Rob Posted March 27, 2005 Share Posted March 27, 2005 Has anyone has any experience of wind deflectors for a Caterham - by "wind deflectors" I mean the mesh frames that go behind the driver & passenger to prevent you getting a parting in the back of your head, not the perspex side deflectors. If so, do they work? Can you buy them? If not has anyone tried to make one? Thanks Rob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I.Mupferit Posted March 27, 2005 Share Posted March 27, 2005 I believe they have been tried before but due to the aerodynamics of the 7, they are quite useless. On my old car, I used a 'Whimp' on the passenger side to stop SWMBO from moaning about the buffeting and they work extremely well. She still moans, but about other things now 😬 As they don't fit the SV, I might have a pair for sale if you are interested. Imagine the hood fitted but wih a section the width of the windscreen removed from the screen right back to the boot cover and that is what they look like. Very quick to fit and effective. Brent 2.3 DURATEC SV. In the final week of gestation. SVA booked. 😬 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Posted March 27, 2005 Author Share Posted March 27, 2005 Thanks Brent. Yes, I do vaguely remember seeing those in a mag once. Sounds promising. The main use would be for long distance hauls on motorways in UK and France. How much would you want if you were going to sell? Any pics? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barry Posted March 27, 2005 Share Posted March 27, 2005 Taken from Dennis Ortenburger's fine book "The Legend of The Lotus Seven"Open air touring was what Seven motoring was all about, but wind buffeting was considerable at anything over 35 miles an hour. Frank Costin, the aerodynamicist responsible for the body shapes of the Marks 8 through 11, once borrowed athe Earls Court car and was annoyed to find his hair blowing in his eyes, while his necktie waved at his nose. He immediately set about limiting turbulence in the cockpit. Fiddling with the windscreen rake gave some improvement, but the real solution lay in an aerodynamic aid. Costin designed a kind of sectional Townend Ring (the cowling around radial piston aircraft engines) which he attached to the sides and the top of the windscreen. Once the air foils were adjusted, he could drive at any speed and his hair and tie would blow perfectly rearward. Chapman, evidently, believed if you drove a Seven you ought to look like you'd been driving one (either that or wear a cap and a tie clip). He discarded both the idea and the device. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Posted March 27, 2005 Author Share Posted March 27, 2005 Interesting...perhaps it could improve down force too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noddy Posted March 27, 2005 Share Posted March 27, 2005 Get yourself a grade 1 haircut ........ I have. no "parting in the back of head" R400 .......... I love it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I.Mupferit Posted March 27, 2005 Share Posted March 27, 2005 I don't have any pics of them fitted to the 7 but will try and take a pic of them on the floor. I haven't really thought about a price as, to be honest, I had forgotten I had them so will give it some thought and let you know. I used them on a trip to France last year just before seling my old 7 and they are really effective at reducing the buffeting to virtually nothing on a long motorway journey. Let me know a mail address to send the pics. Brent 2.3 DURA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Simon Posted March 27, 2005 Share Posted March 27, 2005 Costin designed a kind of sectional Townend Ring... I wonder if there any pictures around? -Bob 94 HPC VX Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Posted March 28, 2005 Author Share Posted March 28, 2005 Brent, My e-mail is robert_ivory@hotmail.com. Actually I did track down a pic on the web so no matter, but you can send any other info to the above address. I don't have an FIA roll bar - do you reckon it will still fit? The info in the web seemed to imply that they were made specifically for FIA roll bars?? Cheers Rob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I.Mupferit Posted March 28, 2005 Share Posted March 28, 2005 Rob, I had used it in the past without an FIA bar. It isn't a perfect fit with a standard bar but still does the job. Brent 2.3 DURATEC SV. In the final weeks of gestation. SVA booked. 😬 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevefoster Posted March 28, 2005 Share Posted March 28, 2005 Go aero and get a lid *arrowright* Hants (North) and Berkshire Area club site here My racing info site here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I.Mupferit Posted March 28, 2005 Share Posted March 28, 2005 My wife would rather contract smallpox than get in an aeroed car whilst wearing a crash hat Brent 2.3 DURATEC SV. In the final weeks of gestation. SVA booked. 😬 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PAUL MARRIOTT Posted March 28, 2005 Share Posted March 28, 2005 😬 😬My wife said that so I told her that Brooklands weren't aeroscreens 😬 She's just started talking to me again *eek* Paul M Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PAUL MARRIOTT Posted March 28, 2005 Share Posted March 28, 2005 Oh, Brent if Rob declines your offer I would be interested in your wimps, doing the Swiss trip this year and I would like to hear Mrs M wailing, starts at about 3000RPM, gfoes sub sonic at 3250RPM and returns as an evil bass at 4000rpm *wink* Paul M Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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