S1 DOOR HINGE WRENCH SIZE?

[My S1]

Would someone please clarify for me the exact (in mm or inches) size of the factory door hinge nuts on an S1 Europa?  Searching through these pages I see 1-1/8", 28mm, 30mm and so on.  Please see diagram.  Is "A." the same dimension as "B." ?  I see some people are mixing and matching their custom made wrenches with a 30mm for A and a 1-1/8" (29mm) for B.  Thank you.

[Grumblebuns]

"A" and "B" are different sizes. "B" uses a cut open 1-1/8" box end wrench and "A" uses a thin 21mm bicycle hub wrench for the top or bottom nut. I can't remember what the 28mm flat wrench was used for, possibly the opposite door nut or the inside door nut

[My S1]

Thank you. Could it be the other way around...28mm for "A" and the 21 for something else forgotten?  Sorry, but I don't have the actual Europa yet...it is in transit.

[Grumblebuns]

You will notice that the 21mm wrench is used on the outside the door nut "A" in my first picture. I believe 28mm converts to approximately 1-1/8"which is the "B" nut inside the door.

[GavinT]

Curious . . where did you get your pic, My S1?

The workshop manual shows two nuts per hinge bush - a total of four nuts per door. My Type 54 has this arrangement.
The accompanying text in the manual shows this as being common across all Europa models.
Was the Type 46 different in real life?

I suspect this is why Grumbles has a second 28mm wrench - to hold one nut steady whilst tightening the second.
A modified 1-1/8" socket can also help in the confined door space, too.

[My S1]

What a crazy situation!  What in the world were those production engineers thinking when they drew up such a fallible hinge arrangement?  The interior stylists should have baked in an access panel.  Thank you Gents for all of your input.

[My S1]

GavinT,  that picture comes from page 21 of shop manual X046T03272.  Interestingly a few pages later (pp 39) is another diagram showing the two nut version.  Though I have been involved with the British car hobby since 1972, Lotus is a whole new bag.  It is the "one off" nature of the marque that intrigues and beguiles me and will certainly frustrate me!

[Bryan Boyle]

GavinT,  that picture comes from page 21 of shop manual X046T03272.  Interestingly a few pages later (pp 39) is another diagram showing the two nut version.  Though I have been involved with the British car hobby since 1972, Lotus is a whole new bag.  It is the "one off" nature of the marque that intrigues and beguiles me and will certainly frustrate me!

for the most part...throw away your assumptions as to "why" Lotus did something...The Europa was meant (originally) as a low-cost replacement for the Seven.  So, things were 'value engineered', at least in the S1 to meet a price point.  Off-the-shelf Renault engine, modified cwp in the trans...fittings from the British national parts bin...so, lower your expectations and just go with the flow as to how it's put together, not how it should have been put together, and you'll be a lot less stressed.

[GavinT]

GavinT,  that picture comes from page 21 of shop manual X046T03272.  Interestingly a few pages later (pp 39) is another diagram showing the two nut version.

Well, there ya go . .
Perhaps early cars used a one nut assembly.

Weight savings . . .