The Lotus Grand Tourers

Today I decided to take advantage of the sunshine and jet wash the underside of the Excel in case there was any road salt lingering in nooks and crannies.

The wheel arches where mostly body-coloured with the occasional black patch of what i thought was muck, which I expected to shift with the jet wash. The "muck" has stayed on the arches and on closer inspection appears to be a bitumen type underseal.

Were the cars undersealed by the factory when new ? I suppose it could be there to protect the plastic bodywork from damage by flying stones kicked up by the wheels.

I now have the choice of taking it all off or re-applying a fresh coat.

PS a warning

I read recently that tyres should never by jet washed as it will weaken them severely (something that had never occurred to me in the past).

On my '89 SE no underseal.
Black stoneguard applied to wheelarches and rear mudflaps only.

Hi Guys,

Yes it is underseal and always has been. On the Elans and Europas it is vital as it stops stones cracking into the underside of the front wings and causing gel cracks on the painted side - they are single skin over the top.

On the Excels they are double skinned so this isn't an issue but the secondary purpose is to dull the sound of the stones hitting the plastic!!

It does come off over time - mask the wheel arch returns off and slap a nice thick coat on, always a favourite job of mine!

Personally, on a light coloured car I think it looks odd to have a bodycoloured wheel arch - makes the wheels look lost in the arches.....

Jeremy.

Thanks for the advice chaps.

I'll be slapping on a fresh coat in due course