Restoration of my 1973 130/5 convertible

[ennio]

Hi Guys,

Just started the project, the body off the chassis at the workshop, the engine and gearbox at my home.

The chassis is the original one in quite good condition, only with surface rust, and 2 small cracks, one in the left engine mount and on in the right final drive mounting point. I will reinforce the chassis according to AVO and TTR information provided here.

When dismantling the front red Koni, one snapped at the top thread, unfortunately there is no rebuilder in Hong Kong and I have to replace it with. Any good one do you guys recommend?

And I find the chassis has "1972L" stamped behind the earthing point next to the left engine mount which I thought is the production year, but after checking the plate and document of the car shows chassis no. 7312 1974L making me believe it should be the chassis no. As the numbers are so close, I don't think the chassis is a replacement one, just the detail work at Lotus.

The 1st owner of the car is a Mr Terence John Cooper with registration RDG139M, the 2nd owner is a Mr John Arthur Williams who acquired it in 1974 and had it converted by CN and then brought to Hong Kong in 1989. I bought it 8 years ago and finally has time to restore it.

Ennio
Hong Kong

[cdraper]

I have an open +2 as well as a standard one. The open car has a Spyder chassis and feels much stiffer to drive than the standard closed car. As the CN conversion loses the stiffness of the roof I would go for a Spyder chassis - especially as it looks as if the rebuild is going to be"total" - end up with the best you can. Have heard of various door closeing problems on CN conversions with standard chassis.

[gerrym]

Picking up on the stiffness issues, I'd be tempted to reunite the chassis and body, rehang the doors. Then replace the side internal sill stiffeners. Until you do this the body can really move a lot even with a fixed head. So must be even more critical with the CN conversion. At least if you rehand the doors, you an see how much the body flexes and heck the gaps.

There's plenty of posts on replacing these sill members. Usually the original Lotus non galvanised sills have turned to powder from corrosion. Be prepared to repair the fibreglass where the rust from the bolts has eaten into the fibreglass and enlarged the holes. While you are at it, the seatbelt reinforcing plates will probably need replacing too (the ones behind the B post).


Regards
G

[kstrutt11]

I have a convertable on a standard chassis which I converted myself using CN components, Initially I was very unimpressed with the lack of rigidity and scuttle shake, In the end I closed in and foam filled several areas of the shell to stiffen it and added a framework behind the dash linking the door posts, steering column and transmission tunnel, this makes it pretty much like a std car.

[ennio]

Originally, I thought about a spyder chassis also, but the shipping cost to Hong Kong is very high almost same as shipping a car to HK. And the condition of the original frame is quite good, so I chose using it.

Regarding to the fibreglass body, it's so thin that you can even see a dim-light through it. In many area, the body shows its age, the tissue deliminated. And the sqaure opening for pedal box is in terrible condition. Fortunately, the shop doing the body is very capable of dealing fibreglass and fabricating of metal panel! New sill members will be made and like kstrutt11, a square reinforcing structure would be put in the foot well linking the door hinge post, under dash, foot well and transmission tunnel.

Now it's time to order parts for the brake, suspension, steering, engine and gearbox. But still no hint of what suspension damper is suitable!

[Hethel_Haus]

I'll be watching your progress to see what problems you encounter. My '73 +2S 130/5 will need a new paint job in the future too. Probably a body off affair to do it properly. I see a few other CN conversion owners here also. Any idea how many of these cars are left on the road? Just bought mine and love it!

Cheers!
Steve

[pauljones]

Could be an expensive option,but why not replace the suspension for a full Koni shocks and springs set up from TTR . I think its what ill be using when Ive saved up the money. Ive not found out from anyone of any problems with this set up, apart from being a harder, but then they are uprated and that's some ones opinion.

Paul,