Motorsport Engine cover

General General Lotus Talk
1

In September last year about 8 people bought a Motorsport engine cover from Australia as part of a group buy. I was wondering how people had resolved fitting this item since it was not just a straightforward swop out.
My biggest problem was the fact that the panel was virtually flat against the curved standard item. Also the standard item is glued to a rigd frame (which gives the required curvature).
I also wanted to retain the original top hinge and latching mechanism.
I made up an alumium plate which I glued an bolted to the cover and in turn attached it to the existing hinge plate.
To get the required curvature, I fixed a 14mm sqaure m/s tube to the alu hingeplate and run it down the spine of the cover, having bent it to the correct curvature first. I also welded two lengths of 20mm/3mm flat spring steel at the one third and two third points of the spine and used s/s bolts to pull the sides down to the proper curvature. Finally I fitted the original catch with appropriate spacers.
How did you do it??

2

I fitted four racing catches and took out the hinge and latch and all the cabling altogether saving 1.3 Kg

The latches bend it to the required position and so far all has been well !!!

3

Ken

can you show pics? I can’t understand what you did with the 20mm/3mm spring steel

4

I also bought a house with no garage, so haven’t done anything with the cover.
I’ll first build a garage…

5

I getting senile. Just went out to take some pix and realised that I had removed the spine member because it proved unnecessary.
Pic of the crossmembers and hinge. Steel bent to shape and then tempered.
[image]http://www.midfingerprint.com/images/x1.jpg[/image]
and the hood closed. It works off the standard opening mechanism.
[image]http://www.midfingerprint.com/images/x2.jpg[/image]

6

It needs a Lotus badge…

7

It needs a Lotus badge…

I am trying to keep a low profile. Hope the police will mistake it for a VW Polo.

8

I am trying to keep a low profile. Hope the police will mistake it for a VW Polo.

ROFLMAO

9

cheers Ken

Is that a duratec or an audi in there ?

10

It’s an AUDI, of course !!!