1997 Caterham Seven

This Caterham Super Seven was delivered as a kit to the first owner in Indiana in 1997 and spent time in North Carolina and New York before it was acquired in 2019 by the seller, who commissioned the rebuild of the 1,720cc Ford Kent Crossflow inline-four with dual Weber carburetors towards the end of 2022. Its exposed aluminum bodywork is accented with red fiberglass fenders, and the car is further equipped with a five-speed manual gearbox, a De’Dion rear axle with a Quaife limited-slip differential, a roll bar, side-exit exhaust pipes, 14″ Minilite-style wheels, Bilstein coilovers, and five-point racing harnesses. This Super Seven is now offered at no reserve with original purchase documents, a black soft top, full doors and side curtains, spare body panels, a car cover, a tonneau cover, an assembly guide, engine rebuild records, and a Nebraska title in the seller’s name. The Super Seven features aluminum bodywork over a tubular frame, and the unpainted aluminum hood, side, and rear panels of this example are accompanied by a red nose cone and fenders. Additional exterior details consist of a front-mounted oil cooler, hood vents, and an electrical cut-off switch positioned below the left side of the windshield frame in addition to carbon-fiber mirror caps, rear stone guards, and side-exit exhaust pipes with perforated heat shields. The Carfax report notes that a rebuilt title was issued by the state of North Carolina between 2007 and 2010, and multiple reconstructed title entries are listed between 2011 and 2021. Cracks in the red bodywork are shown up close in the gallery below. Silver-finished 14″ Minilite-style wheels are wrapped with 185/60 Dunlop Direzza ZIII tires showing 2019 date codes, and a matching spare is mounted out back. The car rides on Bilstein coilovers and is equipped with four-wheel disc brakes. Replacement brake pads and fluid were installed in 2022. The open cockpit is home to a pair of black bucket seats with Caterham-embroidered backrests. Caterham-branded Luke five-point harnesses are fitted for both occupants, and a roll bar, wind wings, and toggle switches for various vehicle functions are additional appointments. The car is said to be wired for AiM engine sensors including brake pressure, water temperature, oil pressure, and oil temperature. A leather-wrapped Moto-Lita steering wheel mounted to a quick-release hub sits ahead of VDO instrumentation including a 120-mph speedometer and a 7k-rpm tachometer. Supplementary gauges for oil pressure, coolant temperature, and fuel level are centrally mounted on the dashboard. The digital odometer shows 15k miles, approximately 1,500 of which have been added under current ownership. The original speedometer showing 4,400 miles was replaced under previous ownership and is included in the sale. Total mileage is unknown. Dual Weber side-draft carburetors, tubular headers, and an MSD ignition system are fitted to the 1,720cc Ford Kent Crossflow inline-four, which was rebuilt by Nathan Down at Mid Century Motors of Longmont, Colorado, at the end of 2022. Details of the engine rebuild, clutch replacement, resulting dyno test results, and additional work also performed at that time are documented in the gallery below. A replacement battery was installed in preparation for the sale according to the seller, who notes that the car has not been driven since the engine rebuild and should be run in before any hard driving. Power is sent to the rear wheels via a Ford Type 9 five-speed manual transmission and a De’Dion rear axle with a Quaife limited-slip differential. Spare and removed parts included in the sale consist of an additional pair of headlights, a support mount for the aluminum hood, and rear stone guards as well as a green-painted nose, cycle-style front fenders, and rear wheel covers. An assembly guide and a binder of historical documents that includes service records dating back to 1998 will also accompany the car along with a black soft top, matching side curtains, half-frame doors, a tonneau cover, and a car cover. The Carfax report shows history in Indiana, North Carolina, New York, and Nebraska. Three consecutive “Rebuilt Title Issued” entries are listed between 2007 and 2011, and five “Reconstructed Title Issued” entries are noted between 2011 and 2021. The current Nebraska title carries an “NC Reconstructed” brand.