Real S2 Barn Find - feedback requested

[65ginetta]

I agree with jf and Ross, this car is much more complete than the S3 Coupe I'm currently restoring. I paid $3,000 for a body. gearbox and a couple of boxes of suspension parts. I think this car is a $5,000 deal but there is no real logic for the valuation. I've now spent 3 years and I hesitate to think how much cash and I'm still six months away from completion of the Coupe.
The reason we are on this site is obvious, the cars are addictive, easy to work on, world wide recognized as the optimum sports-car solution and we love them. If I was looking for a project S2 Elan and I thought this was the car, logic would go out the window and I would pay whatever I could get away with to start the project.
When I found my Coupe it was a car for my wife, we had a vision of what it would look like when finished, I was always going to create "Our car" to allow us to use it as it was originally intended with a few improvements to add to the fun. Part of the fun is seeking out parts and advice from fellow addicts so whatever is missing will be located, restored or replicated as additional "fun".
Probably much of this S2 will need replacing/reworking etc to restore to a fun ride. Don't think of the time or cost, just get on with recommissioning a real sports-car.

[nomad]

If you could get the car for $5500 or less I would say you had a bargain.
Don't know how to bring it back up now for viewing but a S1 sold in the Pacific NW a while back on E-bay for over $10K. The car with the wild 70's paint. Some may remember it. It was missing much and had obviously spent time outside.
I would bet if one put this car on E-bay WITH the dirt on it [should add value!!] it would beat the $10K.

Kurt.
26/3754

[pereirac]

From the photos, the car looks like it was originally a RHD car as it seems there are holes for the clutch and brake cylinders on that side??

[Tahoe]

From the photos, the car looks like it was originally a RHD car as it seems there are holes for the clutch and brake cylinders on that side??

I believe that's standard on all cars RHD or LHD. I may be wrong, but I believe an Aluminum plate covers up one side or the other. I know that both of my RHD cars had holes on the left side as well.

[cabc26b]

63 and 64 cars had the holes drilled on one side only.

Regards,

George

[Mazzini]

Getting the holes drilled in the right place is a challenging task, I always thought that the holes were cut during the manufacturing process of the body, then when the cars rolled down the production line it was decided which batch would be built as RHD and which as LHD. My S2, S3 and S4 are all domestic market cars and they all have the holes cut for LHD.

[Tahoe]

63 and 64 cars had the holes drilled on one side only.

Regards,

George

My '64 has holes for LHD (26/4050), and my '66 (late S2) had holes on both sides. Both were always RHD cars from new.

[RogerFrench]

My S2, S3 and S4 are all domestic market cars and they all have the holes cut for LHD.

?????????

[Mazzini]

My S2, S3 and S4 are all domestic market cars and they all have the holes cut for LHD.

?????????

Sorry domestic as in home market - UK.

[RogerFrench]

My S2, S3 and S4 are all domestic market cars and they all have the holes cut for LHD.

?????????

Sorry domestic as in home market - UK.

Understand, as well as RHD holes.....

[EnfoKen]

So I ponied up and purchased the car. It's in good shape but I've nicknamed it the "Ratmobile".....
It's complete but will need some work. The original color is Medici blue 26-3924.
I've sent the car to Frank Monise Motors here in Southern California for a full restoration.
I'll keep everyone updated with the progress. I'm not sure if I will sell it or not. There is a gallery link at the bottom of this post.
Thanks to Russ for passing this along.













http://www.thegaragistagallery.com/Othe ... 450_6GfNQs

[EnfoKen]

The S2 Barn Find (now renamed "Ratmobile") is coming along nicely. The guys at http://www.frankmonisemotors.com are progressing and have stripped the body and removed it from the frame. There are no real surprises other than every nit and bolt was rusted to the point of no return. You can see the original Medici Blue and that's the color the car will be returned to. The frame looks good and the only thing requiring attention is the headlamp air tank. It has a small dent that will be pulled out. The fuel tank was gone beyond repair but we'll replace it with an alloy version. Otherwise the car will be generally stock with a slightly warmed over engine. It's off to the paint shop now for the body. The frame and suspension will be painted in the proper colors, red oxide and black. We expect it to be on the road by the end of the year.

[Tahoe]

Ken,

Thanks for the update and thanks for saving the car. If I had bought it there would have been no progress for many years. What it takes is to dive right in and not loose any momentum like you're doing.

By the way couldn't you fix that tank with a sheet metal patch, some silicone, and a few pop rivets?

[billwill]

Ken,

Thanks for the update and thanks for saving the car. If I had bought it there would have been no progress for many years. What it takes is to dive right in and not loose any momentum like you're doing.

By the way couldn't you fix that tank with a sheet metal patch, some silicone, and a few pop rivets?

Some PO had clearly blocked or glassed over the drain holes in the body under the tank.

[EnfoKen]

A small update on the progress of resurrecting 26-3924. The frame has now been repaired, media blasted and recovered in red oxide paint. The front cross member had been subjected to a floor jack and the air tank was dented. So that was repaired. The frame was very nice and rust free. The body is off at the paint shop and most the suspension parts have been refinished. I am waiting a few parts from the UK such as sliding yoke drive shafts and new rear lower suspension arms and bearing carriers. At the current rate, it should be back on the road in February....I hope.