Lotus Elan and Lotus Elan Plus 2 Forums

finally got someone who i feel happy with sorting the respray on my 1973 Laurel Green 130/5

hes been a sprayer all his life (now retired) and has done quite a few elans in his time so is familiar with the requirements of fibre glass cars.

car is a Laurel Green as stated above but the colour doesn't quite do it for me.

want to keep it near enough original but am thinking of going Lotus Motorsport Green instead of tracking down a Laurel Green match.

i figured its close enough as its not BRG just doesn't have the sludgyness the Laurel green has.

will be keeping the silver flake roof

anyone any thoughts on this? am i spoiling the rarity of the car by not being true to original colour?

I think if I were to choose that colour (or similar) I would go for the same as Shaun's -
lotuselan-plus2-f51/nearly-finished-t38047.html

I am contemplating a re-spray on my Elan and, living in Chester, very interested to note your confidence in the spray man that you mention.

Can I request more details, please? Have you spent a bit of time looking around, locally? What has brought to selecting this particular chap - seen any of his work, for example?

David,
Before you dismiss the original Laurel Green I would suggest buying a small amount (250ml?) and asking your sprayer to do some samples for you.

The 70's paint formulations are nowhere near as robust in finish as what's available now, therefore fading and discolouration of surviving examples can make them look very unexciting.

Otherwise I would thoroughly approve of Motorsport Green, its about the shade and depth of colour that enhances the appearance of a +2.

@ Kev. i do like that colour but if i'm going to change from laurel i think i prefer the Lotus Motor Sport Green as its a Lotus colour!

@ mmatt. spent at least 4 months phoning around with no joy, lots of peeps who were recommended either retired or say too big a job to do a full respray and make more out of dings and scratches so refused the work. one recommendation (in Southport) has about a 14 month waiting list! lots of people hadn't done a fibre glass car but said "i'll give it a go" which didn't sit well with me!

came across this guy by chance when was having some work done to wife's MX5, got chatting and he has retired, sold his business but us just finishing off a few of his own classics in the facilities of this garage. asked if he's done any elans in his time and he said plenty, knew all about the differences with fibre glass which many i have spoken to didn't. managed to convince him and the garage owner to squeeze another one in but will certainly ask if he would be prepared to look at yours. (see how he gets on with mine first though in case i'm been a poor judge! ) a lot of the cars he's done look really high standard and he sorted the wing mirror on the wife's car which had a big chunk missing and you'd never know so his filling skills are excellent.

@Spyder fan, the original paint is in really good condition below where the stick on front number plate was and there is just something about the colour i cant take too. if i was restoring to concourse condition and looking to maximise sale potential for originality i would go with it but as this in mine for ever (i hope!) i'm going to go with LMSG

I thought it was called Lotus Racing Green and it would look really nice on a +2, nearly as nice as Lagoon Blue with a silver roof, which looks very sophisticated. Not red, though, unless you`re called Gareth.
Jim

there are a few greens, this is definitely Motorsport Green.

collected on Monday on a flat bed, but drove on rather than winched! found out i need to adjust handbrake while waiting for wheels to be strapped!



I'm going to call in tomorrow to see progress

I like!

Great looking color combined with the metal flake roof.
Lotus Motorsport Green is a color that I've been seriously considering for my plus two. It goes to paint in five weeks. The problem that I'm having is sorting which of these:

Lotus B75 Motorsport Green M1362 (Dupont)
Lotus B142 Motorsport Green (2012 Evora)
Lotus B21 Racing Green Metallic Dupont L9051

...is the color I want. I have found several different sources stating that "positively (fill in the blank with any of the three codes above) is the real Lotus Motorsport Green". I'm looking for the deep green metallic shown on the car that jimj posted above. I know that there is a big difference between cameras, settings, and monitors but the range in the pictures shown is huge and I want to get it right.

Can anyone set me straight on these color codes?

Why don't you contact the factory direct? They should be able to help with current/recent colours.

Tim

Whilst you are investigating I'd also consider the period Mid Green, Metallic and Silver roof that Lotus introduced on the Plus 2s/130 circa July 1973. I believe it was a Renault colour and the Pinchin Johnson reference is 6170 A 2580.

deed is done on mine with lotus motorsport green b75

I updated in this thread here and am made up with the final colour outcome.

lotus-chassis-f36/work-progress-t38254.html

Slowly on with putting it back together!

Thanks to all! That helps.

David, The color of your car as pictured in the link you just posted looks perfect. It looked good in this thread, but a bit yellow and lighter. That, and other cars that have shown up in my searches looking lighter are what threw me off I think. Out here in the middle of nowhere, unlike the UK, there aren't very many Loti, of any year or model, to view in person.

Hopefully the M1362 number will give my paint shop a starting point to find this color. He routinely shoots Dupont products.

Although... that Renault Mid Green Metallic looks great on a Plus 2 as well. Only five weeks to totally change my mind and go with solid yellow or silver over 2017 Ford GT Liquid Red.