1968 Lotus Elan +2

[olivier]

Hello,

A week ago I bought a 1968 LHD Lotus Elan, she was the second to be imported in France in early 1968. Some parts are missing like rear and front bumper, except thes parts I think that all parts are in the boxes that came with the car. I have dismanteled the body from the chassis and I work on the chassis now. The body is metallic lagoon blue, not a genuine color. I have not found the color digits in the engine bay, but there and there a white color appears. that makes me think she was white but which one ? cirus white, monaco white, old english white... ? Is anybody know what is the 1968 colors paints for Elan + 2 ? and/or what was the white color paint code ?
I am also interested in the red color code for the chassis.

thank you for your answers or comments

[stugilmour]

Looks like a great project.

Based on the colour charts here, I would be thinking L4 - Cirrus White would be correct. It is highlighted for Plus 2 in the 1967 and 1969 charts.

http://www.lotus-europa.com/colors.html

If you post your VIN, some folks here may have the colour from copies of Lotus records. Although the archivist didn't have colour records for my car, you can try contacting him from the forum to see what he has in your car.

The Plus 2 front bumper is the same as the Europa. Might help with tracking one down.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LOTUS-EUROPA- ... Sww3tY5k-E

Rear bumper is Plus 2 only. The aftermarket ones typically have a straight bottom edge, where the original had a cove stamped in to them.

https://paulmattysportscars.co.uk/produ ... dy-elan-2/

Stu

https://paulmattysportscars.co.uk/produ ... dy-elan-2/

Stu

[olivier]

Thank you for your answer.

You confirm what I was thinking about, cirrus white seems to be the correct paint for this car.

http://lotuselan-plus2.be/trevorsparrow ... n_main.htm

I have contacted Andy Graham at Lotus, he gave me some information but nothing about the colour. He said that some records have been lost.

The bumper on ebay is already in my watch list

new bumpers are too expensive

chassis number is 50/0514

[john.p.clegg]

Just 299 away from mine...

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/391746419380? ... 1555.l2649

John

[olivier]

sorry John but the access to your ebay link is bloqued, can't have access from France

[Sea Ranch]

Regarding colour for chassis, it is my understanding (and experience) that Plus 2 chassis were always black paint on top of red primer (whereas some Elans were produced with only the red (so-called) primer.

Certainly my car (1970) bears this out, as I scraped through the layers.

Regards,

Randy

[olivier]

my chassis was covered with black blackson, a sort of very sticky fat bitumen. Before this "paint" I think it was red. I am not sure that a layer of paint recover the red primary.

[Sea Ranch]

Yeah, interesting. It can be tricky "archaeological" work to figure out the layers. On mine, there were definitely places where you could clearly see red and black paint, with no bitumen type stuff.

But could easily have been different practices at different times.

Randy

[Bigbaldybloke]

The chassis in my Plus 2 when I got it was a genuine lotus replacement that had been fitted around 1975, as I bought the car in 1977. It was painted in what looked like red oxide primer then a thin coat of black paint. The centre tunnel section had been painted in what looked like bitumastic paint to stick the sound deadening felt in place. It had been fitted at a Lotus dealer so should have been done to Lotus's recommended spec (if they had one!). This rotted through on the front towers in 1985. Its second replacement chassis which I fitted was a grey Spyder one that I then had powder coated black and used the same idea to secure the sound deadening felt over the centre section of the chassis.

[Bigbaldybloke]

The chassis in my Plus 2 when I got it was a genuine lotus replacement that had been fitted around 1975, as I bought the car in 1977. It was painted in what looked like red oxide primer then a thin coat of black paint. The centre tunnel section had been painted in what looked like bitumastic paint to stick the sound deadening felt in place. It had been fitted at a Lotus dealer so should have been done to Lotus's recommended spec (if they had one!). This rotted through on the front towers in 1985. Its second replacement chassis which I fitted was a grey Spyder one that I then had powder coated black and used the same idea to secure the sound deadening felt over the centre section of the chassis.

[olivier]

Did anyone repaired a Girling Servo ?
I would like to know how to dismantle the one without the clamping flange

[theelanman]

Did anyone repaired a Girling Servo ?
I would like to know how to dismantle the one without the clamping flange

I had one repaired.........never again........
it let go coming to a roundabout doing about 70mph.......good job no one was on the roundabout and I was in a Lotus...

I got it home and bought a lockheed servo........

and changed my trousers and required under garments..........

[olivier]

what went wrong in the rebuilding ?

[theelanman]

seals failed or were incorrectly fitted.........
the rebuilt servo was fitted over winter and by the time it went pop it was out of 'warranty'.....
needless to say the company that was used is now defunct......

Id always go with a very very professional rebuild....or preferably new

[Bigbaldybloke]

I rebuilt one years ago after the hydraulic seals failed and it filled up with brake fluid. From memory it was pretty straightforward and lasted for years. I think I needed to make some sort of tool by bending a coat hanger wire into a shape included in the seal kit instructions, still in my toolbox I think! If you can replace seals in brake calipers and cylinders you should be ok doing this.