fatcat Posted December 21, 2009 Share Posted December 21, 2009 Hi All, It has been drawn to my attention that there is a note in the Nov 09 MSA Scutineers e-bulletin (#48), available on the MSA website, as follows: Tonneau Covers There has been some discussion relating to Tonneau covers on open cars, mostly we understand arising from the various Caterham championships, the subject however concerns any open car in Racing. Regulation G102 is quite clear on the subject in stating that “Any cover over the passenger compartment alongside the driver should be composed of foldable material”. Therefore examples such as those in the photographs below, being made of Alloy, fibreglass or any other rigid material are contrary to regulations. The only exception to this regulation is where there driver and passenger is separated by a stress bearing chassis member at the drivers shoulder height as part of the original vehicle design. This would appear to affect C400, R400 & CSR race cars and any other 7 type racer with any form of "non-flexible" tonneau. Anyone know any more about this? Anyone from the factory able to comment? cheers Nigel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pendennis Posted December 21, 2009 Share Posted December 21, 2009 Yep, Merrick and myself also spotted this Looks like you lot that use them need a scaffold pole from the rear bulkhead through the dash to front cross member 😶🌫️ What you gunner do then mate Rip it off and put some more aero on the front 😬 Want to rent an 18th century Farmhouse in Rural Somerset? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatcat Posted December 21, 2009 Author Share Posted December 21, 2009 Hopefully CC will be able to advise as this appears to affect some of their race series. Not going to do anything for the aero if the tonneau has to go. Ian, I'll weld some scaffolding poles to my chassis when you chuck a couple of bags of nutty slack into yours. Or maybe a couple of boat anchors? 😬 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pendennis Posted December 21, 2009 Share Posted December 21, 2009 My car has already got some nutty slack in it Want to rent an 18th century Farmhouse in Rural Somerset? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatcat Posted December 21, 2009 Author Share Posted December 21, 2009 Hmm. Would that be the special version of nutty slack that they sometimes refer to as "gravel"? 😬 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pendennis Posted December 21, 2009 Share Posted December 21, 2009 😶🌫️ Want to rent an 18th century Farmhouse in Rural Somerset? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaterBram Posted December 21, 2009 Share Posted December 21, 2009 On a serious note the scafold pole would not be acceptable as it's not part of the original car design. :) Q469 WET 1990 Caterham 1690 Crossflow Long Cockpit in Ali except for the red bits.CaterBram on Facebook Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MING Posted January 1, 2010 Share Posted January 1, 2010 hi all Peter French (magnificent sevens drivers rep/coordinator cscc) has sent an email to all registered 7 racers on this subject urging all affected to contact caterhams motorsport manager on mass as they are probably best people to lobby the MSA to get this clarifed/sorted as they obviously have a strong vested intrest as it affects more than one of their factory backed championships. here is a copy of the email for you all to read; Hi, There has been some chat on Piston Heads ref the legality of aluminum tonneau covers fitted to race cars. This is pointed at any racing car not just Seven type cars, although must of the cars that have come under this banner are Caterham's, which other the last few years, have come in for some criticism by scrutineers during safety scrutineering. Over the past few years scrutineers have insisted that both the aluminum tonneau and the bar be removed before the car can be raced. My attention has been drawn to and article in the Scrutineers news letter November 2009 by a friendly chief scrutineer. The article, is available on the MSA web site and has now appeared in a motor club news letter, copy of which is attached. This will cause problems for those of us that have the aluminum, fiberglass or carbon fiber tonneau covers fitted to our cars in 2010 as all the scrutineers have now been advised that essentially do not comply with MSA Blue Book safety regulation G 102. I am going to discuss this with Caterham's motor sport manager as soon as possible in January, to see if I can get Caterham will resolve this issue with the MSA. I would appreciate your assistance in this matter and therefore would ask if you would also contact Caterham's motor sport manager and ask the same question. The more of us that contact Caterham the sooner this will be resolved. The Caterham's affected are R 400, including C 400 and CSR's or any Caterham that has had an aluminum, fiberglass or carbon fiber caver fitted. I am not doing this as a race series coordinator but as a Caterham owner/ racer. If you have any queries or have any comments please feel free to contact me. Thanks for your assistance and support in this matter. Regards Pete. Tel: 07939 274614. a happy successful and prosperous new year/decade to all Ming 😬 so many supercars so little time!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matthew Willoughby Posted January 1, 2010 Share Posted January 1, 2010 Caterham are aware of this issue and are in communication with the MSA - see here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MING Posted January 1, 2010 Share Posted January 1, 2010 cheers for that matt (hows my trailer?) MING 😬 so many supercars so little time!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matthew Willoughby Posted January 2, 2010 Share Posted January 2, 2010 The trailer is absoutely fine Simon. I've done about 1000 miles with it and have had no problems at all. I've picked up a tyre rack and jerry can box off eBay for a bargain price so I've just got to get around to fitting those. Hi-jack over. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon.Rogers1 Posted January 6, 2010 Share Posted January 6, 2010 Yes my understanding is its all forms of Motorsport. I believe CC are trying to renew their exemption. Simon Competition Sec Management Team Member If in doubt.......Flat out! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gnasher2 Posted January 24, 2010 Share Posted January 24, 2010 Any update on this situation yet? I need to sort out the passenger side of the car before the season starts and dont know wether the go hard or soft Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason Plato Posted January 24, 2010 Share Posted January 24, 2010 Re: Tonneau covers by Simon Lambert on Tue, Jan 19 '10 3:21 pm There won't be any further news on this until the beginning of the second week of Feb at the earliest. here is my Duratec R .... C7 TOP Taffia AO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taffyracer Posted February 23, 2010 Share Posted February 23, 2010 anybody got an update on this..... C7 YUM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason Plato Posted April 3, 2010 Share Posted April 3, 2010 Re: Tonneau covers by Simon Lambert on Thu, Mar 11 '10 2:38 pm We now have approval from the MSA to continue with the tonneau covers in their current guise. This situation is the cause of the delay in the Superlight regs, which should be available very soon here is my Duratec R .... C7 TOP Taffia AO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taffyracer Posted April 4, 2010 Share Posted April 4, 2010 good news, with Snett in 3 weeks I didn't want to race without a tonneau, i'm told it's a good 5-6mph difference down the main straight without C7 YUM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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