Lotus Elan and Lotus Elan Plus 2 Forums

Well, a couple of years pass and I'm futzing with the front bumper again - getting it painted to fix some nasty scratches.

When removing the bumper getting the nuts off the bumper bolts was impossible because the bolts simply rotated and there's no way to hold them. When I refitted the bumper a couple of years ago I had carefully tightened the nuts to not much more than finger tight because I realized that this could be a problem. But they apparently corroded slightly so in the end I had to cut them off.

So when I come to refit the bumper, what is the best approach? The holes in the bumper bobbins are round so don't provide any grip on the bolt. I was thinking of using nylon nuts?

Nick

I've just fitted my front bumper and the holes in mine were flat sided to hold the bolt head. I'm not sure what your options are if the holes are rounded off.

I found some stainless steel dome headed bolts with the square shank. They are slightly larger than standard but look fine and won't rust. But annoyingly I couldn't get the bumper right back enough to line up with the wheel arch profile. I suppose since both car front and bumper have been repaired after a collision it isn't too surprising.

Mike

The bumper trim stuff mentioned by elanner is also available in 5/8".
https://www.t-molding.com/5-8in-chrome-t-molding.html
I've used RDs newer style with good results lately, but shipping is $$$.

Thought you guys would get a kick out of this!
I got the trim strip from Ray, bendable but needs lots of restraints. No heating is necessary.
I used Loctite PL Marine for sealing

The bolt that Mike mentions with a square shank is called a carriage bolt here in Britain (England), they are available in stainless which polish up nicely with a bit of work. I used brass nuts which I hope will not corrode and seize onto the stainless bolt.

Hope this helps,

Richard Hawkins