Lotus Elan "Car SOS episode"

[CG901]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QccJMGFlx7Y

[innesw]

Not a half bad program compared to some of the other "classic car bodge job restoration" programs that are about.
Yes it's not a full restoration but at least they didn't put a body kit on it or something else ridiculous! Also not too much repetition either.

Innes

[pharriso]

What a lovely story!

Thanks for posting.

[robertverhey]

Yep, good stuff, though I did cringe at Fuzz leaning on that fragile dash top!

[billwill]

I cringed at them starting & running the engine without checking the coolant & changing the oil etc, but I'm hoping they actually did that just didn't include it in the Video.

Seems a bit odd to check almost nothing on the engine & then tune it up by changing the jets.

I bet they did a lot more than they showed and probably took a lot longer than they said!.

[rgh0]

Quite an entertaining episode. They do need to learn how to dismantle a rear hub and strut without the brute force. But I guess they are no worse than a lot of mechanics who do stuff on Elans without the necessary respect for its delicacy of design and construction

cheers
Rohan

[archigator]

I enjoyed it. Thanks for posting!

Gary
'71 Sprint FHC
Miami, Florida

[types26/36]

I'm surprised Paul Matty would be associated with those "cowboys" ...it should have been called "How to butcher an Elan"
They must have done a lot we didn't see or they got someone else to do it, all they seem to do was "talk" a lot and work like a couple of back street bodgers........breaking the strut and using a hammer to remove the track rod end ...... surely if they are such professionals they would at least have a tool to remove the track rod end from the steering arm! perfect examples of DPO's....

[MickG]

I watched this episode first time round and it makes me shudder to see how some of these so called professional mechanics go about their daily business.
I could not believe that he did not expect that lug to break given the amount of pressure and the way he was applying it. Even the old chap looked bemused at his attempt to remove the drive shaft. Maybe he didn't know that there was a circlip both side of the bearings?
What bothers me is the fact that people watching these programs get the impression that that is the correct way to do things.
Mind you look on the bright side if these are so called professionals most of us must be master mechanics.
A program called An Elan Is Born with Mark Evens wouldn't go amiss. At least he does thing correctly.

Rant over

Mick G

[peterexpart]

It made me smile to !!, I did not realise that you could leave the car out in the open for a few years and then overhaul the engine by fitting one new petrol pipe and some new jets, and rebuilding the Calipers you have to take out one Piston (the easy one) and then send them off to a specialist for rebuild. Now I see where I went wrong !!

[reb53]

Generally an enjoyable story apart from the cringe worthy moments mentioned.

How did they get the paint job done so quick ? Didn't see any crack repair going on, bet they're all back in a year or two.

Ralph.

[AussieJohn]

A good program but if you want to be picky he didn't ask for a left or right-handed rear strut assembly; maybe the parts bloke is a mind reader.

[billwill]

A good program but if you want to be picky he didn't ask for a left or right-handed rear strut assembly; maybe the parts bloke is a mind reader.

Yeah, I noticed that too. What are the odds that it was actually a badly worn, unusable one that they broke on the press, just for dramatic effect on the TV/Video program?

~~~~~~~~~~~~

But then they also didn't mention how the body suddenly changed from stripped-of-paint to nice smooth white undercoat. Since they had diagnosed that the gel coat was porous, it would have made sense to explain what they did about that, if anything.

All in all I suppose it was an OK program for the lay public and might encourage some of the younger people to renovate a tired old immobile Elan, of which there seems to be an inexhaustible supply


~~~~~~~

It would have been a more dramatic program and a better showing of everything Elan-ish if they had done a body-off job; then they could have shown two teams, one working on the body and the others working on the brakes & suspension etc.


As said in a message above:
>A program called An Elan Is Born with Mark Evens wouldn't go amiss. At least he does thing correctly.
He's the only TV guy I've ever seen do things properly.

[Chancer]

I dont have a problem with him breaking the track rod end taper with a hammer, I have a favorite one reserved for this purpose, also a drift where access is limited.

Its fine if its a vehicle that you regularly work on like my now retired Caterham racer, you have already broke the joint umpteen times and could do it with your eyes shut, also you know the best angle to strike it at. It was also OK when I was younger and pulling the suspension apart on a couple of different cars each weekend, after learnin the hard way I never caused any damage.

The guy had probably spent the last hour breaking the joint probably splitting the gaiter in the process then did several more takes to camera, I expect they changed the joint anyway with one made in India that wont last as long as the old one would.

[reb53]

Yeah, I noticed that too. What are the odds that it was actually a badly worn, unusable one that they broke on the press, just for dramatic effect on the TV/Video program?

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Yep, they probably realised it was now unusable as the severe over heating had turned the stub axle blue....

But overall, and compared with some Elan talk on TV, I thought this one of the better ones.

Ralph.