Removing Chassis Brackets

BillB · Post by **BillB** » Tue Jan 29, 2008 00:05

Hi
I want to get the chassis to body brackets from under the front wings off as they are rusting. These ones:-

The bolts through the chassis are accessible both sides so shouldn't be a problem.
My question is does anyone have any tips for how to access the bolts that go through the body?
(Mine are installed with the bolt heads inside the car and the nuts catching the muck under the wheel arch )
Theres' no sign of them immediately under the carpet and I don't suppose they are captive?
I'm not sure which bits of trim/underlay to attack and and I'd like to do as little damage as possible in the process.

Any advice greatfully received.

Regards
Bill

Pete Boole · Post by **Pete Boole** » Tue Jan 29, 2008 10:48

Hi Bill

I recognise that photo!! The bolts inside the cabin are socket-heads and are down holes in the foam-filled box section beneath the pedals. Mine were pretty rusty but I didn't have to drill any out.

Pete

BillB · Post by **BillB** » Tue Jan 29, 2008 13:40

Thanks for the photo, Pete!

Didn't know about the foam-filled box section.

Do I need to concentrate on getting the underlay off the floor or from behind the slope of pedals?

BTW it looks from your post as though you got new brackets. Do you remeber who supplied them?

Regards
Bill

terry · Post by **terry** » Tue Jan 29, 2008 16:50

They are so simple, I bet a local fabricating firm could make them out of stainless, for cheaper than the Lotus parts price.

While we are talking about these, I've always assumed that these brackets along with the tubular one that runs from the boot floor to the rear chassis bolts, were an attempt to stop the body shifting, either in the event of a shunt or just to stop the rear fixings working loose.

Any got any views on exactly why they were put in???

Terry

Pete Boole · Post by **Pete Boole** » Tue Jan 29, 2008 23:29

As far as I can remember the whole floor, including the sloping section, is covered with sound-proofing. You need to remove this to expose the mounting bolts.

The brackets in the picture are the originals de-rusted with Bilt Hamber rust remover (Deox-C), etch primed and painted: Terry is right though, you could easily get new ones fabricated if you needed to.

Pete