Introducing me and my Plus2

[Geoff777]

Hi folks - I am brand new to the website, so a quick introduction. I bought my 1969 ?lan +2 S. in 1979 and ran it as my principal car for 9 or 10 years. I fully restored it in '82 with a LR chassis which I coated in bitumen tar, and a full re spray by the renowned Robin Alabaster. Everything else was replaced/repaired etc. etc. I also bought a 1965 Series II Seven in the mid - eighties. By the end of the eighties, I got married, kids followed, work became harder and the cars ended up in my garage...... Now moving on, and rickety knees, hip replacement, enthusiasm loss etc. etc. I would like to offer up my ?lan to a real enthusiast as a project. I have had the car checked over by a commercial Lotus garage, and the chassis is sound. The car was driven into the garage in 1988 and there it has remained, so the engine/gearbox are not "free". Obviously everything rubber needs replacing, the Webbers will need overhauling, servo and master cylinders will need overhauling too. I'd replace the shockers, but I can't vouch for the fuel tank/lines. The bodywork obviously has the odd bit of crazing, but is generally pretty good.
Anybody interested, offers? Reading the forum threads, it is a shame that so many are broken up for spares. This car is complete - I am reluctant to allow it to be cannibalised.
Geoff

[EPC 394J]

Very pleased to report I managed to buy this car. (thanks Geoff)

It has 59k genuine miles on the clock. Geoff was only the third owner, going back to '77. (I'm guessing the DVLA didn't keep records prior to then?) It came with many spares including a new rear bumper, wheels, seals, light pod, trim etc. The new chassis, overhauled engine, and Robin Alabaster re-spray, only appear to have had 5 years on the road (max 30,000 miles, probably a lot less?) before being garaged. Last MOT seems to have expired in Jul '87, which ties in with the tax disc.

Many, many bills from places such as Mike Spence, Len Street, and the local Lotus specialist SGT Services. Plus Robin Alabaster.

It will take much work, but is complete, and original. Give me a few years, and I may just see you at a meeting. Or call in if you're off to Cadwell Park!

Edited to add: Now, where can I find out about VIN No: 50/1917 and/or engine no F20255? First registered 29 Oct 1969.

Thanks.

Andy

[theelanman]

Now, where can I find out about VIN No: 50/1917 and/or engine no F20255? First registered 29 Oct 1969.

welcome Andy....good choice.....
as for the car try the lotus archive people...they will give you scant info for free and a full in-depth story at a cost...

[theelanman]

I've had a look for the email details of the lotus archivist but cant find it....(cant seem to find anything using searches anymore.......not sure why...)
anyway they're the people

used to be Mike Pomfret....then Andy Graham....and IIRC its changed again since then.....

I emailed....
agraham (at) lotuscars (dot) com
and got a reply but the was a couple of years ago now

[draenog]

Tim Wilkes (trw99) might have something on the register for your car. He didn't in my case, so I intend to contact the Lotus archivist. A quick search brought this up:

http://www.lotuscars.com/gb/ownership/certificate-provenance

So it looks like Andy Graham is still the archivist.

Rob.

[EPC 394J]

Absolutely fantastic chaps. Just what I was looking for. Very much appreciated.

Andy

[Elanintheforest]

Andy, it sounds like you've bought a lovely car, and with a bit of sorting, should be good and reliable as well.

The engine number starting with 'F' indicates it's a Weber engine for a Plus 2 for the domestic market (good!) and the number 20255 puts it around August to September 1969, so it's almost certainly the original engine for the car.

The dispatch date from Lotus was 24th August 1969, so it didn't hang around waiting to be sold!

That's about all I have for the car. What's your plan of action for it?

Mark Kempson

[EPC 394J]

Hi Mark.

That's fantastic information, thank you very much indeed. I work for the same company Geoff did, and coincidentally we have mutual acquaintances, so I knew I could trust everything he said. I'm sure it is all going to be totally original, and that's the way I intend it to stay! Not least because I promised Geoff! Probably incorporate the minor 'mods' as recommended by Sue Miller, but that will be the extent of any changes.

As far as my plan of action is concerned, I don't really want to touch the car at all, until I can afford the time and money to do a complete rebuild. (Though I'm definitely open to advice/suggestions!) Frankly that isn't just now! It may just sit in my garage for a year or two. Which I'm a bit gutted about as I can't wait to drive her. I had a virtually identical '71 130/4, 30 years ago, so I know how much I will smile!

Just want to spend the time researching, reading, and tooling up!

Once again, thank you all for your help.

Andy

[Elanintheforest]

Andy, I doubt that the car is going to need a huge amount of work to get going again. It certainly won't need the chassis doing, or the engine, and if the body only has a few marks and small gel-coat cracks, I'd leave that well alone as well.

Quite a few cars come up that have been restored, little used and tucked away, and usually they need little more than the brake system and clutch hydraulics overhauling, the carburettors likewise, and then they are at least running and stopping.

Then it's down checking out things like the rotoflex couplings, replacing shocks and tyres and checking out the rubber bushes and joints. If you are unlucky the gaskets may have dried out in the engine, but that's not a big job to sort, and whilst you're sat it, pop in a new water pump and you're off!

I've done many restorations....you can see how I always under-estimate by quite a lot now!!

I have a S4 Elan in a slightly worse state than your car. It was taken off the road nearly 30 years ago, and needs a chassis and the engine sorting, and of course, all the brakes / suspension / steering. But I'm not going to touch the body as I know as soon as the car is stripped down to the bare shell, it is years of work to put back together.

Small steps!

Mark Kempson

[collins_dan]

Andy, Congratulations on the car. I bought my S4 10 years ago now. It was a relatively small expense to get it safe to use and only took about a week. That's when the fun began. The fun was driving it, but it was also figuring out what needed to be done to make it better. Over the years, in between drives, I replaced the radiator, then trunnions and tie rods, rebuilt leaking slave cylinder... Master cylinder... suspension, brakes... Dash... Carbs... and now 10 years later it is in for the paint job which it has needed for 10 years. It will be prettier, which will be nice, but a part of me is sad as the project is coming to an end. So for me, the driving restoration was the way. Just something to consider. Cheers, Dan

[EPC 394J]

Thanks guys. I really appreciate the suggestion to get the old girl back in harness. I'm very tempted!

Anybody know of any information regarding trying to (safely!) start an engine that hasn't been run for 27 years?

I imagine that should be the first crucial thing to do?

Thanks

Andy

Edited to add: just seen envva's engine checking thread. Any other advice gratefully received.

[theelanman]

change/check all fluids

probably drain the fuel tank as it will be more than likely sludge

check theres a new filter on the fuel line to collect any of the sludge that gets thro'

I ran mine first from a 4ltr plastic fuel bottle...(topped up the carbs manually)

hand crank.......
if its not moving try a dribble of diesel in each pot....left for a few days then hand crank.....

new battery

try the switch

probably loads of other stuff Id try too...but I cant think what I did as it was years ago....

[EPC 394J]

Spoke to Andy Graham today. (And Mark K. Thanks Mark!!)

Andy confirmed the car was sent from the factory to Mike Spence at the end of summer 1969, and the engine is pretty certainly the original.

Having spoken to Mark, really starting to think I should get the old girl back on the road as soon as I can! Boy how I would love that!

May need a little help?

Regards

Andy

[EPC 394J]

She's on her way back!

33 year old Lotus replacement chassis, and original engine!