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Lotus chassis RAL codes?

goodguydrew - 22/1/11 at 06:44 PM

Where can I find the RAL code(s) for the early Lotus 7 chassis?

Bare - 23/2/11 at 05:38 AM

what? is a RAL code?

MikeCapon - 23/2/11 at 08:12 AM

quote:
Originally posted by Bare
what? is a RAL code?

Click me to find out

Bare - 24/2/11 at 04:51 PM

Ahhhh.. thank you :-)

tul214 - 24/2/11 at 05:07 PM

A quick search found BS 381 671...here

Mike Wood - 27/2/11 at 08:14 PM

quote:
Originally posted by goodguydrew
Where can I find the RAL code(s) for the early Lotus 7 chassis?

Arch Motors the - Lotus & Caterham chassis manufacturers until recently - are still in business, might be worth an e-mail.

As has been said, light grey enamel metal paint following aircraft practice was standard racing car practice, to allow easy crack detection on a brazed steel tube chassis. Not sure if Lotus would have wanted their contractors to have gone for expensive aircraft paint, but standard domestic grey metal paint was around at the time. I do remember one of the Lotus history books ominously referring to Jenolite being used sometimes on chassis that had been stored outside!

Probably the closest you will get to orginal type of paint is handpainting Tekaloid Enamel, see colours: http://www.stephen.hull.btinternet.co.uk/bs381c.html and ordering info: http://www.stephen.hull.btinternet.co.uk/order.html

If you want to get aircraft paint for a tube chassis in the UK, there are a number of suppliers including LAS Aerospace - http://www.lasaero.com/site/products/article?id=P04AG8G7P (Randolph US aircraft paints, not sure of you can get UK stuff anymore!); also try: http://www.skysportengineering.co.uk/ For international try Aircraft Spruce & Speciality: http://www.aircraftspruce.com/intlreps.html

Cheers
Mike

Mike Wood - 28/2/11 at 03:21 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Mike Wood

quote:
Originally posted by goodguydrew
Where can I find the RAL code(s) for the early Lotus 7 chassis?

Arch Motors the - Lotus & Caterham chassis manufacturers until recently - are still in business, might be worth an e-mail.

As has been said, light grey enamel metal paint following aircraft practice was standard racing car practice, to allow easy crack detection on a brazed steel tube chassis. Not sure if Lotus would have wanted their contractors to have gone for expensive aircraft paint, but standard domestic grey metal paint was around at the time. I do remember one of the Lotus history books ominously referring to Jenolite being used sometimes on chassis that had been stored outside!

Probably the closest you will get to orginal type of paint is handpainting Tekaloid Enamel, see colours: http://www.stephen.hull.btinternet.co.uk/bs381c.html and ordering info: http://www.stephen.hull.btinternet.co.uk/order.html

If you want to get aircraft paint for a tube chassis in the UK, there are a number of suppliers including LAS Aerospace - http://www.lasaero.com/site/products/article?id=P04AG8G7P (Randolph US aircraft paints, not sure of you can get UK stuff anymore!); also try: http://www.skysportengineering.co.uk/ For international try Aircraft Spruce & Speciality: http://www.aircraftspruce.com/intlreps.html

Cheers
Mike

Mike Wood - 28/2/11 at 03:47 PM

Hi

Have you got more info on your project 'Shortened Book Chassis 1.3 Crossflow' - is this some trials special, or an early Lotus replica as you are asking about Lotus paint codes? Sounds interesting.

Cheers
Mike

se7en - 28/2/11 at 05:18 PM

Hi Mike

You are right about the colour of the paint.

When I worked at RNAY, we repaired military aircraft. Because of my interest in motor racing I spent quite a lot of my spare time around a local garage. It just so happened that this garage had two Lotus 48 cars. One of the 48's got smashed at Thruxton and I assisted in the repair by obtaining cleco style panel clips, rivets and some grey paint to match the original.

When they acquired two Lotus 63's they were finished in a similar grey paint. It would not surprise me if the sevens were painted the same.

Tom