Frame inspection

[TurboFource]

I plan to pull body off the frame when I get a car to evaluate it's condition and repair and preserve as necessary.

[Steve_Lindford]

My original frame looks pretty good I think (??) - after removing rust and underseal - but I worry about the bits I cant see.

Has anyone thought about creating an access plate to inspect the front of the frame - either from the front boot/trunk - or the footwell??

Does anyone know what treatment was given to the chassis/frame after leaving the factory??

Steve

[gideon]

You could consider buying or borrowing an inspection camera.  There are some very inexpensive ones available online, as in less than ten quid, so you can pick your price point. 

If you're not planning to take the body off then how are you going to protect all that bare metal?  I can see surface corrosion inside the frame through the big hole in the front face - so some sort of internal frame treatment is in order.

[BDA]

Does anyone know what treatment was given to the chassis/frame after leaving the factory?

Do you mean did Lotus do anything to the frame? You mean other than painting it? I don't think anything else was done. I believe anything else that was done was done by the PO.

[Steve_Lindford]

I treated the bits I could access with hammerite. I managed to get a vacuum cleaner into the front box section and after took photos with a small camera. Ive bought dynax S50 to treat that area. There is evidence of condensation in the winter. It looks like there is some silver paint on parts of the frame - perhaps that is the original factory finish.

[andy harwood]

Just came across this pic of when I removed the body from my '74 TCS. The padding on top of the "T" was not compressed, and this was the only area of rust, on the frame. But, as you can see, was fairly severe.

[BDA]

I think that jute used in the stock padding retains moisture and made frame rot worse than it might be. After the frame is repaired (and modified), replace the jute with closed cell neoprene foam. I believe I used 3/8" thickness. r.d. enterprises sells it. I would think that Dave Bean, Lotus Supplies, SJ, etc. also sell that or something equivalent.

[andy harwood]

The Foam Factory is another option for closed cell foam, and many other types of foam products- acoustical, etc...