The Lotus Grand Tourers

After a good few hours and help off the Facebook Lotus group members I managed to get the drivers door beam out. Is lotus bits the best place to go for a replacement? Do they come with the bracket that fastens it to the door near the hinges?
Cheers

Chris

You'll need to keep the hinge brackets - if that is what you mean.

You'll need a new pin and bushes.

LB may have one, but you may ask around on the forums, someone may have a spare

LB is your best bet.
If you're lucky, you'll find a decent second hand one, probably complete with the hinges, pin and check strap still fitted (refer my last point below).
Change the bushes and pin though for good measure. It's a lot of work and you really don't want to get it built back up only to find there is significant play in the hinge.

There area few differences to watch out for. The obvious is that early cars (74 -82 ish) have a different end plate to receive the door latch (B post end).
Then with the Excels, the last couple of production years had a different arrangement (geometry) for the Check strap. If you get the parts mixed, either the door won't close !!! or the strap won't latch.

Sure Mike will know the pit falls though and will help you get a matched set.

Good luck with the rebuild. Remind me, what car & MY do you have? - Pictures?

Tony

It’s an Excel 1985 narrow body, made in 84 and 85.
Fortunately for me I work close to Lotus bits in Warwickshire, so at least I can take parts in and hopefully replicate them for new.
I have lots to do, the drivers door is just one thing! As the car was stored for so long I have a long list of obvious things
Clutch is stuck on (engine out and new clutch)
Carbs need a refresh
Main Lights don’t pop up, or work
Refresh brakes
Refresh suspension
Change belts etc
I’m not a mechanic by any stretch of the imagination but hope to do some things myself with some help.
I started the door because it was scratching the paint as it dropped so much plus I wanted to sit in the car!! The frustration does get the better of me but I keep coming in the garage every day (so far)

I admire your commitment - every day at this time of year is no mean feet.

You'll do just fine if you approach things logically. They are pretty straight for ward beasts to work on.

If you've started with doors and beams, you've dived in at the deep end anyway. Once you've done one of them, you'll be an expert and ready for anything.

Tony

Chris, how is the window frame for rust, and why did you target the door beam for renewal? Photos?
With the new door beam consider providing water drainage to the upper part of the beam, the Ú´section holds water and rusts.
Patience when you come to refix and adjust the door latch.

Dave the cog.

I'll post this on behalf of Chris from FB

It looks like most rust is at the front end of the beam.
It is worth looking to see how rain runs down the leading edge
of the window frame and into the door space. I have used a considerable amount of
silicone to close off this ingress, the Elite carries a plastic shroud here, also needed silicone
to fully close up.

Dave the cog.

Filled mine up with closed cell plumbers aerosol foam about 20 years ago and they are still good considering Ive used mine year round for most of that time.
Bash

It appears water trickled down the window frame (front part) as the window frame is rotted through on the bottom of the front leg. I think the PO siliconed the window in but it wasn’t done that well.
Seems I need a drivers side window frame as well
Is Lotus bits the only place?

Cheers

Chris