First job jobbed - 2 more found !!!

Body parts, seats, dash, headlining, windows and stuff!

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MetBlue
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Model: Elite 74 & Excel 92 (SEish))
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Re: First job jobbed - 2 more found !!!

Post by MetBlue »

Any life left in this ?
Image

Image

Fortunately I bought from Fleabay recently a 3 piece bush set, knowing and reading that this bush can wear, but I wasn't quite expecting that. I was going to post the link, but it seems no longer available, although a search on 33505-35020 did find several more still around.

Other than difficulty in clearing all the old shards out, only real stumbling block was in fitting the new cup seat in. The two dowels stopped it going in and maybe due to the cold, the cup seat was quite hard( It was cold out there today). Dropped it in some boiling water for a few minutes though and just enough compliance returned to persuade it past.

All feels good after rebuilding, but can't test drive it yet as there's the small matter of a missing drivers seat.
That's all part of the endeavours to track water leaks into the cabin ( This job started as an exercise to remove the centre tunnel trim to convince myself water wasn't tracking along the tunnel before entering the rear O/S foot well - It was all dry as it turned out, which I guess is a good thing).

Tony
What goes together.... Must come apart.

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MetBlue
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Re: First job jobbed - 2 more found !!!

Post by MetBlue »

Leather repairs :
Drivers seat was a mess
Image

Furniture Clinic products to the rescue, - full works from filler to full re-colouring. Hard (as in time consuming) work, but very rewarding and pleased with the results.
Image

Can also see for the first time what the centre console project looks like when fitted into the car. It's sitting a bit further back than I'd really like, but doesn't look out of place . The lid and storage is easily reachable from the front seats without yoga position tricks. Maybe a future project to bring it forward and nest around the gear lever, but that's for another year
Image

Another good illustration of the colour contrast. Drivers seat and centre console is the FC colour match to a sample taken from the underside of the console trim.. Passenger seat is what you get after 30 years of wear and tear - and that was the good bit before !!!.

Hadn't realised, but it's approaching 2 months since I took the seat out and did the gear lever bush. Promised myself a drive once the seat was in, not least to see how the box felt but didn't quite get that far.
Started up with no issues and moved it approx 6 inches up the drive, just to turn the wheels, but daughters car blocking me in, so full test drive saved for later in the week.
BTW, that's the same 6 inches it rolled back when I hit the hand brake button by accident with my elbow. Again, daughters car behind, but I realised what was going on and pulled the brake back on with about 2mm between the 2 cars !!- Close one - But I suspect had they rolled into each other at that speed, the modern bumper of the Mini would have showed it's worth. - Bricks behind each wheel after that little event - lesson learnt.

When I have a few minutes, I might write up a separate thread on the seat repair products. Learnt a few things along the way, and not all previously recorded on other leather repair threads I've read.

Tony
What goes together.... Must come apart.

Pete Boole
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Re: First job jobbed - 2 more found !!!

Post by Pete Boole »

The arm rest looks really good! Great job on the seat re-conditioning - a further write-up would be good.

Pete

TrevorK
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Re: First job jobbed - 2 more found !!!

Post by TrevorK »

I would be interested in the seat repair thread, not that my seats need repair (yet) but to learn general leather repair tricks.
What car is that?

NigelD
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Re: First job jobbed - 2 more found !!!

Post by NigelD »

Very impressed with your work especially leather and paint repair. I have a med blue SA which is slowly shedding its skin (rather like a snake does). It would be really helpful if you were to find the time ( :roll: ) to detail exactly how you went about the paint repair. Sanding, base coating and clear coating, avoiding 'steps' between old and new etc.. I am about to start on mine and could use a 'real world' method rather than the frightening youtube videoas. I have a good supply of equipment but have a severe lack of courage! Interesting that you say the lacquer has had a slight yellowing effect on the base coat. My 'mediterranean blue' bears no resemblance anymore to the official lotus colour, it is more like 'mediterranean turquoise' now even a photo spectrometer cannot colour match it as it only seems to pick up the underlying base colour. Any advice you can offer on technique would be great. In the meantime keep up the good work which is inspiring for people like me. :D
Elan S4 DHC 1970
ELan +2S 130 1973
Elan +2s 130/5 1973 (Project)
Skoda vrs

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Hawaiis0
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Re: First job jobbed - 2 more found !!!

Post by Hawaiis0 »

The seat back looks fantastic. Great work
Nothing is fool proof. Fools are clever!

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MetBlue
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Re: First job jobbed - 2 more found !!!

Post by MetBlue »

Remember this common problem from earlier posts?

Image

It's over 6 months since I removed the rear seat back - don't time fly, but pleased to report that a memory is all it now is:

Image

Image

Just need to recolour the whole seat to that lovely Gold colour and then can finally refit.
Another job jobbed :D

Tony
What goes together.... Must come apart.

TrevorK
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Re: First job jobbed - 2 more found !!!

Post by TrevorK »

Very neat. Like you say, another one off the list. How many have been added since you finished the squab? It's sometimes difficult to complete jobs quicker than adding jobs.
What car is that?

Pete Boole
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Re: First job jobbed - 2 more found !!!

Post by Pete Boole »

That's really neat Tony - did you sew it by hand?

Pete

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Excel SA
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Re: First job jobbed - 2 more found !!!

Post by Excel SA »

Hi Tony,

How much leather paint did you need to order to re-coat the entire interior? You really need to do a proper write up on the process for us!

Neil.

Pete Boole
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Re: First job jobbed - 2 more found !!!

Post by Pete Boole »

Excel SA wrote:
Tue Mar 09, 2021 09:14
You really need to do a proper write up on the process for us!
What he said!

Come on - you've got nothing else to do :lol:

Pete

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MetBlue
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Re: First job jobbed - 2 more found !!!

Post by MetBlue »

. Come on - you've got nothing else to do :lol:
It's on the 'To Do' list, but if it's working to the same calendar as the Elite restoration don't hold your breath. 😀😀

Tony
What goes together.... Must come apart.

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MetBlue
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Re: First job jobbed - 2 more found !!!

Post by MetBlue »

did you sew it by hand?
Yes - All hand sewn. A picture now its all coloured to match
Image

5 minute job done today. Passenger seat removed ready for leather treatment. Incline back knob wobbly. Started dismantling with thoughts of cleaning the friction plates. Easy job to strip as far as seen in this photo :
Image
But after removing the M8 nut, that spider plate refused to pass what was a large burr on the bolt shaft.
Eventually decided on the old adage " If it ain't broke, don't fix it" so just tightened the nut, then loctite on the stake nut.
All good now. Another little annoying fault jobbed.

Tony
What goes together.... Must come apart.

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MetBlue
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Re: First job jobbed - 2 more found !!!

Post by MetBlue »

So nearly 9 months after removing my rear seat for some essential repairs, please to say that today I finally have a lotus 4 seater again ( the last 3 months or so, It's been a lotus single seater ! - Just drivers seat.)
Not quite completed the leather recolouring, Dash and drivers door card to go, but I got to the point where with a few meets looming, I just needed to get things back to a complete looking car for a while.

One job recently added to the to do list is the wiper motor brushes ( wiper currently only wanting to work on the fastest speed). Ordered a new brush plate this afternoon, but replacement definately going to have to wait until after Castle Combe now - Fingers crossed for us finally getting a dry weekend.

I fitted the front seats using some Tee bolts I made by tapping an M8 thread in a piece of 5mm thick, 12 mm wide steel bar, then inserting a 50mm long button head SS bolt through.
The bar sits in the lower channel of the runner ( so it won't turn) and when the slider is positioned flush at each end, the bolts holding the runner to the lower seat base stop the Tee bolt lifting. With this set up, you don't need anything inside the car to stop the bolt turning. All work is one handed from underneath.

Image

Much easier than needing to hold a bolt inside the car whilst tightening underneath.

Tony
What goes together.... Must come apart.

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Hawaiis0
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Re: First job jobbed - 2 more found !!!

Post by Hawaiis0 »

Re the wiper.
Most are saying brushes, but is there the possibility that the speed resistor coils are shot?
Nothing is fool proof. Fools are clever!

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