It has just occurred to me that in all years of ownership, this year has been the first ever time the car has had a continuous 12 months of tax disc....

For whatever reason in the past I have often SORN'd it either over winter or well into the spring. I guess this is due to me getting the car as I want it, so the need to "garage "it no longer applies...

I have had some great early December morning runs in the crisp cold air, and always got home wanting more the day after, am I alone in this seemingly barmy activity?.

I run Eugene all year round since I've had him... over 25 years or so!

We run aeros in sun, rain, sleet, snow - the only time Eugene stays in the garage is when I physically can't get down the drive due to snow...
(But the windscreen and roof do get put on at times when the weather is really bad...)

Well in excess of 200K miles in my hands...

Eugene
Hi Steve- Eugene
Great to see a 7 forum without limits or constraints.
Hi to everyone else who knows me from BC or PH
My car's taxed all year why not? it's free it's an historic vehicle insurance is less than 3 figures too

Mine....SORN at the end of this month. Back out in April. Never use it in the winter months.

I enjoy getting the car out providing it is not poring down no matter what time of the year.

That said normally it has a winter project going on which can be frustrating if there is a sunny day.

what is this 'SORN' that you speak of...........
nope, run the Tiger 12mths of the year, plenty of days when it isn't raining through the winter months

Never SORNed mine. Can't be bothered with all the agro to save a few quid

Never SORN'd mine either - I would miss out on all those dry winter days and miss the looks of people that think I am mad driving around in sub zero temps in an open top car.

Interestingly, if you look on howmanyleft.co.uk, there are about 700 Caterhams that go in and out of SORN each year and about the same number of Westfields. However as there are more registered Caterhams than Westfields (2,800 vs 1,700) it looks like Westfield owners are more inclined to SORN in the winter.

Does anyone know why?

Steve

Another all-year-round 7 driver here. Not quite as hardy as Eugene (the Brooklands come off and the screen/half hood go on when Summer ends*) but usually topless when it's not raining.

Funnily enough, the Caterham is the first car I've ever taxed for 12 months at a time - it was always a gamble to see if previous cars would last more than 6 months!





*a bit earlier this year, as one of my mirrors fell off...

I love those looks you get - it's kind of a cross between "Look at that nutter" and "Look at that lucky barsteward". Bloody priceless.



Because Westfields are made from pipe-cleaners, tissue-paper and Blu-Tac and wouldn't survive the Winter?






I'M JOKING.

I've been out in sleet and ice in the past but never again will I take my car out when the salt is on the roads.

The stuff sticks and you can't get rid of it. The corrosion, especially to aluminium, is horrifying. I only managed to get rid of it all when we rebuilt the car on a new chassis after a trip into the tyre wall at Oulton Park a couple of years ago!

As soon as the gritters are out my poor abused Locoblade will be tucked away in the garage. I may SORN it. Depends how much tax is left.

I find a good covering of Wax Oil stops such corrosion...

I 'water' down the Wax Oil with White Spirit so it gets into all gaps and nooks and crannies, and spray with a pressure sprayer, with hose attachment for difficult areas. Where there are internal body panels I have 1" access holes, with rubber bungs in them. Means I can get the Wax Oil everywhere. The White Spirit then evaporates leaving just the Wax Oil in place.

Corrosion is reduced to zero, even in very bad salty conditions.

Big Bad Baz
"Because Westfields are made from pipe-cleaners, tissue-paper and Blu-Tac and wouldn't survive the Winter?"

No no that's what the owners are made of. The cars are ok.

earlier in the year i researched a bit about rust prevention and came up with 2 products that look as though they'd be great for our cars.....
the 1st was a rust paint which was a 2 part epoxy and which had been tested over an extensive period by a classic car mag, the beauty was that it was a paint over rust treatment which suited me, did as much of the chassis as i could whilst the car was in for refurb.....

the 2nd is a variation on what many bikers use, they use something called ACF50, which many apply around this time of year and which they then top up in the spring. Basically its a sacrificial preventative that is clear, spray/wipe on and it kills any rust under it and forms a total barrier. It doesn't 'just' wash off, so it stays on until enough crud has attacked it - pending on where its applied that will vary, but a wipe again with a cloth coated ii sorts that out. the variation i bought was called Rust Block from teh same people, there's 1 importer of this gear, its original use was ( acf50 - aeroplanes ) and rust / corrosion block - which is apparently slightly more heavy duty is marine based. A few marine places sell it, but i got mine direct from the importer which is based in near Croydon.

Time will tell, but seems top gear.

I've been meaning to get some ACF50 for ages!

Have just ordered some from here: http://www.flightstore.co.uk/aircraft-supplies-c287/aircraft-cleaning-c312/acf-50-ant i-corrosion-1-us-quart-p1081?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=acf-50-anti-co rrosion-1-us-quart-acf501&utm_campaign=product+listing+ads%3Futm_source%3Dgoogle&utm_ medium=cpc&utm_term=acf-50-anti-corrosion-1-us-quart-acf501&utm_campaign=product%2Bli sting%2Bads&gclid=CI27mtXWqroCFfHKtAodPS0AIw#1259