65/0038R Restoration process

[JasonH]

Thanks JR73  It is little tidbits like this that make the process much more efficient!   I wish I had started this thread last summer.  I would be much further along in my resto.  I have done the first step in cleaning the "vinyl bags".  I cleaned with a mild detergent and most of the dirt has come off, and they look much better.  The issues I have now (rust stains) and foresee are the yellowing.  I have new headliner from Banks and I feel the visors will really stand out unfortunately.

I will google "rust stain removal"  but does anyone know of a personally proven method of removal?  Is there such a thing as a flexible vinyl paint?

[andy harwood]

Don't know how it would apply to the visors -  but - The opaque plastic bodywork on Buells faded in the sun. I remember reading on the Buell forum that some had used Ritt Dyes(for clothing), and 'enhanced' the faded bodywork, by soaking in dyed water solution.
Maybe worth a shot?
Also, have seen aerosol spray dye for vinyl, but has beena while

[Bainford]

I am tempted to take that Henkel information and put it in the technical section with the title " what type of thread locker do I use to assemble the rear hub assembly"

Yes, please.

[Bainford]

I will google "rust stain removal"  but does anyone know of a personally proven method of removal?  Is there such a thing as a flexible vinyl paint?

Oxalic acid make an excellent rust stain remover. It comes as a powder and can be mixed with water to form a paste. It's a mild acid, and can be commonly found as the active ingredient in some cleaners such as Barkeepers Friend. I don't know how it will work on soft goods, but I expect it will at least be somewhat effective.

[JasonH]

Ok.  Here is something I found interesting...  Here are a few shots of the radiator and electric fan.  I am assuming the fan is a stock unit because it is not made of plastic.  If you notice there is a little arrow indicating the direction of rotation.  If you also notice the pitch of the fan blades.  Yes the fan if run in the correct orientation it will pull air through the radiator towards the front of the car???  I did a search on "radiator fan" and didn't find anything relating to this "orientation" 

Does anyone out there have experience with this?

I wonder if this has been PULLING air during it's entire life?  I could only imagine that you could trundle around at neighborhood speed all day and run cool on the hottest days.  However, once you got out on the highway I can only imagine that the temp gauge would creep up.

I am reticent to run the fan in "reverse" due to the left hand threaded nut holding the fan blade in place.

[LotusJoe]

The fan definitely needs to push not pull. if your concerned about loosing the fan nut, replace it with a nyloc nut and a drop of loctite. 

[jbcollier]

Europas originally came with rad fans from Renault R16s.  They are "puller" fans and work that way on the R16.  Not many cheap sources of rad fans back then so Lotus took the R16 fan and swapped the wires to make a "pusher" fan.  Frankly, it didn't really work.  It's barely adequate in cool(-ish), moist England.  Try anywhere dry and hot and forget about it.

Sometimes you can simply flip the blades and you're back in business.  Not in this case as the fan blade is asymmetrical.

What to do?

Trying for a 100 pt restoration?  Leave it as is and don't drive it during the heat of the day in slow traffic.

Otherwise?  Put the R16 fan on the shelf and fit a modern, HO pusher fan.

What's really funny is that the "reversed wiring" means that the black wire goes to power and the red to ground.  If you are not paying attention, common practice is to hook it up the other way.  Now you have a pulling fan.  It's more efficient that way (due to blade curvature) so it actually works really well at idle and slow speeds -- you do get hot air in the cockpit though.  Start driving mind and the fan stops the natural air flow through the rad.  So you get overheating at speed!

[JasonH]

Thanks for the input.  I just powdercoated the assembly and rebuilt the motor.  So I will just run it backwards and just be happy with it.  I did plumb an oil cooler to the right rear wheel well.  I read about someone else doing that and it looked really cool and inconspicuous.  I think I have pictures...

[BDA]

I don't think you'll get much air flow through your cooler. It doesn't look like there is a provision for the air to exhaust from the cooler. I mounted my oil cooler below the trunk tray on the driver's side, made a duct from the cooler to louvers next to the license plate. I thought there would be a low pressure area behind the car but that didn't work out nearly as well as I thought it would. So if you don't have a place for the air to go, you won't get any flow through your cooler.

[JasonH]

WRT the oil cooler location.  You are probably right.  Provided it wasn't my imagination at work here. I swore that I read of someone using this location and it was noted that there was airflow, but can't find it on the yahoo group as usual.  I should have taken notes... 
 
However. If I don't get any flow through the cooler I will just add a fan on a thermo switch.

thanks again  BDA

[jbcollier]

https://www.prevanders.net/europa/oilsystem.html

[JasonH]

Thanks for that link.  Way more car than I have, but it is in the same place!  I haven't seen this car/photos.  I remember more of a stock application like mine.  Oh well. 

I have been spending much time tweaking the Banks Dash pad to get it to fit and make it a "modular" assembly. The goal to have the pad, registers, and dash set up as separate assemblies.
Currently  I have changed the way the demister vent registers mount to the supports.  I removed the aluminum brackets that held the registers into the flange.  I formed a fibreglass plate that fills the huge hole by forming the glass over the registers allowing them to sit firmly, and flush with the mounting flange.  With the registers mounted separate from the dash top the top will slide over with the vent trim fastened to the dash top, and not to the mounting flange.   I extended the flange on the dash top to accept the 1/4x20 chrome screws so it can be held in by the bolts and not have to be connected to the dash board.  I also added speed nuts to the outer mounting points so one doesn't have to reach one's hand in behind the dash (potentially damaging wiring, binnacle or glove box) to get a wrench on the nut floating back there.

[BDA]

So the idea is to be able to take the dash out without needing to mess with the demister vents? That's a great idea because otherwise you'd have to take the windshield out before you can take the dash out. Nice.

[JasonH]

Yes! Exactly!  It would have been easier to do this with the screen out, but I didn't feel like pulling it right now.  It can come out when it is time to paint. 

[JasonH]

Huh... Looks like I have been away for a while.  Over 120 days!  Not that I haven't been working on the car (it runs now) I just haven't been keeping up with posting on my progress...
Now to figure out how to get this to work.