Why nearside rear wing notch?

[Alaskossie]

Why do Caterham continue to only offer their rear wings (in either fiberglass or carbon fiber) only in the version with the notch cut out of the lower leading edge of the left side (nearside) for a possible rear-exit exhaust pipe? Is this tradition, habit, or just inertia?

 

Surely this is a vestigial remnant akin to the human appendix, now that many Caterhams have a side-exit exhaust -- and with the new Duratec and Sigma engines, an exhaust system that is located on the opposite side of the car entirely.

 

Do any independent wing suppliers offer a version of the nearside rear wing without this notch, but otherwise identical in shape and width to the factory offering?

 

 

 

Alaskossie

[Jason Plato]

aerodynamics through reduction of frontal area !

 

it works well with the whiskers on the nose 😬

 

here is C7 TOP

Taffia rear gunner

 

[Stationary M25 Traveller]

.. a touch of ... no one thought to change the design probably. Left overs from the rear or K-series nearside exhaust. Looks a bit daft with a Ford engine and o/s exhaust !

 

7 related photos

[simonbell]

Something they really need to sort.........I might even consider buying some carbon fibre ones when they do.

 

Simon Bell - Caterham 7 Duratec R

I`ve seen the future.....and it`s powered by duratec Check out the website here

[Petrolhead]

I asked the same question when I picked up the CSR from CC Midlands. All they said was, its in hand :)

 

Out of interest, do the CSRs that go to places like Switzerland have driver side arches with the bit missing as their exhaust have to exit at the rear?

 

-----_{My site}-----

 

Edited by - Petrolhead on 30 May 2008 19:15:38

[Lasse H]

Petrolhead !

 

Not Switzerland in my case but Sweden, but still left hand side drive,

yes they have the cut-out on the left hand side although rear exhaust exit.

 

cheers

Lasse H

[Brucey]

My 1993 1400Kss was factory built with a completely internal exhaust system and 16inch wheels. I think the HPC cars also had these options.

 

Both rear wings go to the bottom of the body at the front. I've since fitted a side exit exhaust system with no problems as the tailpipe stops in front of the LH rear wing.

 

So, Caterham must have had a supplier for full length LH rear wings somewhere. My guess is Dartford Composites (who used to make the fibreglass bits for CC) may be able to help.

 

I intend to contact them to see if there was a difference in clamshell wings on cars that had 16 inch wheels fitted. The replacement one I got from Woodcote doesn't match the shape of the original.

 

Hope this helps,

 

Bruce.

[Mickrick]

MOG do them with the cutout for Duratec engine cars.

 

Academics are seldom any use at engineering. One must have a mistrust of theorists. (Keith Duckworth)