350 tweaks and mods

[Jcx]

👌

[MrP_]

21 minutes ago, alias23 said:

@MrP_ awesome work buddy! Love the routing work... the paintings a real ball ache isn't it! Takes ages and soo much paint to get a nice smooth finish which doesn't show the grain.

If you've found a short cut on the painting let me know 

Cheers mate, completely agree on hiding the grain! Without doubt that took the time.
Shortcut wise, erm not really it’s a bloody slow process that eats paint 😂 Closest to a short cut I’ve found is plenty of spray putty, wet sand it back then epoxy and flat that before spraying. Sprayer then had a simple job, but didn’t save me much time. It’s  a thankless task however you do it!

[alias23]

1 hour ago, MrP_ said:

Cheers mate, completely agree on hiding the grain! Without doubt that took the time.
Shortcut wise, erm not really it’s a bloody slow process that eats paint 😂 Closest to a short cut I’ve found is plenty of spray putty, wet sand it back then epoxy and flat that before spraying. Sprayer then had a simple job, but didn’t save me much time. It’s  a thankless task however you do it!

Hear the pain buddy... it cracks me up when folks just say ‘it’s just wood’... we’ll not entirely as it seems to take days to get painted right. Great job really impressive

[MrP_]

1 hour ago, alias23 said:

Hear the pain buddy... it cracks me up when folks just say ‘it’s just wood’... we’ll not entirely as it seems to take days to get painted right. Great job really impressive

Should give people some idea if they don't see where the cost goes making 'em. And if anyones in the market for one, it's far easier to got the @alias23 version especially as its much cheaper than the alternatives - unless you really want to play around making your own  

[Atommad]

Fantastic work MrP,  love the car. 

[MrP_]

@Atommad thanks bud, appreciate it 👍

[Joseph Antabi]

Hi.

@MrP_

that 3M tape where you get it? what size is it

Edited May 31, 2020 by Bibs

[Bibs]

@Joseph Antabi

Are you serious?! You quoted the worlds longest post to ask what tape he used? 

Read this and pay attention to it please...

https://www.thelotusforums.com/forums/topic/109591-quoting-posts/  

[Joseph Antabi]

3 minutes ago, Bibs said:

@Joseph Antabi

Are you serious?! You quoted the worlds longest post to ask what tape he used? 

Read this and pay attention to it please...

https://www.thelotusforums.com/forums/topic/109591-quoting-posts/  

Excuse me, I didn't know what was going to happen, is there a way to erase it?

[Bibs]

I'll do it for you. Please just use the reply box rather than the quote button. You've quoted my post there which you really don't need to do! 

[GFWilliams]

1 hour ago, Joseph Antabi said:

Excuse me, I didn't know what was going to happen, is there a way to erase it?

I like the irony of quoting the post telling you not to quote the post...

[MrP_]

So anyway, quote politics aside... 

@Joseph Antabi Tape is 3m 9088, I use 12mm wide but it’s in various sizes it just works for that particular trim.

For refixing the 380/430 lip, the 19mm works well.

I buy from RS components in the UK, as there are so many fakes of 3M products out there and RS only sell genuine stuff even if you can save a few pence elsewhere.

VHB is also suitable, but it’s 2mm thick so I prefer not to use it. But many have and it works well

[GoldenGun]

Hi all!  Sorry for the delay but I was the one who purchased @MrP_’s amazing Sport 350.  
 

When I bought the car, it was absolutely perfect, dare I say even better than described by Paul.   I actually bought the car unseen, but felt very comfortable after speaking with Paul, as he is such a genuine and honest individual. 
 

Thought I may keep this thread going, in case anyone is interested in the additional tweaks that have been undertaken to this special example, as I can only hope to continue Paul’s great work. 
 

The car had the 2bular exhaust installed when I bought it, but unfortunately it wasn’t quite delivering the noise that I wanted. I decided to install a 380/410 muffler, and the matching downpipe from Lotus.  So it was essentially a plug-&-play install using genuine Lotus parts. 

Picture below showing the new (left) and old (right) downpipe.  The replacement has a larger diameter but installs directly to the manifolds (which I think were the same on the 350/380/410).

The car sounded much better with this upgrade, and I was able to do it all myself as I have access to a lift. 

Have to add a few more things which I will do later today to bring everything up to date. 
 

[KIMUTAKU]

Excellent choice on the exhaust!

It was my very first mod to the car as well when I got it: full 380 exhaust top to bottom, couldn’t be happier.

I just personally didn’t like the de-catted Larini system but I’m sure there are people out there who do, so to each his own.

Cheers.

[GoldenGun]

Thanks Alex, couldn't agree more!

[GoldenGun]

Other updates....  

I liked the look of the GRP rear lights.  I know the later Exige models had a smaller reverse light, but i like the dual lights on each side.

Before:

 

After
 

 

Brake lights:

 

(Sorry the car was a little dirty!)

 

[GoldenGun]

The rear transom also had some marks on it, which wouldn't come off with any cleaning (and i tried everything!).   Suspect it may have been the adhesive from the numberplate plinth.  The picture looks worse than it did in person, but very noticeable, and i was putting a short number plate on the car, so wouldn't even be covered up.

i knew a few people who had the transom painted in gloss black, rather than the original matt finish from factory.  I decided to have the LOTUS logo  painted on, in a more modern format and in yellow to match the other accents.

Before:

 

After:

[GoldenGun]

The wing mirrors on the Exige/Elise have always bothered me... just felt like such a shame that Lotus put such horrible looking mirrors on a car with baby supercar looks!

So I also changed them over to the nicer looking ones that some others have done.  A friend managed to help me source some carbon stalks (rather than the aluminium ones which save a bit of weight too!

Before:

88A441DA-AABC-4D85-84AE-5A14B881FEC8.heic

 

Edited January 4, 2022 by GoldenGun

[GoldenGun]

After:

 

 

The final touch was to paint the windscreen surround.  Luckily, @GFWilliams put me in touch with a fantastic painter (KSD) who was able to research how best to prime the plastic surround in order to ensure adhesion by the paint.

I'm super happy with the result and the car now looks perfect (IMHO!).

 

Fully appreciate that perhaps this won't be to everyone's taste (and not 100% original), but i think the enhancements are tasteful, and make the car look superb, in my naturally unbiased opinion!

[Paul_D]

I think that's a great set of mods, nicely done.

And for the record, I agree about the rear lights being better on the 350. I actually wish my 410 had the twin rear lights like yours. 

[MrP_]

Great work, nice to see her evolving. Really like it without the matte paint 👌

[GoldenGun]

2 minutes ago, Paul_D said:

I think that's a great set of mods, nicely done.

And for the record, I agree about the rear lights being better on the 350. I actually wish my 410 had the twin rear lights like yours. 

Thanks @Paul_D.  I've just been trying to keep up the good work that @MrP_ began, so very much in his shadow! 

Just now, MrP_ said:

Great work, nice to see her evolving. Really like it without the matte paint 👌

Thank you sir!  Means a lot coming from you, sincerely.

[JANG]

11 hours ago, GoldenGun said:

 

The final touch was to paint the windscreen surround.  Luckily, @GFWilliams put me in touch with a fantastic painter (KSD) who was able to research how best to prime the plastic surround in order to ensure adhesion by the paint.

I'm super happy with the result and the car now looks perfect (IMHO!).

 

Love all the changes you've made! 

In regards to painting the windscreen surround, was that done while on the car? (not sure if it is even removable). I'm getting my roof painted (body colour) soon and you've now got me thinking about doing the surround while I'm at it.

[GoldenGun]

3 hours ago, JANG said:

 

Love all the changes you've made! 

In regards to painting the windscreen surround, was that done while on the car? (not sure if it is even removable). I'm getting my roof painted (body colour) soon and you've now got me thinking about doing the surround while I'm at it.

Yes, it was done without removing it, and it has come out looking great.  I am based in Surrey in case you’re close by and want to have a look.  

[Toqcars]

Wow, have no clue that it's possible to paint the windscreen surround plastics. Looks epic, wanted 😀

Is it really that complicated to remove that part? I guess it's easier to paint the removed part, but should not flex it too much when putting it back (because color cracks)?