Lotus Elan and Lotus Elan Plus 2 Forums

There's been talk about the baby elan chassis that is red oxide in color but
with my +2S/130 body now off, it appears it's not been off before, and it's
clear under the jute pad in the center area that it is black--was Lotus actually
painting the chassis black on the later cars? Also, the wheel wells--I've
seen baby elans with body color wheel wells, which seems correct unless changed
later, but did the later cars (eg circa ''72 +2S/130 ) have factory painted
black wheel wells by then?--any consensus out there--trying to get how car would
have been painted coming out of Hethel! Gordon Sauer

Gordon,
My '72 Sprint had a black painted chassis from the factory but my '68 S4
had red oxide with black stuff (like bitumen) on top.

Cheers,
Pete.

***@***.***e:

I have had a look at my contemporary photographs of new Elans,
including factory press cars and those used in advertising. They all
appear to have black painted wheel wells. At the time of course, it
was popular to get the dealer to underseal your newly ordered car
(in fact it was pretty essential on British Leyland cars in the
early 70s!).

My choice would be to paint the wells the same matt black used for
the engine compartment. It is Lotus code L 08 and the Pinchin
Johnson code was PJ 0235X9050RZ, ICI Non Gloss Black.

Tim

--- In ***@***.***, Pete Taylor <elansprint71@...>
wrote:

At the time of course, it
was popular to get the dealer to underseal your newly ordered car

Tim,

The body section of the workshop manual says 3M's underseal was used
to help stop crazing on the wing underside and to help stop water
ingress. I would have thought it was black rather than colour coded.
My Elan had none and the wing tops have suffered accordingly.

Roy
'65 S2