LocostUSA.com

Learning how to build Lotus Seven replicas...together!
It is currently March 29, 2024, 2:55 am

All times are UTC - 5 hours [ DST ]




Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 37 posts ]  Go to page Previous  1, 2, 3  Next
Author Message
PostPosted: November 4, 2015, 7:54 pm 
Offline

Joined: June 24, 2007, 6:04 pm
Posts: 1521
I did clamshells originally on my build and used the Curtis units which I cut and widened to fit my application.
It is on my build thread.
Concerned that I might damage one I decided to remove them and make molds of them so I would have an easy repair if they got damaged.
So far I haven't done anything and they are just sitting.
In the meantime I temporarily replaced the clamshells with cycle fenders.
My observations have been basically either fender attracts attention equally.
The buffeting is definitely less with cycle fenders than the clamshells.
This is for my application and may not be for others, but at 60mph I notice the difference.
I also dont think there is as much lift with cycle fenders once up around 70-75 miles an hour.
The clamshells deflect a bit more road dust and rocks than the cycles, but not so much that I would switch back for that reason alone.
On the other hand I believe the cycle fenders are quieter because of less wind turbulence.
It is easier with cycles to get to the engine, at least for me, but I am rather short, tall people may not have an issue.
My wife laments the loss of the clamshells from a style point of view, maybe me not so much.
Either one works, just a matter of choice.
I guess on the upside as I have had both, I am set up for both so swapping back and forth is not a lot of work.
If you are a cruiser, use the clams, if you are a track demon, I would stick with the cycle fenders.

Al

_________________
Super Seven 3.4


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: November 5, 2015, 7:36 am 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: March 30, 2011, 7:18 am
Posts: 1615
Location: central Arkansas
dale wrote:
You could mount the clamshell on a pivot at over the wheel and the back mounted to move at an arc.


A few years ago I wondered about mounting the rear of the clamshell on a pivot shaft and to the upper control arm with a strut and rod end. That way you could bring the fender down snug against the top of the tire and get rid of the excess clearance. You'd be carrying half the fender as unsprung weight... but given the cycle fenders are larger and heavier than they look, plus all the support bracketry, you might actually come out ahead on unsprung weight.

Jack McCornack sketched out some "aero" clamshells around the same time, with the sides filled in and wrapping around the front of the tire, sort of like an old Pierce-Arrow. I thought they looked pretty sharp. He decided to go with a fully body instead, though.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: November 5, 2015, 7:39 am 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: March 30, 2011, 7:18 am
Posts: 1615
Location: central Arkansas
raceral wrote:
My wife laments the loss of the clamshells from a style point of view, maybe me not so much.


When I first saw them I thought the clamshells were ridiculous and fugly. They kind of grow on you after a while, though...


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: November 5, 2015, 12:16 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: December 17, 2010, 1:24 pm
Posts: 1580
Location: Gainesville, Mo.
The first time I ever saw a Lotus 7, I was about 11 yrs old and just starting to take an interest in sports cars. It had the 'clamshells', and was rather 'quirky' looking, but I was in love! When I get around to building my car, it will have the cycle fenders for no other reason but practicality, but I still like the 'style' of the 'shells'! :D

_________________
Mike - Read my story at http://twinlakesseven.blogspot.com/


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: November 5, 2015, 2:52 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: May 27, 2006, 9:46 pm
Posts: 1954
Location: BC, Canada. eh?
I, too, love the look of the clam shells, and I even have a set of the CMC ones, but owing to the altered frame design I'm using (+2 width, tapering to a book nose), the angle of the side of the car is all wrong for them. To use them, I'd need to cut them lengthwise, and widen them several inches at the front, tapering the extra to zero at the rear. Certainly possible, but a little outside my fiberglassing skill set.

I also have concerns on the strength of the CMC clamshells, once mounted. With my luck, the first time I took it somewhere, some large-stature person would sit on one, and I'd be carrying the smashed pieces home on the passenger's seat. I have the same concerns about those huge, wide, conveniently-chair-looking rear fenders, but there's no way around those.

I have a set of cycle fenders from C.O.L.D. (nicely made, too!) that are going on the front end...

_________________
Scratch building, at continental-drift speed, a custom McSoreley-design framed, dual-Weber 45DCOE carburated, Zetec-engined, ridiculously fast money pit.

http://zetec7.webs.com/


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: November 5, 2015, 11:23 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: March 30, 2011, 7:18 am
Posts: 1615
Location: central Arkansas
I've wondered about the rear fender issue, too.

Some years ago I was discussing lightweight fiberglass with a friend, who noted that while his Corvette was heavy, he could lean against the side, push it from either end, or even jump up and walk on top of it without falling through, as opposed to flimsy race-car fiberglass that would flutter in the wind at speed.

Well, yeah...


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: November 7, 2015, 2:17 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: October 24, 2008, 2:13 pm
Posts: 5326
Location: Carlsbad, California, USA
Locost_Johnh wrote:
I think I was about half done or further when I started getting active with the LocostUSA forum and never put a build page together. I'm pretty sure I put together something about doing the fenders on here somewhere though.

John


John was kind enough to send me photos a couple of years ago and I have them in a ZIP file. There are 8 photos in all. With John's permission, I can send those by e-mail.

As I recall, John and his brother did some very clever things to make the same form setup work for both left and right sides, but he'll have to tell you about that. I don't remember how it worked.

Cheers,

Lonnie

_________________
Damn! That front slip angle is way too large and the Ackerman is just a muddle.

Build Log: viewtopic.php?f=35&t=5886


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: November 8, 2015, 9:43 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: March 30, 2011, 7:18 am
Posts: 1615
Location: central Arkansas
If you can get permission, how about just putting them up where everyone can see?


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: November 9, 2015, 6:04 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: October 24, 2008, 2:13 pm
Posts: 5326
Location: Carlsbad, California, USA
Tell ya what I'll do. I'll e-mail them to John and let him explain what he did.

It's not like they're State secrets, but it doesn't seem right for me to post his photos and talk about work I didn't even do. Now, if this was about politics, that might be considered standard practice. :mrgreen:

Cheers,

_________________
Damn! That front slip angle is way too large and the Ackerman is just a muddle.

Build Log: viewtopic.php?f=35&t=5886


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: November 10, 2015, 5:11 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: January 14, 2006, 1:06 pm
Posts: 813
Location: Vista (north of San Diego CA)
Sorry about the late response here. The only fancy thing about the front fender buck is that the stations (the lateral ribs of the skeleton) can be pulled out, turned 180 degrees and reinserted for a mirror image. Here are some photos that show the general process.


You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: November 10, 2015, 5:16 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: January 14, 2006, 1:06 pm
Posts: 813
Location: Vista (north of San Diego CA)
More photos. The rear bucks are very simple, mostly just two sheets of MDF, the outer one an inch smaller/shorter than the inner one. The foam allows the corner to be nicely rounded.


You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: November 10, 2015, 5:29 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: January 14, 2006, 1:06 pm
Posts: 813
Location: Vista (north of San Diego CA)
Here are some PDFs of the fender design work my brother did. I should have mentioned right away that I gave him some sketches and general dimensions, then he did all the real design work using Correl Draw as I recall. Unfortunately he screwed up his database shortly after printing these, so the station by station drawings are no longer available. They can be derived with a little work though from the cross section PDF. It has all the sections layered on top of one another.

I am very proud of these fenders and especially proud of my brother who was able to do the design with no prior drafting experience. (Unless you include the mechanical drawing class we had in Jr. High back in the '60s.)

John


You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: November 10, 2015, 9:20 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: May 27, 2006, 9:46 pm
Posts: 1954
Location: BC, Canada. eh?
That is, in a word, brilliant!

_________________
Scratch building, at continental-drift speed, a custom McSoreley-design framed, dual-Weber 45DCOE carburated, Zetec-engined, ridiculously fast money pit.

http://zetec7.webs.com/


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: November 11, 2015, 2:11 am 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: March 30, 2011, 7:18 am
Posts: 1615
Location: central Arkansas
Schweeeettt!

That reminds me of building balsa models when I was a (much younger) kid...


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: November 12, 2015, 9:29 am 
Offline

Joined: October 22, 2015, 9:46 am
Posts: 3
Great pictures and drawings John, Thank you so much! :cheers:

DG


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 37 posts ]  Go to page Previous  1, 2, 3  Next

All times are UTC - 5 hours [ DST ]


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 12 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Jump to:  
POWERED_BY