New car arriving

[rowanjackson]

Thanks Nigel. It is the white one from WA! Unfortunately it is still in Perth or somewhere between there and here, but I thought I should start looking for stuff for it. It needs some attention at a cosmetic level, but I am hoping to gather the parts so that I can attend to those things in due course.

[alexblack13]

Hi Peeps,
Just a short update for you all. The car is V near finished now. Here is the still to do list.

Seat belts to fit. One is away for refurb'. Seat runners and seats to fit in. They are just sitting there at the mo'. Suspension/ride height to set and tighten. Wheels to fit. Lecy window door frames to rebuild. Front grill to fit. Badges next then ... Polish!!!

Next week it goes for its MOT So wish me luck.

Finished the boot area today and put the boot lid on. The number plate lights I bought ( Hella? ) needless to say, did not fit straight in. Here is the mod's they need.

Cut off the Lucar terminal con's as they foul the inside of the boot
lid. Slightly squeeze the casings in a vice till they sit flat in position and clear the bootlid. Then solder (I do this anyway) the con's onto the brass remains of the Lucar terminals. Fit some speed nuts to the enlarged (4mm) dia holes. Fix with nice stainless st screws if you have them, If not polish 4 BZP plated items and use these to fix the lamps in position. Test!

I will let you know when its thro' its test. Getting quite excited now !!

Have fun..

Alex B.

[tyasman]

Alex,
Been following your progress on the car - sounds like fun!. I have a similar problem on my Elan with the electrics.The tacho goes mad if I use the dash board switches, and I also suspect a bad earth . It's a job to "do" but I've learnt to live with it. If you find the fault could you let me know? I'm useless with electrics, but I have a mate who has said he'll help me if I can find out where to start.
Many thanks
Simon

[alexblack13]

Hi Simon / All,
Almost there now. But as explained earlier Simon, I have fitted a new wiring harness which has eliminated all faults and my tacho etc is all now spot on. I don't have any lecy prob's (should not have said that !).
It will almost certainly be a bad earth / poor connection some where in your car. I can't over state the importance of good multiple earth points on this car. I have made an earth 'bus bar' and I solder all my earth con's in the dash area to this. Every one!... Makes for a trouble free life.

Have fun......

Alex B

[alexblack13]

Hi All.....



Guess why I am so happy! The car has had its 1st shakedown run.

It is driving not bad at all. Steering alignment to do. Badly need this doing so I won't drive it again 'till I take it for its set up and mot at local tyre company.

Hand brake needs setting up with a mod to the way too long new cable. I am going to cut off the 'nipple' and remove about 50mm or so from the cable. I have made a new 'nipple' from stainless with 5 mm dia pinch screws. If this pulls off then I am going to have a new inner made at our local marina. I will need to remove the cable for this so here's hoping.

'Just' the lecy windows and door locks etc to do then that's the lot.

Very pleased with the power available. It can't half go... Not a sound out of the g/box, diff etc. Much to my amazment

Yahooo......... AND THANK GOD FOR THAT... You can relax now Mrs B
the bank balance recovery process begins now (I Hope!)

Cheers guys.

Alex B

[alexblack13]

Hi All,
Just a couple of lines on update and a few pics of the near completed car.

I had to strip off the adjusters from the handbrake calipers as the screwed rod bit turned out to be a bit below dia and the adjuster nut was slipping along the threads. Out with the welder, (welding goggles on aagain!) and two new threaded parts welded on in jig time. Back onto the car and all was well. I did my mod to the too long inner handbrake cable, allowing me to thread all of the adjuster section into place where it should be (It was nearly all the way out and still had some slack in it!). Why do they make the cables too long?
Anyway!.. That did the trick and has made a huge diff' to the handbrakes' efficiency. Job Done.

Its off for setting up the steering and headlamp adjustment tomorrow am and if the tech' likes what he sees then he will put it thro' its test. Fingers crossed !!

A few pics for you. Note the lack of door handles and locks = the doors are still to do. Windows to build etc. I have all the parts and the window motors are serviced ready to fit. NOT looking forward to this job.

Have fun..

Alex B....

[trw99]

Alex

Well done! Looking very good and you have nice tight shut lines on the doors by the looks of it.

Let us know how your first 'real' drive goes.

Tim

[alexblack13]

I stood looking at it today when I returned home with its brand new MOT and road tax and thought....'That has been worth it'. I have had lots of late nights and early rises (Most Sat' and Sun' mornings for the best part of a year). It has cost a fortune and it has battled with me tooth and nail from day one. Not one fastner that was on the car went back on (Stainless replacements where applicable) It's had everything done. Even the blooming radio had to have work. But you know what? I am almost sad that its (nearly) finished. I have thoroughly enjoyed it.

Today up here in Scotland was not a bad day weatherwise so I took the little car for a run and ended up doing about 60 mls. All guages in the green and it drove quite nice. I have just remembered why I enjoyed my previous loti so much. Its not finished as I said, it needs setting up a bit yet and it still drove superbly. Oh yes, I am going to enjoy next year, and hopefully a few runs this year if I get the windows done in time.

One thing I will say is this. I do not know where I would have been without the engineering workshop I have at the rear of my house. Simple machinery such as a linisher/grinder/polisher/wirebrush etc have proved invaluable. My welder has been a boon and used constantly during this job, as has my lathe. I just don't know how you can do without the tools.

Plucking up courage to start to the windows/doorlocks etc, and waiting for my refurbed seatbelt to come back. This weekend I will do a final ride height setup and put a spanner over everything in sight.

So there it is, for what its worth. I hope I have not bored you all silly and you maybe even enjoyed the posts telling the story (Thanks to all who sent e mails saying so). I have needed councilling now n then and this forum and the help I received provided it. I was going to make the final job that of gluing 'wee bob', the shilling coin I found in the car back into the ashtray (where it came from) as its 'lucky penny' But I recond it could go back now, so Its now firmly glued into place, where it shall remain. The car is going back up to Glenisla to visit the lady who's husband, Dr Hamish Gilles owned it for a lot of years and who spent a LOT of money with a bunch of plonkers thinking they were looking after it. I have a few hundred pics which tell a different story.

Thanks for listening..



Alex B....

[richardcox_lotus]

Alex

I think I can safely say that I speak for many on this list who really do "doff a cap" at the quality of what you've achieved. Very impressed that you've kept the faith despite it seeming like painting the Forth bridge.

Enjoy the car !

[alexblack13]

proof Dr Gilles was waisting his money..

Remember the car still had the best part of 1 yrs mot to run !!!!

you have to laugh eh! They had the hard neck to put an advisory notice with the mot.

''Top steering column bush slightly worn''

AB...

[alexblack13]

Thanks Richard.

I will enjoy the car. Still a wee bit to do but I will enjoy finishing it at leasure over the winter.

Cheers bud.

PS... I am going down to the N E C classic show if anyone is up for a natter..


Alex B....

[Robbie693]

Great job Alex - looks lovely and has been very interesting following your progress.

Can you tell me how you intend to set up the ride height?

I read in Brian Bucklands book that (if I understand corrrectly) he jacks up each corner to the correct height and tightens the wishbones, rather than weighing the whole car down as it says in the manual.

I was wondering if that would work with the rear of my Plus 2, which sits a bit high..

[alexblack13]

Hi Robbie/all,
When I set it up initially, I sat it on 4 axle stands placed under the hub threaded area with the knock on nut a few threads on, and bounced it a few times to settle the susp' before starting. I then adjusted all the spring platforms to give me the measurment I needed all round. I set it to 6.5'' at the front, floor to the underside of the suspension mounting pins. Same at the rear and set it to 6.25". bottom of mount to floor. (you need a good level surface for this) Bounce it a little again to settle it and make fine adjustments as needed. When happy with it you can go ahead and tighten the wishbone inner retention nuts to torque.

Sitting it on stands allows one to set it up without removing/refitting wheels all the time for checking. Its just a bit quicker and easier that's all.

Your +2 might not have adjustable platforms at the front or rear (if its st'd it will not have) you therefore have no real control over ride height. BUT, Tightning the a frame & wishbone bushes with suspension 'drooped' I. E. the car jacked up, can alter the ride height a little. Try slackning them all off and sitting the car on stands, bounce it, then tighten again. have a looksee if that's made a difference. Often does!


I am wandering around the car eying up the window job. Just reminding it who's boss. I will start to that job this weekend. One door at a time I think. Should help to contain my sanity.

Wish me luck

Alex B....

[Robbie693]

Thanks Alex,

Yes I have std set-up all round. I'll try as you suggest to see if I can get any improvement, It needs to come down about an inch if I remember my measurements correctly..

Cheers, good luck with the windows!

Robbie

[RichardS]

Alex

Looking good! I am a little way behind you but will catch up one day - still have the carbs and airbox to fit [will need new parts = more money!] + a new radiator - and then the respray and retrim - probably done mine the wrong way round but am enjoying myself! Spent the morning renewwing the heater motor wiring - once the heater is back in the dash is ready to be manoeuvered back into place.

Richard