Lotus Elan and Lotus Elan Plus 2 Forums

Hello everyone,
I appreciate all your comments and insights. They have been very
helpful. I'm ready to start restoring my Elan that I've owned since
1982. I've only driven it 1,000 or so in the last 15 years. The
odometer has 82K miles on it. It's probably correct. I know that
the engine was rebuilt in the late 70's. It runs but blows mass
quantities of blue smoke, especially after idling for 2 or 3 minutes.
Please respond to the following points:
1) When I purchased the car, I noticed some rust on the front shock
towers, lower portion. I cut some of the metal away and welded it
up. I did a lousy job. I'd like to have it professionally
repatched. Can it be done? Where is the best place to take it?
Frame shop, race shop?
2) The emission crossover pipes are gone. Holes patched and
sealed. Is it a good idea to locate a UK manifold with balance pipe
and replace the federal manifold?
3) Has anyone rebuilt a Stromberg head to 130 HP? Is it worth it?
I'd like to get additional performance but have no idea of the cost.
4) Do you know of anyone in the Portland, Oregon. area that could
correctly rebuild the head?
5) It is currently bored to .03 over. If necessary can it be
rebored to +.04?
6) What changes have to be made elsewhere if the engine HP is
increased to $130HP. I'll have to replace the donuts, they are
original. What about frame modifications?
7) The black plastic on the rocker switches looks like mold has
formed. It's white and powdery, but impossible to remove. New
switches are about $40-$50 each. Any ideas on restoring the original
plastic to shiny black?

That's all for now. Thanks.
Jeff

I had the same problem on my S4, and since i am replacing the dash anyway
I removed the switches. The PO had replaced one just before I bought the
car so I wanted them to all look like that one for next to no money. I
had a couple old spares and tried polishing, shoe polish, silicone, all
kinds of chemicals and nothing lasted until it dried (never on the ones I
actually wanted to keep. Eventually sprayed them gloss black from a
spray bomb and it matched the new one well. prep was only paint thinner
to clean them. I did get spots where the paint didn't stick (even on the
ones that I didn't touch with anything else), and would wipe clean before
the paint dried a couple times on some of them, and eventually the came
out perfect, then one coat of clear and it was done. Can't tell the old
ones from the untouched new one. The worst took 6 light coats of paint
to get a smooth finish, but I had the time, and not the money to buy new.

I thought I was the only cheap restorer with more time than money. I also
spray painted my rocker switches. But, they still look fine after two years.
Dave Sutcliffe
69 +2

-----Original Message-----
From: david collier [mailto:***@***.***
Sent: Monday, February 05, 2001 4:08 PM
To: ***@***.***
Subject: Re: [LotusElan.net] Lotus Elan Restoration-1971 Elan FHC,
Federal Version


I had the same problem on my S4, and since i am replacing the dash anyway
I removed the switches. The PO had replaced one just before I bought the
car so I wanted them to all look like that one for next to no money. I
had a couple old spares and tried polishing, shoe polish, silicone, all
kinds of chemicals and nothing lasted until it dried (never on the ones I
actually wanted to keep. Eventually sprayed them gloss black from a
spray bomb and it matched the new one well. prep was only paint thinner
to clean them. I did get spots where the paint didn't stick (even on the
ones that I didn't touch with anything else), and would wipe clean before
the paint dried a couple times on some of them, and eventually the came
out perfect, then one coat of clear and it was done. Can't tell the old
ones from the untouched new one. The worst took 6 light coats of paint
to get a smooth finish, but I had the time, and not the money to buy new.

Has anyone tried the product called "forever black"? It's a wipe on,
permanent colorant made to make old plastic external trim plastic black
again. I've seen it advertised in a Volvo catalog and I thought it might do
the trick for all the interior plastic that's turned gray also.

Steve
69' Plus 2

----- Original Message -----
From: "Sutcliffe, Dave" <***@***.***>

Sent: Monday, February 05, 2001 2:34 PM
Subject: RE: [LotusElan.net] Lotus Elan Restoration-1971 Elan FHC, Federal
Version

--- In lotuselan@y..., "Sutcliffe, Dave" <d-sutcliffe1@t...> wrote:



No, there are more of us. I have been able to polish the the rockers
with a Dremel tool and miniature buffing wheel, but the plastic is
sensitive to overheating during this operation which creates little
gouges. May revert to the spray paint method but also am considering
new (non-Lotus) switches which run $5-$9 each. However, as you may
know, or could have guessed, these are not available in the "Elan
size."

This route still is feasible as one benefit of my plan to make a new
dash is that I could accommodate the different sizes of "modern"
switches. To support this possibility, today I just completed a
logic/type check on all the switches. The result -- all but one
could be handled by standard switches available from electric supply
houses.

Maybe the problem switch (windshield wiper) merely is faulty and a
standard switch would handle it (hope, hope). However, it may be
good so I will have to find a wiring diagram to see what the terminal
with strange logic supposedly is doing (suspect it is wiper park) --
perhaps I can mimic the logic with a triple pole switch. Overall,
the S4 project varies minute-by-minute between fun and agony. The
agony wouldn't be so bad if my workplace for the car was heated and
well-lit (or I lived someplace with warmer Winters).

Oh well -- part of being retired. More time, less money.

Bob Layman
70 S4 and 1991 M100

Hello-
Jon Doty here I have one rocker switch for my S130
All the rest are MIA am I screwed? Where would I even get new ones?

Jon Doty

----- Original Message -----
From: david collier <***@***.***>

Sent: Monday, February 05, 2001 5:07 PM
Subject: Re: [LotusElan.net] Lotus Elan Restoration-1971 Elan FHC, Federal
Version

Jeff:

To answer a couple of your questions:

I highly recommend the UK spec intake manifold. I picked one up some
years ago from Paul Matty, I believe, for about $50 or so. I don't
know if they've all been spirited out of the UK or not. With all of
the Weber heads floating around over there, it seemed like these
items were regarded as boat anchors at the time. Be sure to get the
ones with the top mounted balance tube. There are two other variants
with mid- and low-mounted tubes that apparently don't function as
well. Check mine out on lotuselan.net under library/pictures. Be
sure to rebuild the carbs to UK spec, as well. Also, use the UK spec
distributor curve to match their Stromberg SE spec. Mine runs great!

On the subject of switches, I would recommend using a paint like I
purchased from a local auto color/body shop supply house that is
specifically formulated for use on plastic/vinyl. The brand name was
SEM (I think) and it worked better than any other spray bomb (such as
Krylon, etc.) that I've ever used. It smells really wicked during
use due to the high VOC content, so it MUST be good stuff!
Seriously, I suspect that it has a flex agent or some such
formulation that allows better adhesion to plastics.

Tom Roberds
69 S4

--- In lotuselan@y..., ***@***.***e:

Tom, I saw your car on lotuselan.net. The dashboard looks like burled
walnut. Did this veneer come standard on the Elan dashboards? I've seen it
on the +2, but not on the Elan. It looks sharp. If you did resurface the
dash, where did you get the veneer?
Jeff
----- Original Message -----


Sent: Monday, February 05, 2001 8:47 PM
Subject: [LotusElan.net] Re: Lotus Elan Restoration-1971 Elan FHC, Federal
Version

Might I ask just what reason could you have for looking in a Volvo
catalogue?
Rupert

-----Original Message-----
From: Steve Holst [mailto:***@***.***
Sent: 06 February 2001 00:45
Subject: Re: [LotusElan.net] Lotus Elan Restoration-1971 Elan FHC,
Federal Version


Has anyone tried the product called "forever black"? It's a wipe on,
permanent colorant made to make old plastic external trim plastic black
again. I've seen it advertised in a Volvo catalog and I thought it might do
the trick for all the interior plastic that's turned gray also.

Steve
69' Plus 2



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Jeff:

The dash on my car is a non-original replacement that I purchased
from Prestige Autowood in Campbell, California (408-370-3705). The
veneer is Carpathian Elm Burl, which I liked better than the Walnut
samples I saw. I realize that it's not the original teak, but who
cares! I thought the teak looked a bit dull, but others like the
original look. Prestige will use any veneer you choose.

Prestige does a few things that set their products apart
from 'original' dashboards. They use a marine-grade plywood that has
more plys per inch than original. The originals tend to flex, which
cracks the veneer. Also, Prestige engraves the lettering in the
original font, paints it off-white, then spray the last two coats of
clear on. The result is lettering that will not rub off like the
original silk-screened ones. Most replacement dashes make do with
stickers, which will peel off and look like **** after awhile. After
the clearcoat is applied the dash is polished to a piano finish, even
on the edges and the inside of the glovebox lid.

Although they have the pattern for S4 Elans, some of these were
slightly different. It's best to send your old dash and hardware
along to ensure proper placement and fit. They will use your
original sleeves for the securing screws and glovebox hardware. I
cannot say enough about the quality of the finished product. After
being disappointed in the quality of many UK (and US) sourced
products, it was truly refreshing to have my expectations exceeded.
The cost was about $100 higher than an 'original' replacement at the
time, but well worth it!

Tom Roberds
69 S4

--- In lotuselan@y..., "jlpalmer" <jlpalmer@w...> wrote:

I've also installed a dash from Prestige in regular grain walnut. The quality is fantastic, although, on my particular example, the finish is not quite as reddish as the original; but I would highly recommend them. Even the edges are finished, and they will mount your glovebox lid if you send the hinges. They also use the latest marine quality finishes.

The usual disclaimer applies.....

Regards,

Alan A
----- Original Message -----
From: ***@***.***
To: ***@***.***
Sent: Tuesday, February 06, 2001 6:55 PM
Subject: [LotusElan.net] Re: Lotus Elan Restoration-1971 Elan FHC, Federal Version


Jeff:

The dash on my car is a non-original replacement that I purchased
from Prestige Autowood in Campbell, California (408-370-3705). The
veneer is Carpathian Elm Burl, which I liked better than the Walnut
samples I saw. I realize that it's not the original teak, but who
cares! I thought the teak looked a bit dull, but others like the
original look. Prestige will use any veneer you choose.

Prestige does a few things that set their products apart
from 'original' dashboards. They use a marine-grade plywood that has
more plys per inch than original. The originals tend to flex, which
cracks the veneer. Also, Prestige engraves the lettering in the
original font, paints it off-white, then spray the last two coats of
clear on. The result is lettering that will not rub off like the
original silk-screened ones. Most replacement dashes make do with
stickers, which will peel off and look like **** after awhile. After
the clearcoat is applied the dash is polished to a piano finish, even
on the edges and the inside of the glovebox lid.

Although they have the pattern for S4 Elans, some of these were
slightly different. It's best to send your old dash and hardware
along to ensure proper placement and fit. They will use your
original sleeves for the securing screws and glovebox hardware. I
cannot say enough about the quality of the finished product. After
being disappointed in the quality of many UK (and US) sourced
products, it was truly refreshing to have my expectations exceeded.
The cost was about $100 higher than an 'original' replacement at the
time, but well worth it!

Tom Roberds
69 S4

--- In lotuselan@y..., "jlpalmer" <jlpalmer@w...> wrote: