Wooden S3 Bulkhead replacement question.

[Guest Troy Halliday]

I have just removed my wooden bulkhead on my S3 as it was falling to bits with rot. I wanted to know if I could replace the bulkhead with Aluminium as apposed to Marine Ply.I just don't like the idea of putting another piece of wood back in the car, it seems illogical.

[Splashout]

I dont see why not. BUT

1. Heat i would think that it will transfer allot more heat through to the cabin than the wood one? and also possibly reflect more back towards the engine?

Something I would consider if going down this route is to try and incorporate a hatch in there somehow or make it removable. One of the ferraris had this i think. Maybe a hatch behind each seat or something this would then give increased access to the front of the engine and would make jobs like cam belt and thermostat change a doddle!

[Guest Troy Halliday]

Well the decision has been made after a few phone calls and a couple of replys on the Yahoo UK Lotus Esprit Forum

Nick Soldies wrote

Troy,

Be careful what material you choose if you move away from marine

ply. Lotus used it because it is stronger in compression than steel,

weight for weight. You may be reducing the structural integrity, the

stiffness of the body/chassis module and most imoportant, safety of

your Esprit. You don't want it to collapse around you if some one

runs in to your side. I would email the factory with your intentions

for their comments, or stick with what they used. Treated properly,

there is no reason why ply shouldn't last many years.

and

Martin Evans

Marine ply overcoated/saturated in epoxy resin would last almost

forever - it's good enough for wooden boats with constant exposure to

far worse conditions than the bulkhead ply gets (except James Bond's

SubEsprit obviously)

http://www.westsystem.com  for instructions

http://www.cfsnet.co.uk to buy it

So I rang my sheet material supplier tha I use for my carpentry work and purchased a sheet of 12mm High Grade Marine Ply for the costly some of

[Guest Troy Halliday]

The new bulkhead is now fitted and I have uploaded pictures to my diary.