the Essex owners club. They used to meet at a pub somewhere near South Woodham Ferrers on a Sunday. Quite often Caterhams would turn up. I once had a trip in a guys car fitted with a Vauxhall 16v engine. The speed and handling seemed to defy the laws of physics and there wasn't so much acceleration, more like tearing a hole in time and space and teleporting you to the next junction or roundabout.
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Caterham Classic to Superlight - probably the best brother in law in the world - Dog
