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Plus two with a stripe?

PostPosted: Wed Mar 18, 2015 4:21 pm
by Rokkbert
My plus two was re-sprayed once, before I got it, and all the correct documentation is there to say that it was re-sprayed the same colour, with the same stripe. It's a lotus yellow car with a black racing stripe. The car is a 1969 federal plus 2. I've seen one other car on the internet with the same stripe, however not in the same colour. So my question is this: why haven't I seen other plus 2's like this? Was it simply not a very popular option?

Re: Plus two with a stripe?

PostPosted: Wed Mar 18, 2015 6:28 pm
by Rokkbert
Here's a picture of the car

Re: Plus two with a stripe?

PostPosted: Wed Mar 18, 2015 7:03 pm
by cal44
Here comes the tough love..............

just because you see a stripe someone painted on a car doesn't mean it was an option. More like an opinion..............

mike

Re: Plus two with a stripe?

PostPosted: Wed Mar 18, 2015 7:20 pm
by Rokkbert
Oh I don't care about the value. I like the stripe and that's what matters. I was just curious because I have found a car with the same stripe in a different colour on the internet.

Re: Plus two with a stripe?

PostPosted: Wed Mar 18, 2015 7:31 pm
by Sea Ranch
Oh, nice one, Mike!! :mrgreen: :shock: :oops: :mrgreen:

And welcome to the forum, Rokkbert. I, too, am in BC (North Surrey). Hope to see your car at ABFM; drag, push, pull, drive!

Hope you found a solution to your ignition issue. Should be easy enough to track down. Could simply swap out your coils, too. I prefer the non-ballast resistor system, but ymmv.

Stripe is very curious. Not sure why you think it's from the factory. A stripe can be added later to a factory paint job, so having a stripe over factory paint doesn't make it a factory stripe. You can always contact Lotus for any info they may have on your car.

But as you say, if you like the stripe, keep it. If not, wet sand/polish it off. :mrgreen:

Best regards,

Randy

Re: Plus two with a stripe?

PostPosted: Wed Mar 18, 2015 7:38 pm
by Rokkbert
Yup, the stripe stays! At least for now. And I didn't mean to imply that I thought it was a factory option (although I did say option, oops). I just found it strange that an "aftermarket" stripe would be found on more than just my car. I've seen it on Elans as well so perhaps it's just a style that caught on. As for the coil I think I'm going to be putting in a non-ballast resistor coil for the meantime. Eventually I'm going to switch over to Pertronix electronic ignition and a flamethrower coil, but that's only if it won't upset the purists ;)

Re: Plus two with a stripe?

PostPosted: Wed Mar 18, 2015 7:48 pm
by Sea Ranch
Great. Then it's settled: we can expect you and your car to make an appearance this year. :wink:

And yes, "racing stripes" were definitely a trend for a time. Seen on "racing cars" and cars with owners who identify with the race scene or racing heritage of their car/model. Seen (way) more on street Elans than on street Plus 2s.

Hope you'll fill us in on where you got the car, what condition, what you've done to it, etc., on your "Hello from BC" thread. :mrgreen:

Randy

Re: Plus two with a stripe?

PostPosted: Wed Mar 18, 2015 7:58 pm
by Rokkbert
We'll see if it makes an appearance. I'm going regardless. We have had some other cars in the show before. My mum put in her 1961 Morris minor traveller, and a few years ago my dad put in his 1986 lotus esprit HCPi turbo, a grey one.

Re: Plus two with a stripe?

PostPosted: Wed Mar 18, 2015 8:08 pm
by Bill
Rokkbert - Randy

Stripes have always been an owners perogative.

See you at the ABFM, - I'll be in class 12, Lotus Open.

Bill

Re: Plus two with a stripe?

PostPosted: Wed Mar 18, 2015 8:37 pm
by Sea Ranch
Of course . . . an owner's perogative! As with all decisions made regarding a person's car. Such a personal thing, which is why we get attached to them :mrgreen: See you there, Bill (but without my car, for another couple years).

Rokkbert, we've met. I thought it might be you, now newly minted young adult and posting on the forum. We spoke a couple years ago when your dad and you stopped to chat with me about Lotus'. I was there with my Bahama Yellow (butterscotch) Plus 2S. I remember you two talking about all your cars!! Lovely.

Looking forward to the meet(ings) :wink:

Randy

Re: Plus two with a stripe?

PostPosted: Wed Mar 18, 2015 8:46 pm
by Rokkbert
Ah yes, Randy! I remember you, and your car, very well. Hopefully my plus 2 will be able to attend, however it may have to be just myself, my dad may be busy this year which is unfortunate. Either way I look forward to it.

Re: Plus two with a stripe?

PostPosted: Thu Mar 19, 2015 1:03 am
by roblotus79
Robert,

We need to help you get all those cars out there. Would love to see both the S1 esprit and Europa as well. I'm pretty sure I saw the Turbo before.

I'll be doing my best get my two out there.

Rob

Re: Plus two with a stripe?

PostPosted: Thu Mar 19, 2015 3:43 am
by Rokkbert
haha well thank you Rob. I'm looking forward to see your plus 2. The S1 esprit is currently on a lift so it'll be a while before we see that. The europa is in pieces being turned into a hill climb race car as we speak so it'll be even longer until that one makes an appearance, and the Esprit Turbo may have a primary fuel pump problem, but that still waits to be decided. I really hope that I can get my Plus 2 out to the show, but that's just a wish right now.

Re: Plus two with a stripe?

PostPosted: Thu Mar 19, 2015 5:01 pm
by denicholls2
An explanation I think is not unlikely but is hard to prove without corroboration is that the stripes were applied by the dealer as part of a promotion. In the mid sixties, such stripes were used to coax middle-aged Walter Mittys into showrooms and appeared on such lowly vehicles as the Falcon and Nova (the Cortina in Europe had a much sportier cachet. Nobody in the day would have prized their Falcon ownership as a badge of manliness, it meant you wanted very cheap, spartan (they didn't all have heaters!) somewhat-reliable secondary transportation). My father's '66 Falcon Futura had a dealer-applied vinyl decal set like this. Today the concept survives in the rear spoiler on low-end Toyotas.

The sets were aftermarket bits, but were frequently specialized to the contours of the particular car. The decals weathered badly, were devilish to remove and usually the cheap semi-metallic paint of the time (silver-blue in the Falcon's case) came off in chunks with them.

At respray, the decal would have to be removed, and most paint shops would consider it easier to duplicate in paint than to source an original decal.

Re: Plus two with a stripe?

PostPosted: Thu Mar 19, 2015 7:16 pm
by cal44
Lowly vehicles such as Falcons?..................might want to check the vintage racing Falcon Sprints in Europe still kicking some serious arse.
Oh' and the 1963 Monte runner Falcon Sprints..........
Lowly..............hmmm