1978 Lotus Esprit S2

[LOTUSMAN33]

Excellent work, this is the best part of any build adding the finishing bits. I have just had the same issue with the headlight finisher surround which doesn’t sit right so looking for an original now. 
Keep up the good work and posting pics 👍🏻
Dave  

[Freemason]

1 hour ago, Fridge said:

Did you have to repair your 'B' pillar finishers before painting them?

The left one was intact. The right one, if you look closely at my first pic, the plastic has snapped off where the top two rivets/screws go. I think one of the bottom corners has also snapped off. 

I'm going to have to do some research to see if plastic can be fixed and who can do it in Sydney!

The SJ parts are fibreglass and completely stiff, so they can't be bent  to the natural curve of the body. I found them to be a different size and shape and because of this impossible to fit. 

[Paul Coleman]

3 hours ago, Freemason said:

The left one was intact. The right one, if you look closely at my first pic, the plastic has snapped off where the top two rivets/screws go. I think one of the bottom corners has also snapped off. 

I'm going to have to do some research to see if plastic can be fixed and who can do it in Sydney!

The SJ parts are fibreglass and completely stiff, so they can't be bent  to the natural curve of the body. I found them to be a different size and shape and because of this impossible to fit. 

You can make a glue for ABS parts out of some old ABS and acetone

[Freemason]

14 minutes ago, Paul Coleman said:

You can make a glue for ABS parts out of some old ABS and acetone

Unfortunately I've lost the bits that have snapped off...

[drdoom]

I suggest seeking an epoxy for repair/adhesive of plastics, G-Flex being the brand I use here in Canada. The stuff is tough, minimally flexible and adheres well to quite a number of plastic types. Repairs of the sort needed to salvage my OEM ABS bits like the headlamp surrounds, the B pillar duct covers, etc. will be done using this method with added chopped cloth mixed in where appropriate. I've already repaired the rad fans duct in this manner most satisfactorily. 

Cheers

[Rolls]

How will you paint it with the required texture? Coincidentally I’m also doing mine at the moment. Getting the broken bits professionally plastic welded back on... send yours down if you would like him to have a crack.

[Freemason]

I'm not bothering with the correct texture. I am pedantic about most things but not about seeking to match the finish of the original car. 

[Freemason]

Front bumper is screwed into the bodywork. I couldn't have this, so installed jack nuts so I can bolt the bumper in:

 

 

New titanium (what else?) bolts:

 

 

And new lenses:

 

 

Bumper on:

 

 

 

 

 

 

[LOTUSMAN33]

That looks superb, I not happy with my bumper securing especially since I have a void where the impact bumper was reducing securing so will follow your lead with this 👍🏻👍🏻
It’s such a nice part of the restoration when it all comes together and starts to look like a car again.
Dave  

[drdoom]

Very smart looking car, Antonio! So are the bumper fixing bolts concealed behind the indicator lamps?

[Freemason]

5 hours ago, drdoom said:

Very smart looking car, Antonio! So are the bumper fixing bolts concealed behind the indicator lamps?

Looking at the LH, you can see on the right there is a row of three jacknuts. The centre one holds the bumper in place. Then the indicators go over the top, and screw through the bumper and body. 

My indicators came from Mini Spares UK. The four holes are threaded and had bolts and nuts that probably fit a mini properly. It doesn't work for the Esprit because you don't have access to the inside of the front boot where the bumper screws in.

 I removed these nuts and bolts and put M4 bolts through the lens frame holes, fixing them to the jacknuts in the body. This makes the bumper and lenses very easy to remove any time, and prevents further damage to the bodywork.

I have banned screws into fibreglass on this car and am coming up with alternative solutions wherever I can. 

Edited September 25, 2020 by Freemason

[sprint123]

Hi Antonio,

looks very good again!

I will also mount the front bumper on my S2 soon. I guess that the black side trim goes around the front corner underneth the bumper. There is also a small cut out on both sides of my bumper, where the trim should go underneath. How is this detail made on your or other cars, I am not sure anymore. Which kind of U-rubber have you used between body an bumper? Does anyone have a picture?

Best, Lutz

[LOTUSMAN33]

I don’t have a good photo but you cut the back of the waistline trim down in a taper and end up with just the front face tucked behind the bumper and bonded, take your time trial fitting and it looks really neat. I need to replace mine as someone has replaced them and done a rough job so will drive me crazy until fixed..

Dave  

[Freemason]

Yes it looks like the waistline trim tucks in underneath the bumper.

I went to a local rubber shop with the bumper and trial fitted various sizes of u-rubber until I found one that felt right. 

[LOTUSMAN33]

The waistline trim is profiled and available through SJ although living down under shipping costs add up.

https://www.sjsportscars.com/parts-and-accessories/B076U6005V.htm

Around £45 for the required 13 metres.

Even SJ’s profile isn’t exactly correct but good enough, I have enough original stuff I bought years ago to do my car I think.

If you want to source in OZ I can always put a small sample in an envelope and post for you?

Dave  

 

[Fridge]

Yes, as @LOTUSMAN33 says, the waistline trim is cut away in a curve so that it fits under the cutout in the bumper edge.

Some the 'U' section often supplied in the UK isn't great. I'd prefer to replace mine with something better ideally.

BTW my front bumper bolts on from the front through bonded on reinforcement washers in the body shell. These bolt heads are recessed in the bumper beneath the Lucas light backplates. They work fine.

[Freemason]

The war on screws continues. The clips which hold the trim piece above the doors are screwed into the fibreglass. I removed them, and replaced with titanium nuts and bolts.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited October 24, 2020 by Freemason

[Rolls]

On 26/09/2020 at 21:05, Fridge said:

 

BTW my front bumper bolts on from the front through bonded on reinforcement washers in the body shell. These bolt heads are recessed in the bumper beneath the Lucas light backplates. They work fine.

@Fridge

ive just had a heart stopping moment... my front bumper for my s2 doesn’t have this attachment set up that you describe. Any chance you could share a pic please? I hope I don’t have to repaint??? 😞

[Fridge]

Hello @Rolls I can't remember how you've approached the fitting of the front bumper, but I'm sure you can make do with what you've done. There are often queries about this area, and folk over think the problem. Though it's quite simple.

There is a recess in the bumper, beneath the space for the side light/indicator unit. The SJ replacement bumpers need to be drilled to allow the fitting of bolt which passes through from the front.

A bolt can then be passed through and aligned with the corresponding hole in the body shell, where it is reinforced. I fitted a new penny washer for good measure, and spring washer with a locking nut to secure.

You can see from this photo previous owners had used their own makeshift methods to secure the bumper over the years.

Once secured the indicator units can then be fitted, as the Esprit versions are attached by self-tapping screws, rather than the bolted versions fitted to other cars. Another area that seems to confuse folk who have acquired Lucas sidelights from other cars thinking that they are all the same.

Note: I won't be able to post any more photos soon, as I will not be renewing my membership. But hopefully these explain the bumper fitting enough.

[Freemason]

Fridge is right, bumper goes on first, throught the recessed centre hole he describes. So the bumper is held on by a single bolt/screw either side. Then the lens unit goes over the top of the bumper, and screws through the four holes either side of the bumper and into the bodywork.

You will work your own way of doing this to avoid using screws into the glassfibre bodywork, as per factory. I used jacknuts in the body.

[Fridge]

When I began to take mine apart a previous owner had done exactly what @freemason says, and used long woodscrews to attach the bumper. Imagine! You can see the filled holes in the photo above.

Nothing needs to be drilled or screwed into the body shell. Just the original holes at each side for the bolts to attach as described above.

Though you may decide to use a better method of fitting the indicator/sidelight units rather than using self-tapping screws into the bumper recess.

[Freemason]