Newbie just bought a Lotus Elan!

[dapinky]

Hi Dave,

My observations re the paintwork (all learned since finding someone good to do mine!) are:-

There is little point in trying to tidy it up once it gets to the stage where laquer is peeling - once you fix one area, another will start to look bad! - the only cure is a full respray.

There are a few different reasons for the laquer lifting to start with, as well as just age. It may be that it has been sprayed previously and either the basecoat was left too long before laquer was applied (or it was cooked in an oven to speed up the drying process) and no adhesion promoter was added to the clearcoat. Fibreglass doesn't like to be oven baked, but that is how most bodyshops operate as it speeds up the whole process (understandably, they don't want a car lying around for months when they can get it through in weeks). The problem being that there is insufficient time for all of the solvents to 'off-gas' and it attacks the stickyness between the colourcoat and clearcoat as it gets trapped - this isn't a problem with metal bodywork, as nowt soaks into the structure of the panels.

To totally illiminate the problem the car needs to be taken back to gelcoat, primered and left for a couple of months before paint is applied (but that is impractical for most people, garages don't want it hanging around, and the cost can far exceed the value..... to be honest, even a quick/cheap re-spray will be a huge improvement, and there will be no difference in how the car looks - it'll just need redoing sooner.... maybe 5-10 years, maybe 25 who knows?

If the fibreglass needs any repair work, then I'd suggest that you live in a pretty good location - there must be a fair few boat builders round your neck of the woods - their fibreglassing skills usually far outweigh most car bodyshops.

They would be the best people to advise on your car, and probably even spray it for you - the principles are the same, whatever the subject....

... the only consideration is the type of paint that they can use - many boat shops still use cellulose paint, or water based paint (but I'm sure some will use 2-pack)

[62dave]

Hi Dave
Thanks for that. Just before I read your reply I was chatting to a mate and basically decided - yep - I'm having it resprayed. Your post has validated that for me further!

I'll do a little bit of digging around for someone up to the job. You mentioned the guys who did yours... You're not a million miles away from me so perhaps I could get a quote from them?

[dapinky]

Dave,

The guy doing mine is very good (well, I'm happy with the work, anyway) and his price is right - - - but i would be loath to recommend him as he isn't exactly the quickest bloke in the world. As a one-man-band he juggles cars around to do as many as possible in his unit, whilst taking his time with them - and he has failed to come good with any timescales he has set so far.....

....none of that is a huge importance to me as I have waited this long to get it done, so I want it right....

... I also stripped the car and reassembled it as and when panels are done - which isn't a biggie for me as he's only 12 miles away and i can collect bits in the Vectra....

.... if you wanted a drive in / drive out job I wouldn't like to say how long it would take.

Obviously, if you're keeping the colour the same, then the job is easier (for most of the stuff anyway) - but as I am going for a colour change everything that could come off came off, and the bare shell went up on a transporter.

That said, he is an artist and perfectionist (you can see some of his artwork here), and I'd be happy to pass his contact details if you want them.

[62dave]

Thanks for the advice on paintwork Dave. I've got a few different people looking at it now so hopefully have an affordable solution soon.. I'm semi considering a wrap.. Feels kindof wrong to me for some reason!..

I've been driving her a lot this weekend and getting used to the little foibles. The car does feel bloody quick - I was convinced it was chipped but couldn't find much in the history folder.. Flicked back a little further and I've found an invoice from 1995(!).. Seems that a BBR kit and exhaust was fitted back then. I've found a little info on the BBR solution and it seems less popular than the Mountain Chip.. I suppose it's been working ok for the last 20 years but wondering wether I should replace it with the more modern option?

[Enright]

.. Seems that a BBR kit and exhaust was fitted back then. I've found a little info on the BBR solution and it seems less popular than the Mountain Chip.. I suppose it's been working ok for the last 20 years but wondering wether I should replace it with the more modern option?

Hell yeah, get that agricultural thing outta there before it does some major damage!

[62dave]

Enough said!