New sill in place

[b-havers]

Hi all, returned home early from my summer vacation, because the new sills from Spyder had arrived

Spent 13 hrs in the garage yesterday, and fitted the new sill on the left hand side. What took most time was fitting all the small bolts on the bottom of the sill, and fitting the interior.

Fitting the Spyder sill was very easy, it fitted right in. And; it both felt and looked quite compact and of high quality.

Pictures; http://www.haverstad.net/lotus/elan/20060803.htm

Right hand sill will be fitted later this autumn. Most important right now is to get the car lisenced (next Thursday), and get the Caterham thru its MOT before October.

Next Thursday will also se the establishing of the Norwegian Lotus Register, with a Lotus gathering in my garden.. Pictures will follow

[thor]

Veldig bra Bj?rn, veldig bra-.........

(very good Bjorn, very good )

I'm driving the Elan to work today as I did yesterday, excellent behaviour in the heat, just back from driving to a meeting.

[Jason1]

OOOOOOOhhhhh those sill members look great

I am thinking of doing mine soon and will defo be getting the Spyder ones.

So fitting was easy?? Did you just remove the rear wheel and slide them in?

Jason

[b-havers]

So fitting was easy?? Did you just remove the rear wheel and slide them in?

Jason

Yes.
Had the car on jack stands (due to fixing all 4 wheels...).
Had previously removed all the little screws on the outer sill bottom, all the 12 rusty bolts holding the sill member to the body (had to remove the seat, carpet and noise reducting felt first). The remaining of the old sill more or less fell out of the car.

The new sill member was entered from the rear wheelarche, it was a bit narrow the last 20 cm before the rear part of the sill came clear of the rearpart of the wheelarch; then it was just to push it it. I bent the lower part of the outer sill (fibreglass) as far out as I dared, then the new sill member found its way into the dark of the body....

Quite simple; guess it took me some two-three minutes

I will replace the RH sill later this autum, can try to make a photo documentation on how-to-do then.

Thor; guess we'll meet next thursday?

[Jason1]

I bent the lower part of the outer sill (fibreglass) as far out as I dared,

This sounds like a job I'd best do before I think about the paintwork

Most people I have spoken to say the rear hub needs to come off to allow room to get the sill member in. Is the original member harder (excuse the punt) to get in??


I am going to go for the Spyder ones as they look very sturdy, but am curious.

Jason

[b-havers]

Most people I have spoken to say the rear hub needs to come off to allow room to get the sill member in. Is the original member harder (excuse the punt) to get in??


Jason

I don't know.
The main difference, from what I can se from the rest of the original sill, is that the Lotus-branded sill are triangular, whilst the Spyder ones are like a tube welded to a plate... If you understand what I mean...?
I guess the Spyder ones are more easy to fit; the world has changed in 35 years

[b-havers]

And no, I didn't remove the rear hub, just the wheel and the wheelnut.

[Jason1]

Thanks for the advice, I will be putting 'Spyder sill members' on my shopping list

Jason

[b-havers]

And you may also add upper seatbelt anchorages as well... Because the sill-fitting job require you to remove the padding beside the rear seats, and they must also be removed when fitting new seat-belt fasten plates. So; add GBP 99 to you list in addition to the 169 for the silll member kit...