Lotus Evora 2010 - Servicing and Maintenance; Bodycare; Front Body Access Hatch; Body Features

HATCH
RELEASE
LEVER
14. SERVICING
AND MAINTENANCE
BODYCARE
Bodv Fealures
L;lus,s
amongst
the
wodd
leaders
in lhe
field olaulomotive
comDosite
moulding
design
and
manufacturing
techniques
com-
oos,ie mate
als
have maior
advanlages
for
sp€cialist car
bodiss
;nd hese briefnotes
intrcdLrce
some
fealures ofthe
construclion
and service
prop€rties of automolive
composite
bodies-
The manufacturing
process
enables
the thickness
of compos-
ite mouldings
to be
varjed in
order to
provido
efiicient
struclures
of hiq
h slrength
and low
weight Compositesw,
not corlode.
so
Lhe
sirenqth
ofcomposite
componenls
is relained regardl€ss
of
aqe, Lrnless
physical
damage
is sustained
On the
Evo€' lhe
b;dyconslruclion
utilises
several
mould ings
lo fotm a single
unit
incorcorating
ihe
two iront
wing lops and
frcnt body
panel
A
second
unitforthe
rear
body aftofthe
doors incoporates
both
rearwings,
the tailgate
aperture
and trunk slructure.
The
nose
and
tail oi lhe
car aIe capped
by deformable
'bumpet'
mould_
ings designed
to
reducedamage
to lhe main
body and chassis
structure
caused
by minor
knocks and
parking
incurcions,
All body
panels
atound the
tiont and
rear of lhe car
are
secured
using
threaded
fastenerc to
permit
easy
removal lor
access
lo chassis or
powertlain components,
or to allow
sim-
ple
and economic
accident
rcpair Othet
composite
mouldings
include
ihe door shells,
sills, *ont
body access
panel'
tailgate,
windscreen
fram€ and Iearbulkhead,
some
panels
being
bonded
lo the
aluminium alloychassis
or to
neighbouring
mouldingswith
an elastomeric
adhesive.
Several different
prcc€sses
are
used to manufactule
the
vari-
ous
panels
depsnding on the
parlicular functional requk€ments,
but all
processes provide
a high
resistance to
sudace damage
tiom minor knocks, where a
st€elpanelwould
become
denled.
lf severe damage
is caused lo a
composite
panel
where
lhe
underlying structure is broken,
repairs
may take the
fom ot
panel
replacemeni, or of
panel
repair using techniques
where
new composite
material is integ€ted with
the old lo
result in
undiminished
panel
strength.
Front Bodv
Access
Hatch
The hrnq;d
fiont bodv
access
hatch
provides
access
to the
bEke/cludh
fluid
res€rvorr
and the
windscrcen/headlamp
washer
rcservoirfillet
To oDen the
hatch,
from
the
inboard
sde of
eilher
footwell
.ress iownthe release
lever,lhe
nalch
maythen
be
rcrsedrully
;y hand.
Relurn
the
€lease
lever
lo
rts fully
raised
positron
Before closino.
check
thal
the
'eservoir
caps
are secure
lower the
lio.
an;
press
frmly ovet
the
latch
check
that the
panel
is fully
securc'