Restoration of 2358R

[BDA]

There's a lot to be said for Richard working out the details!

The PO seems to have done a good job of fabricating brackets for his alternate placement, but they are his own.

[Certified Lotus]

You wouldn't happen to have a clear photo of a federal twin cam engine bay (without the luggage box)? I searched the Internet with limited success. Just want to see what a clean & restored engine bay on a twin cam Europa looks like. 

[4129R]

Does anyone know the source of the vented brakes front, and rear discs, that Banks sells, for replacement pads?

My front discs I believe came in a Volvo marked box.

[Roger]

Did you establish whether or not you have a Big Valve Engine?

[BDA]

I don't know about the discs but the calipers are generic - meaning they don't come off a particular car. At least, that's what he told me. I believe I've seen places that will take a tracing and make custom pads.

[Certified Lotus]

Did you establish whether or not you have a Big Valve Engine?

Once I used a flashlight to look closely under the fuel catch can I found out that I do have a big valve engine. At least that is what the valve cover says!

[Grumblebuns]

You wouldn't happen to have a clear photo of a federal twin cam engine bay (without the luggage box)? I searched the Internet with limited success. Just want to see what a clean & restored engine bay on a twin cam Europa looks like.

Most of the work done by the PO of JPS #188. The album should have more pictures of the engine bay.

http://www.lotuseuropa.org/gallery/73-Original-JPS/jps_8

[Certified Lotus]

Thanks. That is what I was looking for.

[Certified Lotus]

The Fuel catch can. Is it really necessary or was it a federal requirement that didn't really do much? I have noticed that well restored "show" cars have them and just about everyone else has removed it.

One of my fuel tanks leak so I bought new aluminum ones. I would be interested in the forum members consensus on removing or keeping the catch can.

[BDA]

I believe it was a carbon canister. I threw mine away.

[Certified Lotus]

I believe it was a carbon canister. I threw mine away.

Jim, I looked at the shop manual and the charcoal canister is separate from the fuel catch can mounted above the valve cover. When you got rid of yours did you plug the vents?

[BDA]

You are correct, it was a catch tank and the charcoal canister connected to it. I threw them both away, but I did buy a new charcoal canister in case I needed it for inspection. Nobody ever cared so I never hooked it up. I probably still have it.

I didn't plug the vents but that would probably be good to do. Another thing to put on my list!

[4129R]

I believe the fuel tanks vented into both the long tube filled with charcoal and fitted on two round brackets attached to the big X tubes behind the fibreboard bulkhead, and there were small black plastic tubes going down to a blue catch tank located below the battery in front of the left hand fuel tank.

Quite why they were needed, I haven't worked out yet.

I have both somewhere. I suppose to be an original Federal spec car, they need both, and the "Logic Box" connected to the seat belts which stops the starter motor working unless the seat belts are fastened, and the car also needs the two long bent tubes going from the inlet to the cast iron exhaust manifold.

With all this crap attached to the car, the "Keep it Simple, Keep it Light" philosophy of constructing a Lotus seems to have disappeared under a Federal rule book around 1973/4.

[Arizona]

What's being discussed here is the evaborative loss control system. Overflow from both fuel tanks feeds into the catch tank above the cam cover. Vapors from the catch tank then go to the charcoal cannister and thence to the carburetters. I removed this whole system many years, but reinstalled it last summer. The one modification I made was to use a charcoal cannister from a HD motorcycle and mounted it in a more accessible spot behind the swirl pot on the inner fender. If it makes any difference in performance, I cannot detect it.

[Certified Lotus]

I think the fuel catch can and charcoal canister were all developed as a requirement for the US government emissions control of fuel vapors and gasoline being dumped into the atmosphere. Creative solution, but completely unnecessary based on the volume of cars built and sold.

As long as there is no danger to the car or the person driving it, I will remove it. Lots of fuel vapor tubing and plastic fittings that are failure areas.

I'm a big believer of running anything with fuel or fuel vapors in reinforced tubing with real fittings. It comes from years of running track cars.

One more thing to add lightness ;-)