Early Elan

[GLB]

Glenn, I don't have a booth but here in the desert we have evaporative coolers. I have a 5000cfm cooler in my shop. I turn it on and crack the garage door about 3 inches and get a nicely pressurized air flow through the shop and out the door. When it is cool I just turn on the fan and move air. The cooler pad works as a filter, but I still have some problems with dust motes settling onto the flat surfaces. I block and color sand anyway so that takes care of that. I took the Europa out to cars and coffee today. I forget what a nice car it is because it is usually in the back of the shop and hard to get out. Not many people, especially young people have ever seen one. Mostly muscle cars and hot rods. I try and let any one who shows an interest sit in it, kids and women seem to like it. Most guys say they are too big and don't try but some do and are surprised. Not many people here know of Lotus and ask if it is a kit car or who makes it. Probably not unique to El Paso. Gary

[Certified Lotus]

Thanks for the explanation of how you paint without a booth Gary. I had my Elan S4 hood and lower cowl painted at a friends garage near me and although we made a fairly large plastic tent to spray in, over spray got everywhere and I?ll never do it again.

Nice Europa! You shaved the side lights. I did the same on mine, much cleaner look. I?m in the midst of a frame off restoration of my 72 Twin Cam Europa. Full build info at:

http://www.lotuseuropa.org/LotusForum/i ... pic=1704.0

[knockoffnut]

Another tip:
When one finds oneself in urgent need of painting an Elan or Europa, and yet with a deficit of booth, one finds that spraying the pavement and surrounding environs with water immediately prior to spraying yields the desired restriction of overspray, minimizes dust incursion (but sadly not bugs) and affords easier cleanup without incurring the dreaded L07 driveway...

Yr Fthfl Srvnt

[GLB]

I have been slowly over the fall and winter putting it back together. Even though it all came apart easily, going back together still takes some fiddling. It is sitting high in front, shocks seem to be rigid. They worked when take off. I'll try and drive it and see if they function again or if I have to replace them. Interior done except for seats and I have Famous Franks covers. Also need brake lines redone. I used a flaring tool of my sons. It seems neither of us could make leak proof flares so needs to be redone. A lot harder now that it is all together. Still looking for the top door card finisher on left side if any one has one for sale or a good contact for the type 26 registry. Very happy to be done with paint and polishing. Goes on forever. Only a couple of bugs showing, very small black remains. adds character.

[Quart Meg Miles]

Well done, Gary, it looks fantastic! Soon it will be Lotus weather again to reward you.

[nmauduit]

impressive! and rather quick, too...

as for the brake lines, I have used the TGR "pro" flaring tool as supplied by Eastwood (no affiliation with either), originally to make large diameter line in stainless for Cadillacs, and even with such a hard and springy material is it hard to mess one up... may seem at first a bit pricy ($200 range I believe) but one purchase I never regretted.

[The Veg]

I have a much less-expensive flaring tool that I want to think I paid about $60 for, that did much better flares than those produced by the tools that can be borrowed from auto parts stores. I don't recall the brand or what about its design makes it better, and as usual I'm on the road this week so can't pop downstairs to the toolbox and check it. But purchasing a tool was what I had to do because when the borrowed tools failed to deliver an acceptable result, I tried various shops and nobody could make a bubble-flare, not even the German car specialist, because all brake line work done today is by replacing with pre-made lines, just order the right one and pop it in.

[GLB]

have not posted in a while but went for a drive today after more than two years of restoration. Very nice. When I resealed the engine I found that the exhaust and intake sprockets where reversed. Timing the cams correctly really woke up the engine. Very pleased. Runs like a Lotus should. Small things to correct, loose generator belt, idle too high. Seats are at trimmers. Not sure when they will be done what with lock down in US. I had a stripped seat frame so I put in foams and blanket. Pretty comfortable and the drive was worth it.

[Quart Meg Miles]

Really gorgeous, Gary, well done!

Everything looks right and like my car did fifty years ago! So nice to see light coloured door panels, many seem to be black or dark and I wasn't sure what the 1600s were originally. Nice original steering wheel too but not sure about the gear knob, mine may not be right but it is extremely comfortable.

[Mazzini]

Really gorgeous, Gary, well done!

Everything looks right and like my car. So nice to see light coloured door panels, many seem to be black or dark and I wasn't sure what the 1600s were originally. Nice original steering wheel too but not sure about the gear knob, mine may not be right but it is extremely comfortable.

Beautiful job! The cream door cards is absolutely correct for an S1 as is the gear knob, which was also used on early Lotus Cortina's.

I expect Mark will be a long shortly to tell us when that style gear knob was dropped from production

[GLB]

Thanks for the feedback. It helps make the work more rewarding. I have a question about the, for want of a better term, secondary door seals. These seals go on the front of the door aperature and the horizontal front door opening. The picture of the yellow car is one I took at LOG in Colorado Springs. My car had seals but were very different and probably home made. My car also had seals along the top of the door, ally strip with rubber sheet that folds over as door is closed. I have never seen these on another car. It seem a piece of door seal, D profile just stuck to the face would be a better seal for the vertical face. I have taped a piece of it in the picture of my car. The horizontal seal is just lying in place but I left the holes it came out of. Does any one know how it should be? Gary

[Quart Meg Miles]

A picture of my window sealing shows all the seals. The vertical seal was a simple bit of foam held in place by the bit of ali and three rivets. The other is a trapped rubber section in a non-removable part of the door shell. That was all that was fitted as standard.
There is a threaded bobbin top-left of the picture; does anyone know if it was used for anything, like a cover panel?

Door seals

And here's what my knob looks like.

Gear knob

[GLB]

I think I am finished. Thanks to Paul for his video on trimming seats. I am not sure if I ever would get them back from professional so Pauls tutorial gave me the courage to try myself. I have the same wrinkle he does on the top corners but otherwise I am happy. I always have a let down when a big project is finished. Now to drive them and keep up with maintaining them. LOG this year is postponed no so big trip this fall. Next year. Thanks to everyone who answered my questions and Mike Ostrov for some hard to find parts. Gary

[StressCraxx]

GLB,

Beautifully done! Congratulations.

Regards,
Dan Wise

[661]

Really lovely