David Lowe Posted June 22, 2000 Share Posted June 22, 2000 I'm toying with the idea of converting from flared wings to cycle wings. Can anyone tell me what parts I'll need and the approximate cost? Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CHRIS CLARK Posted June 22, 2000 Share Posted June 22, 2000 What's the matter with you David? Flares are still in! Signed The Proper Wing Society! (Well I think they look better!). All a matter of opinion I know. How about it lads & lasses; what is the current favourite? I am of the thought that out & out road 'missiles' ie R500's look best & need the cycle wings, but more modest machines retain the 'class' with clam shells. By the way Jason; Thanks for the run in R500FUN.Sensational car & a great registration plate! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Collett Posted June 22, 2000 Share Posted June 22, 2000 Hi,i have some spare cycle wings you could have at a very fair price. But you will need the stays. Chris. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Posted June 22, 2000 Share Posted June 22, 2000 Well Chris (Clark), initially I much prefered the flairs and thought the cycle wings looked silly; shortly afterwards I changed my mind, changed the spec, and now (and please don't get upset!) can't see why I liked the flairs. Just call me fickle! A problem with converting to cycle wings is disguising the holes in the bodywork. Wasn't Pierre G looking into this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Perry Posted June 23, 2000 Share Posted June 23, 2000 I have just carried out the same conversion. In addition you will also need new headlamp brackets and the repeater indicators will need to be repositioned. I made my own aluminium wing brackets from scratch and they are adjustable as I wanted them to look right on both 13 & 15 inch wheels. (not a job for the faint hearted as there are many things to consider) Standard Caterham ones will do fine though. Covering the holes in the side was a problem. Short of a re-skin I decided to put really big white race number backgrounds over them (mine is a car used for sprints). Interestingly I would say that the car is faster at high speeds with cycle wings, perhaps through better aerodynamics (not a word one associates normally with Caterhams). At my favorite high speed 4 mile sprint at Wethersfield this year, the car was on average about 4 seconds faster per lap than normal, yet no other changes had been made to the car. One downside though is that stones seem more likely to fly of the tyres and stike the windscreen. I thought it a worthwhile change as visabilty when trying to negotiate rows of traffic cones at high speed was also improved and the whole set up is a few kilos lighter than flared wings. If I sold the car though I would convert it back to flares. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna Rexia Posted June 23, 2000 Share Posted June 23, 2000 Can't remember where but there was a proper test done not very long ago and it was concluded that clam wings were more aerodynamic than cycle wings so - see you in my mirrors! And, I'd like to keep the enamel on my teeth And, all that gravel ending up under your bum on a long journey wears through your seats and your knickers! Edited by - Anna Rexia on 23 Jun 2000 19:28:58 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pierre Gillet Posted June 23, 2000 Share Posted June 23, 2000 Anna, you say all the words that my wife, who is the user of the car all week long, said when I old her that I was envisaging this conversion ...to look more sporty. In fact, when I read Low Flying, I can see now more and more Cycle wings, and I figured that sevenists in England are now more enclined to Cycle. I told her that she would be even more protected with a race helmet but did not succeed to convince her. It seems that we need now two Sevens... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pierre Gillet Posted June 23, 2000 Share Posted June 23, 2000 Back to my original idea that I still like, like David, to "toy", why is it that it seems necessary to "reskin" the sides? What about using this synthetic material used to repair bumps and dents on car body, and then redo the paint job? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna Rexia Posted June 24, 2000 Share Posted June 24, 2000 Pierre, If you have two sevens one will always have the best stuff on and be the favourite (bit like mistresses!) so which one would you get? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jules Martin Posted June 24, 2000 Share Posted June 24, 2000 Anna, So how would you know anything about mistresses ? Belated congrats on your new status ! LOL Jules. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna Rexia Posted June 24, 2000 Share Posted June 24, 2000 Jules - just seems obvious doesn't it? Hey, when did that happen - I'm so PROUD - didn't you notice before me the last time I went up a class? What happens now then - double wings or something? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Lowe Posted June 24, 2000 Author Share Posted June 24, 2000 Is anyone going to answer my original question? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Wong1697456877 Posted June 24, 2000 Share Posted June 24, 2000 The cost depends on how perfectly you want to do it. The only real way to fully hide the holes down the side of the car is to re-skin it (quids +++) If it's a painted car, it's even more. If you weren'y too bothered about the holes then a pair of unpainted wings and stays shouldn't be too expensive. Give the caterham parts dept a call for prices. You'll need the wings, wing stays, new front light mounts. Also, if your car has an older steering rack, you may find that it rubs the cylce wings against the body at full lock so a new rack may be a requirement. I still haven't heard of a satisfactory and economical way of hiding the unsightly holes from the flared wings though. Alex Wong alex.wong@lotus7club.co.uk www.alexwong.net Home : 44-(0)121-440 6972 Fax : 44-(0)121-440 4601 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jules Martin Posted June 24, 2000 Share Posted June 24, 2000 Anna, thinking about I suppose it does seem obvious (to you!). I'm not sure which type of double wings I want, - flared or cycle ! LOL Jules Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pierre Gillet Posted June 26, 2000 Share Posted June 26, 2000 Anna, you are absolutely right! Mine will be on the wilder side, while my wife's will probably look more classy...like flared wings. Pierre Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CHRIS CLARK Posted June 27, 2000 Share Posted June 27, 2000 I saw a 'converted' car for sale at Hollingbourne (in Kent). It was not to difficult to see the change; I probably saw the big holes in the skin!!!!! As to the aerodynamics, I remember marshalling at Castle Coombe a couple of years back and there was a Caterham with a large rectangle cut out of the flaired wing & then it had been covered with mesh. This was to cut the lift at high speed & stop the errant stones! So Nick, don't worry; part of this Caterham 'thing' is that there isn't one car like yours or mine in the whole world due to the added extras we all see as essential/must have bits but the cars are still recognisable as Sevens. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manwiths4 Posted January 19, 2005 Share Posted January 19, 2005 Just done mine on a budget... DIY wingstays, ebay wings.... all in about £35 ! plus a few nuts N boltz. Oh, and no, they dont look budget ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheds Moderator Posted January 19, 2005 Share Posted January 19, 2005 See here http://www.blatchat.com/f.asp?id=8 You can also stick ally patches on the back of the holes (Araldite), fill and repaint. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
c7kjt Posted January 19, 2005 Share Posted January 19, 2005 That's how mine was done, 3 years ago and no problems yet. Kevin Thomas The 7 Gallery... with added BBCi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tweeky Posted August 30, 2012 Share Posted August 30, 2012 Edited by - tweeky on 30 Aug 2012 23:00:57 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tyrone Posted August 30, 2012 Share Posted August 30, 2012 I think the conversion to cycle wings was my first big mod. I didn't bother with a reskin, the car was bare ali, I filled the holes with big rivets like the ones which fix the scuttle near the sill. I had the car sprayed after, the rivet heads are hardly invisible but I lose no sleep over them. There are loads of older threads on the conversion. Edited by - Tyrone on 31 Aug 2012 00:15:59 Edited by - Tyrone on 31 Aug 2012 00:17:56 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now