Plus 2 front bumper fit

[NYK]

I?m rebuilding a Plus 2, so recently put a new front end on and am currently adjusting the fit of bonnet, side/indicator lights and headlamp pods.

Next on my list is a new bumper, found a place that sells genuine Anglia re-plated bumpers. I should say my bumper is bent so no good. I also have another Anglia bumper with surplus holes (so no good either) but it appears to be straight. When I offer it up to the body there is quite an overlap at each end as in the photo, is this correct?

[JimE]

Looks fine to me. Jim (+2 owner).

[NYK]

Thanks Jim
Nic

[10kph]

Hi, I hope your new one fits as good, none are better.
Tony

[NYK]

Thanks Tony, having spent some time getting a good fit on the lights etc it?s a shame that the bumper is such a poor fit but at least I know it?s not my car. I wonder why Lotus did not spend a bit more effort getting their body to fit the bumper a little better.
Nic

[JimE]

They made a closer fit on the Europa. I guess it just turned out that way. If Lotus has tweaked the front it might have compromised the styling in some other way.

[JonB]

Mine's the same.

I have to question the wisdom of mounting the bumpers directly onto the bodywork as any impact will just get transferred to the fibre glass. Still, it looks good like that.

[denicholls2]

Mine's the same.

I have to question the wisdom of mounting the bumpers directly onto the bodywork as any impact will just get transferred to the fibre glass. Still, it looks good like that.

Bumpers were almost purely cosmetic in those days. In fact, the presence of a bumper meant an additional, fairly expensive piece to replace in even a minor collision.

If you stop to think about it, delivering the shock of minor impacts to the bodywork is a better solution than delivering it to a light gauge sheet metal sub-frame. The fiberglass will yield and bounce back with minor impacts, stress crack on more significant ones, and crack on still more serious ones. All a lot more repairable than replacing the chassis, which is the alternative with any Lotus except the Type 14. In the day, a body shop repair did not consist of a $10,000 paint job but fairing and respray.

The bumper, sacrificed in most collisions, spreads the shock more evenly throughout the entire body as a modern steel monocoque does. Depending on the outcome, you can consider this an advantage or not. On most Lotuses, the chassis does not get involved until the front wheels hit, providing a significant crumple zone.

There is a story in the excellent book on the Type 14, with pictures, of a high-speed collision that virtually disintegrated the Elite's body. As I recall, the driver was relatively unhurt. In a frame car of the era, a collision like that meant relatively certain death.

[NYK]

One other question I have, is there anything between bumper and body, perhaps some sort of thin ?gasket? ?
Nic

[Bud English]

There are four "rubber blocks" (part number A050B1940) listed as an attaching part under #26, section BA in the parts manual. They are somewhat thin, at least after forty plus years, rubber pads. I've just rounded up one of my old ones to make four new ones out of sheet rubber. I can take a photo if needed.

[NYK]

There are four "rubber blocks" (part number A050B1940) listed as an attaching part under #26, section BA in the parts manual. They are somewhat thin, at least after forty plus years, rubber pads. I've just rounded up one of my old ones to make four new ones out of sheet rubber. I can take a photo if needed.

Yes, some idea of dimentsions and thickness would be helpful, so I presume the bolts mount through them?
Nic

[Bud English]

Here are a couple of pics. The pads are one inch square and appear to have been a purpose molded piece. The flat part of the pad is about 1/8" thick, and the part that fits the slot in the bumper is about 3/16" thick. The thicker part doesn't appear to have just pushed into the hole. It's molded that way.. Both of those dimensions may have been thicker when new. I have no idea if these are available.

[NYK]

Thanks Bud, gives me an idea of what to make if I can?t get them.
Nic

[Bud English]

Quick update.
I just found the blocks that came out from under the front bumper. They must have been under much less compression. They are simply 3/4" square, 3/16" thick rubber pads, with the hole centered. The front and back blocks have the same part number. Apparently my "purpose molded" rear blocks are just squashed flat and pressed into the bumper slot.

Even if available, I'll just make new ones from 3/16" sheet rubber.

[NYK]

Sounds like a good plan