madmax

Hi Has anyone successfully managed to repair minor damage to a late Oatmeal interior? Im hoping someone does a worthwhile kit that’s the right base colour to repair an old small split and cover an historic cigarette burn that’s otherwise spoiling my nice original interior Bwfore and after cleaning shot - at least I know they’re clean now

In all my years and all my cars I’ve never found a cover that offers real protection from the elements without compromising some aspect of the paint finish. My worst fears are of microbliatering and I’ve seen it happen on a number of glass fibre cars in the ‘summers’ we seem to have here. One of my cars currently stands outside and is kept well polished with protective waxes. Then when the wind blows it dries the car off better than it being under a sweating cover. I don’t know what the answer is unless you have room for one of the covers that expands over the car like a canvas garage and doesn’t touch the paint. Saw one at the NEC but can’t remember the name

Thanks and sorry for no pictures - I’ll try to add some but the seal is the rear window seal for mybEuropa TC Special. Obviously it’s a very small window and so it’s tight but the seal comes in two distinct pieces - one that fits around the screen and the other is a fine rubber finishing trim that pushes into the outside. I don’t know why it’s designed like this but wondering if the fillet goes on afterwards Thanks thanks for these images and guidance chaps. Someone locally eventually took their car to a Lotus specialist to have this job done too so given what’s been said, perhaps I should do the same. Shame as it would have been an ‘easy’ job to have got sorted but already it’s proving to be a right pita. On an upside, my alloy restoration seems to be coming along ok

That’s the thing although on my car it’s a black rubber insert rather than chrome. Ive checked out some Toutube vids so have a better idea of what’s needed Thanks again

Thanks and sorry for no pictures - I’ll try to add some but the seal is the rear window seal for mybEuropa TC Special. Obviously it’s a very small window and so it’s tight but the seal comes in two distinct pieces - one that fits around the screen and the other is a fine rubber finishing trim that pushes into the outside. I don’t know why it’s designed like this but wondering if the fillet goes on afterwards Thanks

My old seal had perished and so a new one together with an ‘insert’ came from SJ Sportscars. I know these rubbers can be a pain to fit but does anyone know when the additional rubber fillet is fitted? Is it inserted into the main seal BEFORE trying to fit the seal and window to the car or afterwards? Not really sure how it’s supposed to fit together anyway as once everything’s in place I feel that it will be really difficult to squeeze it in. Any experience of this out there? Thanks Simon

I’ve dropped a mesage to Mr Foulds who seems to be somewhat more realistic and more in line with what I might have thought at about a quarter of a competitors price! That said, they only use Lotus belts so no blue belt option for me there

Hello I’m hoping to have the new Gates Blue Belts fitted to my Elite and Esprit Turbo before this new ‘season’ begins but fitting prices seem astronomical. Does anyone have any recent experience of likely costs so I can realign my expectations? I remeber when £1000 was considered expensive for Ferrari belts but wouldn’t have expected to see that sort of figure on our four cylinder cars Thanks as always

Does anyone know what the original Centre cap badges should be for these wheels? Mine have a slightly domed gel badge but I wouldn’t have thought that correct for an early eighties car. There appear to be flat badges on eBay and domed ones but one of mine is missing and I’d like to get it right. Thanks as always

Thanks ive modified the ones i bought and managed to get one side together quite like the look of one of those sets though

1982 Turbo and replacing rear wheel bearing. Whilst it’s off I thought I’d have a tidy up. Bought new springs and original shocks from SJ but I’m damned if I can compress them safely enough to get the new items on. Have bought two different types of screw clamp type compressors but the pugs are too big and so the shock absorber won’t fit up the middle. Anyone know of a tidy compressor suitable for these narrow springs? These things are just too bulky. I’ve trawled eBay but everything looks pretty much standard. Thanks as usual simon

Thanks I do have wires reconnected to the roof lights and before I did the headlining my boot light did work when the tailgate was lifted. I must have the wiring wrong though as I have nothing on any switch position. I’ll take a look at the diagram and see if I can work out which colour wires should go where.

Does anyone know how the three interior lights should be wired on my 78 Elite. Worked fine until I disconnected to fix the headlining and now none of them work either switched or on the door buttons. Thought id reconnected them ok but obviously not. All bulbs are good but I really don’t know which wires go to what connections. If I put a live feed in I can get them all to come on which confuses me further Thanks

hello again chaps i recently upgraded my membership status and was hoping to benefit from free postage for a tailored indoor cover for my ‘82 Esprit Turbo. When I try to order, the system always adds 16 quid or so postage and I can’t seem to find a way around this. Any advice please? Thanks Simon

Thanks for this- I’ll try the pm thing but not great at flying these internet devices!