Mark's 1983 Lotus Supreme Frame Preservation

Mark's 1983 Lotus Supreme Preservation - Frame Preserved

This is Mark's Lotus Supreme frame, it is in for preservation.  These are the frame I truly love, in my book it does not get better then this, a Japanese frame from the 1980's, a lugged frame, Columbus SL tubing, chrome lugs and chrome chain and seat stays.  There are just a few things cooler then this in my book, but then everyone has there own book and decide how they want to write the book.

The chrome on the later Lotus frames tended to flake, unfortunately this frame has some flaking.  The flaking is not the end of the world though, the color of this frame, the patina and the looks are just to awesome to repaint, it would be a shame to repaint it.

The plan for the frame is to polish the paint, polish the chrome, wax the frame and apply clear coat to the bare metal areas to preserve it.

I apologize for the poor photos, I dropped my good camera and I am waiting for a new lens to arrive, it been a pain.

Mark's 1983 Lotus Supreme Preservation - Frame Before

Mark's 1983 Lotus Supreme Preservation
Frame Before - Head Tube

Mark's 1983 Lotus Supreme Preservation - Frame Before
Frame Flaking

Mark's 1983 Lotus Supreme Preservation
Frame Before - Head Tube

Mark's 1983 Lotus Supreme Preservation - Frame Before
Top Tube - Supreme Decal

Mark's 1983 Lotus Supreme Preservation - Frame Before
Down tube Lotus Decal

Mark's 1983 Lotus Supreme Preservation - Down Tube

Mark's 1983 Lotus Supreme Preservation - Frame Before
Seat Lug

Mark's 1983 Lotus Supreme Preservation
Frame Before - Seat Tube Lotus Decal

Mark's 1983 Lotus Supreme Preservation - Frame Before
Bottom Bracket

Mark's 1983 Lotus Supreme Preservation
Frame Before - Drop Outs

Mark's 1983 Lotus Supreme Preservation
Frame Before - Seat Lug

Mark's 1983 Lotus Supreme Preservation - Frame Before
Brake Bridge

Mark's 1983 Lotus Supreme Preservation
Frame Before - Awesome Detail

Mark's 1983 Lotus Supreme Preservation - Frame Before
Drop Outs

Mark's 1983 Lotus Supreme Preservation - Frame Before
Flaking

Mark's 1983 Lotus Supreme Preservation - Frame Before

Mark's 1983 Lotus Supreme Preservation - Frame Before
Down Tube

Mark's 1983 Lotus Supreme Preservation - Frame Before
Bottom Bracket

Mark's 1983 Lotus Supreme Preservation
Frame Before - Seat Tube

Mark's 1983 Lotus Supreme Preservation
Frame Before - Derailleur Bracket

Mark's 1983 Lotus Supreme Preservation - Frame Before
Chrome Chain Stay

Mark's 1983 Lotus Supreme Preservation
Frame Before - Chrome Stays

Mark's 1983 Lotus Supreme Preservation - Frame Before

Mark's 1983 Lotus Supreme Preservation
Frame Before - Fork

Mark's 1983 Lotus Supreme Preservation - Fork Before
Such a Cool Fork Crown

Mark's 1983 Lotus Supreme Preservation
Fork Before

Mark's 1983 Lotus Supreme Preservation
Fork Before

Mark's 1983 Lotus Supreme Preservation
Fork Before - Fork Crown

The chrome has a lacquer finish over it that is flaking off on the frame stays.  It is badly flaking so I removed the rest of the lacquer to get to just the chrome.  With the lacquer removed I polished the chrome stays and it looks fantastic, I am extremely happy with the chrome on the stays and rear drop outs.

The chrome on the lugs is another story, the flaking is the problem.  I cleaned the lugs and then polished the lugs very gently.  The lugs polished nice and with the clear applied the lugs will hold up well.

With the lugs polished I started the work on the paint.  I worked through some grits of polish and then did the buffing.  The paint turned out fantastic, just beautiful.  The lavender paint is beautiful and you just don't see a color like this often.  The paint has a nice pearl to it, the color does not photo the best but in person the before and after is stunning!

Mark's 1983 Lotus Supreme Preservation - Frame Polished

Mark's 1983 Lotus Supreme Preservation
Frame Polished - Head Tube

Mark's 1983 Lotus Supreme Preservation
Frame Polished - Head Tube

Mark's 1983 Lotus Supreme Preservation - Frame Polished
Supreme Decal

Mark's 1983 Lotus Supreme Preservation - Frame Polished
Down Tube Decal

Mark's 1983 Lotus Supreme Preservation
Frame Polished - Seat Tube Decal

Mark's 1983 Lotus Supreme Preservation - Frame Polished
Seat Lug

Mark's 1983 Lotus Supreme Preservation - Frame Polished
Seat Lug

Mark's 1983 Lotus Supreme Preservation - Frame Polished
Bottom Bracket

Mark's 1983 Lotus Supreme Preservation - Frame Polished
Seat Lug

Mark's 1983 Lotus Supreme Preservation - Frame Polished
Brake Bridge

Mark's 1983 Lotus Supreme Preservation - Frame Polished
Bottom Bracket Internal Cleaned

Mark's 1983 Lotus Supreme Preservation - Frame Polished
Frame Stay Chrome - Polished

Mark's 1983 Lotus Supreme Preservation - Chain Stay Chrome
Polished

Mark's 1983 Lotus Supreme Preservation - Frame Polished
Chain Stay Chrome

Mark's 1983 Lotus Supreme Preservation - Frame Polished
Drop Outs

Mark's 1983 Lotus Supreme Preservation - Frame Polished
Drop Out

Mark's 1983 Lotus Supreme Preservation - Frame polished

That is where the Lotus frame is now, it is beautiful.  I still need to apply the sealer wax to the frame after I apply the clear to the bare frame spots.  I also still need to polish the chrome on the fork and work my way through the polishing grit on the fork paint and apply the sealer wax.

I got to work on the fork, the lacquer on the chrome fork crown was badly flaking, I removed the flaking lacquer and got on with polishing the fork crown.  The fork crown turned out beautiful, absolutely beautiful!!  Chrome fork crowns with shapes like these are a thing of the past and its a shame that they do not make them like this anymore.

With the fork crown polished I polished the fork paint and applied the sealer wax, it looks great.

Mark's 1983 Lotus Supreme Preservation
Fork Polished

Mark's 1983 Lotus Supreme Preservation
Fork Polished

Mark's 1983 Lotus Supreme Preservation - Fork Crown
Polished

Mark's 1983 Lotus Supreme Preservation
Fork Crown - Polished

Mark's 1983 Lotus Supreme Preservation - Fork Crown - Polished

Mark's 1983 Lotus Supreme Preservation - Fork Crown
Polished

Mark's 1983 Lotus Supreme Preservation - Fork Crown
Polished

With the frame polished and before wax was applied I cleaned the bare metal areas of the frame of any dirt, oils, polish residue and an corrosion.  I then applied a clear coat to the bar metal areas and made sure it over lapped the paint edge a very little bit.  I applied the clear only to the small bare areas as apposed to the entire frame because I would not know exactly how the transfer decals would react to the clear coat.

With the clear coat dried and done I applied a sealer wax to the frame and buffed it out.  It looks fantastic.

I apologize for the poor photos, up close photos suffer with this camera.

Mark's 1983 Lotus Supreme Preservation - Bare Metal
Clear Coated

Mark's 1983 Lotus Supreme Preservation - Bare Metal
Clear Coated

Mark's 1983 Lotus Supreme Preservation - Frame - Complete

I had to get some photos of the frame outside

Mark's 1983 Lotus Supreme Preservation - Frame - Complete

Mark's 1983 Lotus Supreme Preservation
Frame Complete

Mark's 1983 Lotus Supreme Preservation - Frame - Complete

Mark's 1983 Lotus Supreme Preservation - Frame - Complete

Thanks for the interest,
John Z.