Restoration of S2 Elan - EOK

[Quart Meg Miles]

Have your video camera ready for when he tests the wipers and washers!

Presumably you need it retested once you've fitted the windscreen so he can check it doesn't have illegal chips or cracks in it, which once cost me a fail for a chip which only obscured my view of the bonnet.

[Geoffers71]

Well she didn't exactly fail, but she didn't exactly pass either Test not completed ......and it's all my fault, I'm an idiot ( or perhaps It really is a sign of dementia onset
Everything going well until too many untightened bolts Bottom front spring to wishbones; diff torque rods, rear A frame to hub (not enough thread on locknut because the two bolts are different lengths and I fitted them wrong way round ), but, most seriously, brake pipe connection to master cylinder not tight enough so fluid leak With prolonged heavy pressure pedal would sink to floor, leak was clear once pointed out, consequently no brake test possible so test not completed
Fortunate, I suppose, that my local garage are a friendly bunch ( we're on first name terms and they've tested all my Lotus and project cars over the years) so no fail as such. But I'm so embarrassed One thing that was not down to me though was that the radiator is leaking, despite it being pressure tested after repair, so that's going back. In my defence I did leave most of the suspension bolts loose when the body was off, to be tightened when the suspension was loaded. I always write down on a list what jobs are outstanding so I don't forget and to be ticked off when done, BUT it is not specific enough, ie it doesn't list every joint/ bolt, so although I did tighten bolts under load I obviously missed some The golden rule is, of course, if you fit a bolt TIGHTEN IT RIGHT AWAY, even if later you will have to loosen it and retighten.
However on the bright side, she drives beautifully and sounds glorious (bit scary though driving it back home and just getting into the garage with NO BRAKES master cylinder virtually empty I've already fixed the leak and will remedy the rest over the weekend.

[Geoffers71]

Right, well all of the issues identified in the first part of the MoT test have been corrected ....more or less The brake leak was traced to the union with the MC being not tight enough and the radiator leak was down to the silicon pipe at the base of the rad. I dont like the silicon pipes and I like less the wire type clips that are supposed to be original fitment. A good old jubilee clip and a smear of Wellseal and all is well, not before having the rad re-pressure tested though. Interestingly I still, apparently, had not tightened the rear of the Diff Torque rods enough ( I'm never sure quite how much to tighten those squashy rubber bushes) You're supposed to tighten them, I'm told, until they bottom out on the metal shoulder....really tight then! Everything else was fine..braking efficiency 104% and handbrake 33% (pass is 20%....I can loosen that off again now ) In the gap between the two halves of the test I'd re-timed the ignition as I felt there was too much popping and banging going on. It was also overfuelling at the rearmost carb so the float levels were adjusted to reduce the level. In the event I'd actually over advanced the ignition so I kangerooed round the block before the test. I had to retard it a tad and it's much better now
The upshot of all this is that she now has a NEW MoT for the first time in 39 years!!!!!!!!!!! (where is that hooray Smilie? ) What's more I was able to tax her on-line right away and so she's 100% road legal again. (Hooray again!!) Anyway, enough of this boring diatribe, what you want is pictures - right?

So...who can spot what's missing??

[pharriso]

Windshield??

Congrats on the MoT that really is brilliant, you restored the car to a high standard very quickly

[Spyder fan]

Sill bottoms not Matt black, windscreen missing, vehicle registered in your name and not mine.... Bastard!

Well done Geoff! I look forward to seeing the car as well as your good self next year at Combe if not before some time this year.

Regards

Alan

[Quart Meg Miles]

Well done indeed, Geoff, I'm exhausted by the speed of your progress. Apart from the front wing badges (champion 1963?) and knock-on wheels it reminds me of my own car when I purchased it, though mine had wipers too.

Watch out for that front bumper filler strip, I've lost two and haven't bothered to refit it. St Wilkins nails it to the body and others jam it in with body-filler. Yes, should be black under the body curve which makes it look much sleeker. But you've got to have something to do apart from driving it!

[Elanintheforest]

Fantastic job, Geoff, I'm really looking forward to seeing the old girl up and running.

I am thinking that rebuilding an Elan taken apart in 1974, moved 3 times, then sold and moved again, just wasn't enough of a challenge for you.

I do have this very appealing flat pack Plus 2 needing to be put back together.....

Mark

[Geoffers71]

Mark, what a great offer, thanks yes I reckon that's doable although it might take me a week or two longer than EOK. Are you sure it's all there though?
Meg, the bumper strip is fastened to the bumper with a half dozen self tappers, I've come across that problem before
Yeah, yeah, yeah I know about the black sill finish, just haven't got round to it yet
Has anyone any thoughts about my seat belt query? I'm assuming the car as never had seat belts, although the regulation that cars must be fitted with them came in in Oct 1964. EOK is August 1965. I'm sure my first '65 S2 didn't have belts 'cos I fitted her with them in 1968. However, provision was made, in the form of threaded holes and bolts for belts to be fitted if required or necessary. So....if I fit belts do they have to be checked by a suitable authority to see if the fitting conforms to the required standard? I'm being told they do, but I've never heard of this before. Anyone any experience of this requirement?

[Spyder fan]

Geoff,
Bearing in mind that we are all impressed by your attention to detail I find it highly unlikely that you would fit seat belts to your car in an unsafe manner.

Mountings to seat belts and the condition of the belts themselves are required to be checked during the annual MOT test. Therefore fit your belts and worry about something else failing the test next year as I'm sure that your belts will not.

If there is a bit of legislation floating around that states you need retro fitted belts checked I am unaware of it, perhaps your source is being confused by the more stringent tests that are applied to seat belts in coaches and mini buses.

As Captain Mainwaring says "DON'T TELL EM PIKE!"

Carry on.........

[Geoffers71]

I like it Alan, way to go

[trw99]

Most admirable restoration Geoff, you are to be congratulated. Thank you for the interesting thread on all your progress; it has been fun reading it.

Now I hope that you can enjoy driving the car in the way it was intended.

Tim

[Certified Lotus]

Geoff, I am in awe of your commitment to your restoration and the quality of the work that you have done. Well done!

And thanks for documenting your build. I have read thru it a couple of times as I am in the midst of my own rebuild, although not as extensive as yours!

[elanner]

Geoff,

Would you elaborate a bit on the tightening of the diff torque rods? What do you mean by "you're supposed to tighten them, I'm told, until they bottom out on the metal shoulder."

I've wondered about how compressed the rubber bushes should be during all my recent diff changes. I figure that the diff is held by rubber in all three axes via the Frustacones, Rotoflexs (originally, at least!) and the Torque Rod bushes. Bottoming out on metal seems wrong, and a good way to transmit vibration.

Frustacones/Rotoflexs bolt up on metal sleeves so there's no quess work on getting them tight, but the rubber Torque Rod bushes seem to be a matter of whatever-looks-right. I've been tightening them until the bushes have a reasonable bulge. Presumably the diff isn't going to go anywhere without making some alarming noises first, right? They'll loosen anyway as the rubber perishes.

Nick

[Geoffers71]

Nick,
I was under the same impression as yourself and my rubber bushes were as you describe, bulging so that they "looked" right. The mechanic who conducted my test was adamant that nuts should always be tight, that is how they work, so he tightened them further until the nut felt resistance and a bit further to be tight. The rubber was squashed further but not flattened, I guess about 3/8" thick. "There" he said, "that is how they should be"
However, having said that, when it came to the roll bar ends there is no shoulder as you know, so although he began to tighten as before he had to stop when he felt it "looked" right I'm as confused as you probably are, but I was still dependent on this guy to pass my car so I didn't argue

[Geoffers71]

Just checked the workshop manual, which I should have done before Torque rod ends should be torqued to 22-27 lbs-ft so, yes, tight !!!!