Over-restored cars ?

[Elanintheforest]

Not originally!

Mark

[bast0n]

No washer bag but a plastic bottle in a metal clip. Piccies on request.


PS thanks for the hole link - I posted on that and completely forgotten about it - but then I am a lot older than my car - but not my motorbike....................1924 Vindec - for sale.

David.

Anarchy S3

[nebogipfel]

Did "Anarchy S3", or any other S3, models have a washer bag?

Richard

No but the holes are in that vicinity

AFAIK the vent hole was a Sprint mod'. Not sure if S4 ever had it originally? I did mine after a conversation with Susan Miller and it was more a case of why not

Every little helps as the mighty Tesco empire would say!

[Elanintheforest]

The last of the S4s had the vent hole, and I'm pretty sure that coincided with fitting the washer bag.

Mark

[nebogipfel]

The last of the S4s had the vent hole, and I'm pretty sure that coincided with fitting the washer bag.

Mark

Thanks Mark

[casalunge]

On the subject of over restored cars.

This (see attached pic's) is a one owner LHD Series 2 Elan, unrestored, 45K miles from new, unmarked seats, beautiful unmarked original dash (VIN No to rear of radio blanking plate, the switches/lights are the result of an electric fuel pump conversion), unmarked (no splits) crash pad. The car still bears its original dealer sticker and warning sticker on speedo regarding resetting of trip meter.

The car is virtually devoid of star cracks and on original paint.

They are out there.

[DeanG]

Beautiful.

[Spyder fan]

Restoring a car is a personal journey, inevitably an individuals taste and circumstances such as original parts availability or supply of money will alter the outcome of the restoration.

We all look at this in my opinion very nice S4SE with our own sense of perspective and of course we will all find it wanting in certain areas depending on our individual viewpoint. The build and finish of this car appears to be of a very high standard, someone will love and cherish it without doubt.

Regards all,

[Bruce Crowthorne]

Just spotted this thread (don't get on here as often as I would like!).

Anyway a few points.

My S4 is chassis 8139, has Webbers and a bonnet bulge - So close to MSD1107's.

TRW (Tim?) - where do you get this detail? It's amazing. Is it published anywhere?

And can I add a "condition 7"? Box of bits, partially stripped for restoration but not really started. Resparyed 5 times (found all the layers of paint as I scraped it), Spider chassis etc.
Now you can argue that I haven't been the as "purist" as some. I just built a car that I wanted - so wait for it - as many original parts as I could rescue but then painted it in Gold Leaf colours, painted the engine bay white (so I can spot oil leaks), fitted extra fuses (neatly hidden in the boot), electric fan and electronic ignition (again neatly hidden inside the dizzy).

Now you can accuse me of over restoring it, but if I didn't hen it would just be a pile of scrap....
And now it doesn't do as many miles as I should (just over a thousand a year), but I did an airfield day last year and will be doing atrack day this year - so it is used "enthusiastically" - and it's a great little car!!!

So let's have your abuse then .....

[stugilmour]

In an effort to provide a slightly more, shall we say, scientific approach to this issue of originality and restoration, I offer this for discussion. Please note lack of mention of white or yellow Elans!

An Original Elan 1: As it left the factory, no changes, probably never run, sat in a museum/garage/collection and unusable to all intents and purposes. Will be in A1 condition all round though. No known cars fit this category!

An Original Elan 2: As it left the factory, only ever serviced at correct intervals by a Lotus dealer using correct parts. Will be in superb condition; have been very well cared for, probably low mileage, may also have been kept in museum-like conditions or in a car collection

An Original Elan 3: Paint work, chassis, engine, driveline, suspension all original; probably well/regularly used with a distinguished patina of age, consumables replaced with original pattern parts, work done on the car will always have been mindful of keeping the car as original as possible

An Original Elan 4: A well/regularly used car which may have had significant parts replaced and/or restored with Lotus parts or close to original pattern parts; in original colour though probably repainted at some stage

An Elan 5: As 4 above but where parts used have been of modified variants to the original pattern eg Spyder chassis, solid drive shafts and where the repaint may not be to original colour

An Elan 6: Cars that have been modified in any way or fitted with non contemporary pattern parts

I suspect most Elans will fall into 4,5 or 6

Tim

Bruce, I brought Tim's interesting categories 1 thru 6 forward from page 3, as I confess with the recently warm weather I had forgotten them. No abuse to you by any means, sounds like you have built a terrific category 5 car and enjoy using it with the time available.

I think your comments bring forward an important point. Tim kind of refers to the goal or outcome of the restoration. Your post speaks to the candidacy of what you have and what one can reasonably get out of it. I think it's great when any of the categories are achieved. Maybe the trick is a 'scientific' assessment of what one has and what one wants to achieve? Perhaps really no point trying for categories 1 thru 4 with the wrong car that is too incomplete?

Back to the garage I guess.

[nebogipfel]

No abuse frome me Bruce. Bravo say I

........painted the engine bay white (so I can spot oil leaks)...

Strewth I can see my oil leaks from 100yds away on a foggy day!

[Bruce Crowthorne]

Hi John, at first I was so proud that I had managed to build an old toght Elan.

However, with a few miles under it's wheels it now leaks like I guess every other Elan does.
My guess is that all engines from that period, especially the ones with cheap pressed steel sumps and naff sealing at various points (like at the back of the sump) then leaks were ineviatble.

Now I just give it a wipe with some kitchen roll if I happen to be in the pit (it gets parked over the pit in the garage) and just accept that it is all part of the joy of the Elan
Bruce

[billwill]

Hold on everybody , I can buy that car and my restoration will be finished!
I have just received this:-

Greetings!
DELIVERY NOTICE

DHL EXPRESS have been waiting for you to contact our company
for your Confirmable Draft of ?500.000 GBP (FIVE HUNDRED
THOUSAND GBP POUNDS), placed for onward delivery to you by the
United Nation Board having their Head Office in United Kingdom,
was conceived with the objective of human growth, Educational, and
Community development they only provided us your email
~~~~~~~~

Contact Us Via Email Below For Your Delivery
****************************************
Yours In Service,
Mr German Whalen
Dispatch Officer
Email:[email protected]
Tel: +44 702 401 0504
DHL EXPRESS DELIVERY SERVICES.


So I have ?500000 waiting!

Terry

Don't give up the day job.

[trw99]

I've just re-read this thread. It is a good one. It reminds me of how elan.net used to be. I miss some of the contributors to this thread. I miss the mix of serious discussion with some levity.

Tim

[nebogipfel]

As do I Tim