Crash, bang, wallop
Discussion
I have seen them crash on the race track and watch the drivers walk away.
Recently while touring in France a Caterham with two large people in it crashed and rolled. Both people walked away.
I would say must have items are 4 point harnesses to hold you in to the seats, FIA Rollbar and if you are over 5ft 11 inches then the extended FIA roll bar.
Recently while touring in France a Caterham with two large people in it crashed and rolled. Both people walked away.
I would say must have items are 4 point harnesses to hold you in to the seats, FIA Rollbar and if you are over 5ft 11 inches then the extended FIA roll bar.
A Caterham stands up well to a frontal collision - I saw Dave Hooper's car shortly after he hit a Sierra head on at a closing speed of at least 100mph. The car folded up and he sustained a broken wrist IIRC. I believe he even reused the engine in the rebuilt car (yes,they rebuilt it!).
It's the side impact that is the issue - there's no room to move away from an impending impact inside a Caterham. The side intrusion bar is a worthwhile addition, but won't then allow you to fit the "door".
My old Supersport had sustained a rearender - not at massive speed, but the petrol tank took the impact without splitting.
It's the side impact that is the issue - there's no room to move away from an impending impact inside a Caterham. The side intrusion bar is a worthwhile addition, but won't then allow you to fit the "door".
My old Supersport had sustained a rearender - not at massive speed, but the petrol tank took the impact without splitting.
rubystone said:The door bars on mine are such that a dooor still fits
It's the side impact that is the issue - there's no room to move away from an impending impact inside a Caterham. The side intrusion bar is a worthwhile addition, but won't then allow you to fit the "door".
Not that I have any, but they do fit
rubystone said:Unfortunately my computer (home) is dismantled so I can't show you a piccy but basically....
How do you open and close them then? Surely you'd have to cut a big lump out of them? (I'm not talking half doors here, clearly)
there's a bar that goes from the a-frame bolt to the bottom of the scuttle, and a curved one that goes from the a fram bolt around the wing to the bottom of the roll cage. Then a triangle is formed with a third tube that goes from the top of the scuttle along the top of the door opening (chassis rail) and joins up with the wing tube
I once wrote off a Series 4 Lotus Seven.
I was doing between 60 and 70mph.
The car struck the kerb, flipped back over front,
rolled through 360 in the air, on the way taking a farmer's fence down and uprooting a small tree.
I had a rollbar fitted, and seatbelt on. (Hood up)
The chassis was slightly bent at the front. There was a muddy mark across the top of the hood, where the car had bounced, before landing back on it's wheels. The windscreen was undamaged.
I hopped out totally unscathed.
Wouldn't recommend it though.
I was doing between 60 and 70mph.
The car struck the kerb, flipped back over front,
rolled through 360 in the air, on the way taking a farmer's fence down and uprooting a small tree.
I had a rollbar fitted, and seatbelt on. (Hood up)
The chassis was slightly bent at the front. There was a muddy mark across the top of the hood, where the car had bounced, before landing back on it's wheels. The windscreen was undamaged.
I hopped out totally unscathed.
Wouldn't recommend it though.
You would be surprised how well they stand up to most accidents. Side impact looks worrying but I think in reality the rear wheel takes most of the impact. Remember with Caterhams being so light they tend to bounce of other vehicles rather than tangling up with them.
I think it would be a horrible shock to some invincible tin-top owners how badly their car would fare in a rollover compared to a Caterham!
Remember when you drive a Seven you are FAR more aware of your surrounding and far more able to stop and avoid accidents.
I think it would be a horrible shock to some invincible tin-top owners how badly their car would fare in a rollover compared to a Caterham!
Remember when you drive a Seven you are FAR more aware of your surrounding and far more able to stop and avoid accidents.
I look at it this way:
You're better able to get out of the way of ANYTHING in a Seven, because of it's lightness and manoeuvrability.
Having owned a series 4 and a series 3 Lotus 7,
I always found the real problem was vehicles pulling out in front of you at low speeds, because they underestimated the speed of the Seven, or just didn't see it. If 'pressing-on', I recommend lights-on drivng as per bikes.
Pushbikes and motorbikes are much more vulnerable to tee-boning, and of course are given little respect (til you think- hmm, could be my wife/child on that wobbling machine).
You're better able to get out of the way of ANYTHING in a Seven, because of it's lightness and manoeuvrability.
Having owned a series 4 and a series 3 Lotus 7,
I always found the real problem was vehicles pulling out in front of you at low speeds, because they underestimated the speed of the Seven, or just didn't see it. If 'pressing-on', I recommend lights-on drivng as per bikes.
Pushbikes and motorbikes are much more vulnerable to tee-boning, and of course are given little respect (til you think- hmm, could be my wife/child on that wobbling machine).
rubystone said:Isn't the point that it pushes the car out of the way via the side bar though? Unless you happen to be driving next to a wall or something, you should be ok. Given the lightness of the cat, it should bounce off rather than be squashed.
There's always the concern about being t-boned - I compare it with sitting in a dodgem and watching another head for the side of you.
The side impact bar is too low to do much to protect the driver in a t-bone incident
Nope - the issue is that unless you're lucky enough to get thumped in the side by something with a bumper that's about 6 inches above the ground, it'll be your ribs that take the impact rather than the impact bar.
(OK so I exaggerate - the side intrusion bar actually reaches as high as 12 inches off the ground I guess, but I hope you get my point).
(OK so I exaggerate - the side intrusion bar actually reaches as high as 12 inches off the ground I guess, but I hope you get my point).
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