[Warpedcow]

flemke said:

Welcome to PH, David. Glad to read that you've enjoyed the thread.
How are things amongst the Golden Gophers?

Pretty good here... about to start building a house, which, a few years down the road, will hopefully start to house pieces of an Ultima GTR that I really want to build!

We have local exotic/rare car meets every month during the non-snowy months here, called "Cars and Cafe". I think there are a lot of them all over the USA. Seen some pretty awesome stuff there, but no McLarens, not even a McMerc SLR. A lot of "Minnesota Nice" folks though, and my rather rare Sonic Blue S60R always receives a warm welcome. I did see an F1 in the Park Lane, London showroom in, oh I think March of 2000 when I was travelling with the college Orchestra. Never seen one in person since though.

[Geordie boy]

flemke said:

M3John said:

"........but the driver, said to be a well known British celebrity......." Now, you and i have met but, and i mean this in the nicest possible way, you didn't seem very celebrity-type to me. Just a regular type of guy.

Yes, I do think of myself as just a regular guy. In fact, just the other day I said to Lizzie, "You don't think that we've become celebrities, do you?"

She rather testily replied, "We bloody well better be celebrities! Every year I have to wear that idiotic purple hat and lecture those scoundrels down at their club on the river, and our Christmas holidays always get interrupted with that message malarkey. I've been lumbered with this wing-nutted buffoon of a son whom I'm not allowed to disinherit or shake off. I can't even take the Corgis for a walk without some loser asking me for a fag. I'm not doing this crap unless I am a celebrity, and you're one as well!"

She occasionally loses her rag like this. As usual, I told her to calm down and fetch me a cheese-and-pickle and some crisps. On her way out of the room, I gave her a slap on the arse, she smiled lovingly back at me, and we both felt like regular folk again.

Phil? Is that you?

[Munter]

Nurse! Flemke needs his pills. And be quick about it!

[Stuart]

So can we all drop the pretence and start calling you "Phil" rather than "Flemke." Obviously "Mr The Greek" to those who want to be formal.

[flemke]

Geordie boy said:

flemke said:

M3John said:

"........but the driver, said to be a well known British celebrity......." Now, you and i have met but, and i mean this in the nicest possible way, you didn't seem very celebrity-type to me. Just a regular type of guy.

Yes, I do think of myself as just a regular guy. In fact, just the other day I said to Lizzie, "You don't think that we've become celebrities, do you?"

She rather testily replied, "We bloody well better be celebrities! Every year I have to wear that idiotic purple hat and lecture those scoundrels down at their club on the river, and our Christmas holidays always get interrupted with that message malarkey. I've been lumbered with this wing-nutted buffoon of a son whom I'm not allowed to disinherit or shake off. I can't even take the Corgis for a walk without some loser asking me for a fag. I'm not doing this crap unless I am a celebrity, and you're one as well!"

She occasionally loses her rag like this. As usual, I told her to calm down and fetch me a cheese-and-pickle and some crisps. On her way out of the room, I gave her a slap on the arse, she smiled lovingly back at me, and we both felt like regular folk again.

Phil? Is that you?

You might say that, but I could not possibly comment.

[robm3]

M3John said:

Flemke having followed this thread from the start it always makes a good read. I've said this before but thanks again for the insight (and patience from us lot ) to take the time and answer the questions. I take it that - or really should say - hope that work is underway on the F1.

I thought i'd post up though as your probably well aware of your little incident making various publications. I'm just back from a little break and had one on the door mat when i got home. After reading it i thought you might like to know about it. Some of it i don't think it'd be right to post it all over PH and at the end it goes on to say something that tickled me a bit :

"........but the driver, said to be a well known British celebrity......." Now, you and i have met but, and i mean this in the nicest possible way, you didn't seem very celebrity-type to me. Just a regular type of guy.

The rest of the publication you may like to know about (seriously) but, i know your profile doesn't permit e-mails. I'll not name it here on PH for everyone to read.

Various articles I've seen say he's an Englishman or New York businessman aged 61. Naturally German Police reports will indentify for a fact but why ruin the myth (ala The Stig).
Sadly all say he outbraked himself

[Badgerboy]

Sigh....

[Snoggledog]

mcdjl said:

flemke said:

mcdjl said:

flemke said:

Blackacre said:

You may be conducting the funnest experiment in the history of man, Flemke. Given the uncertainty as to how long CF will survive, would the only way to know its condition be to visually inspect it for integrity?

I couldn't say how they test CF, apart from visually.

Visually doesn't really work too well as it relies on the defect being on the surface. Delaminations of the internal structures generally aren't. The company I work for tests composite structures using laser shearography systems which can generate images of the internal structure- we've found latex gloves laminated inside things before. Other ways of testing involve ultrasound and tap testing.

Interesting.
Any thoughts on long-term robustness of CF tubs (exclusive of crash repairs or design/fabrication defects)?

Its not something I've worked on myself directly and as far as I'm aware we've only worked on one or two tubs. One of them was an historic F1 tub and as far as we could see was fully sound- there don't seem to be any ageing issues. There may be UV degredation/ageing type issues (more likely to the resins than the carbon itself) but as far as I'm aware none have come to light yet, a composites person would have more idea on that though. Most of the problems we've seen have been manufactured in or as the result of impacts (usually directly to the affected part rather than to a part bolted to the bit we've looked at)

Sorry to butt in on an old conversation, but I have a recollection (from the days when I had access to the info) that the UV issues associated with structural failure came from the use of Vinylester resins in earlier composites. IIRC, the pre-preg carbon epoxy mix which McLaren would have used came from SP-Systems (now Gurit) who also supplied the aerospace / military industries. Because the carbon is impregnated with epoxy resin rather than being wet laid the chance of failure is significantly reduced. I would suspect that in this application UV would be the least of the worries.

I'm guessing here, but wouldn't the tub be made from a carbon / nomex or aluminium Nomex sandwich?

[flemke]

Snoggledog said:

I'm guessing here, but wouldn't the tub be made from a carbon / nomex or aluminium Nomex sandwich?

Si, senor.

[B16JUS]

Havnt seen any updates,

How have the insurance company been ? how long do you recon before its all ready and delivered back ?

P.s more pics of the austin healey ( corvette ) please

[flemke]

B16JUS said:

Havnt seen any updates,

How have the insurance company been ? how long do you recon before its all ready and delivered back ?

P.s more pics of the austin healey ( corvette ) please

Ins company has been amazingly cooperative - overall experience much better than I expected it would be.
My guess is that we're looking at January. Whether it's Dec, Jan, or Feb won't make much difference.

I'm not sure what I have or have not posted of the Healey already.
It shouldn't be that far from completion, so I'll see what may be available soon.

[stephen300o]

You must be missing your F1, it must be a pain having to take the bus.

[LongLiveTazio]

Bit unfair to call the 959 a bus.

[R.P.M]

As they will be applying some new paint, are you continuing with the 'Smurf' blue theme, or has this unfortunate incident forced you into making your mind up re colour?

[ilovevolvo]

Hi Flemke

Is there any chance you will be posting any pics of the re build as i am sure many of us F1 lovers would find it very interesting good to here smurf is coming along

Russ

[BLUENSX]

Hi Flemke,

Do you still have your Rocket ????

[flemke]

R.P.M said:

As they will be applying some new paint, are you continuing with the 'Smurf' blue theme, or has this unfortunate incident forced you into making your mind up re colour?

It's looking like a colour change may be in the offing.

(Sorry for my delay in replying.)

[flemke]

ilovevolvo said:

Hi Flemke

Is there any chance you will be posting any pics of the re build as i am sure many of us F1 lovers would find it very interesting good to here smurf is coming along

Russ

I may be able to come up with an image or two; you never know.

[flemke]

BLUENSX said:

Hi Flemke,

Do you still have your Rocket ????

Si, senor. Still have it, still love it.

[AreOut]

You are one lucky guy