Creating UBERCLAM! Was "Repairing the clam"

[Randy Chase]

It actually is pretty easy to do. I followed Michael Sand's page on clam removal and it took about 90 minutes to do.


CATCH OF THE DAY

[knucklehead]

To everyone is in the LA area. I highly recommend Specialty Car Craft for any Elise body related repairs.

[Stan]

Originally Posted by Randy Chase

I will never win a concourse. We are taking steps to make this area stronger. In my opinion, there are two vulnerable areas to be addressed. The square corner where the plinth joins the rest of the clam seems easily cracked, and the area where the chin jowls scrape on a steeper driveway. We are going to reinforce these areas with Carbon-Kevlar.

That sounds like a great idea to reinforce the car a bit in those vulnerable spots. And the Concours guys never get to drive their car, LOL. Supposedly kevlar is more impact resistant than CF but there are lotsa variables there. BTW, BTC's car hit a cone right at the side of the radiator mouth and the clam cracked there. This may also be a weak spot vulnerable to impact.

I am wondering how the Exige clams will hold up in autocross. Ostensibly, they will be stronger as they use fiberglass cloth as opposed to the spray-in short fiber approach used for the Elise.

[Randy Chase]

Yes, I noticed damage in the tight corner at the side of the mouth too. We are cutting all that away and replacing it.

The cloth we are using to back everything up, is a carbon-fiber and kevlar weave. I have been told it is pretty strong. Cones will rue the day they got in my way.

[Miguel]

Please post detailed pictures of the repair, materials and links on where you got the materials at.

[tom@kartboy]

DAMN! i think that clam is a writeoff. not sure if its even worth repairing.
i had a thought. i might produce some small teflon rub strips that you could bolt to the underside. that way it should in theory skid on that before it goes into the composite.

tom

[MotorCade]

My car is at SCC right now... I'm trying the seibon carbon fiber clams. They're a bit heavier than the standard clams, but then, they're a bit thicker and will hopefully be more impact resistant as well. I'm also going to put something under the 'jowls' that is abrasion resistant, though.

(yes, they're heavier... they're wet laid. Way, way, stronger, though. I compared two clams off the car... nothing scientific, just picked them up and got a feel for what they weigh.)

Cade

[Randy Chase]

Originally Posted by tom@kartboy

DAMN! i think that clam is a writeoff. not sure if its even worth repairing.
i had a thought. i might produce some small teflon rub strips that you could bolt to the underside. that way it should in theory skid on that before it goes into the composite.

tom

After removing it and getting a better look at it, I agree it should be a write off. But now it is off the car and I don't have a replacement clam... so we are proceeding with the repair. Tom, feel free to offer advice. Stop by and have a beer.

I agree that some sort of slippery plastic makes a lot of sense. Ragnorak sells something, I think it is polyethylene? Or polycarbonate. A delrin strip would be nice.

I might just make a custom Kevlar/CF splitter for use as chin protector. It would not stop itself from wearing away, but it could be easily replaceable.

The other thought is to make a custom molded insert that can be bonded inside the front of the clam as a preventative measure. Should be easy enough to make.

[Stan]

Originally Posted by Randy Chase

The other thought is to make a custom molded insert that can be bonded inside the front of the clam as a preventative measure. Should be easy enough to make.

The rockers have styrofoam behind them ahead of the rear wheels...makes me wonder though. Could something be done from behind certain parts of the clam using that spray can foam stuff? So that the deal is more impact resistance. Or would that hurt? Ideally I think we'd want the front of the car to be impact resistant not through pure strength but through bend-like-a-tree-in-the-wind resilience. Like euruthane or whatever they use on many other cars.

[tom@kartboy]

Randy
email me at tom@kartboy with some directions to the place. i might stop by tomorrow. i'm going to try and go to symbolic in the morning and look at a car :devil:

Tom

[TimMullen]

Originally Posted by Randy Chase

I might just make a custom Kevlar/CF splitter for use as chin protector. It would not stop itself from wearing away, but it could be easily replaceable.

I've always liked the way Lotus did the bumpers on the Elan. The bumpers are Styrofoam filled fiberglass attached to the fiberglass body (there is no other structure anywhere close). They don't really add any protection, but they are sacrificial. The bumper can be simply replaced after it sacrifices itself to protect the rest of the body. In theory, anyway...

[ChrisB]

Originally Posted by Randy Chase

I agree that some sort of slippery plastic makes a lot of sense. Ragnorak sells something, I think it is polyethylene? Or polycarbonate. A delrin strip would be nice.

I might just make a custom Kevlar/CF splitter for use as chin protector. It would not stop itself from wearing away, but it could be easily replaceable.

The other thought is to make a custom molded insert that can be bonded inside the front of the clam as a preventative measure. Should be easy enough to make.

How about wheelie bars mounted on the front?

[Randy Chase]

If this was Chrome Orange, it would be a good Jack O Lantern...





"You wore out your clam, with random precision.... "

[tom@kartboy]

now what? :lol:

see you tomorrow

[sandsmuseum]

I never liked the winglets anyway. You have the perfect opportunity to remove them and put a bush guard in front! Look at some pictures of the LandRover to see some samples.

Remember the old nerf bars! Khamai had some great bars in front of his Seven to keep the cones from ripping his fenders off! Maybe he has some pictures?

I would trade clams with you if yours were the right color. I want to get rid of the winglets like I did with my model (see picture below).

Seriously, it seems like the winglets provide some reinforcement in a critical area. Perhaps if you reinforced them with rebar or put extra glass in that area, they might stand up to the punishment. Stan's idea of bending instead of breaking has merit and so you can not necessarily reinforce the area around them. Allow some bending.

Michael

[The Shop Indy]

The Shop Indy is looking for some damaged clam sections to purchase.

[GaryD]

Originally Posted by TimMullen

I've always liked the way Lotus did the bumpers on the Elan. The bumpers are Styrofoam filled fiberglass attached to the fiberglass body (there is no other structure anywhere close). They don't really add any protection, but they are sacrificial. The bumper can be simply replaced after it sacrifices itself to protect the rest of the body. In theory, anyway...

Yes Tim its a fine theory ... in practice it doesn't work.... I slid my 72 Elan S4 into the back of an Acura on a rainy slick road. By the time I hit the Acura I was going so slow it felt like if only I opened the door and put my foot out I could have stopped. Anyway, the bumper went to hell, the nose was all cracked and torn looking and the Lotus emblem popped off.... The Acura driver had a dented licence plate frame - he drove off without worrying about it after seeing his car without even a scratch in the paint and mine a shattered mess!

Incicentally, now I think of it (and back to the topic), the body shop reinforced the nose panel with strips of wood glassed to the engine side during the repairs.

[RacyTracy]

While you've got it off, do you see any good place to add that 20 lbs?

[kestrel74]

Yeah, 20 lbs of fiberglass !!

[TimMullen]

Originally Posted by GaryD

Yes Tim its a fine theory ... in practice it doesn't work....

Like I said, in theory...

The only time my bumper ever contacted anything, it was the side of van that had run a stop sign. Unfortunately, it took off the left front corner of my Elan. I have a "spare" bumper for the S4 Elan Sprint hanging in my garage - well about two thirds of it anyway...