Another worry with this old +2

[kenny]

Following on from my "Job started thread" I have now fitted the h/brake cable (But short of the two springs in the calipers) and I'm now on the fuel line. (By the way thanks for all the help recieved)

The one thing that is now looking a pig is my steering column mounting which Brian kindly posted on the thread for me (see pics)

I just can not get it to fit sensibly on bulkhead and after swapping pics with my mate who's also doing a +2 have realised its an opposite image of his and is totally different.
This set me thinking is it for a left hand drive car?, so I dug deeper..........I now find that my car has a plate over where pedal box would have been on LHD vehicle and also there is a grommet in passenger footwell where column would have gone. Wiper motor is also mounted high up in passenger footwell. Is this sinister?

Could this be a hybrid or were the very early cars made and pre-drilled etc for both markets.

How would I find if the body has always been with this car did the bodies carry the chassis number?. As I say its a pre 50/0800 chassis number and it does seem to differ from other later cars of only a few months newer.

And I thought this would be a nice easy little project But I fooled myself into thinking this car was almost there

[tower of strength]

Kenny,
if its still there, the unit number should be on the bulkhead, set in the grp at the back of the bonnet opening, I believe originally it was dymo tape, mine was illegible (eleventy million layers of paint) and me being a bit brutal with the chisel removing said paint!!LOL
Ive got some clear pics of the column bracket fitted to the bulkhead on an rhd car if that helps you?
I cant post pics as mine are too large!!

I'll create a link so you can view them or i can pm them to you

Mark

[tower of strength]

just had a look at your earlier post, your column mount bracket is "arse about face" so must be for a left hooker, the link below should enable you to have a gander at my bracket, you should be able to zoom it in as well as its a big file. Also theres a pic of the bracket mounting bolt positions from the engine bay side

regards

Mark

[kenny]

Tower, Thanks for reply mate, I'm studying your pics now. I take it yours has no blanked off holes for LHD.

Thanks once more,
Kenny

[kenny]

Yep Tower, mines the opposite of yours. Thanks for pics.

Kenny

[tower of strength]

no holes in mine for LHD Kenny,

have you got the workshop manual for the car? there are exploded views of all of the sub assembleys and thier LHD equivalents? Its a real god send, I've got a spare if not and you want one?

Mark

[Dave-M]

Kenny, It should be moulded into the top left corner of the bonnet appeture as stated above but if it's not there (quite common if it's been painted in the engine bay) look at the inside of the doors you will find the chassis number written in there, it's also on the headlamp pods (it's engraved on them).
I realise these could have been fitted from either original or replacement shell but if you have the headlining out you may well find it written there along with the original colour.
HTH and let us know what you find.
I recently stripped a 69/70 Plus 2 back to glass and found that the holes for both lhd and rhd had been in the shell as moulded and the lhd holes had been filled in before the paint process. so I would say that the plate over the holes indicates a conversion.
Regards
Dave
PS I have a correct rhd column bracket laying round if it's any good to you

[tower of strength]

I wouldn't put it past ACBC to have converted cars from left to right or right to left hand drive, rumour has it that even dealers were advised to paint roofs silver to cash in on "latest spec" advertising!!

it sounds like your car would have been a dealer conversion as opposed to factory, or even an owner has done/paid a garage to do the job themselves. Having worked on a '67 +2 (XWC56F where are you now?) the dash could even be easily reversed on the early cars, and whats the betting that the rack is the same, just turned over?

Mark

[kenny]

Mark, Dave some really interesting helpful and useful points made there in the above posts. Working on these cars is like an archeological dig

I've done what was suggested and the plot thickens. With the headlining removed there is a chassis number in marker pen on the roof............guess what?, it does not match but the stange thing is its only a few cars (numbers) out from it's official number. This does lead me to believe as suggested that this deed was done back in the factory many years ago for reasons only known to the "Old Man" as I think it would be just too much of a coincidence for the car to be reshelled years and years later with a shell numbered just a handful of cars later. The numbers really are that close both being in the very late 50/x700's

Digging even deeper with lotus I've discovered that my car was supplied in the September of 68 to it's dealer, yet the slightly later number on my roof was supposedly supplied 3 months earlier Doesn't make sense.

Anyway I'm learing more about the car as each day passes and hopefully soon will be in a position to contribute to this great little site by answereing questions rather than asking them.

Dave if you did manage to find the RHD bracket it would be great as I was about to fabricate the one I have to fit, I'll PM you later.

Mark do you have a spare as well, I did not know whether you meant you had a spare bracket or manual.......its me I'm thick

Once again lads thanks for the invaluable input.

Cheers,
Kenny

[kenny]

Mark, after studying your pics last night is your steering the collapsible type or the fixed type. I can see that there is another "exhaust" type clamp lower down column attatched to bracket which does not look like the impact clamp on a colapsible column.

Mine is the fixed type with the large plastic binnacle and horn on indicator switch....there was no lower clamp on mine (as shown in section H Steering page six in manual) so that's another bit missing I think.

Manual also states that there are 2 location holes in outer column for location of bushes.....somebody has nicked my holes then

Cheers,

Kenny

[Dave-M]

Kenny, The bracket I have is from a solid column model so should fit yours fine. I have all the bits associated with the column assembly other than the shroud around the top of the column which I think came from a cortina of the period (mk2or3??)
Keep up the resto and the detective work
Regards
Dave

[kenny]

Hiya Dave, I sent you a PM earlier this morning.

Hope to speak shortly

Regards,
Kenny

[ncm]

From looking at my own early car (chassis no less than 300), I can confirm the plate fitted on the passenger side where the pedal box would fit , but no hole in the bulkhead for the column!Interestingly the wiper motor is mounted onto a raised boss on this plate which suggests that it is a factory fitting rather than a later bodge. I can also confirm that there is no lower clamp fitted to my solid column. As for the missing bush holes , I think that you will find these are fitted to the later , collapsable, column.
Cheers , Brian.

[kenny]

Brian thanks for that info. I feel a touch more easy now I know somebody else has a similar car. You are also correct, my wiper motor also bolts through pedal box blanking plate. Do you think it's feasible to move motor onto bulkhead in engine bay like some others, I'm weighing that one up at present.
Out of interest Brian, does your car have the old one piece (barrel incorporated) exterior door locks with the none flush bladed chrome handle inside the car?. I'm 2 lock barrels short and I'm told they are Riley Elf or Austin 1100.........I have yet to confirm this though.

Regards
Kenny

[tower of strength]

Kenny, I've got a spare work shop manual, a local chap gave it to me in exchange for a ride when the car is finished! I'm more than willing to lend it to you.

regards

mark