Wanna see what a $200 Lotus frame looks like?

"cletus44 aka Clayton Seams" (cletus44) 06/02/2015 at 20:43 • Filed to: None

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It looks absolutely terrifying. The front part of the frame is completely gone.

The rest of the frame is ugly but not terrible. What do you guys think? Should I run away screaming?

Brian Silvestro > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams 06/02/2015 at 20:45

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lolwhatframe

jkm7680 > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams 06/02/2015 at 20:46

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GAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.

Don’t do what I just did, nothing is broked if you have deep enough pockets!

Alfalfa Romeo > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams 06/02/2015 at 20:48

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That poor Lotus! How are your fabrication skills?

cletus44 aka Clayton Seams > jkm7680 06/02/2015 at 20:48

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However, my pockets are NOT that deep

jkm7680 > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams 06/02/2015 at 20:50

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Well that’s not ideal.

Does it look repairable to you? Because it looks relatively fucked from this end.

sony1492 > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams 06/02/2015 at 20:50

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Ive had a similar experiance with an rx7, and with that much rust id scrap it before you put money into it

aberson Bresident of the FullyAssed Committe > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams 06/02/2015 at 20:50

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keep it, its fixable. Not an easy fix but still fixable

metalwork can look scary at first (ask me how i know)

that was just one of the many holes the alfa had in it’s floors

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams 06/02/2015 at 20:51

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Looks like it would crumble if you squeezed it...

cletus44 aka Clayton Seams > jkm7680 06/02/2015 at 20:52

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Looks rather fucked from here cap’n

TheVancen- In Pursuit of a Greater Payday and Car Parts > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams 06/02/2015 at 20:52

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Its in better shape than my Capri. Get a mig welder a few spools, a tank of gas, and some steel. You will be an awesome.e welder by the time youre done.

cletus44 aka Clayton Seams > Alfalfa Romeo 06/02/2015 at 20:53

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Nonexistant. I have a minimal amount of welding experience but nothing like this

jkm7680 > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams 06/02/2015 at 20:54

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Ai-ai. I’d suggest consulting a Lotus specialist and reviewing your options.

Denver Is Stuck In The 90s > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams 06/02/2015 at 20:55

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EEEEP

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams 06/02/2015 at 21:05

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Here’s some plans . Go build a new one. (Or find someone to build it for you.)

extraspecialbitter > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams 06/02/2015 at 21:07

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holy crap...

desertdog5051 > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams 06/02/2015 at 21:24

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Too bad. Should be able to get your money back in parts?

1111111111111111111111 > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams 06/02/2015 at 21:25

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Rust converter!

Damn.

Slant6 > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams 06/02/2015 at 21:28

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Mr2 spyder wheelbase is only 2 inches shorter. Attach the body panels and basically have an Elise. Lotus styling with toyota power.

Alfalfa Romeo > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams 06/02/2015 at 21:40

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Time to make some welder friends, perhaps. I would be right there with my hood if I lived anywhere nearby.

John_Harbinson > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams 06/02/2015 at 21:40

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Based on that picture alone, part it out, you should be able to make a small profit on some of the parts that may still be intact; (glass, wheels? Steering rack (if not frozen), does it have an engine or transmission? Parting something out like this, especially when the torches and grinders have to come out, hurts, but there are other ones out there, and if you’re lucky enough, you may just come across one sometime in your near future.

DiExMachina > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams 06/02/2015 at 22:05

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Are these cars body on frame or a sub frame car? That rust is pretty bad

cletus44 aka Clayton Seams > DiExMachina 06/02/2015 at 22:08

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Frame looks like this:

http://www.parts.banks-europa.co.uk/orders_frame.h…

It’s a backbone chassis

DiExMachina > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams 06/02/2015 at 22:15

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Frankly if it is as boxey as they make it look, once you get that body off, you might be able to find a fab shop to make you a new one relatively cheap. Or start learning to weld.

uofime-2 > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams 06/02/2015 at 22:18

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Time to learn some hardcore fabrication skills!

DiExMachina > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams 06/02/2015 at 22:22

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I like this one. Simple square tube frame.

Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams 06/02/2015 at 22:32

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If you can't fabricate like a motherfucker, run away, cause that's one toasted Lotus.

shop-teacher > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams 06/02/2015 at 22:50

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That’s about what I figured it’d look like. As I see it, you have three options.

A) Get a new frame

B) Sell it to someone else who can afford/build a new frame

C) Part it out

AntiSpeed > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 06/03/2015 at 01:06

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Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > AntiSpeed 06/03/2015 at 01:46

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My God — this Lotus was probably on that ship at some point too!

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams 06/03/2015 at 05:51

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You’re a brave man, but all metalwork is just that. Work.

Do enough of it and it’s fixed.

I’ve never repaired anything with that level of rust, but I’ve certainly repaired sections that are close. Buy a half-decent MIG welder, some sheet steel (cheap), a guillotine (I’ve bolted mine to a piece of wood so it’s transportable) and some mole (vice) grips and you’re away :)

You seem like a smart chap. If I can teach myself to weld, so can you...

Old-Busted-Hotness > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams 06/03/2015 at 06:46

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Now you find out just how committed you are to this car.

Remember when I said it’d cost 30 grand to get it running again? A new frame will be about 4 grand (FOB England) so that’s your down payment.

64Mali > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams 06/03/2015 at 07:38

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That looks rougher than the frame on my Mali... How is the metal structure for the fiberglass body? From what I am looking at your going to need a frame and most of the steering/suspension components to be replaced. I’m actually surprised it held moving it onto the trailer.

Stephen the Canuck > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams 06/04/2015 at 11:46

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Tube frame it is then. Mother of god that is frightening.

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams 06/05/2015 at 09:10

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WELD ALL THE THINGS!

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams 06/05/2015 at 09:11

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Sounds like it’s time to learn! I mean, it’s a $200 project. It will either work or you’re not out of much. Just play.

Jedidiah > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams 06/07/2015 at 11:17

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Get a new frame or rolling chasis

Or run away if don’t feel like spending a couple grand