Frame repair??

[nomad]

Wondering if its possible to buy just the front crossmember [vacuum tank and uprights]. Somewhere I've gotten the impression that it was possible at one time.

Kurt
26/3754

[types26/36]

The early manual shows the chassis in an exploded diagram but most of the parts are marked NS (not serviceable) with a note saying that a complete chassis would have to be ordered.
The later manual does not show the exploded diagram.

[nomad]

Probably the early manual that I got the idea from. Seems that there are quite a few chassis out there that only need the front repaired and a whole new section would not be difficult to weld in.

Kurt
26/3754

[rgh0]

Spyder used to do a service of rebuilding chassis with new front sections - dont know if they still do

cheers
Rohan

[nomad]

The freight on shipping a whole frame would be tremendous compared to shipping just the repair piece. Think I might have to check into it next week. Who now builds the original style chassis? They may be open to just a repair as well.

Kurt
26/3754

[Elanintheforest]

Kurt, Miles Wilkins has the concession to supply all pre-1980s Lotus parts, including the new Lotus chassis,which are built by Gartrac. Nothing much to do with Lotus!

Gartrac won't deal with you direst, and Miles won't sell bits of chassis.

http://www.gartrac.com/fabrication/lotu ... lLotus.htm

As mentioned above, Spyder used to repair old chassis units, most often by grafting a new front end onto an otherwise good chassis...They are your best option...

http://www.spydercars.co.uk/

It's not usual to have owners repair the chassis themselves in the UK as the chassis are (relatively) so cheap, and individuals don't have the jigs and (mostly) don't have the the welding / fabrication skills to do a good job on such a highly stressed and safety critical item. Hence you may find Spyder not supplying as well.

But you may be able to persuade them!

Mark

[gus]

I have done it don't bother

by the time the front dies the chassis has many other minor issues and should be replaced

Get a new spyder [which I did when my rebuilt front end eventually died again] or a new factory

[nomad]

Thanks Mark and Gus.

The rest of my frame looks fine and since I'm major cheapskate I guess I'll just have to roll up my sleeves! I've been welding all my life so the welding doesn't bother me just the fabrication and deciding how far to go.

Kurt
26/3754

[types26/36]

I was in the same position as you back in 2000, I was living in South Africa and need a chassis due to an accident on a rally where I destroyed the front end and chassis front. Too expensive to ship a chassis so I had someone fabricate the chassis front end including the "V" the front uprights and the vacuum chamber. The wishbone pins were made detachable as in Europa's and Spyder chassis's.
It took me a while to set up the suspension/steering but to this day it is still in the car with no tyre wear or steering pulling.
When I relocated back to the UK I brought the car and bought another chassis but I just cant be bothered to fit it as the car handles fine......maybe one day when I have the time/inclination I will change the chassis.
There are plenty of drawings around giving the chassis dimensions and I think I still have the ones I collected at the time so could probably mail you them if necessary.
If you can fabricate it all the better but if not I'm sure there are people who could do it for you.

[types26/36]

and here is a pic of the vacuum chamber (with tow eye)

[gus]

Honestly Kurt, no offense to your welding skills, but I had mine welded by really good welders, to better than factory[ the lower pins were off from new by quite a bit] but save your pennies and buy a chassis. The car is valuable enough[ where mine the chassis was 1/3 the cars value or more at the time] and you will be doing more work repairing than replacing.

Found on my chassis in 1986 :
front towers collapsed
rear towers slightly twisted[nothing to be done]
mounts for lower diff mounts torn from chassis
driver side lower suspension pin off by nearly 1/8 from factory[cut out and rewelded]
lower flanges thin from rust

After replacing both front towers and closing plates and repairing what could be done, in 1993:

both towers suffering tears and separation from chassis outriggers
cracks in engine bay area


Truly a new chassis is a bargain. Find a way to mitigate shipping and just do it, the car will be worth more when you are done than in repairing it, so by saving money, you are really not saving money

[nomad]

Thanks folks...I'm still reviewing option's with other things to do.

Kurt
26/3754