Respray guidance

[muley]

Dear All:

After Donington I have begun to take Mesdame Stef's admonitions quite seriously that I should consider repainting my entire pinking and blistering red Elan rather than just the panels with the clearcoat issues.

Question: How much should I plan on disassembling the car for the painters? Should I take out the headlight pods? Take off the bumper caps? Badges? Seals?

If I am going to do this, then by all means I want it done correctly. All comments are welcomed and remember, not only am I a newbie, but I am a blithering idiot when it comes to paint and paint work.

Sincerely,

Algirdas

Algirdas (whats u'r 1st name again LOL)

I would take of as much as u can to keep cost down
ie

rear bumper
front spoiler and indicator lens
rear spoiler/tail
door mirrors
light pods
rear lights
glass door seal
all badges
side indicators
door locks
ariel

John Benk and both spray shops I've spoken to say the front bumper should be sprayed on a stand - so I'd whip that off as well.

Jim B

[Ultimatt]

Quick update...

My car has gone in for it's respray today Took the plunge
As I'm away for 10 days, I'm picking it up upon my return. Boy am I looking forward to seeing it completed.

I have opted for the safer option of keeping her all red and not going for the Team Lotus two tone. Apart from the additional cost, I just felt it would date it too much and I don't think it truly suits our design of Elan. The new Elise looks good in it but the shape lends itself better to the scheme.

However... I am going for an updated look with a new metallic red and completely refurbished and repainted wheels. As soon as I get her back I'll take some pics and post them here.

Matt

[pjohn151]

Looking forward to seeing the results

Phil

[Stef]

There is an Elan already done up in the team colours like the pics you posted, quite unique. Don't think I have any pictures of it though and I didn't see it at Donington this year either.

I have to disagree with the pricing of a re-spray. I paid less than £1k for mine and had a very good job done.

Go for reputation over everything else and try to pay cash.

Look forward to seeing your results!

[Paul.P]

Not being argumentative here, but Stef, i have to profoundly disagree with you. My local bodyshop prepares cars for the BTC , Maxpower shows etc, & the difference between a respray & a concours job is worlds apart !. The preparation is more thorough, the finish is better, they paint all the shuts, remove window seals etc, remove bumpers, bonnets etc, & you won't have any overspray. This is what you pay for, the time, not any extra for the paint. You & i, had a respray at a price, & we got a decent paint job, but what i was saying was that, if you can afford it, go to a top bodyshop, pay the price, & have a concours job.

[Dico]

But then you'd be doublley pissed off when the inevitable 1st stone chip arrives

but i know what you mean big foot.

[Paul.P]

But then you'd be doublley pissed off when the inevitable 1st stone chip arrives

but i know what you mean big foot.

I know what YOU mean as well !

Get some armourfed !

[Ultimatt]

Quick update for you guys... Just so you don't all think it went tits up and i'm now crying into my cornflakes.

Car is still at the spray shop. I asked them to do a couple of extras to finish off the job. Went to inspect it last Friday and it is looking fab. Car was in bits of course and all masked up with spray dust everywhere, but the finished coat had been applied and cured and was waiting for cutting back and polishing.

Don't know if it's of value to anyone but this is what they have done and charged:

Removed bumpers, bonnet, headlight pods, boot, spoiler, hood stowage lid, wing mirrors, door glass and finishing strips, fuel filler cover, all lights and lenses, number plates and rear number plate plinth and all badges. (didn't notice if they'd done the door locks)

Complete respray, including all shuts (door sill, boot etc), but not internals such as engine bay.

Wheels refurbished and resprayed... New colour (have to wait to see these)

They ordered new window seals from Lotus (old ones were split and worn and would have detracted from the finish)

New rear name badges were ordered from Lotus (old ones were looking weathered)

Few finishing touches to the black strip between windscreen and bonnet and the rear number plate plinth has been sprayed.

Also asked them to repair part of the interior trim where the dash plastic had curled up from the sun on the passenger side by the tunnel.

All in - Not including parts from Lotus and interior trim fixing: £1400

I have been assured that the car will not leave their workshop till I am more than 100% happy with the finished job.

Can't wait to see it now... Only 28 hours till pick up

Matt

[Rogerf]

Matt
Sounds like a 'pukka' job.
Hope you can post some pics!!
Roger

[Monty]

Sounds like a great price and seems there putting the time in, look forward to the pic`s

[Ultimatt]

Picked her up from the bodyshop this morning. Obviously it was the wetest, dullest day of the week

Great job all round, but the disassembly and reassembly has left some of the old and previously tatty rubber trim even more so

She is booked in for a new soft top fitting next week, so upon her return, and the emergence of some sunshine, I will take some photos for posting.

The few extras that I had done, included the respraying of the rear number plate plinth and the fixing of the turned up centre console trim, plus the lotus parts and badges came to a further £425 on top of the original price (£250+ of which was the parts from Lotus ) Leaving a grand total for the whole job of £1825.

Matt

[Ultimatt]

OK.. finally got out and took some photographs of the 'nearly' finished article. Still a few touches to complete the cosmetic work and then on to tackle the mechanics
[/img]

[Ultimatt]

And a few more for good measure.

Matt

[Gazza]

Car is looking good, keep it that way.

Get it armourfended

[Monty]

Matt,

Looking Good. Like the wheels too, but watch they don`t effect the handling i1m thinking of going to the S2`s

So is the paint still calypso red with the metalic added? I`ll be looking at a respray in a few years down the road.

[Ultimatt]

Nope. I can't remember what we finally settled on, but I believe it might have been a new red, only just introduced for the Mazda RX8... but with a bit of extra metallic.

Consensus is that it is slightly darker than original, but to be honest that could be an optical illusion with the darker wheels toning it down.

There is definitely a complete difference between the colour in dull weather and a bright sunny day though.

Still torn with the wheels. I do like the look of them but, other than tramlining, I don't know hwo they are affecting the handling. So many other components could be deteriorating with age (not just me ) including bushes, ball joints, dampers, tyre wear... it's difficult to identify the culprit.

Matt

[dans]

Matt, looking good!!

Everyone around the area says that it is darker than mine!

You might find a few extra people have given you a wave recently still though!!

Later,
Dan

[Ultimatt]

I tend to drive around with blinkers on Dan I notice other Elans (but we are few and far between locally) but I've just about given up with Elise drivers. Fed up looking like a twat waving at someone who doesn't get why

Matt

[GeoffSmith]

Looks good Matt. Look forward to seeing it in the flesh.

Geoff

[GeoffSmith]

An Elise driver gave me a good blast on the horn as he went past on the A38 a couple of weeks ago - must be a first!

Geoff