The Lotus Grand Tourers

The heater distribution and temperature controls on my 1990 car were 'loose' and sized solid. I should explain, the levers feel like nothing is really attached but they would not move. Further investigation reveals they share the same pivot on the back of the heater panel, however the bottom part that holds the pivot pin in place is missing, if you hold the pin in place with one hand the heat control works but the cables are stiff, they did however feel like they were freeing off with movement. Not so much luck with the distribution lever.. However I am unsure of how to release the cables, I should be able to make a replacement pivot pin if the missing part is unobtainium, it's the washer that the pivot pin clips into that is missing. The other thing I have notices is the center vents have been inoperable for some time anyway, as the rubber parts that connect the heater box to the vents were squashed flat blocking them completely, this may have been from new! So when this pin is sorted and the cables freed off I will need to work out how to make sure these go back properly!

. this may have been from new!

I wouldn't be surprised at anything that escaped the factory. I've just repainted and refitted my rear bumper properly.
The off side corner sat low by at least 4 or 5 mm, looking really naff. Now I've raised it the necessary amount, the bulb holder is so high I can't get the bayonet in. The holes in the body are too low!!! It must have left the factory with a really miss aligned bumper.
Tony

Yeah, getting the rubber ducts to connect up to the vents, in place, is a damned fiddly job. Particularly when they don't want to adopt that shape 'cos they've been bent another way so long.

Don't have to blame the factory - you've got 30-40 years of Previous Owners who could have removed the vents for any number of reasons, and found it too much faff to put them back properly.

The cables from control to heater on my car size up every couple of years they have done it from when the car was new. i have to free them off again as they have stopped working. I have some second hand cables now i am going to fit.

rbgosling wrote: ↑

Mon Sep 20, 2021 21:37

Don't have to blame the factory - you've got 30-40 years of Previous Owners who could have removed the vents for any number of reasons, and found it too much faff to put them back properly.

Good point.. there's a receipt for supply and fitting of a wiper motor from Paul Matty I have found while looking through the documents that came with the car..

The little plastic clips that retain the bowden cable outer also break sometimes - do they all look like they are in place? The "free play" is also adjustable at the heater end of the cables.

Pete

Yes the retaining clips for all the cables are present and fitted. It seems the missing parts are little more than a washer and an 'e' clip that hold the pivot pin for the two large control levers in place. I might look at replacing the pin with a small bolt if the correct parts can't be found