New UK Member living in the US.

[LeftAngle]

Welcome Paul:  it sounds like you're well versed on automotive restorations.  I'm not the normal Lotus Europa owner and haven't been enamored with its looks since I first saw it at Brands Hatch in 1966.

Europa parts have been getting a bit easier to come by in the last few years, but I've been "customizing" my Type 65 to look like what I imagine the Type 66 would have looked like if that number had been assigned to the Europa...  Which means I have a few original parts removed from my 70' S2.  I live in the south eastern U.S. and would love to help with those not so easy to get parts if needed.

[Paul_71]

When I arrived in the US I bought a show 66 Mustang convertible. Spent a year restoring and rebuilding the mechanicals and reach a point when I longed for some British engineering! That's when I turned to the Europa.
I may be in touch on the parts soon- there's always part needs coming up on a regular basis.

[blasterdad]

When I arrived in the US I bought a show 66 Mustang convertible.

A '66 Mustang convertible was my first car, my grandfather bought it for me when I was 9 years old. He even let me drive it on a back road sitting on a pillow... can remember him reaching for the wheel a couple of times.
I can also remember the 7 years it took for me to turn 16 seemed like an eternity. 

[Paul_71]

Wow - 7 years old. My wife is 42 and I would not let her drive it! She keeps threatening me to take it out with her friends for the day. Unfortunately, it is being "worked on" that day.

[BDA]

Mrs. BDA keeps threatening to learn how to drive my car. She's experienced with a manual shift, but I think sitting so low to the ground will ensure she probably won't leave the neighborhood or get anywhere near another car! Sometimes I wish I had gotten an Elan. She might want to ride with me if it were more open.

[Paul_71]

I'm looking for some advice on repairing spider cracks. I have done a lot of online research and found different sources giving me different advice. Can I assume this is related to new technologies/materials and changes in best practices???

Anyway, here's a picture of the issue. Its on the rear hood towards the spoiler radius. So far I have used a dremel to cut out the small crack, just through the Gelcoat. I then used Fibreglast 4100 Polyester Fairing compound and planned to finish it off with a smooth finish using 4116 Lightweight polyester cosmetic filler. My question is whether this will be a suitable fix to prevent any future cracks on the new paint job, or whether I need to sand back the whole area and add mat, skim of filler, etc.....

[BDA]

You're already more sophisticated than I was when I did my glass work (which may have required the body shop to do additional work), but then I didn't have any issues with spider cracks (it's a long story). I would lay some gauze in there somewhere. Maybe before your cosmetic filler? You weren't going there, but just in case anybody had the thought, I would NOT advise laying a fine cloth. Inexplicably, the weave will bleed into the final finish almost no matter what you do.

[TCS4605R]

I have sanded off all of the paint, primer and gelcoat from my 74 using a DA sander with 80 grit.  I had a lot of spider cracks in my finish before I started.  I found that the spider cracks were not only in the finish color coat, but in the primer and gelcoat.  Not all of the body had gelcoat, just the engine cover and doors - this gelcoat was powder blue in color.  Other parts may have had a clear gelcoat, but I never noticed any.  I think spider cracks can be eliminated by sanding back to bare fiberglass and I think the spider cracks are caused by surface stress - like around door handles and locks or from impacts like some inconsiderate soul banging the body with their car door in a parking lot.  For the paint finish, I start with (2) coats of 2-part black epoxy to seal the fiberglass surface, then sanded that lightly with 180 grit to get rid of any surface flaws, dust particles, etc. followed by (4) coats of high build polyester primer/surface.  I then sanded this with a long board and 180 grit using a black powder guide coat to reveal any high or low spots.  If any low or high spots appeared, I applied another (4) coats of the high build polyester primer/surface, 180 grit and guide coats and repeated this process until I achieved a perfectly flat surface.  I'm still working with this process in preparation for applying a single stage urethane color coat.  In what appeared to be high stress areas, I applied (3) layers of 3/4 oz. matt fiberglass to the back side of the body to strengthen these areas - like around door locks or areas that were really thin.  Some of the fiberglass is so thin that you can see a shop light when it is held behind the body.  Needless to say, this process is really time consuming, but I find it works.

Tom
74 TCS - 4605R

[Paul_71]

Thanks Tom for the info. What does the 2-part epoxy do before the build up primer? Once I filled the cracks I was looking to put this Dura Tech product directly on the fiberglass to cover all repairs, GelCoat and fiberglass.

http://www.fibreglast.com/product/Duratec_Gray_Surfacing_Primer_1041/Duratec

I was hoping this, combined with the other filler products would cover all sins.

Here is a picture of the body currently.

[TCS4605R]

The 2-part epoxy was recommended by the PPG paint shop where I buy my paint supplies.  They say the epoxy seals the fiberglass to keep moisture out of the fiberglass whereas the polyester high build primer/filler does not do as well with moisture.  I have read this same scenario on Internet blogs.  Evidently, moisture in the fiberglass will break the material down over time.  I have seen moisture ridden fiberglass turned into a shredded wheat like material on cars left out in the weather for an extended period of time.  When I'm sanding the high build grey primer to flatten the surface, the black epoxy will expose itself if I sand too far - I stop sanding when I see the black epoxy and apply more high build primer -seeing the black epoxy is a signal that I have hit a high spot in the panel surface.

Tom
74 TCS - 4605R

[jbcollier]

You have to grind out the spider cracks and layer in tissue and resin.  Otherwise, the cracks will come back.

[TCS4605R]

From my experience, the cracks did not penetrate the base fiberglass.  When you wipe a suspected cracked fiberglass area with acetone, you will see the cracks more easily.  I did not see evidence of the cracks penetrating the fiberglass and I had some cracks in the painted surface that you could stick your fingernail into in addition to the radiating spider cracks.

Tom
74 TCS - 4605r

[Paul_71]

I ordered some tissue from rdent and will play it safe on the spider cracks. The cracks go though the top layer of glass (assuming it's the gelcoat), so should add some stability. I'll try to get a layer underneath to strengthen it all up.

This body work is endless!

[Paul_71]

I'm currently finishing the dash refurb and have a set of letter transfers to add to the new veneer. Does anyone have an image or diagram for which letters should correspond to which hole? It's from a 1971 S2.

Thanks.

[Paul_71]

Another evening on the car and another issue- one of the studs for the manifold to head had been over tightened and as a result the threads have been stripped.
What's the fix? Helicoils or tap a larger hole for a larger stud?? It's the Renault aluminium head.