Lotus Elan and Lotus Elan Plus 2 Forums

I haven't reported in quite a while, but my '69 Federal is slowly getting there. Starts nicely now, exhaust just done, dash is wired (but not in yet), interior still bare fiberglass.

Woo-hoo!! Good for you. Step by step, right? I'm looking forward to getting to that position

Curious about the choice to extend body colour just a half inch or so into the engine bay (as opposed to the factory 1 1/2 to 2 inches. And have you decided whether to leave the fresh air intake body colour or to overpaint it black like engine bay?

Randy

The only thing on the car when I got it was the paint (and not very good at that, but it has sanded & buffed out OK). I did repaint the bay, but that didn't move the color line.

Since it's not numbers-matching (but the engine it came with is a nice stout "M" block), I haven't sweated originality all that much. The K&N mounted there probably looks terrible to purists, but should function pretty well. Electric pump, Headers & Borla muffler, a few other deviations from purity.

I'm actually not sure what you mean by "fresh air intake" - the grills under the windshield? Aren't they chromed or plated?

JGeezer wrote:The only thing on the car when I got it was the paint (and not very good at that, but it has sanded & buffed out OK). I did repaint the bay, but that didn't move the color line.

Since it's not numbers-matching (but the engine it came with is a nice stout "M" block), I haven't sweated originality all that much. The K&N mounted there probably looks terrible to purists, but should function pretty well. Electric pump, Headers & Borla muffler, a few other deviations from purity.

I'm actually not sure what you mean by "fresh air intake" - the grills under the windshield? Aren't they chromed or plated?

Oh, do you mean the inside of the intake, under the grills? Never thought about it, came that way, but it's really just overspray not good paint. Thanks for noticing, I will touch that all up proper black.

JGeezer wrote:Oh, do you mean the inside of the intake, under the grills? Never thought about it, came that way, but it's really just overspray not good paint. Thanks for noticing, I will touch that all up proper black.

That should not be black, it should be body color.

CBUEB1771 wrote:

JGeezer wrote:Oh, do you mean the inside of the intake, under the grills? Never thought about it, came that way, but it's really just overspray not good paint. Thanks for noticing, I will touch that all up proper black.

That should not be black, it should be body color.

OK, thanks, I will leave it. Any idea what Sea Ranch was referring to?

JGeezer wrote:OK, thanks, I will leave it. Any idea what Sea Ranch was referring to?

I am pretty sure that Randy is referring to the fiberglass surfaces below the intake grilles, for example the bulge that accommodates the heater/defroster unit. On my federal +2S this area has always been body color and as you point out, it is not painted carefully. I should have also mentioned the finish on the grilles themselves. Mine were never plated, the casting was just polished. I remove them every couple of years and go over them with rubbing compound.

Yeah, my car has been stripped of paint for a while so I'd have to refer to photos just to remember whether my car had body colour down the fresh air intake track or not! (the twin openings in front of the front windscreen).

So you guys think that track should be body coloured, Russ?

In any case, I'm certainly not suggesting you should change things, JGeezer Just always interested in the choices owners make as they go through the rebuild process. Personally, I used to think (back when I wanted a Europa years ago) that I would make all sorts of mods to make it "better". I'm leaning the other way, now, with my Plus 2, but my car came to me very complete and original (though needing pretty much everything rebuilt), so it was an easy choice to go with stock.

Glad your paintwork cleaned up well. It's a huge job to strip and repair and paint

Regards!

Randy

Thanks for the info, Randy & Russ! I love this place.