A&Q about Lotus
Q:
Is it because of bad paint job from factory? Car has been in accident? Acid?
Just curious cause in one of the sticky in For Sale, it says to look for spider webbing in the car.
Thanks.
A:
flexing of the glass surface, for whatever reason, blunt trauma to glass surface, sometime's poor glass composition, bad cure, too thick or thin gel etc
A:
what causes flexing of the glass surface? Rock chips? heat from engine? heat from sun if car is outside all day long?
so it has nothing to do from factory, but more of the material of the fiber glass?
Any cure or fix to spider webbing besides full paint job?
A:
Where you are most likely to see spider webbing on the Elise is in the body panels that enclose the trunk. Hard objects shifting around in the trunk during hard cornering can strike the body panels from the inside causing a small spider web series of crack in the paint on the outside.
The Elise doesn't have a gel coat which is a source of stress cracking on many other fiberglass car bodies (older Corvettes, for example).
There's not much you can do about it other than a respray of the area, but if you are purchasing, it is something you should look for as either a deal killer point or in your price negotiation.
A:
If you push on the clam too hard (like pushing the car into a garage or whatever) may result in spidering. I remember a thread where someone noticed spidering when washing their Elise. He said it happened when his father in-law pushed against the rear clam.
John
A:
Are you guys talking about a spider web in the actual paint or top coat? One of my buddies mentioned I needed to get rid of the spider webbing but he was referring to the microscopic scratches that appear in the top coat that reflect when the sun hits the car and makes it look crappy...not actualy cracks in the paint
A:
A:
Originally Posted by nugg_dawg
If you push on the clam too hard (like pushing the car into a garage or whatever) may result in spidering. I remember a thread where someone noticed spidering when washing their Elise. He said it happened when his father in-law pushed against the rear clam.
John
How about push due to car cover? As you know, at each end of the cover, front and rear, there are elastic band that strecthes so the car cover can fit the car perfectly. How about that push, especially for front clam?
Originally Posted by rush
Are you guys talking about a spider web in the actual paint or top coat? One of my buddies mentioned I needed to get rid of the spider webbing but he was referring to the microscopic scratches that appear in the top coat that reflect when the sun hits the car and makes it look crappy...not actualy cracks in the paint
I would think clear coat as I have only seen once in person spider web in the actual paint, and that is due because someone hit the bumper of the owner's car.
A:
The fibreglass is stressed if hit with something, shock, accident, can also happen by lifting the body wrong, suspension too firm. Most owners of fibreglass cars expect it to happen. Typical with older Lotus. Standard method is to grind out the crack with a Dremel, fill with resin mix, add thin veil of cloth, more resin, sand, repaint. Some other methods also used.
A:
holy crap that's definitely not what I was talking about. I haven't had that yet, and hopefully never do.
A:
Will spider web spread out or just spot-per-spot basis?
A:
per spot, however you could have numerous spots... Very numerous spots.
BUT******> Elise's are NOT older Lotus-TVR-Corvettes. New Corvettes are much improved than older ones. And Elise body panels are not built the same as a 1973 Lotus, they too have improved. I wouldn't worry about it... for now. Just drive the sucker.