Removing paint

[jono]

Well, I've been making good progress and the body is almost stripped - just the boot and rear panel to do and the door shuts.

I've been doing and hour or two most evenings and the odd full day at the weekends and its suprising how you get through it bit by bit. The DA as recommended by Teejay was certainly a game changer, that and using good quality (Sia) abrasives.

I started by chipping with a 20mm wood chisel down to the high build, the technique being to attack it obliquely and at the right angle - you find areas that slough off with ease, think you are flying and then find tough sections.

I then hand flat the high build with 120 grit to take the reside off then use the DA with a 120 Sia pad until you can just see the gel coating underneath, then I switch to a 240 Sia pad and then final a 320 Abranet pad which hardly touches the gel coat, it's just enough the take off the final patches of high build.

Pleasingly there are very few areas of accident damage - the drivers side is 100% free and the front nearside has an old repair which I will do again and there are a couple of splits on the wheel arches. I've already laid up a repair to the nose cone where it had been damaged in storage and now need to gring back the surrounding areas to effect stress crack repairs. Some spiders need attention on the bonnet.

Unfortunately the headlight pods have two snapped bolts which have been redrilled (bodged) and gone eccentric so it looks as if I will need to put in at least 2 new bobbins - could be challenging!

Next up I will be removing it fron the chassis and doing the underside before starting on the pin holes and fibreglass repairs.

I've decided it's going to be Cirrus white

[TeeJay]

Jon.
Good to see you are making great progress, brings back all the memories of the stubborn patience required and the frustrating feelings of questionings oneself as to why the need to go to such lengths.

BUT at the end of it all, the feeling of pride and satisfaction of knowing that the job has been done to the highest of standards.

Yes replacing bobbins is probably challenging, I’ve not had to do any myself, but I did strengthen the Pod fixing brackets as suggested by Club Lotus; as well as other areas; I had to use the same technique as laying up a new bobbins as detailed in the Manual.
Are the holes too eccentric to fit a helicoil?

The body is in really good condition, looks like the doors and bonnet all fit well.

Also interesting to see the original Seat Belts fitted (photo 2), same as fitted to my Jan 1968 + 2.
Keep up the good work.

Seat Belts

[jono]

Hi Trevor,

Thanks for the encouraging words - yes it's satisfying to know the job is being done as you would want it to be done. Aside from saving a fair bit of money you just know that corners would be cut if it were farmed out! (I know that from having engines built which is why I do my own now, you can take more care than a commercial operator)

Could you tell me more about the headlamp mounting strengthening comment and what's involved - I have never heard of that one before?

Yes, unfortunately the bobbins (at least 2) have been pretty much mullered by being far to off centre not to make a difference to the fit and alignment of the pods and so I will be re doing them. I've still not thought it through but there will be a way to approach it correctly. After all the work the last thing I want is ill fitting headlamp pods.

Well spotted on the Irving belt but unfortunately they are too far gone and so I will be trying to source some good used ones or else having new ones made up.

Cheers

Jon

[TeeJay]

Hi Jon.

I’ve looked for the article re the strengthening of known weak areas of the +2 body, regrettably not found it yet. It was not amongst the documents from Club Lotus, although there was some great info I had from them many years ago, I’ve been a member since 1975. I wonder if I am allowed to share it on this forum.

What I remember is that the early +2 was thicker than the later ones, so perhaps not an issue. Known areas that could be improved were where the Door handles, Boot hinges and Headlight Pod and Flange were fitted. I.e. the bolt holes.
If any of these areas have stress cracks in the gel coat, that’s an indication that needs attention.

I used 2 layers of fiber matt on the underside and if required dressed back the topside slightly and used a layer of tissue. On the Pods I used 2 layers of mat on the inside of all the surfaces and around the bobbins. On the body Pod flanges, I used 2 layers of matt over the inside of the complete flange and flowing across the underside of the body i.e. a “L” shape. Also ensure that no bolt holes get blocked.

Important to ensure that the added thickness in not thicker than the bolt length and that a nut can fully fit.

Do you have the Workshop manual pages that ref the Bobbin replacement technique, if not I could upload it. The article also explains how to use a block of wood as a mold to help with alignment.

So perhaps use 2 blocks of wood and a bar that passes through the existing bobbins. The bar diameter being the thread core size of the Pod bolts and the holes in the wood a clearance size for the bat to pass through. Use a suitable glue on the face of the wood; feed the bar through the first bobbin, position the wood blocks as bar is passed through to the other bobbin. Fix the blocks to the GRP.
When glue set, remove the damaged bobbin/s and position and glass in the replacement bobbin/s.

Just a suggestion as I am sure you will sort some suitable technique out to replace them.

All the best.

[alanr]

I realise you are a long way off needing them but regarding seat belts a company I highly recommend is FDTS who made an excellent job of rebuilding my Kangol interia seat belts. Rechromed the buckles/clasps with original Lotus logo with new reels and webbing all to original spec at a realistic price.
Sue Taylor(MD) is the person to speak to:-
http://www.fdts-seatbelts.co.uk/

Alan