Pierre Gillet Posted April 25, 2000 Share Posted April 25, 2000 I am envisaging converting my 40th Anniversary 1.6 K Seven from flare wings to cycle wings. Has anybody done that? difficult? How can I hide the holes of the screws fixing the wings on the side body? What is the aproximate cost of the new components that I must buy? Is the SCx improved? Any perceptible increase of the top speed ? Thank you for your help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Posted April 25, 2000 Share Posted April 25, 2000 I saw a converted one a while back. The holes had been filled with poppers, like those used for securing the roof - it looked dreadful! The best I could think of at the time were plastic/rubber grommetty type things that are only slightly raised in a domed manner. Moto Guzzi use such a thing for an inspection point on their bikes. At least they did on my Monza many years ago...! They were like the little bits of plastic that hide the screw heads, etc in kitchen cupboards. Hope that's of some help! Nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Wong1697456877 Posted April 25, 2000 Share Posted April 25, 2000 I think you'd have to re-skin the sides of the car to do it properly. A job for Arch I suspect. Either that or take the paint off, fill the holes and re-paint. Every conversion I've seen looks pretty obvious with the holes going down the side of the car. I know alot of people think the flared wings create a significant amount of lift at high speed but I don't think it's that significant. I also doubt you'd perceive any definite improvement in top speed. Personally, I like the look of the flared wings, especially with 16" HPC alloys. Goes against the current trend I know... On older cars, the steering rack also caused problems with the cycle wings touching the side of the car. As the car is new and probably has the newer Caterham rack rather than the older one (? from triumph ?), I don't think this would be a problem Alex Wong alex.wong@lotus7club.co.uk www.alexwong.net Home : 44-(0)121-440 6972 Fax : 44-(0)121-440 4601 Edited by - Alex Wong on 25 Apr 2000 21:40:51 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pierre Gillet Posted April 26, 2000 Author Share Posted April 26, 2000 Thank you both for your very helpful thoughts.I am also concerned about the risks of having the rear wings "sand blasted" especially with the 13"/14 " wheels cycle wings which are shorter than the 15"/16" wheels ones. It even seems that one can be hit by gravels or stones should the side screens not used and the passengers not wearing crash helmets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Posted April 27, 2000 Share Posted April 27, 2000 I have 13" wheels with cycle guards. The rear wings faired well until a track day last year on a dirty circuit - which I didn't realise until I got home. I have just had new stainless guards put on and so all looks sparkly again. I had done about 20,000 miles and so I wouldn't worry overly much about 'sand blasting'. I don't often drive without the doors as I seem to have an aerodynamically disadvantaged nose - anything over 40mph and the wind roars up my schnoz and makes my eyes water! You get the odd bit of dirt winging its way into the cabin but I haven't had anything nasty. Like Alex, I wonder if you might be better off leaving well alone though, unless you could paint a stripe down the side of the car over the holes to try to hide them a bit? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pierre Gillet Posted April 27, 2000 Author Share Posted April 27, 2000 Well, I understand now that it may me not be so easy to get a perfect result, unless, as recommended by Alex, I have the body redone by Arch. In fact, I do not like the idea of filling the holes etc... I am afraid that I am a little bit of the "polisher" type, and I would like the result to be perfect, especially for a 40th Anniversary which should be at the level of the reputation of Caterham. the problem that we have here in France is that the positioning of Caterham is more on the "Lotus" classical side ( this explains the flare wings) than on the may be more sporty side of the car as I understand most of the sevenists in GB are. So only the flare wings are "licensed" by the "Service des Mines". Amazing, when you know that, in Germany, only the cycle wings are approved by the German "TUV". Only the racers, not street legal,(imported by another person in France) are with cycle wings. It is probably time now for Europe to adopt the British standards! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jules Martin Posted April 27, 2000 Share Posted April 27, 2000 "Vive L'Angleterre" Jules Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CHRIS CLARK Posted April 28, 2000 Share Posted April 28, 2000 I know its a matter of personal choice, but cycle wings to me are for track cars (less induced lift) & flared/clam shell wings for 'road' cars.I can't imagine the Prisoner car with cycles!Like I said, personal choice. I must be a seventies man (flares rule OK!). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve J Posted April 28, 2000 Share Posted April 28, 2000 Pierre, I've just read with horror about what you wrote about the German TÃœV. I live in STuttgart now, and hope to buy a Caterham sometime next year. But I've been dreaming all this time about flared wings!!! This is a disaster. Does anyone know if you can buy a left hand drive Caterham from Caterham Cars in England? If I 'exported' it from ENgland to Germany, would it still have to have cycle wings to pass the German TÃœV? Das gibt's doch gar nicht! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderate Clam Posted April 28, 2000 Share Posted April 28, 2000 Stick to cycle wings and leave the clam shells alone! wink.gif Sorry, I'm just a bit bored at work. Edited by - moderate clam on 28 Apr 2000 18:52:11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pierre Gillet Posted April 28, 2000 Author Share Posted April 28, 2000 Steve, at least it is what i read in one of the books on caterham in which it is said that the Germant TUV approved type is cycle wings plus a bunch of several othet specific specifications such as the rear lights (lower) or the licence plate. Also, one of the front cover of Low Flying was made last year by a German Sevenist boasting a superb cycle winged Seven. Now you certainly ca, bying a left hand drive even Seven to Caterham in England (in fact mine was built by the factory caterham ( not the French importer), but sold to me by the French importer. He is very conservative and would even not sell me race harnesses...because they are not street legal. So what I am doing is buying parts directly from the Caterham factory . I find them very efficient and easy to deal with despite my poor English! So, you should not be concerned, I am sure you can manage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve J Posted April 28, 2000 Share Posted April 28, 2000 Pierre, Thanks for that, I can rest at ease, knowing that all hope is not lost!!!! But I think I'll look into it all the same. As for your english, I don't think you've got anything to worry about there!!!! I'm originally from England, but have been living in Germany 'on and off' for the past 5 years (I spent 18 months in England in the middle), and there's something new to learn in the language everyday! Rome wasn't built in a day. I can't speak french though. Do you also stick the verb at the end of the sentance? Dirves me mad! Yours with sweet flared-winged dreams, Steve J Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pierre Gillet Posted April 29, 2000 Author Share Posted April 29, 2000 Steve, No we don't. We put the verbs basically in the same place as in English. Easy! I wish you all the best for your search of the Flared-Wing Seven, Very Sevenly Yours, Pierre Pierre Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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