Lotus TURBO ESPRIT Service Manual page 82

SECTION 55
Page
7
BB 3
-
GENERAL DESCRIPl'ION
The b a s i s o f t h e v e h i c l e comprises a o n e p i e c e
moulded composite m a t e r i a l b o d y s h e l l which s t r a d d l e s
a f a b r i c a t e d s t e e l backbone c h a s s i s , and
i s
b o l t e d
t o i t v i a i n t e g r a l a l l o y bobbins a t s e v e r a l widespread
mounting p o i n t s .
Whilst t h e c h a s s i s c a r r i e s a l l t h e major s t r u c t u r a l
l o a d s , t h e body i s used t o c a r r y o r t r a n s f e r t h e
r e m a i n d e r , and when t h e body and c h a s s i s a r e mounted
t o g e t h e r each c o n t r i b u t e s t o t h e s t r e n g t h and t o r s i o n a l
s t i f f n e s s of each o t h e r . The b o d y s h e l l i s moulded i n
two major s e c t i o n s , a t o p s h e l l and u n d e r t r a y which
a r e bonded t o g e t h e r around t h e ' w a i s t l i n e ' .
S p e c i f i c p r o p e r t i e s , where r e q u i r e d , a r e i n c o r p o r a t e d
w i t h i n t h e moulded s e c t i o n s by u t i l i z i n g t h e h i g h
t e n s i l e and s t r e n g t h c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s o f t h e v a r i o u s
t y p e s of f i b r e r e i n f o r c e m e n t used.
BB 4
-
ACCIDENT D A M A G E ASSESSMENT
A l l damage t o t h e body must be c l a s s e d a s s t r u c t u r a l .
However, i n s i d e t h i s broad c l a s s i f i c a t i o n t h e damaged a r e a
"
can be f u r t h e r d e f i n e d a s e i t h e r : -
a ) High s t r e s s e d , b ) Moderate s t r e s s e d , o r
=)
Low s t r e s s e d ,
and on t h a t d e f i n i t i o n depends t h e o r i g i n a l c o n s t r u c t i o n and
t h e r e f o r e t h e r e p a i r method t o b e employed.
A s a g e n e r a l r u l e t h e r e should be a bond wherever two p a n e l s
t o u c h , o r wherever t h e y c l o s e on i m p o r t a n t p o i n t s .
I t i s
u s u a l l y p o s s i b l e t o check t h e s e bonds b o t h v i s u a l l y and
p h y s i c a l l y f o r f r a c t u r e s o r b r e a k s . A s c e r t a i n t h e c a u s e of
damage and t h e d i r e c t i o n o f impact and examine a l l p a n e l s o r
bonds which may have been a f f e c t e d .