The Lotus Grand Tourers

Takes me back to my lathing days.

Nice one!

Sun came out so did a bit more painting today!




Pete

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

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

Pete

Pete Boole wrote: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.

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

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

Dave the cog.

DavidOliver wrote: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

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.

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

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.

fueltheburn wrote: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

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

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



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

Pete

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?