Dunc Posted February 2, 2015 Report Share Posted February 2, 2015 I have never seen access holes, or spindle winders like these on an éclat. Also, from above the motor looks smaller than I remember the Lucas TR7 looked?!? The access holes for getting at the manual winders look slightly home made. Is there any sign of glass fibre repairs/joining inside the wheel arch/ inner wing? I was wondering if it has had a front end repair at some point? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benco Posted February 2, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 2, 2015 Hi Duncan, I'm wondering about that too, there's definitely over-spray on the headlight pod pivots (presuming that they weren't like that from the factory). Below pictures of my pods and motors from the top, are these TR7 motors? Quote Ongoing restoration photos on the Dropbox link. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
directordanw Posted February 2, 2015 Report Share Posted February 2, 2015 (edited) Those look like TR7 motors to me. And in the second photo I think I can make out the line where the original inspection hole should be. Edited February 2, 2015 by directordanw Quote Regular restorer. Rather less reliable forum poster! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benco Posted February 2, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 2, 2015 No new fibreglass around the holes, just some scatty wooden panels (exterior ply?), that hold the radiator in place? What's a good replacement for these, some aluminium sheet or just new pieces of wood? Quote Ongoing restoration photos on the Dropbox link. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
directordanw Posted February 2, 2015 Report Share Posted February 2, 2015 That scatty plywood is an original Lotus feature! Perfectly sums up Colin Chapman's ethos - make it light and make it cheap. Quote Regular restorer. Rather less reliable forum poster! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dunc Posted February 2, 2015 Report Share Posted February 2, 2015 as mentioned by others, the plywood is originaland part of the original structure. Nowt wrong with that - good enough for the de haviland mosquito and the vickers Wellington, and good enough for countless Italian motor yachts = good enough for the nose of my car Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benco Posted February 5, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 5, 2015 (edited) Front bumper off this evening, just want to check the expected number of fixings. The manual said 6, I only found 3 (2 behind the sidelight pods and one above the grill. Is this a piece of home made bracketry above the air inlet? Edited February 5, 2015 by Benco Quote Ongoing restoration photos on the Dropbox link. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pbharcourt Posted February 5, 2015 Report Share Posted February 5, 2015 Thats genuine Lotus race engineering that is:) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benco Posted February 6, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 6, 2015 (edited) well that's staying then, :-) I've seen other videos where the bumper cavity has been filled with expanding foam, is that normal? worthwhile? Edited February 6, 2015 by Benco Quote Ongoing restoration photos on the Dropbox link. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benco Posted February 22, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 22, 2015 Been a steady couple of weeks on the car, nothing major apart from some very corroded electrical parts coming away during dismantling. Rear bumper is off (lost count of the bulb holder contacts that came away as I was teasing the leads off), all headlight motors are working fine (relief) so clearly the problem is within the electrical circuit. The last rear quarter panel is out and I bought a big tub of hide food to try and stabilise /salvage the leather parts wherever I can (one door card is good the other is shot). There are so many rusty parts that I've built a small derusting/electrolysis bath, tried it on the front mesh/grill this week and it worked a treat (I did however kill my small battery charger that was powering it) - so definitely going to try that on some of the door beam/brackets etc. I've also found a small workshop in Bristol that have just painted an Elite and will come round to price up my car (did anyone on here have their car painted in Kingswood last year?). Having read through a number of threads I'm leaning towards a reasonable not a mega respray (intend to use the car and it's bound to get scratched). Ok, most serious question now. Please have a look at the top of the rear chassis beam and let me know what you think. The galvanising appears to be spalling, showing the steel underneath, good news is though that the zinc layer seems to have done its job protecting the steelwork. Would appreciate views on this, need to take the body off now to get see how extensive this is? (And apologies for the upside down photo) Quote Ongoing restoration photos on the Dropbox link. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benco Posted April 6, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 6, 2015 Slowly getting there! Having wrestled with the passenger side door today finally removed it after putting a long extension tube over the 19mm spanner. Very rusty shims to be replaced in the future, I'm also beginning to see that I'll need a few tubes of sealant for all of the through body fixings. Went to the Coleford auto show his morning hoping to find some Eclat parts in the auto jumbles, was a very large collection of Lotus's, sadly the one Eclat that was going to there wasn't.... Even more reason to keep these going....maybe next years the target! Quote Ongoing restoration photos on the Dropbox link. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benco Posted June 1, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 1, 2015 Quick question on door beams....the ones on the car are pretty sound and I plan to keep them that way. Before I attack them for repainting, are these on the S2 also galvanised? Thanks Quote Ongoing restoration photos on the Dropbox link. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dunc Posted June 1, 2015 Report Share Posted June 1, 2015 No. not galvanised. (at least not on mine). D 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benco Posted June 1, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 1, 2015 Ok, thanks, good news then that they are in pretty good shape Quote Ongoing restoration photos on the Dropbox link. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benco Posted June 27, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 27, 2015 Does anyone know the thread size on the window frame bolts that go into the door frame, I tried my metric set and it didn't fit, with 6mm being the closest....just have a couple of sheared bolts to drill out. Thanks Terry Quote Ongoing restoration photos on the Dropbox link. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RivieraSte Posted May 13, 2020 Report Share Posted May 13, 2020 Did this restoration get much further? I am also restoring a 1982 calypso red riviera. I have just finished the respray and door rebuilds myself and am now onto stripping the engine for rebuild Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benco Posted May 16, 2020 Author Report Share Posted May 16, 2020 (edited) Hi, yes it’s on....but not quite as originally planned 🙂. So it’s back on (thanks to lockdown) and I’m now at the complete body off stage and I’ve stripped the chassis. Although it’s a galvanised chassis, there are quite a few places where the galvanising has been damaged/lost and there’s surface rust. Appreciate any advice here on best chassis treatment/refurbishment, should I get it soda blasted and powder coated or avoid this route completely (I’ve read too many reviews - some are great, some terrible). Sounds like you’re moving well on your car! Edited May 16, 2020 by Benco 1 1 Quote Ongoing restoration photos on the Dropbox link. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EXCEL V8 Posted May 16, 2020 Report Share Posted May 16, 2020 I'd get the chassis sand blasted, etch primed and painted. Personally I don't like powder coat - the smallest chip and moisture seems to creep under it. Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeeech Posted May 16, 2020 Report Share Posted May 16, 2020 I had mine shot blasted, hot zinc sprayed and powder coated... it's not rotten yet. but then it's not left the garage Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benco Posted May 17, 2020 Author Report Share Posted May 17, 2020 Thanks Mike and Pete, I think I’m going to go the blast and paint route. There’s a new place for chassis prep near me (Buzzweld in Yate) will reach out and see what they can do. Quote Ongoing restoration photos on the Dropbox link. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RivieraSte Posted May 17, 2020 Report Share Posted May 17, 2020 You got any pics of the car in general? The drop box link doesn't work? There is one of the nosecone earlier on in the thread. Is this the one I've seen in a historic for sale ad, parked up a driveway. Light interior and lots of green mould/algae on the paint? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benco Posted May 20, 2020 Author Report Share Posted May 20, 2020 Hi, yes a bit of a story, I’ve ended up with a different Riviera 🙂, I'll dig out some more photos of the body on the car (maybe my drop box has expired given how long ago I started on my journey!) 2 Quote Ongoing restoration photos on the Dropbox link. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benco Posted August 2, 2020 Author Report Share Posted August 2, 2020 Prep of the chassis going well, satisfyingly after a good couple of weekends managed to paint the entire chassis in rust encapsulator and when it’s dry again then I can get the chassis top coat on. Preparing for rebuilding - does anyone have a list of the thread sizes for the chassis mounted bolts, e.g for the radius arm mountings, handbrake mountings, gearbox, steering rack etc? If they’re all metric then I can clean those up with the taps I have otherwise will need to acquire some imperial sizes Thanks Terry 2 Quote Ongoing restoration photos on the Dropbox link. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RivieraSte Posted August 2, 2020 Report Share Posted August 2, 2020 Good work. Is this for the blue one or the red one? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benco Posted August 2, 2020 Author Report Share Posted August 2, 2020 Blue one, the red one was used in an exchange for this one. I’m hoping to get some black paint on this this afternoon looks like the rain is staying away. Quote Ongoing restoration photos on the Dropbox link. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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