I know I saw a thread on here (I think not too long ago) where somebody made an aluminium side cover but I just cannot find it

Can anybody remember this and be kind enough to share a link?

I'm looking to make one for my Zero although it'll be more tricky with having a full roll cage to contend with.

Any other info or advice on making an aluminium cover for the passenger side of a Seven would be appreciated!

Thanks!

I think I know what you mean but i can't find a picture of one on a lotus 7 style car, caterham sell this if it's roughly what you mean ?

http://caterhamparts.co.uk/product.php?id_product=3594

Here's one:

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/caterham/all-models/r300-race-car--vbox--oled--2-sets-of-wheels/5394801?v=b

[Edited on 5/5/16 by Andybarbet]

Yeah that looks just like what I'm thinking of making.
The variable/tapered bend looks quite tricky to make though. May try getting measurements and seeing if it'll fit.

Not so bad bit like making a bonnet, but use lots and lots of small bends. Hand bending over piece of straight wood should do it, mark a lot of bend lines as a guide.. My infill panels where made like that:


Infill pannel


Infill pannel 2

Dan


[Edited on 6/5/16 by Bluemoon]
[

[Edited on 6/5/16 by Bluemoon]

Thanks Dan. Spoke to someone at work today who's made cone line shapes in ally before using rollers.

The only rollers I have access to are 3 foot wide which I think is just a bit too short for the length I would need to go from scuttle to behind the seats.

So I think perhaps the wooden method will work. I have a nice wooden workbench that I've just finished, perhaps I can use the edge of that to gradually form the shape.

Like you say, lots of small bends marked out on the ally with them all meeting within approx. a 1" area to meet the rear of the car. Just need to measure the front scuttle radius or at least the length of the arc to have a chance of it fitting.

Cheers.

To form a quarter of a cone use a piece of wood held so that one corner faces upwards, thus. ^ (Make a trestle?)

Sand a radius on one end that gradually decreases to no rad the other end, but make it a tighter rad than needed
to allow for spring back.

Keep a reasonable amount of material each side of the bend so you have a bit of leverage when you push down over
the wood. Don't try to do it in one. bend a little, then move a little and bend a little more. A second pair of hands helps.

Concentrate on the middle. The ends form almost by themselves.

Cut the final shape after you have formed the corner.


HTH
Paul G