bonded or rubber seal windscreen

[davidcharlesrussell]

Hello all,
Bit of a clueless newbie here but needed to ask advice to make sure I order the correct rubber for my replacement windscreen.
My +2 is registered 1/1970 and is an S/130

my assumption was that from the age of my car, it is not bonded

Windscreen is out - all sorts of crud holding it in place. I know the apertures are different between bonded and not bonded, but not sure how different they look.

i have attached some photos - there seems to be a lip at the top, but i am not sure what the lip should look like on a bonded aperture.

Can anyone help me please and let me know. The standard rubber is about £30 but the bonded rubber is over £100 so just want to make sure I order the right one

Hope my ramblings make sense ....

David

[draenog]

Can't help with the pictures of the aperture, but what's the number on the VIN plate? January 1970 will be non-bonded but 130S wasn't introduced until 1971, by which time it had changed to bonded. Is your car a +2S which has had a big valve engine fitted?

P.S. bonded screens were introduced on federal +2S (i.e. US models) in January 1970 but quite a bit later on domestic models.

[alanr]

Your bodyshell from what can be assessed from the pics looks like it could possibly be able to take the rubber (not bonded) because of the shown upstand lip to the windscreen aperture.
There is caution however..
Because, as draenog points out, the reg date of Jan 1970 makes your car a +2S and not a +2S130 which confuses the issue somewhat because the bodyshell of the +2S130 ( which came in '71 onwards) definitely has a bonded screen (no rubber).
The rubber comes as just a straight length off a roll and I am sure Matty or whoever will sell you a couple of foot of it so my suggestion would be to do that and then you can do a mock up/trial and see how and if it would hold the screen along the bottom edge.

Alan.

[davidcharlesrussell]

Thanks for your replies draenog and Alan, really helpful.

My chassis number on MOTs and the V5C is 502083. Does that help provide a definitive answer?

I found the original sale agreement for the car and it says it is an S - not idea where I got it into my head it was the +2S130. I thought my local garage mentioned it so wonder if it was fitted later - how would I tell ?

From what you are both saying, then its almost certain its not bonded ...agree it is worth buying a small length of both if I can and do a mock up

[Lotusian]

As your car should clearly have a NON-BONDED screen I suggest you just buy the full length of rubber from Sue Miller.
Why?
Because she supplies detailed fitting instructions as well as the ‘chrome’ filler strip and fitting tool if needed.
Ian

[davidcharlesrussell]

Perfect, thank you all !
Regards

[jono]

Your car should actually have the continuous Consul Capri screen rubber with the stainless steel cover trim, however these are very hard to find and so you can fit the Sue Miller supplied rubber with the plastic insert (I did this to my 1970 S).

[davidcharlesrussell]

I still have the stainless steel trim; does this fit on the Sue miller supplied rubber ?

[alanr]

David,
Just to clarify for you because I sense you still have a misunderstanding.
A +2 either has a rubber to hold the screen in place or it is bonded in place. There is not two types of rubber used.
It is either rubber or it is not.
The bonded screen has no rubber used at all. It and its surround are fully bonded with a sealant to the bodyshell.

Hope this helps,

Alan

[davidcharlesrussell]

Thanks Alan

Makes perfect sense

It was this that threw me :

https://kelvedonlotus.co.uk/product/win ... te-plus-2/

[alanr]

I can now see why you are confused David.
That Kelvedon description of quite what they are selling there and for what version has me confused as well?

Alan

[alan.barker]

For me there are 3 ways the Windscreen is held in place.
First rubber seal and locking strip like used on back window.
Second special seal that is fitted with stainless trim like Ford Classic.
Third bonded screen with special plastic trim.
If your car is a S130 it will have Big Valve Camcover + "N" stamped on head casting.
Alan

[davidcharlesrussell]

Thanks Alan !

Regards

[mikealdren]

If your car is a S130 it will have Big Valve Camcover + "N" stamped on head casting.
Alan

That does depend on whether it has the original engine, it may not.
Lotus also sometime introduced changes gradually, using up spare parts in the factory. You may be better off looking at body and other differences between the +2S and 130, these include:
+2S has flush underbonnet lights set in the side of the engine bay, 130 has light mounted in the bonnet top rail
130 has a different bootlid and release mechanism from the earlier cars
+2S fog lamps are set in cutouts in the body with plastic liners, 130 has moulded recesses.
Some +2S have folding rear seat – dropped later as too expensive!
+2S dash has different (vacuum switch) on dash for lights, ammeter not voltmeter, ashtray not fuse box etc.
130 has a locking steering column
130 has one central screenwash jet, earlier cars have 2.
130 has failsafe headlights.

There quite a few other differences as well!

[jono]

Thanks Alan

Makes perfect sense

It was this that threw me :

https://kelvedonlotus.co.uk/product/win ... te-plus-2/

It's a confusing description the use of the term 'bonded' in that link.

In fact that's the correct continuous rubber to use with the stainless Consul Capri screen trim which your car should have - if the you have the trim (and the 3 jointing pieces) I would certainly use it as they give the car a very polished look and are desirable to have for sake of 'correctness' in your model and age of car