Elite restoration begins!

[Lotus-e-Clan]

Takes me back to my lathing days.

Nice one!

[Pete Boole]

Sun came out so did a bit more painting today!




Pete

[Lotus-e-Clan]

Wow - I forgot just how long those springs are - Chapman indeed liked long relatively soft springs well damped!

[Pete Boole]

It's hard to tell from the photos but the rears are also conically wound giving a progressive rate.

Pete

[Lotus-e-Clan]

It's hard to tell from the photos but the rears are also conically wound giving a progressive rate.

Pete

Much more or an intellectually interesting automotive engineering solution than the Excel's suspension.

[Pete Boole]

Decided to start tackling the body









I'm using a structural epoxy to join the two body halves back together - I shall then reinforce along the inside like it was originally - but stronger I hope!

Pete

[DavidOliver]

Have you considered stitching along the joint to limit bonding thickness?

Dave the cog.

[Pete Boole]

Have you considered stitching along the joint to limit bonding thickness?

Dave the cog.

Stitching as in sewing? The huge gap in the photo is reduced to a couple of mm when gently pushed back into place (hence the wooden batons), and the epoxy adhesive is fairly thixotropic - it looks like a good joint now it's set!
The stitching idea is a good one though! - I hadn't thought of that! The most troublesome bonding is going to be between the two half-shells at the front - over the wheel arch - it's impossible to reach the inside without cutting a hole somewhere - I shall have to give it a good looking at!!

Pete

[DavidOliver]

Hola Pete. As you have done it, that´s it.
The stitching is prepared loose, epoxy applied, stitching tightened up, excess epoxy removed, and once the epoxy takes strength you cut and remove the stitching, patching the small holes.
I use thin galvanised wire as it is quite pliable for stitching.
For one side access only, have a youtube look at using staples to prepare plastic bumper(fender) joints prior to plastic joint welding.

Dave the cog.

[Pete Boole]

Little update - I'd hoped the front end of the car would be more structurally sound




The body-to-chassis fixings in the engine bay had obviously been loose for a while - the bobbin is seriously eroded:




The area adjacent to the exhaust is so weakened I have had to reinforce it from the outside and inside:




This is what happens when Lotus fasten a component to a double-skinned area by bolting straight through it!!



Slow progress....


Pete

[fueltheburn]

Oooooft... sexiest bit of the car.
Love a bit of Kevlar weave
It's like lingerie on a pretty lady... you know its under all the clothing, you just have to find it.

[Pete Boole]

Oooooft... sexiest bit of the car.
Love a bit of Kevlar weave
It's like lingerie on a pretty lady... you know its under all the clothing, you just have to find it.

Pete

[Pete Boole]

LAST SEEN OVER 44 YEARS AGO!! Body shell in gel-coat. I thought all the micro-blisters in the paint were under the poor respray that the car had had in the past, but no - they were in the first layer of primer, hence having to go right back to the get-coat before repainting. Hideous job.








I can start repainting it now.

I think this has been covered before, but what colour would the inside of the wheel arches have been? I'm assuming body-coloured. I've removed all the underseal and paint here as well. Totally hideous job! Interestingly there is a small factory-fitted "insert" at the lower front of each wheel arch - presumably to allow more wheel/tyre clearance. I don't remember that on the Excel - obviously they had learned by then!

Pete

[Pete Boole]

Garage converted to spray booth for the next few weeks!!



Car raised at the front ready to paint the wheel arches.

Pete

[shaunw]

Looks like you've gone to great lengths to create clean bright environment Pete One thing though, how are you planning on breathing whilst you're spraying in there?