Carbon Fibre tailgate - updates and tips

[exeterjeep]

16 minutes ago, Gadzooks said:

he only odd thing is when driving at night you think people behind are flashing you but it is just their lights moving between the slats

Had that more with my ZS V6 and its big spoiler. Seem to notice it less in the Evora for 2 reasons, 1  - don't go out much in the dark, and 2 - hardly bother to look in the mirror anyway.

[EGTE]

Hinge protector on; it wasn't too bad, although it would have been better to do it before final alignment......

Put a towel over the engine bay when you do this, as there are some shims that fall out and you might just drop a bolt as well. Having said that, you don't need/want the shims once you fit the protector.

I used a screwdriver down through the sail-panel grille to align the hole of the heat-pipe support tab when refitting.

 

Edited October 15, 2022 by EGTE

[electro_boy]

Hi All.

I took a look at my carbon tail gate today, I got the "unfinished/factory seconds" version.

It looks like its fully finished with glossy finish and just a few light scratches on it.   I was planning on just getting a detailer to give it a polish to remove the light scratches.

From reading through this thread, seems like thats the wrong action?  Even though the tailgate has a glossy finish it still needs a top coat of lacquer to prevent it from going milky? 

Can any bodyshop do this or does it have to be a carbon fibre specialist with some special top coat?

[Phaeton91]

Hiya.  I took it to a normal body shop - not a flashy pristine sort of place but one that had been recommended to me.  Also not sure if it’s a sign of quality or just of the area it’s in but he had what looked like a conveyor belt of range rovers with scrapes to deal with.  He said he used his best quality lacquer and that had the UV protection too, and that he put 4 coats on.  He only coated the outer faces.  The difference apparently is that with the top coat none of the fine scratches are visible and it’s effectively as glossy and shiny as a high gloss paint finish. 
I'm not sure if you can see exactly from these pictures what I mean, but there’s an enormous difference.

[EGTE]

Looks lot like the retail-quality one I bought, so that's a good sign! As you say, only the exterior needs lacquering.

[Phaeton91]

Does anyone know if there’s a recommending torque wrench setting for the CF tailgate bolts.  
 

I know that carbon fibre bike bits are done to specific torques and wondered if it was the same here.

[Phaeton91]

Fitted mine today - was fairly straightforward and am delighted with the way it looks

.   

[Rambo]

Looks good Phaeton. Suits your Evora 👍

[Phaeton91]

And this is how the hinge protector fits - please note though that it is on the passenger side (of a RHD vehicle).  

I also Have to add how I’m impressed with the way this has all been made and gone together.  The hinge protector is made from the same aluminium as the hinge and when you have these items in hand you can really feel the quality of design and engineering.  It’s sad to say but I’m becoming besotted with the car!

 

6 minutes ago, Rambo said:

Looks good Phaeton. Suits your Evora 👍

Thank you sir.  I don’t normally do mods but I’m very happy with this one.

[EGTE]

Have these had a price drop?

[Bibs]

https://shop.thelotusforums.com/collections/lotus-sale/products/special-offer-louvred-carbon-fibre-evora-tailgates

[EGTE]

Wow that's a mega-bargain.

[Bibs]

Yup - I think TLF alone have sold 5 this week, they'll not last long! 

[Jovver]

:sigh:

I wish I hadn’t seen this thread , but I couldn’t resist ordering one, this is an amazing bargain…

Edited November 2, 2022 by Jovver

[Phaeton91]

Don’t regret.  When you receive it you’re going to be chuffed. It’s a really attractive object considering it’s just part of a car!  And it gets even better when you get it on the car!

[EGTE]

Yes you won't regret it. I don't at twice the price!

[grog]

do you find the lack of rear visibility a problem? 
or is there some visibility through the louvres?

[cor]

Mine is on a 2010 evora, everything very straightforward.

only problem is my third brake light is different and does not fit.

[Jovver]

13 hours ago, EGTE said:

Yes you won't regret it. I don't at twice the price!

Yeah, I know, I’m really looking forward to seeing it in the ‘flesh!’

Just need to order the other bits and pieces to fit it now.

 

 

Edited November 3, 2022 by Jovver

[Bibs]

3 hours ago, cor said:

only problem is my third brake light is different and does not fit.

The newer version of the CHMSL is about £20 from Lotus I think, not bad! 

[Phaeton91]

The rear visibility is slightly affected but I never found it that great to start with.  Perhaps in the evening it’s harder to see what make of car is behind from their headlights but it’s not a problem for me.  As @Brussmentioned before it can from time to time seem like you’re being flashed by true car behind because of the slats.

8 hours ago, Bibs said:

The newer version of the CHMSL is about £20 from Lotus I think, not bad! 

I bought a new CHMSL, tailgate latch and bump stops.  The parts are very reasonable and the brake light fits perfectly with no adaptations required to the connector. 

It does seem like engine cooling is improved though. Don’t seem to get as much heat in the boot now but maybe that’s just the effect of the weather.

Not sure if cooling was partly the purpose of it being slatted when Lotus introduced it.

[Barrykearley]

Anyone got pics of how this stay bar prop thing works and fits. 

[Phaeton91]

On 05/12/2022 at 21:15, Barrykearley said:

Anyone got pics of how this stay bar prop thing works and fits. 

Here you go.  This is mine.  I drill one of the rivets out on the LH side and then enlarged the hole for the rubber grommet.  Can’t remember the size drill bit but it’s larger than you’d think - I suggest going up in increments. 
 

on the right hand support I simply used a bradawl to make a hole in the carpet rather than drill another hole in the fron t boot wall.  I simply screwed through the carpet with a washer for some stability.  The stay rod is light so puts no pressure on the carpet. 
 

Third picture shows that the grommet.  Be careful drilling through as the header tank is on the other side…

[Barrykearley]

Well - drive mine with the new tailgate on today.

rear view is absolutely fine - far better than I expected. But the noise - oh wow - yes that’s very different indeed. The darker engine bay also makes the engine cover look almost alien.

[Phaeton91]

Good to hear.  I’m still enjoying mine.  I also notice that heat dissipation seems much better too (even accounting for colder weather), so hopefully the fans won’t be working so hard in the summer. 

Still can’t get used to when I open the tailgate whilst it is wet though.  It wasn’t great before, but Henry cooper would be proud now because it really does splash it all over!