Lotus Europa Community
Lotus Europa Forums => Members Cars => Topic started by: Nickr9119 on Friday,October 25, 2019, 10:10:13 AM
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Hi
I am new to the forum, but been working my Europas for a while now. I have two, both 1972 cars, one a Twin Cam in red and the other a Twin Cam Special in Yellow. I am in the process of repainting the yellow and the red one is painted and being reconstructed.
Nick
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Hi Nick, :Welcome:
You'll find this a friendly, helpful place. Some very knowledgable folks here have really helped me through a few scrapes with my TCS. Post some pics, we'd love to hear about the progress of your builds!
Tom (aka Surfguitar58)
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:Welcome: there are a lot of guys on this form including me that can't wait to read about Europas and read about what other guys are doing with them. So like Tom said, the more photos the better. This is a great forum for anybody on any level of knowledge concerning Europas. Once again welcome to the forum.
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:Welcome: 2 Europas! You lucky dog. I, like the previous two posts can't wait for more pictures and an essay on how you acquired 2 beautiful cars and how the restorations are going.
Sandy
AKA Sandyman
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:Welcome: Nick!
It looks like you have your hands full!! Those will be pretty Loti when you're done! Let us know if we can help but in any case, please keep us up to date with your progress! We LOVE pictures!
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:Welcome: Nick,
You have two beauties there.
Have you driven either of them ? How long is a long time? Glad you found your way here. Just ask a question and most of the time you’ll have a few answers in a few hours.
Dakazman
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:Welcome:
Great group of guys here Nick. Looks like you have your hands full doing two at once (although there is a forum member that is doing four at once!).
Can’t wait to see your progress.
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:Welcome:
although there is a forum member that is doing four at once!).
Seven actually.
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Hello Nick,
:Welcome:
Mark
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Hi
Thanks the posts and encouragement. Lots of stuff I could post, but thought I might go through the painting of the body of the TCS. I have come to the conclusion that painting a fibreglass shell is an art rather than a science! I have learned a few new tricks to try and get it flat, happy to share these if useful to some - welcome other ideas too. All the paint is period cellulose and standard Lotus colour.
So the pics show the shell as I got it, the car was partly restored and the seller had done a pretty good job on the body - stripping it and first level prep. I flatted it out as much as I could using a light guide coat and spent ages in completing the mods he had done to the sills.
Then in next pics, two coats of grey primer and a full rub down, this bought out loads of flaws and thousands of pinholes. More grey primer coats until happy with the result. I dry rubbed down at each pair of coats - very dusty! Then onto two coats of white primer - thinner coats, but a spraying yellow i wanted a light base. More rubbing down and filling flaws and pinholes. All rubbed down with 360 grade.
Then onto the colour, spraying all the shuts first with attention to the edges. Two coats and a wet rubdown with 600 - this took ages to get right, then two more coats and fixing of a few problem areas, mainly some runs and uneven areas.
This where I am at now - it will get another rubdown, this time 800 grade before hopefully the final 2 coats - just think I am going to struggle with getting the temperature up to 20C in the spray area, so it might have to wait for warmer times - we will see.
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Nice! Yellow certainly seems to be a popular color around here!
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Looking good! Soon it will look just like mine :trophy:
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Nice, hope to get it like that!
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Hello Nick...
Im not far from you - in Lindford. If you want any second opinions on anything - or a chat about stuff - Im happy to pop over. It is so rare just to see another Europa in the flesh...
Steve
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Hi Steve,
Be great to catch-up and have a chat, I am learning as I go so if you fancy seeing the resto then come over - you can mail me at nicholasrwhite@aol.com
Nick
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Great - I will be in touch!
Steve