I hit a traffic sign. Engine braking.

[Lyngeled]

Hello
Bad news from me, I crashed into a traffic sign this tuesday, after having a month while it was running really good. Now I have to think and investigate what to do.

I have analyzed the incident to what must have happened to this:
It was raining a bit, and I accelerated up into 1st., 2.nd and 3rd in a almost straight wide road, which slope a bit down. Then I let go of the throttle and did nothing else, and slowly it started to swing it's rear, more and more. I did not hear anything from the to suspect that it actually was braking the car, and slipping. I ended with the car sideways into the (normal sized) sign, hitting it just behind the front wheel.
...

[Lyngeled]

... Then I could see how this glass fiber body reacts to a metal sign. I don't know my speed to judge if is it strong (or strong compared steel) but I felt at the moment that it was not. I think the thickness is high but I know the materials and build technique is not good. Modern woven glass fiber would be better. Vacuum bagging would be better. Epoxy again better.
...

[BDA]

That sounds a bit unnerving! Thankfully, you didn't get hurt and it sounds like your car wasn't severely damaged. I can't explain what caused your problem but I think except for being able to bolt on new body pieces, I'd rather fix fiberglass. In fact, there are accident scenarios where fiberglass, even as thin as that on the Europa, is more crash worthy than steel bodies.

Good luck.

[Certified Lotus]

Sorry to hear. I feel your pain.  Mid engine cars are like a pendulum when they start to spin.  Very difficult to correct on a wet road.  The secret is not to lift but accelerate and try and find traction.  Most people are counter intuitive and immediately turn the wheels in the opposite direction and hit the brakes.  You don't have a chance once you do that.

I spun my Lotus Exige S on the track once in the rain when I hit oil dropped on the track.  Hit the Armco at 80 mph. That hurt...... totaled the car. (I built another one).

[dakazman]

Just cutout is he damaged areas and scarf cut all repaired areas top and bottom. Use polyester resin.

Send pics please! So I can help you sort it out.
Dakazman

[jbcollier]

Yup, engine braking on a slippery downhill slope can go pear-shaped.  Sorry it happened to you but glad to hear the damage was to the car and not yourself.  Putting in the clutch and braking may -- and I mean "may" -- have helped.

[EuropaTC]

Sad news indeed but as someone once told me, you can replace cars but replacing people is a bit harder.  It doesn't matter if the car is an old banger or my pride and joy, damaging it always gets to me so I console myself with "it's only a car, I can get another".

As Dakazman says, post up a photo and as many of us have been there before, we might be able to throw in a few pointers on repair.

The crash puzzles me though, something sounds wrong. I've driven my TC in all weathers when we lived in Yorkshire (that's plenty hilly) including snow and I can't say I've experienced the same effects when coasting. Given the amount of rain we have in the UK, if that was a normal reaction the cars would have had a really bad reputation back in their day. 

On a standard car it's easy to lock the front wheels when braking in the wet, but I've not heard of a car becoming unstable just from engine braking when going in a straight line.  I can see it would unload the rear wheels and on a downhill perhaps transfer some weight to the front but I  wouldn't have expected it to be strong enough to unsettle the car if it was in 3rd or 4th.   When you're ready to go again I'd check the tyres/pressures, rear alignment and possibly the rear brakes for binding. I know mid engined cars have a reputation for being twitchy when cornering on the limit but you shouldn't be there going in a straight line.

Brian

[Lyngeled]

Here is two that shows it best.

[surfguitar58]

Wow. Lots to unpack here.

First is the fragility of our cars. I am hoping there was no passenger and that this is a left hand drive car. Really glad you seem to be okay Lyngeled.  Those sign posts are supposed to fold over when hit, at least by normal cars. You have got me considering a roll cage.

Second is the handling issue. I have been experimenting with cornering when I can find a safe place to do so. I can confirm lifting off the gas suddenly in a tight turn is a recipe for over steer. But the situation you describe doesn't sound like it would cause that kind of loss of control. Is there any chance you downshifted into reverse and the wheels were spinning backwards? They would be essentially friction-less on a slick road. I would have though slamming into reverse would make a hell of a racket though, at least it does on my car when I miss second and hit reverse on a downshift.

Third is getting you up and running again. Looks like the frame is okay. Jay Leno once said in a crash, the frame is protected by meat bags in the seats. Miraculously the windshield looks intact. Looks like mostly fiberglass work. Let the forum know what you need, we're here to help.

Tom

[4129R]

If you need a new door, Boss motors near Snetterton Norfolk UK may have the Lotus original moulds to make them.

[BDA]

Lyngeled, that is much worse than I expected! And more a shame because your car looked like it was really nice. I, too, hope you didn't have a passenger! Collecting as many of the pieces will make the repair job a lot easier as will a new door as 4129R suggests.

I hope you are ok and you decide to resurrect your car. It would be a greater shame if this was the end for such a pretty car! Please keep us posted.

Good luck!

[jbcollier]

What speed did you accelerate to?

I always tell my passengers that they would be safer on a motorcycle.

[EuropaTC]

oh 

now I didn't expect to see that sort of damage.  I would be gutted at that because the car looks tremendous, I really feel for you. When you said "impact in front of the door" I had in mind a crunch between the wheel arch and door, not to find the door on the ground by the car !

But let's get positive.

Firstly, you walked away and lived to tell the tale. It might not feel like it, but that's all that matters. GRP cars always look bad in accidents because GRP breaks once past a certain point whereas metal cars crumple. And of course modern cars are designed to bump into things whereas ours never were.

Secondly, it looks all fibreglass damage and no matter how bad it looks, it's fixable. With any luck the door might be ok if it got thrown off when the hinge pin section got wrecked and as Alex says, there are people who make body sections up.  I'll bet someone like Richard or Boss Motors would laminate up a repair sections that would of course cost more than repairing the original but would save weeks of laminate work. An alternative would be if anyone on the forum has a scrap shell that they're cutting up for repair sections ?

But gee, it's tragic. Lovely car, it definitely needs fixing !

Brian

[Lyngeled]

... The door is not damaged, and no passenger was in the car. No glass was broken either. And I got all the parts, some of are just really small. Here are some more pictures.

The last picture shows where I am where I am driving a while, when I have set it up 😊

[BDA]

Well, there is some, if not good at least less bad, news out of this. Like Brian says, fiberglass is always fixable, having the pieces will help a lot and not needing a door is certainly a good thing. Obviously, things look pretty sad now and it will take a lot of time and effort to get your baby back together but this is a good start.

Except for the itching, I enjoyed doing that 'glass work on my car, but the downside is what friend said to me about working with fiberglass, "Smell resin, buy tools!"

Maybe it's best to keep that old adage in mind, "The journey of a thousand miles begins with one lay-up." 

Good luck and please let us know how you're doing and if we can answer any questions, and please post pictures of your progress!