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 Post subject: Caterham curve
PostPosted: February 15, 2018, 11:16 pm 
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Joined: March 30, 2011, 7:18 am
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Location: central Arkansas
On (apparently some, but not all) Caterhams, the front bulkhead the nose cone abuts has sheet metal slices that support the sheet metal side panels, giving them a slight curve instead of being straight, like on a Locost.

I've found several pictures of the front bulkhead with the sheet metal supports, but no pictures showing any other supports. So what I'm wondering is, where does the Caterham transition from vertical sides to curved?


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 Post subject: Re: Caterham curve
PostPosted: February 15, 2018, 11:29 pm 
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Joined: January 1, 2012, 12:44 pm
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Location: Boise, Idaho
On mine, it's at the vertical that's at the back of the engine bay / beginning of the footwell.


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 Post subject: Re: Caterham curve
PostPosted: February 16, 2018, 11:04 am 
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Location: Vancouver, BC
I've circled the area in the attached pic. And, it should be obvious that my 3d surfaces skills aren't quite the best as I haven't been able to make the side skins go all the way to the front of the chassis.


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 Post subject: Re: Caterham curve
PostPosted: February 16, 2018, 12:03 pm 
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Location: West Chicago,IL
I've seen that curve n some photos before. I would think that it should be easy enough to just leave flat and then form the panel insitu as you assemble it to the frame. It goes without saying that the nose must be made with the accompanying curve to match.

I see a lot of Locosts that do not even incorporate the curve in the bottom edge (transition from side to the frame) . That starts at the front of the foot well with a zero radius up to the front with something like a 5 inch radius as shown in cs3tcr's drawing. Don't quote me on those dimensions though. Again, match the curve to the nose that you have.

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 Post subject: Re: Caterham curve
PostPosted: February 16, 2018, 12:54 pm 
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Location: Akron, NY
rx7locost wrote:
I see a lot of Locosts that do not even incorporate the curve in the bottom edge (transition from side to the frame) . That starts at the front of the foot well with a zero radius up to the front with something like a 5 inch radius as shown in cs3tcr's drawing. Don't quote me on those dimensions though. Again, match the curve to the nose that you have.

Here is how I did it. In short I made a cardboard template for the curve on the nose and then used the shrinker to shape the flange to match the template. then on the end by the foot well I bent that to 90 degrees and then allowed the panel to make its own transition between the two.


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 Post subject: Re: Caterham curve
PostPosted: February 16, 2018, 1:54 pm 
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Location: BC, Canada. eh?
^^^That REALLY looks good!!
:cheers:

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 Post subject: Re: Caterham curve
PostPosted: February 16, 2018, 3:43 pm 
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Location: central Arkansas
That looks *really* nice. What type of aluminum did you use?


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 Post subject: Re: Caterham curve
PostPosted: February 16, 2018, 4:04 pm 
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Very nicely done :cheers:

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 Post subject: Re: Caterham curve
PostPosted: February 16, 2018, 4:59 pm 
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I folded one end square, rounded the other end over a tube, and used a hammer for the transition. That took me to the rear of the front suspension. I added a separate piece to get to the nose.
Attachment:
bottomcurve.jpg

Attachment:
clecoedbottom.jpg


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 Post subject: Re: Caterham curve
PostPosted: February 17, 2018, 7:42 am 
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nick47 wrote:
I folded one end square, rounded the other end over a tube, and used a hammer for the transition. That took me to the rear of the front suspension. I added a separate piece to get to the nose.

That looks really good and it is a simpler way to do it.


TRX wrote:
That looks *really* nice. What type of aluminum did you use?


It is 3003-h14 and I believe it is 0.040 or 0.050 thick I’ll have to measure a peice of it.


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 Post subject: Re: Caterham curve
PostPosted: February 17, 2018, 9:05 am 
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I made decreasing radius forms that transitioned from the square corner at the foot well to a large radius that matched the lower corner of nose cone. You just need to be able to clamp the form and aluminum down to a work bench to be able to bend the panel around the buck. I made the buck so it could be used for forming both sides. Dave W


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 Post subject: Re: Caterham curve
PostPosted: February 17, 2018, 11:30 pm 
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Location: Kamloops, BC, Canada
Lots of ways to skin this cat. I left my front suspension open and made the curve of the bodywork match the nose by forming a piece of 3/4" x 1/8" flat at to match the back of the nose, then welded this to the frame. The aluminum panels on mine are only .040", and I formed them around this piece of flatbar by hand, then pop riveted the aluminum to the flatbar. Unfortunately I don't think I have any pictures of this area.
Kristian

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 Post subject: Re: Caterham curve
PostPosted: February 18, 2018, 8:16 am 
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I don't think you need the curves personally, but if you want curves anywhere then use my system because it's damn simple. Mine are laser cut but no reason at all you can't do it by hand except you might want to get a brake press for the 90 degree fold for the joiner strip.

These are aircraft wing ribs I made, but the principle doesn't change and I used it when I was trying out the bonnet curves the other week ....


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 Post subject: Re: Caterham curve
PostPosted: February 19, 2018, 10:11 am 
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cheapracer wrote:
I don't think you need the curves personally


I just recently noticed that *some* of the Caterhams have them. I think they're just another of the subtle styling cues Caterham uses, like the off-center rear wheelwells, angled roll bar, and angled around the boot, that give the car a more... maybe a "slick" look, as opposed to the slab-sidedness some of the Locosts have.


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 Post subject: Re: Caterham curve
PostPosted: May 17, 2018, 11:04 pm 
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I was looking at the Caterham brought to "The Gathering" by John Styers, and it did have the curve in question. Probably just a styling cue as mentioned, but it gave a nice detail to the look of the car!

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