Guest Posted February 27, 2014 Share Posted February 27, 2014 Love them or hate them everybody is different. I'm a retro type and love the look. I am looking for advice, as I want to fit flared wings to my 2012 black Roadsport What parts are needed apart from the wings? Are any specialist tools needed? Does any body know if the parts are readily available from CC? Any advice from someone who has done the same would be greatly appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Area Representative Crudders Posted February 27, 2014 Area Representative Share Posted February 27, 2014 Hi BB, you're not the only flared wing fan but most conversions are the other way about - flared to cycle (including me during a rebuild I have to admit, although I still like the flared wing look). On my 1990 chassis the wings were held on by 5/16" UNF (1/2"AF head) bolts at front and back which located in threaded bushings in the chassis, with intermediate M5 bolt fixings to rivnuts in the sideskin. The hardest part of the job will probably be locating the bushings and drilling the skin in the right place. It's also worth checking that Caterham still provide them by default in the chassis - if they do they may have metricated them to M8 or similar. Once over that hurdle you'll need to get hold of a rivnut setter and a flared wing car from which to take measurements. Caterham used to sell a flared wing fitting kit containing the required bolts and the 'p' section rubber beading but the bits you need are available separately. Oh, and you'll need combined wing support and headlamp brackets. Some older cars also had support brackets at the rear of the wings but they're not really necessary and my car never had them. HTH, Cruds Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Stone Posted February 27, 2014 Share Posted February 27, 2014 Not sure you can get these from Caterham any more but you can probably get from somewhere. Maybe give Redline a call. Looking at mine the wing shaped bracket at the front is attached via a welded clamp on the top of the chassis. This bracket also holds the headlight & indicator. The wing is also held on with 7 bolts along the length of the side skin. Mine being 1988 year also has a mid wing support bolted through the chassis but later models did away with this. You will ned a riv nut tool for the side skin bolts. Hope this is of some help. Can take some pics & email them if you like. Gary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Stone Posted February 27, 2014 Share Posted February 27, 2014 Clearly from what Crudders has said, the wing is bolted with a two bigger bolts at each end of the wing enabling the doing away with the central wing support I have. I guess if the bolt points for these two main bolts at each end are there then that will give you the wing line for the rest of them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
virden Posted February 27, 2014 Share Posted February 27, 2014 I have a 96 car, there is a combined headlight/ indicator and wing support bracket at the front, which also houses the cable for the repeater indicator. It is held on the chassis by two bolts closing a clamp, and is removable, which is important because you have to glue the wing to the bracket. The two main bolts are in the middle and towards the end of the wing, then there are the smaller bolts which screw into the chassis tube. Redline can source the wings, but you may have to wait as they get them made to order. You will also require some sort of beading to close the joint. PS you glue the wing in situ, once you are happy with the fit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianmurray325hotmail.com Posted February 27, 2014 Share Posted February 27, 2014 Careful, if you've got wide track front suspension i was told you can't get the wheel coverage when i wanted clamshells on my new (then) 2007 SV. I've just fitted new clamshells to my 81' S3 . i've used "Bigheads" tyraps and glue instead of drilling the wings and bolting to the bracket that contacts with the front top of the wing. The other bracket half way along a standard clamshell set up i've left off since it marks the body. The only thing is once you go clamshell you're committed 'cos you've drilled the body work for the rivnuts. Of course you'll need the clamshell type bracket that forms part of the headlight and indicator conduit, don't know if this is available but of course could be made up. I've got a set of clamshell wings in standard caterham green gelcoat which of course could be painted to suit, they already drilled for side indicators and securing bolts which could be filled. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I reply to every thread Posted February 27, 2014 Share Posted February 27, 2014 People tend to put clams in a skip when they swap to cycle wings (you can't even flog them on ebay) so you should be able to get them and the wing stays gratis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brucey Posted February 27, 2014 Share Posted February 27, 2014 I have some good (recently powder coated) Clam Shell wing stays somewhere in the attic if you have trouble getting some. The clamshells definitely gave better protection both from the wet and from people touching the exhaust. However, I do like watching my front wheels bounce up and down! Bruce. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed White Posted February 27, 2014 Share Posted February 27, 2014 I,d like clams on my car, so if anyone has a set within sensible travelling distance of Sheffield, or you are coming to curborough or the rush screening, please bm me, thanks, Ed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Surreptitious Posted February 27, 2014 Share Posted February 27, 2014 Past experience has proven to me that you really do need the mid stay for the clamshells. The wings are subject to pretty high pressures and vibration with the result that I have seen extremely large holes appearing where the rearmost rivnuts have pulled out. I have also seen cars with wide track and clamshells with the wings spaced out from the main tub. I suppose that, if the spacers are not a continuous wing length unit, it would slightly help relieve the pressure? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 27, 2014 Share Posted February 27, 2014 Thanks for all the comments, they will be useful. If anyone has BLACK flared wing I would like to buy them. Please let me know Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peter clarke Posted February 27, 2014 Share Posted February 27, 2014 Have had clam shells since new,1997, no extra mid support, just the bolts and sealant to the front headlight mount, wide track with 13" wheels(you can adjust the clams in width to a degree), they just cover the wheels. No issues. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alaskossie Posted February 28, 2014 Share Posted February 28, 2014 I'll just renew my plea (seen on BC before) that someone produce a good set of carbon fiber clams, perhaps proportioned from the start to fit wide-track suspension. I was in correspondence with RIF (before his sad and untimely departure) about this subject, and he told me that he had a set of molds made up to produce c/f clams, but did not have the time at the moment to produce them. Sadly, he just ran out of time..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barry Posted February 28, 2014 Share Posted February 28, 2014 Angus&Tessa's car runs flares above wide-track, looks perfectly reasonable to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomGaval Posted February 28, 2014 Share Posted February 28, 2014 I ordered my car in 2000 to come with the wide track and clams. So yes It can be done. tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
myothercarsa2cv Posted March 1, 2014 Share Posted March 1, 2014 Quoting Alaskossie: I'll just renew my plea (seen on BC before) that someone produce a good set of carbon fiber clams, perhaps proportioned from the start to fit wide-track suspension. I was in correspondence with RIF (before his sad and untimely departure) about this subject, and he told me that he had a set of molds made up to produce c/f clams, but did not have the time at the moment to produce them. Sadly, he just ran out of time.....If someone has a pair that a mould can be taken from, and you can get enough interest, I know a chap who could do it... Probably need quite a few people though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alaskossie Posted March 1, 2014 Share Posted March 1, 2014 I posted an inquiry on BC a year or more ago, and learned from this that there was little interest in c/f clamshells among the POBC..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
myothercarsa2cv Posted March 1, 2014 Share Posted March 1, 2014 Well, the numbers are only required to break even on the mould costs. If you bankrolled the whole thing yourself, it would be expensive, but you could get a pair. Depends how interested you are and how deep your pockets are! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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