Sump Colour? Black or Grey?

[AHM]

Hello All,

I'm ready to paint the sump for my engine rebuild and have it stripped and primed. The paint I took off was a thick layer of grey over a thin layer of black. I couldn't tell if the grey was applied at the factory or by a previous owner.

Please could someone tell me if the sump on an s4 se should be black or grey? I've checked the forum and can find differing opinions.

Thanks,

Simon

[AHM]

And gearbox?.... Green or Grey or Black???

[69S4]

Please could someone tell me if the sump on an s4 se should be black or grey? I've checked the forum and can find differing opinions.

Thanks,

Simon

My S4se sump's been black as long as I've had the car (early 80's). It didn't look like the previous owners were much into originality so I'd be surprised if they'd repainted it

[richardcox_lotus]

Ha Ha - just to prove that you can't take anything for Gospel - mine has always been grey............

(Makes it easier to see the oil stains)

Regards
Richard

[alexblack13]

Black for me. Hope I'm right as I have my one in that colour. Hides the oil leaks (If any!! ) better too..

In the end it's your motor. Your choice of advice. Run with the numbers.


Alex....

[bcmc33]

I can only speak from 1970 when all stamped (pressed) sumps at Ford were painted black, and before any consideration was given to do specials for specific builds.

That's not to say they could not have been repainted at Lotus, but very doubtful knowing the penny pinching attitude at that end.

[rgwitherell]

The sump of my S2 (26/4912), which I have owned since 1967, was originaly Grey.

[bcmc33]

It's interesting to note, that with two exceptions, the pictures of complete engines in the Miles Wilkins book show sumps as light coloured. As the pictures are black and white, I guess it is reasonable to assume that the light colour is grey.

Now whether they were originally grey is another matter. Perhaps a question to Miles is the 'best' answer.

The sump in my old 1965 S2 was black.

[Gray]

Hi

Certainly in the 70s sumps came in black (very thin paint) when supplied as parts, but were painted grey when Lotus supplied complete engines, having fitted both sumps and complete engines back then and done some work in a dealer's parts department in my spare time. As always there will be exceptions to the rules with Lotus, but probably grey is the most original colour for a sump for restoration.

As far as I know gearboxes were black.

Regards Gray

[redskatejbf]

Gray wrote .......gearboxes were black.........my S3 and S4 were both green, the S3 from almost new ,the S4 from new.

Regards John.

[cabc26b]

Grey and Grey on the S1's I have had.

[elansprint71]

Pistaccio and Heliotrope.

They all look the same after 500 miles.