Esprit Turbo project car - part3 - the further continuation

[Lotusfab]

Front bumper repair

just finished drilling out the rusted screws! No point in cutting corners,, it's all coming to pieces!

Not the wire positions for reference, it's all got to go back the same, thank goodness for iPads!

Note 2 gaskets on the light.

[Lotusfab]

No more mice! Those dreaded  rivnuts again always waiting for you patiently and rusted! 

[Lotusfab]

Anyone know where to get the screw thread fixing as two were rotten? Or even something better?

[Andyww]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/JACK-NUTS-THREADED-INSERT-SCREW-ANCHORS-M4-M5-M6-BLIND-SPIDER-NUT-RIVNUT/361864889276?hash=item5440d403bc:m:m7Ow6RvhuVAfvjqSl1R9eyQ

[PhilW]

Andy. Had a look at the rivnuts on your link also. How do they work?  Do you drill a perfectly sized hole and then insert a rivnut. A very tight fit so it doesn't rotate when the bolt is screwed in and out?

[PhilW]

Threaded fixings in the body for the under tray are shot. Do you think these would work?

[silverfrost]

They look like a great option,  not only will it do the job, but also looks like it is easy to fit and will cause a lot less stress on the fiberglass imo 

[G_Reaper]

Lotus use Rivnuts (Jacknuts) :- Aluminium insert very similar to the wall fixings you use when fixing anything to a stud wall at home. They are designed to be inserted into a specific sized hole and a material thickness within the specified range of the type of Rivnut being used. Normally you need a rivnut insertion gun similar to a rivet gun only with a reverse threaded mandrel to screw into the threaded part of the Rivnut. This pulls the fixing to collapse it tight against the material the fixing has been placed through thus stopping it just spinning with any bolt or fixing that is screwed into it.

The easier fitting used for applications not under as much stress  as Rivnuts are called Rubnuts. Again these come in various sizes and depths for material thickness but as the name suggests the collapsible part of the insert is rubber so also acts as a good vibration isolator. No gun is needed to fit Rubnuts. Lotus used these extensively on the Elan M100 and later models. I can supply photos of both fixings and my Rivnut gun if anyone needs more info.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/M4-M5-M6-M8-Brass-Thread-Rubber-Rivnuts-Rivet-Nutserts-Rubnuts-Insert-Nuts/282732204333?hash=item41d427112d:m:mOOhKeZ0qCuQVuj-m4MXixA

[PhilW]

Mike

Photos would be appreciated if possible.

If no gun is need for Rubnuts how do they stay in the hole?  Must expand somehow?

[G_Reaper]

The rubber gives grip on the panel straight away as it is a tight fit if the hole is drilled the correct size, then as you screw a screw or nut into the Rubnut the rubber collapses and flattens in the same way as a rivet or Jack nut's cage preventing it pulling back through the hole.

Cheers Mike

[silverfrost]

Would these not rot/wear/ go brittle though like a lot of over rubber products over time and the panel comes loose etc ?,  compaired to the metal jacknuts with are deterioration free  ?

[Steve V8]

I've been looking for these badboys, used on the oilcooler to wheelarch grills, and the heater plenum, all of my originals were seized and a bugger to get out, you can't drill them, as soon as the drill bites the rubber let's go of its grip spinning the entire fixing, I found you could carefully pry them out, so I would be a little wary of using them as weight bearing such as undertrays, I think the spider nuts would be a safer option.

[Barrykearley]

Rivnuts all the way @Steve V8 anti seize compound and stainless fixings

[Andyww]

Replacing rivnuts with new ones is only going to work if the hole is in good condition. If not, I use the collapsing nuts I mentioned above or for heavier duty fixings nut-plates which can be riveted to the body each side:

https://www.merlinmotorsport.co.uk/s/bodywork-fasteners-and-catches/fastenings/anchor-nuts

 

[G_Reaper]

6 hours ago, silverfrost said:

Would these not rot/wear/ go brittle though like a lot of over rubber products over time and the panel comes loose etc ?,  compaired to the metal jacknuts with are deterioration free  ?

Yes they do go brittle over a very long time and exposure to heat etc. however they are very reliable as a fixing in the correct application and far better than Jacknuts at handling vibration. 

The Rivnuts tend to be aluminium you have corrosion issues and electrolytic reactions between the ali fixing and steel screws or bolts in the fixing so they are not deterioration free.

If you are replacing Rivnuts it is best to use stainless bolts or screws and plenty of grease as previously mentioned. The Rubnuts are not for use on high stress fixings as previously mentioned but are very good for applications such as wheel arch liners inspection covers door panels. The M100 Elan uses these fixings extensively. Depending on the manufacturer some of them seem to be made of a neoprene type material which should not degrade in the same way as rubber. You still have the same issue of bolts/screws seizing in the fixing so always lubricate any bolt or screw before screwing into the Rubnut fixing.  

Its really all down to application which works best. Also access to get the Rivnut gun in can be an issue when replacing damaged fixings.

Edited February 7, 2018 by G_Reaper2

[Lotusfab]

Well thanks to Mike at Supaspin the 70 mm caps are sorted.

The Decals have arrived I have measured them and they are perfect. Supplied by Alan at Decal fever.

I can't recommend the above guys highly enough. They supply top quality products at a reasonable price. Some of the pricing for parts now is quite frankly taking the pi...! 

If anyone has a spare indicator front lense and assembly Im your man. I damaged mine removing a rusted screw when I was tired, learnt my lesson there!

I also foolishly traded some parts when I was tired  and accidentally swapped off my fuel sender from the Turbo, which they would not swap back. So I have been forced to buy an after market one for a lot of money. It requires adjusting but is designed to work with the Smiths gauge. A picture is emerging!

Had some good news though, I now have sourced a cockpit stereo and wheel washers. Yes the Copper Fire Bond car does have a cockpit stereo!  I plan to have the wheel centres painted to match the decal gold colour and should be able to reassemble the comps soon! I have sold some of my Porsche wheels and all this thanks to forum members. I still have some Barrels 15 inch 20 hole Compomotive If anyone need theme for £100 each. Pm me, Cheers Lads!

[Lotusfab]

Bumper

have almost repaired the front bumper. The brackets are available from the Deroure website at a good price. I'm replacing all five with new. The bolts are 8 mm. The replacements will all be A2 stainless with anti seize paste.  I have replaced all of the plywood with 5 mm marine grade. Most of the fiberglass is removed and will rebond it with polyester resin and new Matt. . I am using wooden T nuts to secure the brackets to the plywood. I plan to give  it a coat of varnish and then Bond it in. Should last another forty years! I'm replacing all the rivnuts for the side lights with stainless. 

[Lotusfab]

Wheel centre cap badges

There are lots available on eBay. The 38 mm silver and black are the correct ones for my car. The ones available on eBay are printed stickers with a domed gel surface. I bought some thinking they might look the same. I was disappointed. S and J to the rescue they still have some of the correct ones. They are four times more expensive than the stickers,  but you get what you pay for and being such an important part of the car I think they need to be correct. To me the stickers just don't look right as there is no depth to them. (Real one on the right)

[Lotusfab]

oAt last I'm getting the wheel centres sorted, thanks to Mike at super spin. I think you'll agree they are a pretty good match for the originals. 

All of the new wheel nuts I have seen are incorrect. The originals for the Bond car car are Wolfrace with a 60 degree end to mate to the insert,(as the above Bond car wheel picture).The tricky bit is they are domed on the top the same as the S1 wheel nuts in appearance. I may have found a source, just waiting for a sample to arrive. I they are correct I will post the details here, so everyone can upgrade if they wish. 

Im selling all of my Compomotive Barrels and lips on eBay. I think th 5 3/4 Barrels I have are the correct ones for the Essex wheels with an original one inch lip. This would give a front tyre width of 7 inch. I also have the 4 inch BBS rear Lips for sale that have been  used by Lotus on the five stud Compomotive wheels. 

I have a little spare time coming up next month and plan to really progress this project. A lot of extra work coming in now as a result of my cockpit stereo thanks to Dave Noble on here, thanks Mate! ????????

[Lotusfab]

Well in a correction to my last S and J have gel coat  copies of the plastic badges.they are pretty good but as I prefer the originals I am looking for the plastic 38 mm ones. The one in the picture above is original. Has anyone got any spare to sell? Cheers.

[stephenwhyte]

You’ll notice the lettering shape on the originals is slightly different to the replicas too - I first noticed that from my steering wheel as the early back badges lettering is identical to the original wheel badge you’ve got there. It’s a subtle difference but still distinctive 

[Lotusfab]

Thanks Steve I'm glad I'm not the only one that noticed that! Yep I really do need to find some 38 mm old badges. Maybe there are only a handful of us who notice these things, but I do find it annoying when it's not correct. Shame the replicas aren't spot on it's pretty easy to make them correctly. 

Little quiz, which one is the real Compomotive badge, no prizes just for fun!

[Lotusfab]

Ok here's a little clue, the badge on the Bond car.look at the thickness of the letters. Especially the L and O. I had the same problem with the decals on my S1. Before I applied them I discovered they were all wrong and had to get the correct ones made! The trouble is so many cars now have the wrong decals they all look correct and the correct ones look wrong! Does any if this matter? Who knows but it's fun working these thing out.

The biggest thing for me is I know when they are correct and to me that's all that really matters, getting it correct as best as I can.

[Dan E]

Fabian you might want to check out LONDON Live on at the moment I am not watching it but looking for some old shite to watch and it is about OCD ?

[stephenwhyte]

Yup one on the left definitely original and I would think will match the one on your steering wheel assuming that’s original

Like you Fabian I believe detail is either right or wrong there’s no inbetween, otherwise where do you go. Not to Miami to compare the Fire Red paint that’s for sure - why would you bother, but you did to get it right......it’s all in the detail and that will make yours the best it can be.

Turbo Esprit decals are the other thing that need to be right - when they’re wrong a blind man would notice