Just been rammed up the back by a large Mercedes in my locost. I suspect this the end for another old much loved book car. All rear cross members are bent and the tank is ruptured. The other driver said "its only the lights" Ho hum.
Have a month off work for all your pain suffered, then buy another car with his compen.....
Bummer - the trouble is very other drivers have any appreciation of what's gone into the cars and the emotional attachment owners have with them
Oh no! Is that the yellow one?
what a ####! Did you get their details?
Did they just not see the stationary car in front of them?
Ah well 4 hours in a&e. got minor whiplash. Dare not look at the car, probably needs new back panel, cross members straightening, and new fuel tank. Can't weld any more so that's a problem, but I can't part with her. Worried that it will get written off.
I feel your pain, as a fellow builder from the book 23 years ago, and my Much loved Locost destroyed by fire two weeks ago,
I had a few tears when I got home, and still deeply upset, about losing my car, and the FANTASTIC years I had in it etc, also the friends I have made
all over the UK !!
But, like those that told me, after the fire. "you are alright" and that is the most important thing, cars, even loved ones like yours and
mine, are replaceable, infact mines about to be replaced with a Jaguar XK8 ............
I will admit that being rear ended in my Locost was actually my worst fear, but trust me, when you have flames going over your head at 40MPH,
that's not exactly fun either
regards
steve
Very sorry to hear it mate, but atleast its only a case of whiplash not long term damage.
As I said tonight, when you are ready to start the repairs give me a shout and I will come over with the welder.
All the best, Jay.
quote:
Originally posted by PAULD
Ah well 4 hours in a&e. got minor whiplash. Dare not look at the car, probably needs new back panel, cross members straightening, and new fuel tank. Can't weld any more so that's a problem, but I can't part with her. Worried that it will get written off.
Thanks for the encouragement chaps. Having looked under the car, which was a struggle, the neck is still sore, I think the structural damage is confined to the cross members supporting the rear panel and the fuel tank. the insurers seem happy for me to repair it myself and I have found a company that can do a bespoke tank for around 200, so I'm more hopeful than yesterday.
Hi Paul
I will have a tank, deigned for a locost, as in mine 
for sale soon, I could mail you some pics and dimensions if you want
steve
Thanks Steve, I hope to start taking things apart to assess the damage in the next couple of days when the diazepam they put me on has worn off. How anyone can live on this stuff is a mystery, its like living in a fog. I'll be in touch.
That's a shame and I'm glad you got only whiplash.
Tbh sounds an easy fix, probably will be written off being a home built but just buy it back. Get a copy of the book, cheap welder off gumtree and
make up a new rear end, then sell the welder...
My JBA took a full head on and at first looked like it was twisted but when the bent metal was cut off the chassis sprung back into shape and I'm
sure yours will be just the same.
I might have a copy of "the book" as well Paul, and two rear Arches, and lights ???
let me know
steve
Thanks chaps. I am plucking up courage to go into the garage this evening and start stripping off the damage. I'll be in touch if I can use any of your kind offers. Fingers crossed. I used to fly competition free flight model aircraft which often were damaged. When the broken bits were removed they rarely looked as bad as first thought, I'm hoping that's the case with the car!.
What about insurance? as you cant go cutting stuff up with them writing the car off, and you buying it back
Also, a lot of insurance company's will not let you do that, I know, as I work for an Accident management company
steve
I'm not cutting anything at the moment. The insurance company asked for Photos of the damage, I've had to remove the jammed up spare wheel carrier and spare to find the damage to the rear panel which is stoved in and I need to get to the fuel tank to find if it is split.
Yeah if there is any possibility of a claim going through the insurance really you should not touch it until the claim is settled otherwise the insurance company may just void the policy including any claim made against you... If the car is written off then its not yours till you buy it off them so be careful and hold fire fiddling with it just now
Does anyone know the grade and gauge of the aluminium that Caterham use for the back panel?
I used 1.2mm on my locost,
I got a blank u2u from you Paul ?
steve
Decided to fix it myself. Insurance company sent an engineer round who new his stuff and advised me on how to fix it. We agreed a price and the guilty parties insurance paid straight away. Stripped off rear wings and rear panel, Jacked the cross members straight and made and fitted a new rear panel, repaired the fuel tank sender unit and made a new panhard rod. Straightened the spare wheel/ lights carrier, made a new number plate back plate and put on new lights. Had to spray the new panel outside, luckily on about the last good day for doing it. MOT'd and taxed yesterday and back on the road. I can only say thank heavens I built the rear out of the 1" square and the tank out of 3 mm, if I hadn't she would have been in the car with me, it took all I could push with a two ton jack to get the bottom members straight.
Yes! great news :-)
Well done, and well built in the first place.