Lotus Excel leaking sunroof

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dukeashton
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Re: Lotus Excel leaking sunroof

Post by dukeashton »

Update on the leaking sunroof and respray reqired.
I managed to fix the leaking sunroof buy prchasing some ribber U-channel edging/trim seal from a company called "themetalhouse2012" who I found on ebay. The channel is something they manufacture to provide edge protection for car doors and the do all sorts of sizes and are major suppliers to the automotive industry. I got something that would be a snug fit all around the outer edge of the glass panel which provided I figured 1.5mm of extra rubber on the underside to come into contact with the original seal which was no longer doing its job. it only cost a few quid inc postage and was an easy fit. It works! :D :D :D

However I am still hunting for a quality respray to cure the paint bubbling problem from the previous poor job and I will want the sunroof taken out and the roof re-glassed in. I have had eye watering quotes so far, the biggest being £26,000 inc VAT from Lotusbits ( including removing sunroof and reglassing). Now I know they will do a great job but the car is not going to be worth anywhere near that much and I am going to have to get a new headlining done when the pesky sunroof comes out and doubtless some other work too. Option 1 who are in Bromsgrove are cheapest so far and have said around £10,000 plus VAT.
I am interested to know if anyone can reccomend anyone else to me. I am willing to travel if a member has had a good experience.
Cheers
Duke

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bash
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Re: Lotus Excel leaking sunroof

Post by bash »

They sound like 'I dont want the job' prices, blimey !

Bash
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Re: Lotus Excel leaking sunroof

Post by Lotus-e-Clan »

bash wrote:
Sat Jun 05, 2021 22:47
They sound like 'I dont want the job' prices, blimey !

Bash
Yea bash. If you take away a 2£K for materials and fixed overheads and factor in £200 /day (£1000/week) labour for the trim removal /replacement/fiberglass work/paint prep/spraying, that makes it...
  • 1) 120 day job (24 weeks/~6 months) for Lotusbits @ £26,000 inc

    2) 50 day job (10 weeks/>2months) for the other guy @ £12,000 inc
The other consideration, given these quotes, is the potential impact on Excel/Elite/Eclat values if an aftermarket sunroof has been fitted. :shock:
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Re: Lotus Excel leaking sunroof

Post by dukeashton »

Regarding devaluation of cars with an aftermarket sunroof. The quote I have had for taking out the the sunroof alone and reglassing is £1000 (lotusbits). Seems to me the real problem is the cost of the whole-body respray.
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Duke

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Re: Lotus Excel leaking sunroof

Post by richardw »

I can't believe the quoted costs from Lotusbits. A few years ago I paid around £8k for a full stripdown/respray with the sunroof glassed in.

Richard Gosling has found what may be a decent and reasonable paint shop - we'll hear his report when its finished. Meanwhile, prices like this will kill a lot of cars that are otherwise fine, so we need to keep looking for good fibreglass repairers and painters.

Cheers, Richard
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Re: Lotus Excel leaking sunroof

Post by rbgosling »

Here is the story of my search for someone both decent and affordable to do my paint job. Here is the (ongoing) update of the work done so far. I haven't been over for 11 days, it should all be in primer by now, but he's had it for 6 weeks on a 4 week project and it ain't done yet! Still, the quote of "no more than" £3,000 is very reasonable, and everything I've seen him do shows he's doing it properly, doing all the work necessary to make sure it's a quality job that won't fall to pieces in a year or two's time, and knows what he's doing with fibreglass.
"Farmer" Richard

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Re: Lotus Excel leaking sunroof

Post by dukeashton »

Thank you very much for this Richard. Very informative and helpful.
Cheers
Duke

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Re: Lotus Excel leaking sunroof

Post by dukeashton »

Update on my search:
I have had a quote from Tony Williams Bodyshop in my home town of Malvern, who are a part of RetroMarques. It came in at £9750, which included removal of the sunroof and glassing in back to original spec. I was not entirely sure about their GRP knowledge, still rather pricey and the estimate made no mention of a guarantee, terms of business, etc. So I wrote back and asked about a guarantee. They say 3 months. They don't expect their work to last more than 3 months?
The search continues.
Duke

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Re: Lotus Excel leaking sunroof

Post by AndyC »

richardw wrote:
Sun Jun 06, 2021 16:33
I can't believe the quoted costs from Lotusbits. A few years ago I paid around £8k for a full stripdown/respray with the sunroof glassed in.

Richard Gosling has found what may be a decent and reasonable paint shop - we'll hear his report when its finished. Meanwhile, prices like this will kill a lot of cars that are otherwise fine, so we need to keep looking for good fibreglass repairers and painters.

Cheers, Richard
I look back fondly at the respray of my first Excel (later known as Lola), I believe it came in at £400 including materials (2 pack), although I had stripped the car and fully flatted down to the waist line, the sprayer ended up doing a scotchbrite pad number below that and spraying the whole car as he got the wrong colour so it was easier that re-doing the top half and bumpers etc in the correct shade.

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Re: Lotus Excel leaking sunroof

Post by dukeashton »

I have had a further reply from Retromarques, (Tony Williams Bodyshop) Director, Mark Knight following my remarks about the length of the guarantee...three months, which I consider inadequate and told them as much. They had quoted me £9750 for the paint job including glassing in the roof to rid me of the pesky sunroof. I would be finding the waistline trim, decals etc on top of that.
Posting the reply here below for members information. I have had different information regarding micro-blistering from different paint shops.
I would like to invite your comments:

Morning Duke,
Paintwork and warranties are not an easy subject, to be honest! Not because we have no faith in our work – we do, and we strive for high quality at a fair price – but simply because there is so much that is outside of our control and that may later affect the finish.
Many of the cars we are working on are ‘metal’ rather than GRP, as you will know I’m sure, and one simply cannot tell what is in the steel/alloy after so many years – 65 years in the case of my own Healey – and what is going to come out. The best one can hope for is a long-lasting finish where the metal is new, for example on a new shell for an MGB, or where the panels have been bare-metalled, but even here one can only ensure that the surface finish is clean and clear of any corrosion etc but that won’t tell you what’s underneath the surface!
GRP has similar problems but especially with regard to moisture lying in the panels. GRP is not watertight and does absorb moisture and that when that comes out into the paint layer it will lift the paint. That’s why so many Elans and SP250s are showing signs of microblistering! I know of one company where the car is baked for a period of time and then left in a dry workshop for several weeks just to try and get as much moisture out of the panels as possible, but even then there’s no certainty.
I’m not trying to make excuses, simply stating the reality as we know and understand it. We do believe in the quality of our own work and the final finish but the lack of control we have in terms of the underlying metal and/or GRP condition is the risk we see.
I will also say that we will always work with an owner to ensure the best possible outcome and that includes where there is an unforeseen problem following the work having been done.
I hope this helps, rest assured we’ll do all we can to ensure a quality job and good after-care. We care about our customers and their cars and want them to be happy with the work carried out and to be both returning to and recommending us!
Best regards,
Mark

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Re: Lotus Excel leaking sunroof

Post by Hawaiis0 »

I always believed micro blistering is from underlying moisture so I would support the comments. The remaining content seems reasonable too. We are not in a perfect world so there will always be a hair, pixie dust or micro blister some where.

Paint peeling after 2 months or the doors being a different shade to the body are things that shouldnt happen. Those are what the after care and warranty is for IMHO.

Price is on the high-ish side for me - but I have no gauge for a roof repair to off set it.

Waistline and trim are not difficult to find.

Just remember spending 10k on a 10k car for a paint job wont make it a 20k car. It will just be a 10k car with a great paint job.
Nothing is fool proof. Fools are clever!

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Re: Lotus Excel leaking sunroof

Post by richardw »

Mark, I have another lead for a body shop in Stourbridge, that specialises in grp. If you are still interested I can let you have the details.

Don’t pm me as I’m not getting messages at the moment but post here.

Cheers, Richard
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Re: Lotus Excel leaking sunroof

Post by dukeashton »

Richard
I am interested, thanks for that. Please let me know the details.
I am currently talking to a paint shop in Ledbury, close to where I live, they have a very long experience in accident repairs and also in classic restoration including a lot of GRP experience and guarantee their work for good spell. I have visited their workshop and seen their work so I am hopeful.
We really should do beer soon!
Cheers
Duke

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Re: Lotus Excel leaking sunroof

Post by richardw »

Email sent. Sorry I called you Mark!

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Re: Lotus Excel leaking sunroof

Post by dukeashton »

No problem Richard, I have been called much worse than that! :D
Duke

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