The Lotus Grand Tourers

I'm trying to remove the black instrument binnacle so I can re-colour the leather between it and the wind screen. Pete Boole warned me at the restoration show that one of the fixings is difficult to remove. He wasn't joking. The other fixings were easy.
Looking at the service notes, VA internal trim, page 8, it says that there is plastic tubing to aid removal of this fixing. By taking out the lower instrument panel (the one with the choke) I can reach the tubing but how is it supposed to help? It fell apart and broke off anyway. Looks like the same tubing used as a petrol tank breather in the boot and just as fragile. Looks like a threaded stud but it is very difficult to get hold of and turn.
Has anyone else done this and how?

This is the offending item with tube broken off taken using a mirror


This picture shows the area we are talking about


The broken tube

I'd forgotten just how bad those ones are.

I'd suggest some long-handled pliers (not just long-nosed), or if you can get the old tube off with a long screwdriver, then try a new bit of tube guided by something inside it such as a pencil.

some bent taper nose may be worth a go. Leave the tube on for extra grip first before removing if nogo

Its out! After trying everything I could think of, I had to cut a slot in the fibre glass (see picture below). Not ideal but you won't be able to see it when the lower dash is back in. I could then get some pliers on it and managed to move it.



The prize



Now my dash looks like this



So now I am ready to recolour the leather in front of the windscreen and the binnacle but what other jobs could I do while access is good?
I have a new accelerator cable that could go in as the existing one is 31 years old so could be wise to change it. Lubricate the heater moving parts - anything else?

Thanks for the above replies

Bonnet cable lube ?

Lubricate all heater control cables and speedo cable..LED bulbs in speedometer , rev counter etc put blue in mine to match radio looks good...Ray

Well done Phil! I made a replacement "nut" when I did mine - I drilled and tapped a short length of steel rod and screwed a short cap head bolt into one end effectively making a long "gland nut" - you can then turn it from below (still with some difficulty) with a ball-ended hex key. Fun eh?

Pete

Pete Boole wrote:Well done Phil! I made a replacement "nut" when I did mine - I drilled and tapped a short length of steel rod and screwed a short cap head bolt into one end effectively making a long "gland nut" - you can then turn it from below (still with some difficulty) with a ball-ended hex key. Fun eh?

Pete

I'm hoping to get a nut back on using a short extension on a 1/4 inch drive taking advantage of the slot I have cut but I guess it won't be that easy.

Unless you are having any problems with the accelerator cable and its not frayed anywhere I would leave it alone. I had the same thought about putting a new cable in when I changed the engine but 1000 miles later, whilst on holiday in Dorset 300 miles from home, the sodding new one snapped. SJ's couriered a new one to me and I managed to repair it but, in my opinion, the original cable is better quality than the replacements.

Bash

Thanks for all the info, I need to remove the binnacle on my Excel as well so this sounds like fun. It's distorted along the top by the heater vents. Does anybody know a way to fix this or is it possible to find 'straight' replacements?

The top of the binnacle is also very shiny which reflect into the windscreen on a sunny day so I was wondering about covering the binnacle in something like alcantara?

Thanks
Carl

carlp wrote:Thanks for all the info, I need to remove the binnacle on my Excel as well so this sounds like fun. It's distorted along the top by the heater vents. Does anybody know a way to fix this or is it possible to find 'straight' replacements?

The top of the binnacle is also very shiny which reflect into the windscreen on a sunny day so I was wondering about covering the binnacle in something like alcantara?

Thanks
Carl

There are different ones on ebay with different coloured stitching. I have no idea if the quality is any good. Any one fitted one

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BLACK-STITCH ... Sw-W5U0JRf

Dash is all back in now. Jobs done - re coloured leather between binnacle and windscreen, re coloured binnacle, fitted new accelerator cable (old one was on its last legs), oiled all moving parts on heater/ controls and pedal box. Also wired in extra auxiliary sockets see below.






Found a use for that pocket. Cut a small hole through the carpet inside the pocket and threaded the wire behind the carpet and up to the cigarette lighter socket.

Excellent work Phil! Love the extra sockets!

Pete

So that's what that pocket's for

(Duplicate posting duplicate posting)