Parting out 1965 Elan

[rgh0]

There is an ID plate. Looks like Unit number 4681, Chassis number 2611681 (maybe). Engine code below head: 26E004. Prior registration in the UK: EVA 56C, Michael John Ball,, Yate, Bristol, England.

chassis number is probably 26/4681. Lotus added 3000 to the unit and chassis number which are the same thing, early on in the production after the first few hundred cars so it is really Elan 1681 produced.

cheers
Rohan

[nmauduit]

There is an ID plate. Looks like Unit number 4681, Chassis number 2611681 (maybe). Engine code below head: 26E004. Prior registration in the UK: EVA 56C, Michael John Ball,, Yate, Bristol, England.

you may want to register your car (project ?) with

https://www.elanregistry.org/app/list_factory.php

it also offers the following infos,

record # 4681 Aug. 1965 serial # 4726 Engine # LP4029 Built/invoiced/1st registrered 1965-08-17

that may be confirmed and certified by the Lotus Archivist (you'll need to contact Lotus), possibly with extra infos (original color ...)

[JCS]

Great Idea! These are interesting cars. I may end up putting this back on the road.

[JCS]

Hi All,

Digging into the car. A couple of questions: does the etching on the windscreen indicate it's the correct glass? Both doors have the same ID number, written each door prior to painting, and obviously protected by tape prior to painting. Is this typical?

[rgh0]

It was common to mark the body components with the body number which looks like its 4280. The body numbers did not align with the unit number / chassis number. On later cars the body number was moulded into the firewall in the top RH area using dymo tape, I don't know when this started but it may not exist on your car but you may find the body number elsewhere written on the body or hood or boot.

cheers
Rohan

[elanfan1]

Great Idea! These are interesting cars. I may end up putting this back on the road.

It’s quite a project you’ve got there. It’ll be lots of $ to do but be highly rewarding once completed. Maybe someone in your area could offer you a ride in theirs, I suspect that might convince you! Any offers out there?

[Billmack]

Yes and yes. Tape applied over number at factory

[h20hamelan]

https://classicmotorsports.com/project- ... GipRJrM%3D

[JCS]

GREAT LINK....thank you!

[JCS]

Hi all,
This looks like a difficult issue. The wireframes around the door sills (and mount for seat belt) are badly corroded. How difficult is this fix? Seem tough given the frames are integrated into the fiberglass...

[fattogatto]

Suggestion is that this is a major effort best left to those professionals used to doing such restoring.

[JCS]

This falls into the 'expert' category from the looks of it. I agree.

[h20hamelan]

Probably that rust will not only be on every single nut and bolt, but chassis and...?

[nmauduit]

Hi all,
This looks like a difficult issue. The wireframes around the door sills (and mount for seat belt) are badly corroded. How difficult is this fix? Seem tough given the frames are integrated into the fiberglass...

not too difficult when doing it on a fully dismantled car, esp. during the course of a major rebuild.
if you can get/fab new pieces this is way easier than bodywork imho, you just need to use the proper toolsto remove the rusty bits (not an angle grinder which would heat up the fiberglass and throw dust everywhere)

[bitsobrits]

I had to replace the wire frames on one of my Elans, and I wouldn't describe it as overly difficult. It was very tedious and messy to use a 2" grinding disc to 'cut' loose all the areas where the steel was bonded in. I wouldn't recommend using anything brutal like a sawzall, nor would I do anything that would overly flex or break any of the remaining GRP. Once the steel was removed I cleaned up the 'glass mounting area and added some 'glass reinforcement where things looked a bit thin. I had a local welder make up the new wire frames using the crusty originals and cardboard patterns as a guide, then glassed them back in. I do believe my repairs looked better that the factory original, but then that's really not too hard to do.