V2 of the Beeline mount is finished.  It relocates the display from the face of the dash to the top of the scuttle, where it's in direct line of sight while driving.  To make this location work while maintaining the design brief of being quick to mount/unmount without leaving a trace, it was clear the magnetic clamping system required a big redesign.  After straining my few remaining brain cells looking for the right solution, I eventually opted to change from a large standalone magnet that clamps to a thick steel washer embedded in the mount, to a two-part mount with several smaller magnets embedded in each section.  This smaller footprint allows the mount to fit on the leading edge of the scuttle where it overhangs the top of the dash.  I had initially dismissed this location as an option for anything other than a screw or spring clamp given the overhang is less than an inch at the top and quickly reduces to nearly zero due to the rake of the dash, but this just fit.

To add a little more friction and to protect the paint, the bottom of the base is covered with 1/32" thick neoprene sheet.  This setup has proven even easier to mount/unmount and store in the glovebox than V1; it literally takes just seconds.  Although a short test drive revealed no movement issues, a proper blat is still required before calling it done.  If there is movement, the plan is to stick with this design but invest in higher quality magnets to increase the clamping force.

Two weekends ago, I drove the Caterham followed by the Westfield.  That second drive confirmed the MOG seats are definitely more comfortable for me, but I also noticed they are slightly more reclined, which is a contributing factor.  Subsequent experimentation with rake revealed an additional10mm lift in the front of the Caterham's seat is my sweet spot for comfort and driving position; that's the equivalent of one Tillet spacer. Rather than use those spacers, which only achieve partial contact with the seat base given the base isn't parallel to the runners when tilted, I decided to print spacers designed to fit.  Certainly not necessary, but it soothed my OCD.  

​An 80-mile blat Sunday confirmed this seemingly simple change has made a noticeable difference to comfort.  For me, the MOGs are still a better fit, but that difference is now far more tenable.  I can live with this.

That drive was also a great test for the Beeline.  It proved that while it isn't perfect, it's still pretty damn good.  The biggest glitch occurred when approaching a street on the right, that from memory, was the direction we needed to take.  However, the Beeline indicated the next right turn was still over 8 miles away.  As I passed the street, the blue LEDs suddenly flashed twice, indicating the next turn was 50 meters ahead.  The display then immediately showed "rerouting" and a few seconds later instructed me to make a U-turn.  It felt like an indecisive backseat driver was telling me how to get somewhere, but at least it ultimately got it right.

The other issues are really just annoyances.  It appears the Beeline treats a waypoint as a direction point, counting down the mileage until reached and flashing the blue LEDs when 50 meters away indicating you're "almost at the turn."  That's fine when a waypoint is actually intended as a stop, but when not, it can be a little confusing for the perpetually paranoid; OMG did I just miss a turn??  There were also a couple of occasions when extremely tight turns resulted in the same behavior.  I suspect the road names changed at these points, but it was still a bit confusing, particularly when it's a blind corner and my paranoia tells me there must be a street immediately after the apex.  

The magnetic mount worked great with no movement from g-forces.  The display position is fine, although I may experiment a bit with a redesign that would place it above the top of the dash and therefore directly in line of sight.  Although more optimal for visibility, I'm not sure I want the Beeline to stand out quite that much.  With the current dash mount, it looks like some type of permanently attached gauge, and not something for a mouth-breather to opportunistically steal while the car is temporarily parked out of sight for an on-tour meal.  Regardless, the original design brief of an easily removable mount that leaves no trace will remain.  I have a couple of ideas though and may print some test parts this week.

​Back in early May, I wrote my preliminary thoughts on the Caterham with the intention of following them up with a more informed take a few weeks later.  I didn't expect those few weeks to turn into a few months.  Oh well.  After rereading my earlier ramblings, I don't think any of my initial comments are off base.  Yes, I still wish it was smaller. the steering was quicker, and the turning radius was less SUV-like.  I'd also be happier if the Tillets were as comfortable for me as the MOGs, and if the back of the transmission tunnel didn't interfere with my elbow when shifting.  And yes, the boot procedure continues to annoy.  But on the positive side, the steering and handling don't disappoint, I still like all my modifications, and the engine...it's epic.  The Westfield is a very quick car, but this...this is in a different league.  An additional 30+ horsepower and gearing over 8% shorter are very, very noticeable changes. 

Here is a very short video that shows acceleration to 85mph.  To avoid wheelspin, I had to slowly feed in the throttle in first gear and to a lesser extent in second gear.  For the full effect, open the video in YouTube and manually change video quality to 4K, then watch the tach.  This thing is nuts.  BTW the wavy video is a result of screwing up a setting in the camera.  I'll try to grab a better quality version in the future.  

​A few more words on the shorter gearing.  The Westfield has a 3.62 diff coupled to a BGH E2 Type-9, whereas the Caterham has a Miata box, a 3.92 diff, and slightly shorter rear tires.  As shown in the chart below, depending on the gear, the difference ranges from 5.2% to 13.7%.  Although the Caterham (B) would greatly benefit from the Westfield's (A) taller first gear, the shorter nature of the other gears is a nice change for local back roads and encourages more shifting.

​As I've begun to explore the power, the Caterham's traction has been a pleasant surprise.  First, the plate-type LSD and deDion make breakaway under power a very, very smooth process, particularly noticeable when making a left turn from a stop.  I've always thought the Westfield did great in this situation, but the Caterham is even more subtle and progressive.  Second, aside from first gear, which is useless, traction in other gears is better than expected.  Yes, it's a little variable in second and third, but it's not to the concerning degree I feared. 

Bottom line, I am warming up to the car.  Do I think it's worth the money?  Well...going through the configurator with the latest price increases, of which there have been many since placing my order in May of 2021, and using today's currency conversion, then adding in the $8k I spent on shipping to Seattle, an identical – but stock – 420R would currently cost over $77,000.  Factor in my extensive mods, partially offset by selling parts no longer needed, and well...it would be more. 

For comparison purposes, that same $77k would buy a new Porsche Cayman with PASM and mechanical LSD.  Or going a different route, a brand new Mazda MX5 Club Sport AND a Toyota GR Corolla to ensure you have a toy for any weather conditions.  Ok, ok, I get it.  People, including me, don't cross-shop a Caterham with those options, but it does put the price in perspective.  It also explains why I get frustrated with Caterham as a company.  They charge quite a bit for the car, but they don't appear to feel a customer's experience and expectations should be commensurate that investment.  Simply put, from a customer experience perspective, they under deliver.  Where I have always felt some sense of loyalty and pride in Westfield as a company given how they have operated during my ownership, I don't with Caterham.  Yes, I like the car, but I'm not a company fanboy like I am with my other cars.  Sorry Bob Laishley, but you have not moved the ball forward in those areas.

Smart phones are amazing devices. By simplifying many tasks that were previously considered complicated or time consuming, they bring convenience to our daily lives. But when that same convenience makes you accessible to the office 24 hours a day via email, texts, Teams, Zoom, etc, it quickly loses its luster. Particularly on those occasions when you're trying to decompress from work. And nothing helps me decompress from the daily grind more than driving an engaging car down a back road for no other reason than to bludgeon corners into submission. That means looking at my iPhone for navigation while on a blat in the Caterham presents a contradiction.  

Enter the Beeline Moto II. Beeline combines a navigation app optimized for planning fun-to-drive routes, with a small device that leverages your Smart phone's GPS, but streamlines the directions into a small 37mm diameter screen that provides just the information you need to get from point A to point B. It's a simplified map display that shows both the distance to your next turn and the direction, as well as the current speed limit and how far into your journey you've travelled. Additionally, a small LED blinks once when you're 200 meters from the next turn, and twice when you're just 50 meters away. There are other screens available such as a compass mode that always points towards your destination, speedometer, journey progress, and battery levels of both the Beeline and your phone. Bottom line, it packs a lot into a small space while allowing you to keep your phone in your pocket where it's less of a distraction.  

​The Beeline is also light. Obviously, this weight is incremental to your smart phone, but at just 42 grams, the Beeline doesn't present the same type of load to its mounting system as a phone. This matters when you are bludgeoning corners into submission. Just ask anyone whose phone went left while their car went right.

For my installation, I 3D printed a small mount angled to face me and embedded a 3mm thick steel washer into the base. A fishing magnet located at the back of the carbon fiber dash grabs onto the washer and holds the mount in place. It's very secure when underway and very easy to mount and unmount, leaving no trace upon removal.

A busy, uncooperative Fall and Winter got in the way of putting miles on the Caterham. Either weekend weather was suboptimal, or other commitments trumped driving time.  As a result, I'm still just getting to know the car, but initial impressions are mixed.  There are some things it does well, but there are a few aspects of the Westfield I prefer.  Some of these can be addressed with work, while others are things to which I will adjust or simply must learn to accept.  I suspect rereading this post at the end of the summer will reveal some inner dissent on these initial opinions.  Hopefully for the better.
​
Build decisions
I'll begin with things I like. Thankfully, and without exception (thus far), I'm very pleased with the various design and practicality changes made during the build; I wouldn't do a single one differently. The dash and controls work and look great.  Within the break-in-imposed limitations, the engine is fantastic. And thus far, all the 3D printed parts are holding up well. Until I drive another 420R SV back-to-back (coming this summer) I can't comment on the CORE dampers from an improvement perspective, but absent of a comparison, I have zero negative things to say about the damping. The exterior color is another positive. I agonized over this during the order phase given I had never seen Roulette Green in the flesh and online photos were very inconsistent. In person though, I love it. There is a pearl that adds a yellowish tone to the vertices of curves in certain lighting that really works and looks special. I suspect goldish tone wheels would be spectacular with this color.

Size
Although I haven't really explored the handling, at 7/10ths it feels great, if a little subdued. The Westfield rides more firmly, yet rolls more (no ARBs) but there is an eagerness to it that is missing in the Caterham. I think this is down to two things and my two biggest complaints with the car. First, it's too damn big. All other things being equal, I'm sure I'd be much prefer the smaller S3, but I'm convinced that the far more limited room under bonnet would have been too challenging given all my changes, and from experience, I know the lack of shoulder room with driving two-up makes it very uncomfortable for me. Bottom line, I think I would still be less than completely happy with the S3, but for different reasons.  

In contrast, the Westfield is my Goldilocks for size. Shoulder and hip room are precisely midway between the S3 and the 4" wider SV, while the scuttle and windscreen are about the same width as the S3. It's wide enough not to feel crowded two-up, but the rest of it still feels small and cosseting. Add Caterham's center tunnel height into the mix, which interferes with my elbow when shifting, and it misses the mark for me. To be fair, my car has the lowered floors which drop the seat by 2 inches, exacerbating this problem, but the standard floors left me feeling sitting too high.  Perhaps raising the seats by an inch will be a good compromise.

Steering
Second big dislike is steering speed. In my opinion, it is too slow for the chassis. A se7en is all about quickness and agility, yet the steering speed feels more appropriate for a heavier, less focused car. Interestingly, I initially had the same complaint about the Westfield, which was addressed with a quicker steering rack. Although that option exists for the S3, there is no such option for the SV.  Why? I have no idea.  This is something to which I simply need to adjust. On a related note, and also requiring acceptance, the turning circle is enormous. It makes it feel like you're maneuvering a far larger car, or -- gasp! -- an SUV. The steering feel however, is superb.  

Boot 
There are other nits. Sarting with the boot cover, it is less practical than necessary. The Westfield has a lockable boot cover with a reasonably large opening. In contrast, the Caterham cover attaches via snaps, and although the option exists to only unsnap the middle three to access the boot, the resulting opening is very short, thereby severely limiting what can be inserted or removed. That means unsnapping, then resnapping several more poppers to open the full cover; something I find cumbersome. Complaining about a seemingly daily-driver practicality issue may seem odd, but it's very common for me to stop off at the grocery store on the way back from a drive, or use the need for food as an excuse to take a drive, so it's something I frequently run into.  

Seats
The seats are not quite as comfortable as the Mogs in the Westfield, and they are a bit wider, particularly in the ribs. As a result, they don't hold me in place as well when cornering and further remove me from feeling part of the car. Whether the comfort proves problematic will need to wait for a proper multi-hour drive; however, it is clear that I would have been very unhappy with the SV width carbon seats rather than my special-ordered S3 width versions.  

Next step
Provided weather cooperates, I'm hoping to do a longer back-to-back drive with the cars in a couple of weeks. It should help me better identify how much of the above is attributable to lack of familiarity with the car and how much is genuine.  Stay tuned...

I rarely use sidescreens on the Westfield, and don't expect that behavior to change with the Caterham.  This means I need a safe, out of the way place to store them.  Unfortunately, my storage method for the Westfield's screens – fold in half, place vinyl windows face-to-face, then store in a made-to-fit bag – won't work for the new car.  Whereas the Westfield's method to secure the screen to the body when underway is a snap fastener on a small strap at the rear, the Caterham places its snap on the bottom of a foldable armrest that covers the lower door opening.  It's a better design as it firmly seals the bottom of the sidesreen at speed, but the armrest prevents the screen from folding flat for storage, and when it is folded, the armrest pushes against the vinyl window which can lead to distortion over time.

​The solution was to wall mount the screens in the garage.  I opted to mirror the car's mounting method and orientation by 3D printing receivers for the hinge pins, then attaching those to a piece of scrap plywood offset from the garage wall.  To increase visual interest, a removable 7 logo was printed to cover the screws that secure the top section to the base, which in turn is mounted to a wall stud. Click the first photo to launch an annotated slide show.

Two big updates.  First, the Caterham is finally finished.  Rather than rehash everything here, I'll simply point to the updated section of this website that highlights some of that journey and details the various modifications.  And for those of you who prefer pictures over words, you're covered.  Click here or on Caterham in the navigation at the top of the page.

Second, the 944 turbo has left the garage.  It was a sad day, but I was never going to get to it and the car has gone to a great home where it will be the subject of a father-son project.  

What's that saying about the best laid plans of mice and men, or perhaps more accurately, the best laid plans of car projects and men? Since putting in the Caterham order in May, my plans have been to build the engine over my Christmas break. The head, cams and all the Raceline bits were ordered in mid July and the short block in early October. The Raceline bits save the all important cam chain tensioner arrived in time, the cams still have no ETA, so the head work can't be completed, and the short block which was on track at the end of November, still isn't here. At this point, the only part that I have no confidence in ever arriving are the cams. The backup plan is to order the RDL270 from Raceline.  I'll call them on Monday to ensure they can supply them within a month, then call Esslinger. If they can't guarantee them (doubtful given the delays are at the cam grinder) then I'll make the change. Not optimal for a couple of reasons. First, I prefer an asymmetric setup given the flow differences between the intake and exhaust sides of the heads. And second, the Raceline cams are only available in the Kent blanks that use their own adjustable, but unmarked, cam gears, while I have a nice set of adjustable verniers that only fit the Ford OEM blanks.  Oh well...

Since I am bored and can't do a lot over my break on this project, I decided to move a few things around the garage to see if I can make everything fit when the Caterham finally arrives. That comes in a crate the size of a car (obviously) which will need to stay in the garage for about a week. That means instead of the usual four cars in the shop, I will have the equivalent of six. A little juggling and...

...there is plenty of room for the crate and Caterham in the space usually occupied by the Westfield and Elan. For reference, the width from the front of the cabinets to the ramp for the midrise lift under the 993 is nearly 21 feet. Once the crate is broken apart and ready for disposal, I'll put either the Elan or Westfield in its place and store the other car in front of the 993 (i.e. where the Westfield is in the photo above.)  Something to be said about small cars...

The Caterham order is now locked with the factory and remains on track for a build date the week of 2/6.  After further consideration, I've made a few small tweaks to the spec and build plan.  These include: 

• Heated carbon fiber seats.  Yes, on the surface, electrically heated seats may seem incongruous with a car that's about weight and driver focus not comfort and luxury, but upon closer examination they make perfect sense.  They're much lighter than a heater, and although I don't expect them to fully offset the fact I've gone heaterless, given the temps I drive the car for pleasure, they should be enough to take the edge off. They'll also come in handy soothing my back in case the Tillets aren't quite as comfortable as the Westfield's MOGs for long drives.
• No Track suspension upgrade.  A big concern for this car is the ability to put down power on less than ideal pavement; I don't want to get sideways on a narrow road when passing a rolling pylon.  After a lot of research, I've decided to go aftermarket with shocks and springs and ordered a set of CORE dampers from Meteor Motorsport.  The front are a digressive valve with linear springs while the rears are normally valved but with progressive springs.  Simon believes this combination will give the best performance.  For more information about why this specific combo, see the overview here.
• 3.92 rear diff rather than the longer 3.64.  My dealer was unconvinced Caterham would honor the diff swap request and given I'm unsure on the shape of the torque curve on the new engine, staying stock for now seemed like the better bet.  If the traction control doesn’t work well, then swapping to the 3.64 may be on the winter upgrade list next year.  
• Speaking of traction control, I've decided to stick with the Emerald K6+ native TC rather than use the Race TCS system.  Although I have more confidence in the latter working better, I might as well start with the cheaper option.  Emerald is working on the custom ECU loom now.
• Jenvey 50mm DTHTB vs the larger 52mm.  Dyno tests from Raceline and Esslinger show the smaller set flow more than enough for my power targets and should have a slight edge on idle and low-mid range given the increased air velocity.  As for velocity stacks, there are only two choices in this size: 40mm and 93mm.  I'd prefer to use a cold air box and not cut the bonnet, so I'm starting with the shorter set but reserve the right to make dramatic changes here based on dyno results and how I feel about the torque curve after driving the car.  Longer is definitely better for all but the top of the rev range, but I'm not yet sure I'll need improvements down low.
• As for cam selection, I opted for the Esslinger Stage 4 cams.  They should more than meet my power target and I do like they are an asymmetric setup vs the symmetric setup of the Raceline RDL 270 (interestingly, the more aggressive RDL 300 are asymmetric.)  The downside to this choice is COVID supply chain issues.  When I placed the order in mid-July I was told they were out-of-stock and would take 4-5 weeks to ship.  Five months later and I still don't have an ETA on when Esslinger's cam grinder will have the blanks for my set.  It's beyond frustrating.

Fortunately, the supply chain problems haven't had further impact (yet), as witnessed with the big pile of parts in my garage.

After more than 20 years of Westfield ownership, I'm turning to the dark side; a deposit was placed last month on a new Caterham.  The build slot is still pending given Caterham has yet to figure out their 2022 schedule, but it appears the kit won't arrive until sometime in the Spring.  Although I love the Westfield and its recently completed 2.0L Duratec, that infamous engine build process showed me just how much I'm craving a big project.  I'm also at a point where the window for me to undertake something like this is closing, so it's now or never.  

After considering several options, it came down to either building another Westfield or trying my hand at a Caterham.  My Westfield has a number of custom touches to better align the car with my tastes and preferences.  After living with those mods for years, I wouldn't do any of them differently.  This means building another Westfield -- while vastly cheaper -- would simply be a rehash of the previous build.  Not much of a learning experience or challenge.  With the Caterham, both the assembly process and things I wish to change from stock are new puzzles to solve.  

Unfortunately, Caterham won't sell a kit without a drivetrain, and my original workaround of buying a 360R or 420R and simply swapping engines with the Westfield turns out to be anything but simple or cheap.  Packaging differences mean the Caterham's intake would need to be replaced with Jenveys or their equivalent, then a programmable ECU to accommodate that change, followed by an engine loom for the ECU, and several other minor items.  Yes, I could avoid this slippery slope and take cheaper shortcuts, but the Westfield is a great car and I want to keep it that way for the next owner.  

Surprisingly, the alternative of keeping the Westfield as-is, selling the 420R crate engine, and building a new, more powerful 2.4L Duratec is only marginally more expensive.  The upside from this approach is a better Westfield that needs no effort to prep for sale, a much faster Caterham, and I can spend all my build, design, and fabrication cycles on the new car rather than plotting to pull the soul from an old friend.

I've gone with the SV which compares favorably to the Westfield in shoulder width.  As for the engine, some may wonder why the 2.4L and not another hot 2.0L if I like my current engine so much?  Short version: weight and expectations for dollars spent.  When introduced, there was a reason the SV quickly earned the nickname Fat Bastard.  With its extra weight, it would be a touch slower than the Westfield with the same engine.  If I'm spending a lot money to change cars, I don't want to go slower.  I want to go faster.  Much faster.  With that mindset, the 2.4L makes sense.  

Since Caterham won't sell me what I want, I've broken down the spec into two parts: what's on the Caterham order sheet and the planned mods.  Some of this is subject to change given the months I have to evolve the plan.

Order Sheet

• 420R SV
• 620R nosecone
• Roulette Green (special order)
• Lowered floors
• Carbon Fiber seats with padding (Tillet B6 as used in 620R)
• Plain black leather tunnel cover from Signature catalog (not a fan of the standard carbon-look leather)
• Full weather pack
• Trackday roll bar
• Track suspension
• AP 4-Pots
• 3.64 diff
• 13" black wheels 

Mods

• Engine - 2.4L short block from Esslinger Engineering that combines a forged 2.3L keyed crank with a deburred 2.5L block, includes various oil gallery sealing mods, forged 12:1 pistons with a slightly thicker head gasket to lower static compression to ~11.75:1, forged, longer-than-stock rods, fully balanced, ARP fasteners, etc.  Ported 2.5L head, Jenvey 50mm (possibly 52mm) DTHTB, Emerald K6+.  Cam investigation is ongoing, but I'm currently leaning towards the Esslinger Stage 4 or Raceline RDL 270.  VVT and balance shaft delete.  Dry sump.  The stock Caterham exhaust manifold and silencer will probably limit power to the 250hp-260hp range, which is plenty for now.  A future upgrade will be a custom exhaust that should lift output to ~270hp.
• Traction control - either the native system in the K6+ or RaceTCS
• Higher flow fuel pump.  This might take the form of an external pump with return hose with inline regulator. 
• Raceline compact bellhousing, flywheel and starter.  This places the bottom the sump and bellhousing on the same plane rather than have the bellhousing about 35mm lower.
• Carbon dash with custom configuration.  Currently leaning towards 620R style toggle switches.  BlinkStop wireless steering wheel buttons (4) to cover horn, turn signals/hazards, and high beams/flasher.  Includes programmable self-cancelling function on turn signals.  AIM MXS 1.2 Strada display that covers all gauge, warning light, and shift light needs and connects to the Emerald K6+ via a CAN bus.
• Lighting - front & rear LEDS with clear lenses.  Roll bar mounted 3rd-brake light.
• Lithium battery
• Create cold air intake from intercooler duct in 620 nosecone.
• Locking boot lid - I have some ideas for this.  More later.
• Hidden interior storage.  I did this to the Westfield, but it's not yet clear how to achieve this in the Caterham without having the car on hand.  That said, I do have an idea.

New parts I'll need to sell because Caterham won’t let me purchase what I damn well want (bitter?  me?  nooo…)

• Complete 420R engine w/ dry sump, injectors, intake & filter, bellhousing, flywheel, clutch and pressure plate.  I'll likely hold onto the alternator & bracket, COP, and clutch slave.
• Caterham MBE ECU w/ engine wiring harness
• Carbon dash with gauges and switches