Let me join the rest of the list with my compliments. Great job!
I do have one question. I noticed you blanked off the cigar lighter. Personally, I don’t smoke however I used the lighter for the first time last summer. It came in quite handy charging up my wife’s cell phone during a trip to Canada. Lotus even provided a tray (the console) to put the phone on during the charging period. Are you fearful of some sort of fire hazard?
Hi everybody,
Very many thanks for the kind words. I am so looking forward to this year and can’t wait for some salt free roads to take the Elan out. I am sure I will have some odds n ends to set/ adjust etc etc. But, that’s what Lotus cars of this age are all about. Footering, all part of the fun.
To answer Frank's question re blanked off cigar lighter. 'Twasnt me! That's how the dash was when I got it. I just re vineered it etc. I wanted to put back as many parts as poss' that came off the car. Most of it is original I think. Only the carpets were replaced inside for E.G.
It was huge fun but it was a sair fecht. I got away with nothing. Anyone read the advert placed in Club Lotus mag when it went up for sale? That was a laugh! The best laugh though was the MOT. Almost a years mot was remaining when I got it. On the document it had an ‘advisory’ stating that there was ‘‘slight wear in top steering col’ bush’'. Fecking hilarious.
Rear brakes were U/S. Rear a frames were almost rusted thro’. Hand brake cable had rusted clean thro’. Fuel pipe had THREE joins in it. All leaking. Front dampers were leaking. Wishbones goosed. steering rack gaiters goosed. Brake pipes rusted. Rear discs U/S Hand brake rods/tree assy so rusted they were almost all the way thro’.The cyl head when I stripped it had 60thou shims in. Valve clearances ranged from Nil (almost) to 20+ thou. The valve stems had been ground down to obtain clearance. etc etc.
Ah, I love those pictures, they remind me so much of when I first got mine, aaah such sweet memories. My fave was a man coming up to me after a Goodwood track day and asking if I had adjustable wishbones because the camber was so severe - No, just a really badly welded chassis…
Alex, it looks fab, bet you cant wait to get out there.
Great job Alex!
Seeing another car back on the road after an extensive restoration is such a tremedous boost to others contemplating or in the middle of a rebuild
Hi Alex,
Stunning job mate, the labour of love. I hope the shake down period
works out without too many hitches.
Talking about scrim, I happen to work for a company that works with industrial fabrics. Scrim basically means the glass matting used for the job. It’s woven into a sort of mesh and that’s what they technically call a scrim.
Enjoy your wee car and hopefully I get to see it in the flesh someday as I do happen to visit Bonny Scotland from time to time both for business and for (p)leasure.
It appears that you took the outside photos after there had been some precipitation. If you check up on Scottish law, you could get 5 years for taking an Elan out in the wet after such a wonderful restoration.
On a more serious note, what have you done about insurance, re the value of your car. Do you have a cast iron agreed value for it?
It sounds like you bought a good car Alex!! You certainly have one now. But what’s next? I can’t see you just enjoying the drive now, but perhaps a more leisurely restoration as well as enjoying the Sprint may be on the cards?.
I’m sure there will be some bargains to be had over the coming couple of years…
Yes, it certainly is excellent…so…why not enter the Scottish Malts? see www.hero.org.uk . There are 3 Elans entered so far and the Elan always punches well above it`s weight in the tests. See you there?
Jim
Alex, with the benefit of hindsight, would you still have bought the same car (and at the same price, whatever that might have been)? Do you consider that you were misled by the vendor?
Insurance is on agreed value. You have to supply pics and invoices etc but worth the hassle. Carol Nash does mine. I have a classic bike/multi bike policy also, works well. Breakdown cover is included. Handy if you go traipsing around Europe. Esp’ on a Lambretta!!
I had known the car for some time prior to buying it as I drove past the owners house (in the middle of nowhere) to visit a client. The same client told me one day it was up for sale, so I went for a look. Unknown to me it was advertised in CL mag that month and I just got there 1st. I had a run in the car and gave it a good look over and knew it was not good. The history file was 1’’ deep (its now nearly 2"!!!) Turned out the doctor who owned it for many years was throwing money at it with a local garage. Hence the very dodgy MOT. A short time later he died.
He had suffered from Arthritis and could not get down low enough to inspect his car and trusted the garage. Big mistake. They should have been called bodges are us!!
The owners widow did not know the cars condition. Neither did the owners pal who was selling the car (for her).
So all in all I had an Idea of what I had bought. I should just have paid a bit less, but it was an unmolested original and complete car. When I got it on the ramp I knew I had a full resto’ job on my hands, so I just got stuck in.
I am at the moment trying to track down some Lambretta machines in Italy (I do business with Italians) I enjoy restoring them. 6 months does one easy. I have just sold the 1st one I did, and I use the second one I did during summer time. On nice days!!
Good luck all. If I have helped or inspired anyone doing the same I am well pleased. Enjoy.
I should have the car out n about this year weather permitting. I look forwatd to meeting a few of you on our travels. I should be at Donnington for E.G.
Anyone coming up to Knockhill give me a call. I can see Knockhill from my house. Handy!
Well done, the car looks great.
The re-commissioning / debugging won’t take long - and bear in mind that you will be working on a car that is almost as good as it was when it was built!
Mine has done 2k miles since it’s rebuild and I only have a short list of things that are “on going”
In spite of the “sair fecht” during the rebuild, once you are driving the car it all seems a distant thought…
Bruce
Hi All,
Again thanks for all the encouragement, kind words, etc.
The ''Sair fecht'' is already a distant memory! Mind you so are many other things.... :laughing:
I hope you are all correct re shakedown etc. The only thing I am waiting on now is my new (very late :confused:) four post lift/ramp. When that arrives I will be most happy. I will be able to get my other sportscar (Z4) into the garage again. The Lotus will live above on the said ramp and the wee BM will be underneath. Double garage! The BM has now lived outside in all weathers for 2 winters now and said wifey thing is becoming most agitated. She uses it daily and is having difficulty finding it in all this snow!
Happy days. I look forward to a nice 'stroll' under the Lotus, torch in hand, spanners in pocket checking here and there for emmm... Loose bits!
Did I tell you all about the weather shields I made for the new 2.25" rear springs? No... Well I cut up a plastic coke bottle, a big one and trimmed the length and dia to suit what I needed. Wrapped them round the top spring retainers and secured them with S/S screw drive clips. Good part is with the shields being clear lexan you can see thro' them which is be handy. So far they are fine. I will report back after a few miles.
I hope I have as good a result as you Bruce and the list is minimal. I have done about 60 mls or so since MOT and... So far so good. steady water temp, oil pressure etc. Brakes and gears etc all ok. and all lecy stuff on the button.
To do..
electronic ign.... get rid of the points. Do I need to modify the rev counter?
Stick foam rubber seals into place on bonett etc..
Replace wiper arms, which are a little worn.
Hi Alex, I did the electronic ignition as I rebuilt mine. I went for the Aldon Igniter. Downside for me was that I had a “current triggered” rev counter and you need a voltage triggered rev counter to work with the Aldon unit.
You can check if your rev counter will be OK just by looking at the face. I know mine has tiny writing with the letters “RVI” - and that is the wrong unit!
Someone will be along in a minute to tell us what the correct letters are…
However, the ignition has just worked, it’s hidden inside the distributor cap so the purists will find it hard to tell it is there.
I had my rev counter converted to a voltage triggered type - the guy who did mine was effective, but not elegant or particularly cheap.
There are several web sites describing the innards of the Lucas rev counter, but the components (like discrete germanium transistors) are out of the ark.
There is a newer Aldon unit, so worth checking that out - it wasn’t released when I bought mine, but I see them advertised now.
Bruce
I have the the Aldon distributor and my thacho starts bouncing all over the place over 2500 rpm.
I have read good things about Speedy Cables on this forum and got a quote from them for the modification from current triggered to voltage triggered, se below.
Yes we can fully overhaul/upgrade this instrument and the cost is ?55.00+ carriage and vat, we would have the instrument for 15 working day’s at the moment but this should improve soon. payment can be by card on completion of the work.
Andy Barraclough
DIRECTOR
Registered Address:
Speedy Cables (London) Ltd
Abercrave, Swansea, SA9 1SQ
Tel: +44 (0)1639 732213
Fax: +44 (0)1639) 732238
Company Registration No 1200130
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.speedycables.com
Just my luck. I went n had a look at the rev’ counter and it is an RVI type unit. Struth! My fault as I should have checked this b4 building the dash etc. I think I can get it out ok without to much dismantling. I will have a look this weekend. Meanwhile… I will have a word with Aldon AM tomorrow, and see if the new model, now advertised is compatable. If not I will arrange for the kit to be sent (with coil) and fit that 1st. When all working correctly I will send off the rev counter.
Bu**er!
Thanks again guys for all the help/ advice/and encouragement.
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Just my luck. I went n had a look at the rev’ counter and it is an RVI type unit. Struth! My fault as I should have checked this b4 building the dash etc. I think I can get it out ok without to much dismantling. I will have a look this weekend. Meanwhile… I will have a word with Aldon AM tomorrow, and see if the new model, now advertised is compatable. If not I will arrange for the kit to be sent (with coil) and fit that 1st. When all working correctly I will send off the rev counter.