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Some quality time spent with a 90's icon



  Sprint 172
I was asked by a friend to see if I could improve the paintwork on a Lotus Carlton. This particular example was not a perfect show car, nor does the owner want it to be one. Instead, an improvement in the gloss and the removal of the odd deeper scratch was asked for.


Paint levels were an average of 160 everywhere apart from the roof which came in at an average of 240. It could have seen paint in the past, but as these cars were hand painted in Hethel, perhaps this could be a normal reading.


Once washed and clayed, I took it inside the unit for polishing. Tool used was a Flex 3401 VRG with Lake Country Hydro Tech Tangerine pads and Meguiars 205 finishing polish. The odd deeper scratch was removed using a Cyan cutting pad with Meguiars 105, before following with the tangerine and 205. Protection provided by 3 coats of Werkstat Acrylic Sealant. The finish is by no means perfect with the odd scratch still present. But I think I achieved the desired brief of an increase in gloss.


The photos…


Bonnet 50/50:
50_50_bonnet.jpg



Bootlid 50/50:
50_50_boot.jpg



Bootlid finished:
boot_corrected.jpg



Finished photos inside the unit:
complete_inside_3.jpg

complete_inside_4.jpg

complete_inside_2.jpg

complete_inside_1.jpg



Finished shots outside:
complete_outside_1.jpg

complete_outside_2.jpg

complete_outside_3.jpg

reflection.jpg



Hope it's been of interest.
 

MarkCup

ClioSport Club Member
I proper lusted after one of these when they first came out...now I think they look hideous LOL...I'd still love a go in one.

Nice improvement on the paintwork.
 

Gavin.

ClioSport Club Member
0 - 60 in around 5 seconds and a top speed of around 180.
It was easier to get insured on a Lamborghini or a Ferrari than it was on one of these.
Great job on the paintwork.
 

Ged

  PD130 Peach
I have one in this colour!!!




On gran turismo :p if the game is anything to go by its epic.
 
  182/RS2/ Turbo/Mk1
I have one in this colour!!!




On gran turismo :p if the game is anything to go by its epic.



They're all this colour barring the race cars.

Totally epic cars, guy I know has a concours example that he's spent years rebuilding, always makes me drool when I see it.
 
W

WAR 23N

Great job on the paintwork, looks awesome!! could have polished the exhaust pipes though ;) LOL

As far as the car goes!! Its awful :/ might be stupidly quick but c'mon guys look at the state of it?
 
  182/RS2/ Turbo/Mk1
Great job on the paintwork, looks awesome!! could have polished the exhaust pipes though ;) LOL

As far as the car goes!! Its awful :/ might be stupidly quick but c'mon guys look at the state of it?

Looks great to me.

Would you prefer it with lexus lights? lol
 
W

WAR 23N

Looks great to me.

Would you prefer it with lexus lights? lol

Eeeeee, No thanks!! LOL. Just definitely not the type of car that i'd go for or even have a 2nd look at. Maybe a 2nd look now as the paintwork is looking great but thats the only reason!
 
  Sprint 172
Great job on the paintwork, looks awesome!! could have polished the exhaust pipes though ;) LOL

I wasn't allowed to touch them. They are aluminium and have a grey coating on them. They are being removed to be stove enamelled I think.
 
W

WAR 23N

I wasn't allowed to touch them. They are aluminium and have a grey coating on them. They are being removed to be stove enamelled I think.

Ahhh right i get you!! Great job on the paintwork anyway :clap:
 
Lovely. Soooo much want. IMO it looked superb back in '90 and still looks pretty cool now. As a kid there was something about these that appealed to me. Possibly because my Dad had an ordinary Carlton around that time.

My Mums boss had one. She took it for a spin late one night on the motorway but she chickened out at about 150.
 
you're an idiot. hand in your man card by the exit. All privelages are revoked

+1.

Proper love these cars, there's one I see in nottingham now and again but it's a bit sheddy unfortunately :( upsets me lol I want to ask him to sell it to me so I could get it back to its former glory.
Great job on the detail btw.
 
  182/RS2/ Turbo/Mk1
Proper love these cars, there's one I see in nottingham now and again but it's a bit sheddy unfortunately :( upsets me lol I want to ask him to sell it to me so I could get it back to its former glory.
Great job on the detail btw.

Not a cheap or easy thing to do restoring one of these, the bits are rarer than intelligent life on CS.
 
  182/RS2/ Turbo/Mk1
LOL!
But yes I can imagine, It seems mostly bodywork though which could be sorted.

Part of the problem was that when they made them they just hacked out the rear arches to stick the kit on without doing a proper job of sealing them, Ive heard rumours that some rusted so soon it was actually fixed under the warranty!
 


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