107 replies to this topic

[mja182]

How could you produce a full clam for around £400 when your asking for more for your hardtops on ebay? which is alot smaller etc? Note: this is not a criticism just a question!

[Muncher]

That is only an estimated price for a start, based on what similar Lotus clamshells are made for. A hardtop uses about the same amount of material. It it double skinned and filled in between which is tricky and labour intensive. It also includes the cost of brackets, fittings, seals and lining together with the associated labour. A clamshell may also be able to be spray formed which is a quicker and cheaper process.

[mja182]

You have email muncher as i couldnt send you a pm (box full or not accepting messages).

[Duncan]

It's an interesting idea and would be a great service to people. Also would help in a decade or so when parts start to get scarce. That said I don't know where you'd stand on intelectual property. I mean you'd be basically taking a registered design and making a perfect copy of it. Could work if you based yourself in a developing country I guess!

[MikeF]

I looked at this a while ago when i was looking at getting some CF clams made the front clam needs 2 molds and the rear 3 molds (if memory serves me correctly) the front would have come in at £1500 for the molds and £2000 for the rear then i got quoted and because the molds where not made these where approximate prices, but £700 for a front and £1200 for a rear (thats in CF) now to do one car this was almost impossible because of costings but the weight saving would have been awesome which would have meant i could have knocked them out at around similar prices to what vauxhall charge it never went anywhere though cos im lazy and the carbon fibre people did my tits in after the V's and the rear spoiler's have contacts though if anyone wants oh forgot to mention..... you have to basically knacker a front and rear clam to do this (ideal if you have a screwed one)

Edited by MikeF, 05 February 2007 - 07:20 PM.

[2GOOD]

Nice idea, but would be very difficult to get off the ground or make profitable. Insurance repairers would not buy them as they are obligated to use OE components where possible.

Actually that's not always the case, One if not more than one of the insurance companies, that had approved the bodyshop of the Vauxhall dealership that I use to work at, produced a catalogue of pattern parts (& not just body panels), that they expected the bodyshop to use on cars over 3 years of age. This meant that they supplied the parts as well, after a lot of 'discussion' the contract was kept as long as Vauxhall's (& only Vauxhalls) up to 5 years of age used genuine parts. Obviously this the breaks any 'rust' warranty that the cars had.

[Muncher]

Right, things have moved slightly now, wheels are in motion. Just wondering what potentially people would want from an ideal clam? Looking to make it modular if possible so single sections can be removed. Removing the lower section alone would be pretty useful for example. A mate is interested in a wide body version for a special one off project, but other than that I'm not sure what else you would want changed? A smaller boot inner one could be made for Weapon R manifolds but I'm not sure if that's worth doing?

[Silent1]

Pluggable brake cooling ducts (a-la M3 CSL) would be handy

[slindborg]

somehow lift the rear deck inbetween the stanchions (if thats their name) about 10-15mm to give better engine access for mincing reasons.

[jasvxt]

More ventilation on the rear clam would be very useful, and benefit everyone Even better, hinged front and rear clams, maybe just dreaming here

[james141]

Right, things have moved slightly now, wheels are in motion.

Just wondering what potentially people would want from an ideal clam? Looking to make it modular if possible so single sections can be removed. Removing the lower section alone would be pretty useful for example. A mate is interested in a wide body version for a special one off project, but other than that I'm not sure what else you would want changed? A smaller boot inner one could be made for Weapon R manifolds but I'm not sure if that's worth doing?

If I wanted a replacement clam I would just want it to be as good/clost to OEM as possible

[james141]

Right, things have moved slightly now, wheels are in motion.

Just wondering what potentially people would want from an ideal clam? Looking to make it modular if possible so single sections can be removed. Removing the lower section alone would be pretty useful for example. A mate is interested in a wide body version for a special one off project, but other than that I'm not sure what else you would want changed? A smaller boot inner one could be made for Weapon R manifolds but I'm not sure if that's worth doing?

If I wanted a replacement clam I would just want it to be as good/clost to OEM as possible

[techieboy]

Hinged clams would be fantastic as would aero mods to the rear clam but in all honesty, just retaining the standard look would be good. Especially if the front and rear could be made modular, with an upper and lower section that can easily be joined together. Now idea how that would work but would presumably need to be done in such a way that an impact on one section didn't necessarily endanger the other section - so probably not bolted together unless there was some replaceable sacrificial "bit" designed to seperate on impact. Oh, yeah, no bubbling either.

[james141]

thinking about it, it would be nice to get rid of the fake join lines

[Muncher]

Hinged clams would be fantastic as would aero mods to the rear clam but in all honesty, just retaining the standard look would be good. Especially if the front and rear could be made modular, with an upper and lower section that can easily be joined together. Now idea how that would work but would presumably need to be done in such a way that an impact on one section didn't necessarily endanger the other section - so probably not bolted together unless there was some replaceable sacrificial "bit" designed to seperate on impact.

Oh, yeah, no bubbling either.

Yeah, think they're best without bubbles

Hinged is an absolute nightmare, I saw a kit for an Elise on SELOC that hinged the rear clam and it's pretty damn expensive and looks a nightmare to engineer.

The originals have the sections stuck together with bonding paste (where the split lines are) should be too tricky to bolt them together instead but it's early days yet, will have to see if you could actually unbolt it when in situ.

[Muncher]

thinking about it, it would be nice to get rid of the fake join lines

The split lines need to be there as the clams are made of sections bonded together but even on a standard clam a bodyshop could fill them in when painting it for next to no effort.

[covert ops]

Right, things have moved slightly now, wheels are in motion.

Just wondering what potentially people would want from an ideal clam? Looking to make it modular if possible so single sections can be removed. Removing the lower section alone would be pretty useful for example. A mate is interested in a wide body version for a special one off project, but other than that I'm not sure what else you would want changed? A smaller boot inner one could be made for Weapon R manifolds but I'm not sure if that's worth doing?

If I wanted a replacement clam I would just want it to be as good/clost to OEM as possible

LOL


Then you should get ready to wait a lifetime waiting for vauxhall to get you the clam/lights costing 2.5K!
In other words you might as well stick with the OEM.
Plus there is all the drama afterwards of respraying and matching paint and then there's VXL competently doing the work!

I'll would be treating these like motorsport clams, a readily available cheaper alternative.
If cheap enough I'd buy two to use now! Save the originals to sell with the car!!
Like I said there is always vauxhall if you really want that back to the new car look.

My wish list would be.......
CF vented clam?? (Oh... imagine a totally carbon fibre looking VX )
Space for a weapon R??
Tiny to no boot version for extreme engine changes??
Hopefully no paint job needed just whack em' on.

Andy

[jules_s]

I think you have the bases covered there muncher Less boot space option for exhaust manifold option A deffo for splitting the top and bottom clam parts On the front I would suggest losing the fogs in lieu of brake duct portals...maybe some vents on the top as an option? On the rear, a better design to lose the chocolate exhaust heat shield? Keep up the good work

[rabidh]

thinking about it, it would be nice to get rid of the fake join lines

The split lines need to be there as the clams are made of sections bonded together but even on a standard clam a bodyshop could fill them in when painting it for next to no effort.

Meldert has done this I think - looked great in the pics I saw.

A boot with space for the weaponR would be great, but having the back of the boot removable would be as amazing for engine work. I've cut my weaponr hole wide enough to get the header on and off without taking the clam off and it's saved me hours of work so far! You could allow the back to be bolted in different locations to give you different amounts of boot/engine room.

Carbon fibre would be awesome, as would vents! I'd be amazingly happy to have CF if the finish was semi-ok rather than paying £500 extra for a respray.

[mandarinvx]

A boot with space for the weaponR would be great, but having the back of the boot removable would be as amazing for engine work.