Lip Spoiler Supplier - Help Wanted

[88milesPerHour]

I'm trying to source a replacement front lip spoiler for my S4S. Unfortunately the original didn't survive the ferry journey back from Le Mans this year!

The official part numbers are A082B5083K (left part) & A082B5084K (right part).

I have tried my local Lotus dealer but they say the factory is out of stock and currently have 35 on back order. Apparently Lotus are no longer using their original supplier for this part and are in the process of finding a new one.

Does anyone know of where I can get hold of either an original part or a copy? Does anyone know who the original supplier may be?

Thanks in anticipation...

[Funkyyellowgibbon]

www.sjsportscars.co.uk

[neal]

You could fit the S350 lower spoiler - left and right composite panels and rubber lip. It was used on the 02+ Esprits so there's more chance Lotus have them in stock.

Of course it is even lower, but the rubber lip flexes when it rubs against the ground without damaging the composite panels. So the effective ground clearance before you knock the panels completely off would be about the same as yours.

[OwenGT3]

Or fit the later V8 front lower valance with the different lower lip and rubber lip. I assume you are referring to the fibre glass black painted lip. Sounds like there could be a good line in sales if a mould was taken from one. I'm sure these items get replaced frequently.

I don't think this spoiler is lower, if it is it's because the suspension is lower, one of the AEG members has a V8 front end fitted to his GT3 and compared to my original GT3 set up, mine was lower. looking at the V8 front end it is tapered up towards the front, where's the GT3 is near enough parallel, it's not a lot, but I think it just raises the front a little, or it's my eyes gone screwy!

Owen

Mine with rubber lip.

V8 front lip.

This isn't a very close up picture, but it looks to show my point, I'm sure that front is tapered.

Edited August 28, 2008 by OwenGT3

[superdavelotus]

You can get a 02/S350 lip kit from Sj for about

[shadeone]

waht happens when you try to put this lip on a pre s4 stevens (with the boxier front bumper) ???

shade

[neal]

I don't think this spoiler is lower, if it is it's because the suspension is lower, one of the AEG members has a V8 front end fitted to his GT3 and compared to my original GT3 set up, mine was lower. looking at the V8 front end it is tapered up towards the front, where's the GT3 is near enough parallel, it's not a lot, but I think it just raises the front a little, or it's my eyes gone screwy!

The rubber lip on your spoiler is unusual. Pre-02, non S350 cars just had the two plastic skirts (made of plastic as opposed to fibreglass for some give), all painted black from the factory. You have these panels (now painted yellow) but with an additional rubber lip from somewhere.

[OwenGT3]

My lower lip is the standard GT3 lip painted body colour. This lip is made from fibreglass, it may be different on earlier models, but mine is fibreglass, if you look closely you can see where it's all crazed as it's hit the ground or speed ramps. The rubber lip is non standard, something I have fitted as I liked the look, but I didn't want to spend a fortune on the Lotus V8 lip which is something like

Edited August 28, 2008 by OwenGT3

[arbell9]

My front lower spoiler, factory fitted i assume 1999 is made of soft flexible plastic. The clearance goes over speed humps but catches on slopes as the weight is transferred down and forwards. You hear the scrape but it does protect the fibre glass above

[OwenGT3]

My front lower spoiler, factory fitted i assume 1999 is made of soft flexible plastic. The clearance goes over speed humps but catches on slopes as the weight is transferred down and forwards. You hear the scrape but it does protect the fibre glass above

When you mean 'plastic' do you actually mean plastic, or something that resembles plastic? Fibreglass is sometimes referred to as a sort of 'plastic', because I can't see Lotus making this out of plastic, even a reasonable flexible one, it would just smash and crack, and as Lotus nearly make everything out of fibreglass it seems to be made from fibreglass, I doubt I'm the only fibreglass lip spoiler. I know it is fibreglass because of how it splinted when I drilled the holes, also the drilled material was white in colour, another sign of fibreglass, also when I sanded it when I keyed it to glue the lip on first, the lip produced white dust, and lastly I could see the matting when I was under there fitting the lip.

The lower front valance is fibreglass as well, I think? But I think the bumpers are plastic deformable ones, well they were on the Stevens Esprit Turbo and SE's, I know this as I worked at the place that painted all the bumpers in the late 80's for Lotus. My GT3 bumpers look and feel like they are made from the same material, as is the rear bumper.

Owen

Edited August 29, 2008 by OwenGT3

[Simon350S]

Ale a lip is of a semi-ridgid/flexible rubber type

I know as ive taken him somewhere that it had a good old prang and it just bounced back to how it should be...!!

Thank fcuk...!!!! LOL

[Gasman GT3]

Just to pick up on something mentioned earlier in the thread, I have my GT3 in at the moment having a new front bumper fitted and painted. Initially I was told Lotus had none and wern't having any made at the moment, fortunaty Paul Mattey pulled a few strings and found me one otherwise I would have been waiting for months.

I have seen the bumper in it's raw state and was amazed to find it's not fibreglass but some strange hard rubber like material, like the lower lip.

my experience plus this thread has rung some alarm bells regarding body parts supply, does anyone know the long term plans of Lotus are for body parts?

[Loose Cannon]

In among all the hoopla of the parts sales is an underlying worry about basic parts availability very soon for us (hopefully ) long term owners. I can understand Lotus running out of cant rail moulding, tailgates and the like but front bumpers??????? That's like running a mountaineering shop and running out of warm socks. This bodyshape ran from 1992 to 2003 so in 11 years thats a lot of affected vehicles.

[mangel]

I think its PU plastic, I have one in the raw in stock just in case!!!

[Gasman GT3]

Toby, maybe you should do what that Duke has done and try and get the government to buy it for the bargain price of

[mangel]

I'll just keep it a little longer till the value goes up even more then!!!!

only bought it cos' it was cheap and thought hmmm that may come in handy one day.............must stop doing that I've got crap coming out my ears!!!

[oneshot]

I've got crap coming out my ears!!!

Perhaps you ought to see a doctor - that doesn't sound the right orifice to be coming out of

[mangel]

appointment booked for monday morning 9.10 am

[Bibs]

I hear from a knowledgable source...

Lotus currently have a supply problem with the Lip Spoilers (A082B5083K & A082B5084K). The Supplier has gone into liquidation. They are in the process of recovering and inspecting the tooling and discussing the manufacture with another supplier.

There is a suggestion on the thread that the components are Fibreglass. The genuine Lotus parts are not Fibreglass. The Lotus parts are plastic moulded components. Any Fibreglass parts did not come from Lotus.

On the same thread there is also a suggestion that Lotus do not have Front Bumpers. We currently have stock of Bumpers so there should be no problem with supply of this component.