Talk Morgan Forums Community Vehicle Talk (non-Morgan) Cars that are the Antidote to losing interest...

I had a beautiful Lotus Twin Cam Caterham 7 many years ago and whilst driving to a Lotus 7 event in the Cotswolds we were travelling through Cheltenham and stuck in traffic in the City Centre when a flat bed truck that was in front of us decided to reverse over the front of our vehicle and stopped just short of the Caterhams windscreen, thankfully not injuring my wife or myself. I got out of the seriously damaged Seven caused by the low rear chassis bar and approached the driver of the truck who immediately stated he did not see my car?? This was pre-mobile phone era and I said to the other driver that I was going to find a public phone and call the Police because he was at fault and I could smell alcohol on his breath. He then went into a vicious verbal expletive tirade which was very frightening and I feared for my wife and my safety. I had taken the registration of the other vehicle as it then drove off at speed and eventually the Police arrived but too late to assist. It transpired that the registration number of the truck was false and the driver was probably as stated by the Officer of a travelling decent (I am being very polite in this instance).
The outcome was that my vehicle was transported back to the Caterham factory which rebuilt the car but my NCB took a hit for the next few years.

Having pretty well decided what car one needs to avoid losing interest, what does a person do when losing interest in the Caterham? For me it was always another Seven, more powerful and more improved. However, the next question comes when age dictates that getting out of the thing was becoming a chore? Go to a car with doors of course, which is how I ended up with my ARP4, oh yes, and an Alpine A110, which really does put the interest back into driving......

I had my first Morgan 50 years ago, and a friend had a Lotus 7 Series 4. We used to swap cars on occasion, and although i loved my 4/4, i always hankered after a Lotus 7. The performance, roadholding and acceleration were incredible or so it seemed to me then).
About 30 years later I got my first Caterham, a simple Roadsport, and took my friend to the Le Mans 24hr. On return he bought his own Caterham which he still has, and goes on a continental holiday every year.
My then wife hated the Caterham, so a new style Mini Cooper S followed, but I got bored, and bid for a Caterham Blackbird on an eBay auction. I just missed out, but the buyer failed to come up with the money, so i ended up getting it after all. That was without doubt the fastest and craziest car i have ever owned. With its Honda Blackbird motorbike engine, six speed sequential gearbox (six speeds in forward and reverse), full racing roll cage, it howled around the area and down to South Wales over the Brecon Beacons. Totally impractical though.
It was followed by a Superlight, which was fairly civilised, before i returned to my first love, and various Morgans.
I agree that everyone should drive a Caterham 7 at least once.

And when you run out of upgrades in the Seven range?

Sky diving with a pocket handkerchief ?

Or to paraphrase Samuel Johnson (?), "When you are tired of Caterham Sevens, your are tired of life."