Accident Damage Assessment; Paintwork Polishing; Ventilation - Lotus Evora Service Notes

Lotus Service Notes
up liquid can contain corrosive salts, and will remove wax and accelerate oxidation). Frequent washing is the
best safeguard against both seen and invisible contaminants. Wash in the shade, and use a cotton chenille
wash mitt or a sponge rinsed frequently to minimise entrapment of dirt particles. Use a straight back and forth
washing motion to avoid swirled micro scratches, and rinse thoroughly.
In order to minimise degradation from road salt, the underside of the chassis should be rinsed with clean
water as soon as possible after driving on treated roads. Many fuel filling stations offer pressure washing fa-
cilities ideal for this purpose, but to not use on the painted bodywork or vulnerable powertrain components or
delicate radiator finning.

Paintwork Polishing

Eventually some loss of gloss, and an accumulation of traffic film, will occur. At this stage, after normal
washing, the application of a good quality liquid polish will restore the original lustre of the paint film. Higher
gloss of the paint finish, and added protection against contamination, can be obtained by the use of a wax
polish; however, this can only be used successfully on a clean surface, from which the previous application has
been removed with white spirit or a liquid polish cleaner.

Ventilation

Water lying on the paint surface for a lengthy period will eventually penetrate the paint film. Although the
effects will not be visible immediately, a deterioration in the protective properties of the paint film will ultimately
result. It is not recommended to store a wet car in a poorly ventilated garage. If good ventilation cannot be
provided, storage outside on a hard standing or under a carport is to be preferred.
BU.4 - ACCIDENT DAMAGE ASSESSMENT
The repair method to be employed in the rectification of accident damage to composite panels, is to be
assessed reletive to the particular panel and its method of attachment:
Bolt-on Panels: - Front Clamshell & Reservoir Hatch;
- Front Bumper;
- 'A' Panels;
- Door Shells;
- Rear Clamshell;
- Rear Bumper;
- Tailgate;
- Ventilation Panel;
- Reservoir Hatch.
These panels are secured by threaded fasteners and are easily removed for access to the back of any
damaged area for repair by conventional composite techniques. Instructions for the removal and refitment of
these panels are contained in section BV.
Bonded-on Panels: - Windscreen Frame;
- LH & RH Body Side Panels;
- Rear Bulkhead;
- Roof Panel.
These panels are bonded to the chassis or to other panels using a flexible polyurethane adhesive which
must be cut before the panel may be removed. In some cases, it may be necessary to partially remove another
panel before the subject panel can be released. It is not generally economic to attempt to remove a bonded
panel intact for later re-fitment.
The shape, positioning and structure of the windscreen frame is crucial to the fit of the windscreen and
adjacent body panels, in addition to its behaviour in a vehicle collision. The only repairs which should be con-
sidered for this panel are cosmetic and superficial; any structural damage should be addressed by windscreen
frame replacement.
The body side panels include the 'A' posts, 'B' posts and cantrails, and involve much labour time to re-
place. Localised repairs should be performed whenever possible, if necessary using a partial section cut from
a replacement body side panel. Access to the inner surface should be considered when assessing cut lines.
Note that if damage is such as to require replacement of the chassis, a service replacement chassis is
Section BU
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