S4s front splitter: where to buy?

[Giniw]

Hello Everyone,
I need the two halves of the front splitter for an Esprit S4s (that one: http://www.simoncars.co.uk/lotus/slides/Lotus Esprit S4 S 1995 front.jpg)
Alas if I am not wrong, it's not available anymore from Lotus ...
Is there an alternative production?

I have started trying to model it in 3D thanks to a few photos I found (especially from https://www.thelotusforums.com/forums/topic/44816-just-fitted-a-late-v8-lower-front-spoiler-lip/) to better understand the shape and possibly help me to make a mould but ... it's not easy ... especially with just photos — the middle part is probably rather wrong.

So, it would be nice if there were actually one to buy (and if it were not too expensive since I understand they probably don't last long ...)

Maybe the easiest solution would be to get a V8 front spoiler lip (with or without the fiber part) but I wonder whether the shape of the splitter let the air go to the front brakes or if it's just cosmetic? And I would prefer to keep my car stock if possible.

Thanks in advance for any help!

Edited January 26, 2017 by Giniw

[silverfrost]

Ebay uk has one listed i think, the breaker is Douglas valley breakers on ebay 

 

[jonwat]

Try SJSportscars, part number  SJ082B0054 £219.32 

 

[Loose Cannon]

The spoiler lip was in one of the parts sales at £50 a side but unsurprisingly sold out straight away and no longer available from Lotus. If you were very clever you could mould it, but it really needs to be something flexible to cope with the amount of grief it gets. I thought someone had made a carbon one some time ago, but perhaps it was just a wrap.

How mine has survived 19 years of various ramps and speedbumps I'll never know.

[Chillidoggy]

49 minutes ago, jonwat said:

Try SJSportscars, part number  SJ082B0054 £219.32 

 

 

That's not it, John. The one in question is the black plastic lip-spoiler that bolts up underneath the front GRP spoiler. As Mark said, it's in two halves, and is NLA from Lotus.

[Bibs]

Are these too big to be 3D printed?

[Chillidoggy]

Depends on how big your 3D printer is, I guess.

[Bibs]

Well that's the thing, they actually aren't very big but I'm not sure of the sizes of commercial ones. 

[Chillidoggy]

Nope, me neither, but it might be worth some investigation. And that could be useful for a number of obsolete Lotus parts, not just this one.

I imagine they're injection-moulded, so is there a mould-tool at Lotus somewhere, or were they outsourced to a sub-contract moulder? One for Brian Angus, perhaps?

[Giniw]

Thank you Everyone!

 

On 26/01/2017 at 05:27, silverfrost said:

Ebay uk has one listed i think, the breaker is Douglas valley breakers on ebay

Last time I asked him through ebay messaging system, he didn't have one, and I checked yesterday and I haven't found it. If you have a URL to share that would be great!

 

 

On 26/01/2017 at 11:25, ian29gte said:

That's not it, John.

Yes, the front splitter I am looking for is the black bottom part, just under the part SJ082B0054.

 

 

On 26/01/2017 at 10:43, Loose Cannon said:

How mine has survived 19 years of various ramps and speedbumps I'll never know.

Yes, I find it strange too, because I have seen photos from a lot of cars and most appear to have their front splitter in place. Maybe it's not that fragile after all. Still, the previous owner found a way to break it! That makes my car even more special, doesn't it?

 

 

On 26/01/2017 at 10:43, Loose Cannon said:

you could mould it, but it really needs to be something flexible to cope with the amount of grief it gets.

Yes, I think it would be a bad idea to make a fibre glass version because it would be broken at the first sleeping policeman ... So I was thinking of making a mould (maybe in fibre glass) and then try to cast one with PU resin ... But I don't know whether it would be OK ... (eg. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UgIS_5gZcDc)

 

On 26/01/2017 at 11:37, Bibs said:

Are these too big to be 3D printed?

 

On 26/01/2017 at 12:16, ian29gte said:

Nope, me neither, but it might be worth some investigation. And that could be useful for a number of obsolete Lotus parts, not just this one.

As for the 3D printing option, even if it's split in two halves, a single part is already quite big, and I'm afraid large 3D printing machines (ABS extrusion at least) are not available even in the industry. I think the big printers are like 30^3cm (~12 inches).
Maybe powder printing machines would fit but I was told it would be at a price.

That being said, any big part to print can be sliced before printing, so you just endup with assembling the parts after you print them. Not as straightforward but actually it's the best option I could think of so far (at least to make a positive sample which could be prepared to make a negative mould and then cast some PU resin in it.

If only I had a one (even broken), that would be simpler to make a mould!

PS: If someone has proper photos of that part (especially the underneath) it would be great if he can share them here

Edited January 27, 2017 by Giniw

[Giniw]

On 26/01/2017 at 02:20, Giniw said:

I wonder whether the shape of the splitter let the air go to the front brakes or if it's just cosmetic?

By the way, I have found a few photos of the underneath on @ian29gte's car, especially this one, and I think it shows that the vents at the corners are just totally fake, aren't they?

[Chillidoggy]

That's correct, there aren't any vents in the plastic spoiler, just the blind recess on each piece of it.

And another thing - it's always niggled me that the two halves don't meet in the middle, and I wonder whether that's how they were from new, or whether some shrinkage occurs over time.

[sailorbob]

Shrinkage I believe, almost as bad as the windscreen finishing strips

[Chillidoggy]

You tell how old the car is by measuring the width of spoiler gap!

[Giniw]

lol

Do you really think that there was no gap at all when it was new?

On that brochure photo there actually is a gap, which look similar to the other photos I have seen?!

Edited January 31, 2017 by Giniw

[Giniw]

On the other hand, that one doesn't show any gap ...

[OwenGT3]

I've got a complete old one from my car sitting in the shed doing nothing, message me regarding it.

I now have the SJ fibreglass V8 version with rubber front lip. My car is also lowered, yes it does it the odd speed bump and the road if you brake hard, but it's surprisingly strong. I removed the join in the middle and made it have a smooth one piece finish. 

[Giniw]

Oh yes indeed, I did know you changed your splitter for a v8 rubber lip because I had found the topic where you talked about it and used a photo you took to make my 3d model!

I didn't expect you to still have it though!

[stormy69]

i have one off the car but am out of town for another week or two. not for sale but i could provide detailed measurements

[Giniw]

That would be awesome, thanks in advance!!

Actually a series of photos might be enough if I find a good photogrammetry software ... I never tried any so far though, so I don't know if it's realistic to want to use one.

[Giniw]

Well, in the meantime I have managed to buy a right side second hand. That should allow me to adjust my CAD.

I will need to try to make the left one now ... (or eventually find a left side before I attempt anything )

[Bibs]

@SWLC are having these made up, pop them a PM

[mr.oogieboogie]

I have a spare side as one side took off a couple of years ago on the A1 . I will check what side it is tonight.

[mr.oogieboogie]

Looks like the drivers side

 

[Giniw]

@Bibs > Thanks, I didn't know that! I had checked their website and it's not listed there (and it's still not listed unless I am wrong)

@mr.oogieboogie > Too bad it's the side I already have! What did you replace it with? Nothing? The Sport 300 or late V8 rubber lip?