bad luck - good luck

[Norman Verona]

Went to Dover on Tuesday to get an MOT (800 mile round trip)

Somewhere between Rouen and Abbville I heard a whooshing noise and something flew past my left shoulder. Thought "that was lucky that bird nearly hit me"

Got to the tunnel and realised it wasn't a bird - it was my front wing.

Now, as you may know, the supply of the carbon-bits stuff is temporarly on hold as the new business is started up. So I'm contemplating several weeks wait for a new wing.

This morning I think I may have an old damaged one in the garage so went rummaging.

Found a 99% good one. What a result.

[pistonbroke]

French glue not up to par then Norm  

[Man On The Clapham Omnibus]

What about the MoT though Norman? Were you able to convince the tester that you really do have a wing but that it's very light to the point of invisibility?

[JohnL]

Hi Norm,

Going that route Wednesday on way to Classic. I'll keep an eye open for it.      

[bhouse]

So that's why the Caterham Club magazine is called Low Flying  

[Norman Verona]

The "glue" held, the bighead fastners broke away. I have 4 fasteners held on with 4 cable ties and 8 prongs sticking up. The flat part of the fasteners must still be glued to the wing (which will be in a trillion shards by now after being run over by a 100 lorries)

I thought he'd refuse to do the MOT but he said that whilst it was illegal it wasn't part of the MOT.

JohnHenry, if you do see it then I'll meet you at LM and collect it.  

Low Flying! I also lost part of the boot cover. That ripped the velcro off the bodywork. I hope it didn't chop someones head off  

[pistonbroke]

so metal fatigue  

Tut tut  

Thought  caterhams were a cut above all "ordinary" 7vn's  

[Norman Verona]

Bernie, not saying they are or their not, but Caterham don't make the Bighead fastners!  

[pistonbroke]

Makes sense Norman  , if CC had designed em they would have failed years ago      

[Norman Verona]

Bernie, you really don't understand. caterham could never have designed them, that takes intelligence  

[Man On The Clapham Omnibus]

In another life I used Bigheads (from Bognor if I remember rightly) in manufacture of a variable flexibility skateboard deck design. This was in the first era of skateboards in the late seventies...

[Norman Verona]

They claim to make these specially for caterham?Westfield front wings.

However, looking at their site it's only a modified (as in bent) standard product. I was a bit surprised that the arms broke off but it may be becasue they have been bent and weakened.

However I suppose being tugged at 100 mph for 5 hours didn't help.

[Blatman]

In another life I used Bigheads (from Bognor if I remember rightly) in manufacture of a variable flexibility skateboard deck design. This was in the first era of skateboards in the late seventies...

I may have had one of your boards, 'cos I was a skateboarder first time round. Started off with a Skuda and progresed to a Benjy Board. They were pretty

[Man On The Clapham Omnibus]

Probably not... We weren't too good at marketing I'm afraid. We did sell a few hundred to a sports distributor in Paris though 'Impecco' if I remember rightly. A colleague and I had a good time schlepping the boards around Paris and its environs in the summer of 1978 (I think). Our brand name was AROflex and I had the patent for the variable stiffness deck design.

Edit: Did you find yourself at Skate City or Meanwhile Gardens at any time Blatters?

Another good time was had trolling around Brighton trying to flog decks - 'Pig City' as it was known in skate circles.

[Blatman]

Skate City? I don't remember

I did used to frequent a skateboard shop in Knightsbrisge opposite Harrods, but I forget it's name...