Clamshells vs cycle wings

[Kghaas]

Robert Green said:

The turning circle is larger with cycle wings, not smaller

I agree
I had clams on my S4 but changed to cycles. Turning circle is bigger, but I like the looks better. The clams are as people have said, better at protecting the occupants from waterspray and stones etc.
I have been on track with both and could't realy feel any difference

[teembo]

Well, I'll be keeping that clams. For the moment, anyway. They do look to be quite high, from the driving position. The main thing I remember from the test drive was that it was like staring between the ears of a demented rabbit !

[wile7]

Clams were available in the UK up until 1996 I believe when they were quietly removed from the shopping list on your new car.....French cars (and other markets?) had them as an option through until about 2000 I think.

Clams are/weremore expensive to make (more material...), more expensive to stock (easier to keep a load of cycle wings stacked on a shelf than clams..,) and more expensive to shift/post/ship. All these points doomed the clamshell from a business standpoint before you even discuss the clams vs Cycles on a car debate.

Personally, I love the clamshell wings, more out of an aesthetic appreciation than anything else. To me cycle wings look 'wrong' but as has been mentioned they were the original series one fitment. My first child memory of a seven was a red/ally one with clams hairing around the roads at Repulse bay in Hong Kong circa 1974 and that's when I set my sights on getting one.

As for the front end going light on a seven with clams.....I love folklore....I imagine on a track at 130mph or so you may get some lift but in the real world absolutely no difference to cycle wings....and clams do protect you and your passenger better.

Oh, and crossflow engined clamshell cars are on the rise price-wise (throws that in to try and push the market up a bit ).

[teembo]

Thanks for that. Yes, I think the light front end may perhaps be noticeable at the limit, but out last weekend in the strong winds my seven felt absolutely planted at motorway speeds, even over a high river bridge in a strong crosswind.

[Graham D]

I bought my car back in 98 with flared wings. The Caterham salesman did his best to dissuade me, but failed.
With regard to lift, I’ve done nearly 70 mph in mine with no discernable sign of lift or instability. I’m not saying there is no lift, just I haven’t noticed it.