hard
Hi folks.
I have found myself obsessed with the new Caterham 160. For those who don’t know thy say it is a back to basics, accessable seven (but still costs
over £14k!). However, crucially they have chosen to fit it with a tiny 660cc turbo Suzuki engine developing just 80bhp, engine aside, it it’s the rest
of the car that has caught my attention – it has steel wheels and the gearbox and rear (LIVE) axle are from a Suzuki Jimny.
For some time I have fancied the idea of building a Seven with more than a passing nod to the Series 1 Lotus and have hopelessly fell in love with the
idea of using modern, reliable Japanese donor parts to produce a Locost built to the same formula as the original Seven (live axle, light weight, a
bit more light weight and understressed-inexpensive donor parts). To me, Caterham have just provided the perfect recipe for this.
Has anyone used such a donor and if so what front uprights did you use?
While not familiar with Suzuki models or bellhousing patterns – I am aware that the little 1.6 4-pot 136bhp from the Swift Sport gets a good write
up.
I would hazard a guess that a new crate engine and axle would not be overly expensive.
Could this be a new source of donor parts for book Locosts? Has anyone done it before?
Whilst I agree with the sentiments of it there are two fundamentals that put me off. 1 is the price, and 2 is the engine. I just think that 80 bhp engine will always leave you wanting a bit more. Even a 1.0 ecoboost would have been a huge improvement.
How about vitara fronts.
The following is taken from a car magazine article, I’d never heard of a Kei car but this certainly explains the concept nicely. Also makes comment on
the skinny tyres (£40 a corner) and steel wheels that I love. Also it looks like the M-series engine will bolt onto the gearbox, not sure about it
taking all the power though – 136 from a standard, replaceable peppy/sporty off the shelf engine would be perfect for me. My dad has a pre-lit &
with a stage 2 1660 X-flow – makes similar power.
“This car isn’t just powered by a Japanese engine, it’s actually a ‘Kei car’, conceived and developed from the start as a Japanese model (see panel on
p36). Kei cars are the pocket-rockets that enjoy tax and parking exemptions in Japan’s overcrowded cities.
Limited to 660cc and a footprint of just 1.48 metres wide and 3.4 metres long, the Kei market is huge in Japan, accounting for one third of all cars
on the road. Only a fraction of these models – such as the Daihatsu Copen and Suzuki Cappuccino – ever make it to the UK.
Understanding this sheds light on the 160’s spec: the engine, gearbox and axle sourced from Suzuki aren’t just cost-effective to buy; these Kei
components also dictate Kei dimensions. The Seven has always been short enough to qualify, but the standard car has always been too wide. The new
160’s live rear axle, plus those skinny wheels and the new, cut-down mud guards (each 50mm narrower at the back than the standard car’s) make this
the first Caterham to qualify for the much sought-after yellow number plate, that denotes a Kei in Japan.
The big difference between the Japanese car and this UK version is the power output – Kei cars are limited to 63bhp, but for the UK the turbo engine
has been tuned to produce 80bhp. That’s an important change – as we’ll find out, every bhp counts with the 160.
This new entry level Caterham has an unmistakable look, one you’ll recognise as soon as you see one on the road: those narrow steel wheels with their
cheap £40 Avon tyres give the car a classic ’60s feel, like something Colin Chapman would drive in his flat cap. It’s the first Seven in years that
actually looks like the featherweight it is.”
Suzuki Cappucino - 700cc Turbo
Body rots away...............
Have a look on www.big Jimny.com they cover all aspects of upgrading the Jimny 1300 to a variety of 1600 engines
atb
Mike
Thanks Mike – I’ll have a good look.
Bizarrely I’ve spent all day on similar Suzuki forums for a slightly different reason. I’ve had Land Rovers all my life, over 13 to date (Series IIIs
and D90s as well as Discos and a couple of FL2s) and have completed a number of nut-and-bolt rebuilds. I’ve just sold my ’72 SIII and have been toying
with a less agricultural, baby 4x4 like a Skoda Yeti. The more I read about Jimnys the more tempted I am – good reliability and build quality, genuine
off road performance and ridiculously cheap to buy. Simple and cheap to repair. Granted they are reported to be massively uncomfortable but after 20
years of driving utility Land Rovers, I suspect it will feel like a Rolls Royce.
There is much to be said for the minimalist concept of the early 7, getting back to the roots of the car.
Over the past few years Caterham and everyone else have tended to go all out for performance whilst simplicity and low build cost have tended to go
out of the window.
Its no surprise to see Caterham are charging a relatively large price as they know certain members of the buying public will always fall for the
emperors new clothes and buy anything with a Caterham badge.
It would be truly great to see a locost equivalent.
Just checked and the Caterham 160 doesn't use the jimny axle. Or maybe it does. There seem to be conflicting views over whether its a suzuki
jimny or suzuki sourced axle. If it is a jimny one it must be modified as I thought they had an offset dif. You could always use an Anglia rear axle
which is 5" narrower than an escort to keep it all ford and end up with a chassis width more like an original lotus 7.
[Edited on 7/3/14 by red22]
Is it maybe the axle from the old Suzuki Carry/Bedford Rascal van?
quote:
Originally posted by MikeRJ
Is it maybe the axle from the old Suzuki Carry/Bedford Rascal van?
quote:
Originally posted by Peteff
quote:
Originally posted by MikeRJ
Is it maybe the axle from the old Suzuki Carry/Bedford Rascal van?
If it is the top speed will be severely limited. They are something like a 5:1 diff ratio.
there are many on here (myself included) who are always chasing more power.tthe reality is NONE of us can use it properly. theres loads of guys in RGB
who were running 919 blade motors with circa 130bhp. i dont think i could get close in my radical. i say do it and learn to thrash it hard
quote:
Originally posted by daniel mason
there are many on here (myself included) who are always chasing more power.tthe reality is NONE of us can use it properly. theres loads of guys in RGB who were running 919 blade motors with circa 130bhp. i dont think i could get close in my radical. i say do it and learn to thrash it
quote:
Originally posted by sdh2903
quote:
Originally posted by daniel mason
there are many on here (myself included) who are always chasing more power.tthe reality is NONE of us can use it properly. theres loads of guys in RGB who were running 919 blade motors with circa 130bhp. i dont think i could get close in my radical. i say do it and learn to thrash it
Very very true, however there's a big difference in 80 and 130bhp. For me a car like this is a toy, something special that excites. I fear you would get very used to 80bhp very quickly and then be left looking for more power very soon.
quote:
Not strictly related to your question, but, you may buy a running car, with a low power engine that may need or be able to fit a bigger more powerful engine, that way you have a driver... gather stuff for Winter mods... Perform the swap over Winter.
If you are still wanting/needing to build, you may sell then you would know what you want -ease of build, custom, hi tech cheap or any combination of these...
I started a build some time ago as I couldn´t get a ready made clone seven here in Mexico and life has gotten in the way and have not been able to finish.
If I had the opportunity back then to buy a seven clone, I would have.
Now I´m midway through the build with almost everything but Little time to go into the shop.
Hope this helps make up your mind.
quote:
Originally posted by wombat
Suzuki Cappucino - 700cc Turbo
Body rots away...............
It looks like the donor car being a Jimney was indeed wrong - the internet is now saying that The motor and gearbox actually comes from a Japanese-market Suzuki Wagon R Stringray, while the live rear axle comes from a Carry pick-up. None seems to be confirmed but it dos say that all the unis have been worked on by Caterham and that the rear axle comes with custom designed trailing arms and Panhard rod