Stock frame or upgrade

[Elanintheforest]

Jim, having the red interior is a very rare option, and I would think it looks stunning with the white Coupe....any chance of a photo or two of the inside?

Mark

[Sea Ranch]

I concur; a beautiful colour combo.

Pix, please And thank you.

[alan.barker]

Could anyone say if the Spyder Chassis was ever homologated by UTAC and has Type approval
If not then cars fitted with a Spyder Chassis are illegal for road use .
I know in France when you take your car for the french MOT they look to see if the headlamp lenses are engraved with "E11".
Maybe Homologation is a bad subject
standby for action!!!!!!!!
Alan B

[Spyder fan]

Could anyone say if the Spyder Chassis was ever homologated by UTAC and has Type approval
If not then cars fitted with a Spyder Chassis are illegal for road use .
I know in France when you take your car for the french MOT they look to see if the headlamp lenses are engraved with "E11".
Maybe Homologation is a bad subject
standby for action!!!!!!!!
Alan B

Alan,
Well that's a can of worms Have the solid driveshaft conversions been homologated or any of the other aftermarket replacements / upgrades?
Maybe convertible +2's come under this banner?

I doubt that even the original Lotus chassis has any form of European type approval.

We should be asking who is checking these things and who is prosecuting offenders..... I suspect the answer is nobody and no one.

Regards

[Famous Frank]

Jim,

Since you are asking for opinions, here is mine and it's worth exactly what you are paying for it. If your frame isn't very rusty, then I would get it strengthened, perform a few of the 26R mods, and either paint it or have it powder coated after having it media blasted.

A couple of questions if I may? How do you know it's twisted? Especially if it's still under the body and the body hasn't been off?

Or maybe a better question is what makes you "THINK" it's twisted? Has is been in a wreck. Was there previous accident damage? Is it rusty to the point where you can visibly see negative camber on the front wheels?

I like keeping the original frame if at all possible and if it's not too bad, and it's made it all of these years, with a few of the TTR mods it will surely continue to go for a long, long time!

Good questions and good luck!

Frank

[GrUmPyBoDgEr]

Could anyone say if the Spyder Chassis was ever homologated by UTAC and has Type approval
If not then cars fitted with a Spyder Chassis are illegal for road use .
I know in France when you take your car for the french MOT they look to see if the headlamp lenses are engraved with "E11".
Maybe Homologation is a bad subject
standby for action!!!!!!!!
Alan B

Alan,
Well that's a can of worms Have the solid driveshaft conversions been homologated or any of the other aftermarket replacements / upgrades?
Maybe convertible +2's come under this banner?

I doubt that even the original Lotus chassis has any form of European type approval.

We should be asking who is checking these things and who is prosecuting offenders..... I suspect the answer is nobody and no one.

Regards

Not forgetting that this is an open forum it would be best to leave the can opener locked in the drawer.
The least I can say is that owners of older cars such as ours that use & modify them in the UK are living in the "promised land" in comparison to many other countries.
Shhhhh! The walls have ears!

Cheers
John

[nebogipfel]

........If your frame isn't very rusty, then I would get it strengthened, perform a few of the 26R mods, and either paint it or have it powder coated after having it media blasted............

..........A couple of questions if I may? How do you know it's twisted? Especially if it's still under the body and the body hasn't been off?

Frank

I do wonder how many of these "strengthened" and "modified" chassis are actually distorted by the welding process when all these mod's are applied?

If I was doing it (and I wouldn't) I'd certainly want it clamped in a jig during the process

and .........I know I'm laboring a point here but if originality is the goal, as soon as you weld various off cuts of steel all over a chassis it is no longer original, it's a bodged up chassis which was always frowned upon by Lotus themseves.

If you want a stronger chassis fit Spyder, if you want originality then it has to be an unmolested Lotus chassis IMO.

[ardee_selby]

If you want a stronger chassis fit Spyder, if you want originality then it has to be an unmolested Lotus chassis IMO.

There are those who consider galvanising a form of mole-station.

I was reading this old "advice" t'other day...mentions the front suspension pin replacement & localised repairs...

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/45450049/Rust%2 ... t%2001.jpg
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/45450049/Rust%2 ... t%2002.jpg

Cheers - Richard

[nebogipfel]

There are those who consider galvanising a form of mole-station.

I was reading this old "advice" t'other day...mentions the front suspension pin replacement & localised repairs...
Cheers - Richard

You really need to get your medication checked Richard

FWIW I think the advice in the attached article is fairly sound. I also think that with a chassis in a jig a competent welder could make a chassis sound again or even do some successful modifications. BUT, it will not be an original Lotus (or Spyder) chassis anymore.

My concern is that I suspect that these TT/26R (type) mods are often done by a "Fred in a shed" with mediocre welding ability, no jig and little idea how to construct a chassis.
I also think these mod's are fine for a track car but not for a treasured road car.

Just an opinion ....we were asked for them

[jimfixit]

Thanks for all your input. I guess I've been toying with the idea for about 15 years now. My life has changed and so has my reasons for keeping the car. 20 years ago, I wanted to mod it out so I can keep it a daily driver. Now I guess I just want to preserve it and make it a weekender. I'm leaning towards keeping the existing frame and getting it straightened. I'm pretty sure it is tweaked cause it leans low on the drivers side about 3 inches despite upgrading the springs. I have included a few pics of the interior and yes it does have a nice contrast. Thanks Jim