The car will not be ready for Spa? 
However, you can?t rush things for the sake of a single event, even one like the Spa Classic. On the paint front, things are moving towards a happy conclusion. The problem was a misunderstanding as to the type of Metalflake finish I wanted. The car had, what I believe in the parlance of the Kustom Kulture, is an ?Old Skool? Gold Metalflake job on the roof. Very late 60?s, early 70?s ? reminiscent of flares, wide collars and Gold medallions ? but we liked it! There has been a lot of discussion about the origin of this finish, which on our car was probably not original, but ?in period? by a few years. The finish produced by Options was just not ?Bling? enough… too restrained and tasteful. Now, when you are embarking upon a major resto, which will cost a packet, the most important element is to know when to compromise and when not to. I have made some compromises, but most of these can be rectified after completion if it really bugs me ? the paint cannot and is the biggest single item of expenditure. Not least is the opinion of SWMBO, who is an enthusiastic supporter of the project. Her opinion was ?not enough glitter?. The upshot is that Frank at Options has agreed to re-do the roof, but on the basis of sample pieces that he has done, which we can agree on. I attach pictures of the variety of flake on offer; massive differences ? even the original version is strange. Square cut flake and uneven. These pictures emphasise the importance of getting samples made up before hand. The variety is amazing, so you (and your body shop) have to be sure which finish you want.
After a visit to the paint shop, I came away with a broad smile on my face again! The final finish of the roof is close to agreement… Frank has produced a sample finish which is closer to our requirements and it is clear that he now understands what we want. I cannot over emphasise how helpful Frank at Options 1 has been in this difficult process.
I showed the samples to SWMBO and her colleagues; the verdict was instant and unanimous. The glittery one? This may upset some Lotus owners, but the opinion of SWMBO, daughters and others of her ilk are important in the process of maintaining a partnership with a Lotus. The depth and distribution of flake is pretty much agreed, the last element is the final colour of the flake itself. The colour may require adjustment ? it is difficult for a photo to do any flake justice, as it is so dependant on the ambient light. In some ways this has been the most difficult element of the project to get right, because it was the thing that everyone notices first - Lotus aficionado or not. It is also what helped me to buy the car in the first place…
Lets be clear, this is not an ?Original? Metalflake roof, but it has been on the car for a long time and is part of her identity ? oops! I let that slip? emotional attachment to a car?.
Progress in other areas has been made ? the body is back on the chassis after a heroic lift by five of us, including Frank, Neil and two friends with Ken directing. The transformation from a chassis and wheels plus a bare body, to a car is amazing and only took 5 minutes. I thought I was strong, but lifting the body was a nerve wracking. As I had to lift my corner over the turrets, I felt I would not be able to do it, but the thought of dropping it spurred me on. My muscles ached for a week?
The car is sitting high at the moment, but will be adjusted down as the job progresses. With every thing sitting square, it is now clear that the rear wheel arches are at slightly different heights. No accident damage was seen when the body was stripped, so this is how it left the factory?
Neil is busy fitting the guts of the car, rewiring, and the thousand and one other tasks associated with getting the car back together. Bad news was that the Vacuum pods have not passed muster ? Mattys gets another wedge of cash?.
Jeremy
