Lotus Europa Community
Lotus Europa Forums => Garage => Topic started by: Exlimey on Thursday,April 15, 2021, 01:14:26 PM
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Well,my first project didn’t go as planned. On my trip home from collecting the car I collected,among other things,a hood lift kit. I have now figured that these do not fit a type 74 ,only ,according to pictures I find,the earlier cars. The cross bar is fine. The two support bars I had to fab, a piece of tube,cut in half ,and a length of 1” flat bar,and of course,some wrinkle finish paint. Welded it up, painted, all is good. Pic is of originals and my creations. Also a comparison with my 2002 Mini , first month of production,much faster than a Europa!
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Missed other photos
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Ok,how do I attach more than one photo,each one I add deletes the previous one?
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After you have added the first one click the "more attachments" link below the file dialog and you get another to add a second one etc
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The other thing to consider is the file size. "Thumbnails " are the best for multiple pictures.
Sandy
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That's a very neat looking fabrication, every time I see one I think "that's something I ought to do".
I suppose it's getting the correct struts that keep putting me off, by any chance do you have the ratings for the lifting struts ?
Brian
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Here is a link to instructions for making your own engine cover lift. It lists the specs for the struts: http://lotus-europa.com/manuals/misc/body/struts/hoodproject.html
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Here is a link to instructions for making your own engine cover lift. It lists the specs for the struts: http://lotus-europa.com/manuals/misc/body/struts/hoodproject.html
Oh, well done that man. I've not seen that article and it's on a twink as well ! I'm surprised at 20lb but I suppose it's the working angle that matters. I think I can source something similar over here.
Cheers ! :beerchug:
Brian
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I made my own and found 20lb struts a little light. Went to 30lb struts and it was fine.
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Ok,how do I attach more than one photo,each one I add deletes the previous one?
This is interesting - you appear to have some kind of spaceframe to the rear of your firewall for which you use as a secondary mounting for your gas strut support arm. Can you show further pictures of this?
All other system I've seen use a frame that is attached via various means to the engine cover opening (body).
http://www.lotuseuropa.org/LotusForum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=4447.0;attach=33128
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Not being an S2 guy, I'm not sure when the "spaceframe" you mentioned came into being. From a short search of the parts manuals, it appears they started with the TCs. It's main purpose is to mount the upper shoulder belt. I would have thought that the S2 would have had something similar but like I said, I don't know much about the S2s. I don't remember which model you have so it may be that you don't have the frame that runs across the firewall.
As far as I know, all the schemes for engine prop struts tie into the front of the engine bay somehow. For example, the kit that Richard developed attached to the corner of the rain gutter.
I got Richard's kit but was confused by it so I made some changes. I posted what I did here: http://www.lotuseuropa.org/LotusForum/index.php?topic=2486.msg23618#msg23618. The square aluminum extrusions I used were designed to pick up the cross tube on the firewall but I think that square tubing is stiff enough that you might not need to anchor it in the front.
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Not being an S2 guy, I'm not sure when the "spaceframe" you mentioned came into being. From a short search of the parts manuals, it appears they started with the TCs. It's main purpose is to mount the upper shoulder belt. I would have thought that the S2 would have had something similar but like I said, I don't know much about the S2s. I don't remember which model you have so it may be that you don't have the frame that runs across the firewall.
This is even more interesting - I have never seen any frame of any description on the rear of the "firewall" on any TC or TCS - is this a federal spec item? My upper shoulder belt fixing is attached to the inside rear as shown. :confused:
I also note on "Exlimey's" photo that someone has also covered the engine side of the firewall with what appears to be a polished sheet of some description (aluminum?) - whilst I personally think it looks great, previous threads on this topic suggest that it will act as a great drum skin to amplify engine noise inside the cabin..... ;)
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This pic is not my car,but the same. Inside the wheel well there is a matching square plate with a rod leading back to the top of the shock mount. Basically any pull on the seatbelt mounting is transferred through to the frame at the upper shock mount . As for the aluminum sheet,I am waiting to get some miles in,you will have to ask Roger.
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My UK TCS has the same frame behind the (jute?) Firewall. It also has the factory lift kit ( at least I think its factory). I replaced the struts after I got it with the ones from Banks, though these have metric threads so don't screw into the welded on nuts at the bottom end.
As well as having a bar pop riveted across the engine cover that the top of the struts mount to, it also has two other metal u section bars that are clamped by the hinge bolts and extend to the aforementioned bar to which they are welded. I assume this was to take some of the stress off the lid.
I'll take some photos tomorrow if I get chance.
Richard
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My UK TCS has the same frame behind the (jute?) Firewall. It also has the factory lift kit ( at least I think its factory). I replaced the struts after I got it with the ones from Banks, though these have metric threads so don't screw into the welded on nuts at the bottom end.
I'll take some photos tomorrow if I get chance.
Richard
Thanks Richard - I'd really like to see a photo of that frame behind the firewall - what year is your TCS?
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If I remember that I have a bad knowledge of the differences between the S2 and the TC, I guess that means I'll forget about the differences between the Federal and non Federal cars! :headbanger:
SilverBeast, is your car an 'R' car? The parts manual, if I'm reading it correctly (and there's every chance I'm not), seems to say that all the cars have the shoulder belt ties to the upper shock mount but the Federal cars are the ones with the diagonal and horizontal frame, the horizontal frame named "catch tank support" which is a Federal thing.
http://lotus-europa.com/manuals/tcparts/b/tcbk.pdf
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Do the Federal cars have inertia seat belts? If so - this may warrant the mystery frame at the back of the fire wall - my TCS (UK spec) does not have inertia belts - and no frame.
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This is even more interesting - I have never seen any frame of any description on the rear of the "firewall" on any TC or TCS - is this a federal spec item? My upper shoulder belt fixing is attached to the inside rear as shown. :confused:
At the back of the firewall insulation there isn't a proper frame, it's just two bolted tube/struts which go from the rear of the top seatbelt mount to the chassis. It's listed in the TC parts manual under "seat belts" rather than chassis, I don't know if it was a TC modification or also on the S2.
You can see the brace/struts in the first picture, the second is from the parts manual.
Brian
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OK I understand that - but - if you look at Exlimey's third photo on his 3rd post there is more than a diagonal brace there at the rear of his firewall .... there is a diagonal and a horizontal section. Do we assume the horizontal section is an additional member as part of his hood gas strut mechanism? If it is, I understand. :)
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If it's a Federal TC then I think they had a tank clipped on to that horizontal tube - shown in the second picture. I just assumed that was the OEM horizontal tube and put to better use than for holding a tank for the fuel tank breather ?
Brian
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As I tried to make clear, that horizontal piece is found on Federal cars and holds a catch tank (not found on non Federal cars). As EuropaTC says, the non Federal cars have only the diagonal frame pieces that go from the ‘Y’ of the frame to the shoulder belt anchor. According to the parts manual page I linked, there are two different “seat belt kits” so it’s likely that one kit has retractors and the other doesn’t.
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With the engine out of the car, the seat belt bracing system is pretty clear. On my federal car there are four pieces where the seat belt retractor attaches to the firewall to where the braces attach to the chassis. The center rod ties both braces together and is a spot where a large charcoal cannister is mounted. The diagonal brace ties into the "V" section of the chassis. The remaining two braces connect at the wheel well and the end of the second piece ties into the top shock mount and the rear cross beam. It seems all a bit flimsy but I suppose it works well enough to pass the federal safety requirements.
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Grumblebuns - thankyou :) - a picture says a thousand words - now I understand. :headbanger:
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BDA: Mine is a UK car 2267P
Dilkris: It is a November 73 built TCS. As a "later" TCS it has inertia reel seatbelts (without the "Seat Belt Warning" that the Federal cars have). It also has the Champagne/Beige interia trim and carpet with the map pocket between the seats. The bar across the back is basically the same as that one that the emissions canister on the Federal cars but without the brackets. Pictures attached, as that's simpler than explaining!
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SilverBeast - thankyou for the photo's and the trouble you went to in publishing them - perfectly understood now. Chris
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SilverBeast - thankyou for the photo's and the trouble you went to in publishing them - perfectly understood now. Chris
No problem. It gets it out in the sun, and gave me the opportunity to discover it's now leaking petrol from one of the carbs! :headbanger:
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SilverBeast, I’m confused because according to the TC parts manual, that top horizontal frame member (called “catch tank support”) is only on Federal spec cars. Yet, you clearly have that member, though without the bits associated with the catch tank.
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SilverBeast, I’m confused because according to the TC parts manual, that top horizontal frame member (called “catch tank support”) is only on Federal spec cars. Yet, you clearly have that member, though without the bits associated with the catch tank.
I'm going to speculate that it was part of the factory engine cover lift kit (and I'm also assuming it is a factory fitted option as I've only had the car a couple of years) as the two bars, that go back to the 4 hole plate the seatbelt top mounting links to, are welded to it. These are the bars the bottom of the gas assist ram mounts to, as can be seen in the pictures.
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I think you’re probably right. I don’t believe the parts manual lists the engine cover lifts (I don’t remember ever seeing them anyway) so it makes sense that the horizontal piece you have is part of the lift kit so it wouldn’t be accounted for since the rest of the kit wasn’t either.