Lotus Elan and Lotus Elan Plus 2 Forums

Posted: **Tue Apr 25, 2017 11:40 am**

1owner69Elan wrote:
This is probably the result of the repainting of the doors and not bothering with the blacking afterward.

This is half the problem i'm having myself, i've searched so many pictures trying to find old press issue with not much joy. 90% of the cars out there now have been repainted which makes details like this hard to pin down.

Just wish i had taken more pictures of mine before i started....... I assumed as my car was a 1970 S4 SE that was retrofitted by the factory it would be the same as the S4.

Posted: **Tue Apr 25, 2017 6:33 pm**

Pictures that I have collected over the years for exactly this issue:

Posted: **Tue Apr 25, 2017 8:13 pm**

for what it's worth, I've found photos of door inside of my first 1968 s4se FHC RHD (white, only 2 light recoats when I bought it)

: 1968 s4se door black

: 1968 s4se door black

ps: firewall dymo number 2520 is engraved.

I could not locate all the photos of the other one (same year, 100 VIN later, LHD federal, originally burnt sand or possibly french blue, 1 light recoat when I bought it) but I recall they were quite similar in that area and I asked the painter to replicate it : a stripe of about 2" all around the innermost surface of the door.

: 1968 s4se 100 VIN later door black

Posted: **Tue Apr 25, 2017 9:33 pm**

Nmaudit: What you show for your 68 S4 door blacking is consistent with my 69 S4.

But, it is clear this is different for the Sprint. Wonder if they changed this for the few S4's converted by the factory to Sprints?

I think that the factory figured out that the Sprint scheme was probably easier to apply as the blacking logically runs to clearly defined body seams. Easier to mask off and paint. I can see evidence of the "rough" masking on my car where the factory tried to follow the lower curve of my door with pieces of straight masking tape resulting in a non-smooth curved border edge (piecewise linear). Subtle but there.

Posted: **Wed Apr 26, 2017 8:12 am**

1owner69Elan wrote:Nmauduit: What you show for your 68 S4 door blacking is consistent with my 69 S4.

But, it is clear this is different for the Sprint. Wonder if they changed this for the few S4's converted by the factory to Sprints?

I think that the factory figured out that the Sprint scheme was probably easier to apply as the blacking logically runs to clearly defined body seams. Easier to mask off and paint. I can see evidence of the "rough" masking on my car where the factory tried to follow the lower curve of my door with pieces of straight masking tape resulting in a non-smooth curved border edge (piecewise linear). Subtle but there.

I don't know about sprints, but the black seems to have been applied with a brush, at least on my early car (the other one is assembled), on top of whatever was there... so not much masking involved I would think. The intention may have been not to get light being reflected from underneath the door card black vinyl.

Posted: **Wed Apr 26, 2017 10:19 am**

1owner69Elan wrote:But, it is clear this is different for the Sprint. Wonder if they changed this for the few S4's converted by the factory to Sprints?

Yes they did...... Mine is one of those S4 se's that where converted at the factory. It's why i was confused when the other S4's where done the same way as yours.

Posted: **Wed Apr 26, 2017 10:25 am**

nmauduit wrote: The intention may have been not to get light being reflected from underneath the door card black vinyl.

I noticed with my Elan with the Black not yet applied, if i'm sat inside with the door closed i can see a line of the white body colour between the black Sill trim and Black door pad which doesn't look very good in my opinion..

Posted: **Wed Apr 26, 2017 10:27 am**

pharriso wrote:Pictures that I have collected over the years for exactly this issue:

Thanks, that is exactly what i was looking for.

It looks like they painted the whole rear half of the door moulding to the inside edge of the seam.

Posted: **Wed Apr 26, 2017 6:30 pm**

My car is an original paint 1971 Federal Sprint, Type 36, one colour (Pistaccio)
The Black paint looks like it was applied by hand to the rear of the door and it follows the seam along under the door to the front.
The top of the door looks to have been sprayed and was masked along the outer edge of the drain channel.

It looks that there are several variations, all done to LOTUS procedures.(Lots Of Thought Usually Spontaneous).

Tim

Posted: **Wed Apr 26, 2017 10:16 pm**

My UK S4 Se is the same as the white one.

Perhaps a 2 tone paint job has an awkward join not covered by the sticker, so they painted the catch area black on sprints - just a thought.

Posted: **Thu Apr 27, 2017 7:32 pm**

Pics of a 73 Sprint that I know of that has never been resprayed and still with original paint.

Posted: **Thu Apr 27, 2017 7:37 pm**

Great pics, everyone! Thanks!

Next question (as we take this to the next level): What's the general consensus on the sheen? Flat?
semi flat? semi gloss?

Posted: **Thu Apr 27, 2017 8:05 pm**

types26/36 wrote:

sprint7-copy.jpg (51.05 KiB) Viewed 510 times

That's Interesting, your Rain channel is black. I thought mine was black too but i couldn't find a picture to back it up and my memory isn't that good.

Posted: **Thu Apr 27, 2017 8:17 pm**

My rain channel was originally black, too. JimBJ's pics also show a black rain channel.

Posted: **Thu Apr 27, 2017 8:19 pm**

gjz30075 wrote:Great pics, everyone! Thanks!

Next question (as we take this to the next level): What's the general consensus on the sheen? Flat?
semi flat? semi gloss?

I have a sample of the black i took off my car and it it is a good match for Cellulose matt black.... BUT i've used 2k satin simply because the Matt shows marks quite badly (the Matt black i have is actually Tetrosyl black board paint)

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