Lotus Elan and Lotus Elan Plus 2 Forums

Posted: **Mon May 14, 2012 8:16 pm**

Here's a cheeky request.

I am in Ayrshire and I have this Sprint coupe all in bits. I would love to watch a body and chassis coming together and could even lend a hand if someone told me what to do. Might it be possible to be present when Alex comes up to help you Ian, whenever that might be? I have a brother-in-law in Aberdeen so have somewhere I could stay, assuming you aren't a hundred miles from that city.

Alex, do you remember talking to a sixty year old bald guy with specs from the MG stand at the Glamis Extravaganza? I saw your lovely car there in the rain and that was partly responsible for me being in this position. Being new to Elans, first hand experience would be extremely useful.

My number is 01292 313122. My email is mikeATbalcomieDOTnadslDOTnet
Mike

Posted: **Mon May 14, 2012 9:32 pm**

Alex, Mike

Its late now as I check back onto this thread! A bit too late to phone you guys. Alex, I detect the concern in your reply! Of course I will listen to you as you have been there and done it.

Sounds like the beginning of a plan, guys. I will simply get the body to Option 1 and pick it up again. I am so grateful and a bit overwhelmed by your offer of help and will gratefully accept. I can put you guys up here if required no problem. I will phone you and we will get it all arranged. Thanks again, this site never ceases to amaze me.

Alex, I was simply doing a leak check on the gearbox that was my only intention. I will drain the oil back out when I install into the chassis. Will give you a bell tomorrow.

Ian.

Posted: **Mon May 14, 2012 10:16 pm**

Good man ... No worries we can and will get it sorted..

Call me as you say.. I am here all day tomorrow (desperate to get the car out but weather is crap)

Mike looks to be in on the act too.. Ring for a natter anytime Mike..

Alex ....

Posted: **Mon May 14, 2012 10:49 pm**

I can recommend a body shop guy in Southport. He has just done my S4. A top quality job and your welcome to see it. Here is a link to a few pictures. Its the green S4. This guy knows his Lotii.

If interested pm me.

cheers

Mark

Posted: **Mon May 14, 2012 11:46 pm**

Ian,
Have just had a look at your photos. The one showing the propshaft yoke fitted to the G/B seems to show the yoke painted. The rear seal in the G/B needs a nice shiny metal area to run on, no ridges, grooves, rust marks or paint should be touching the sealing area. This will be a constant source of leakage if it isn't right.
Alex is correct about refitting the body yourself. It isn't difficult and you will have peace of mind knowing that you have the right amount of spacers/washers fitted between body and chassis/subframe before tightening bolts. Don't want any undue stresses on a newly painted body.
Photos show a terrific job.
Cheers,
Colin.

slowsprinter wrote:Hi All,

Got the engine and gearbox re-united finally but not without a bit of a flap! Some new clutch springs and thrust bearing were purchased so I could crack on a little. I decided to fill the gearbox with oil to check for leaks, primarily from the bottom left hand bell-housing to gearbox bolt that I PTFE'ed. Thanks for the tip Only to find I had a major leak from the rear seal. I rushed in to fire up the computer and log onto this forum and searched for gearbox leaks, to find that the prop yoke seems to provide part of the seal. So, I temporarily rigged up the prop and inserted the yoke, refilled with oil. No leak now That is correct isn't it chaps?

So now I am happy again. I need to order some correct engine and gearbox mounting bolts and am working away for a few weeks. Have left the whole contraption slung on my engine crane in the hope of no further oil leakage. Will get back to hopefully get it all mounted back into the chassis and then turn my attention to getting the body off to Option 1. Have not fully briefed Mrs SS on my plans yet so that will be a difficult conversation Big bucks!!!

A quick question guys? The right angled speedo drive (please see my rather blurred photos - sorry!) how can I check it for serviceability, I don't understand how it works. Should I install the cable now, whilst it is easy to get at? How can I check that it is all ok? Brian's book either is not clear to me or I am too thick to understand.

John, thanks for the Argos mat tip, I am a shortarse so even after I cut a metre off it I could still use as a sleeping mat. 2 for the price of one, I like it.

Steve, ref my dellortos, I think to be honest the flash on my camera makes them appear much more shiny than they really are. I stripped each carb one at a time and ran all components several hours in my parts degreaser. Then I half filled a bucket with petrol and after I had dried everything dropped them into the petrol and gave everything a gentle brushing with a brass wire brush. Dried it all off and gave everything a good blow with my airline to check all small holes etc were clear. With the service kit I ordered I replaced all diaphragms, gaskets and o-rings, gave the brass components a gentle wire brushing and re-assembled. Inside everything was pretty poor before but it has come up quite well and I am pleased. I just hope for the best when I try and fire her up for the first time!!!

AB, no decisions yet on when the body is off. I have some logistical problems to overcome. My Saab 9-3 family salloon does not have a towbar and I had a quote of 650 to get one, so that won't happen I think I have talked my brother in law into a car swap for a while so I can use his old Forrester with towbar and Hitus (another Forum member with a Sprint local to me has given me the name of a place I can hire a car trailer) so I hope to get things sorted in the next few months. I need to work out whether I will mount the body onto my chassis and take the lot down. Option 1 say they can't store the chassis while they work on the body so I hope to call on the hospitality of a mate in the Brum area to store my chassis for me for the duration. I want to get Option 1 to finally mount the body on the chassis for me as i don't feel confident enough to get it right myself.

I am nervous about the whole thing. Its a bit like taking your child to hospital for an operation. You put your trust in the experts and pray that it all goes ok. Do you know what I mean? I need to get it all done, too before Scotland votes for independance and I risk being stranded at Gretna with my Elan spread over the British Isles

Photos all updated and thanks to all for your continued support. I turn 50 next week so I am proper Elan age, I wish I could get my body restored too!!

Ian.

Posted: **Tue May 15, 2012 8:35 am**

Thanks Colin,

I can confirm that the yoke is painted only up to the point where it enters the rear seal, it is nice and shiny from there on in

As far as the body is concerned I suppose it was knowing what the correct spacers are and what amount of pressure on the body is correct that was concerning me. Also, the rear left wheel arch of my body shell has some score marks caused possibly by the brake disc catching on the body. This gives me the concern that the body was never mounted correctly on the chassis before I bought the project. The Spyder chassis was already drilled and tapped before I got my hands on it. We will see soon enough. Never mind I will accept Alex B's kind offer of help and will see how we get on. Having seen his Sprint I know I have a good man on the case

Ian

Posted: **Tue May 15, 2012 9:14 am**

Hello Ian (Gents)

Just a quick question...are there the profiled locating washers between the rubber bushes and diff housing? (Ref: elan-f14/diff-tie-bar-cup-washers-t23581.html)

It's probably just the camera angle/my eyesight. (But thought I'd ask since the need for them has been questioned in the past. IIRC not all parts lists "list" them)

Cheers - Richard

Posted: **Tue May 15, 2012 9:45 am**

Hi Guys..

It is much better to fit these in the interest of conserving your diff case. The rubber direct onto the Ali' is not a brilliant idea. What you need to do is make sure the rods are nice and central to the holes in the 'lugs' with the rod securing nuts tight. Slip them into place (handed!!) and tighten the slightly domed securing nuts (they locate into countersinks on the rods) then look to make sure the rods are exactly central in the holes and not in contact with the lugs on the case. If they are spend some time and 'tweak' them until they are dead in the middle of the holes.

Then use the plated steel shaped washers against the Aluminium case lugs for wear protection. These should have slightly larger holes then the outside ones.This it to make sure the cups don't touch the rods, which would transfer some diff running noises through the chassis.. Not good..

Just make sure there is no metal to metal contact. Use the shaped cups on the diff' lugs. You will be surprised how much wear you can get in a short time without them. Dirt + water (and poss some oil) = quite efficient grinding paste.

Have fun now!!

Alex....

Posted: **Tue May 15, 2012 10:52 am**

Richard

Yes its the camera angle, they are there!

Ian

Posted: **Tue May 15, 2012 11:11 am**

slowsprinter wrote:Richard

Yes its the camera angle, they are there!

Ian

Sorry Ian...I should have looked closer at your other photos :oops:

Richard (Waking up at the back!)

Posted: **Tue May 15, 2012 4:06 pm**

Hi Ian,
Your good work is puting mine to shame !!! There's a place in Inverness which sells neoprene, I picked up an offcut from them for the hole where the steering column goes thro' the bulkhead, I can't remember what their name is but if you give me a shout when you get back I'll give you directions.
Also any time you need an extra pair of hands, I'm only 10 minutes away.

Neil

Posted: **Tue May 15, 2012 4:17 pm**

Neil

Thanks. I was counting on you already to help with the body onto chassis operation!! Also please can you email the trailer hire details again I seem to have lost that email :oops:

Will check with you about neoprene place too.

How are you getting on? Is your Sprint back on the road?

Ian

Posted: **Wed May 16, 2012 10:31 am**

Trailering a chassis-less body shell isn't easy, as I found out. The car trailer had two channels into which the wheels were meant to run, and a space in the centre. Of course we had no wheels. So we supported the shell on two 4x4" timbers running across the trailer, one just behind the Lotus' front wheel arch and the other just in front of the rear wheel arch. This seemed fine and it was duly tied and strapped down as well as we could. But the bumping of the trailer (which is designed to carry much more weight than a GRP body shell and so has hard suspension) loosened the ropes and the body squirmed around frequently. Several stops were made to tighten things up again and I am pleased to say we got it home without major incident, but it could easily have been damaged. I was only bringing it from Edinburgh to Troon, about 75 miles - you have a lot further to go, so think about how you will do it very carefully.

Thanks for offering to let me come and witness the coming together later in the year. I will look forward to it.

Mike

Posted: **Wed May 16, 2012 8:28 pm**

I've suggested using a flat bed truck /pickup big enough to sit the body in comfortably. Into the floor of which two bearers are placed in the correct positions they will be below the body - chassis bolting points (Bobbins) . The body should then be fixed down onto the timber bearers through the bobbins from the top. I used good strong coach-bolts down through decently strong penny washers through the bobbins and into the bearers, which should not be able to move either sideways or fore /aft. Remember, one can't use straps on the refinished body. You WILL damage it. Pleased to say mine never moved. All the way from Birmingham to Comrie without a scratch... :roll:

Ian should get it right.. Good advice especially since Frank of Option 1 threatens to murder anyone who damages his work.. :lol:

damage on the way down is bad enough.. On the way back is another matter entirely.. :shock:

It's not too difficult to do using the above method. Two long bearers the length of the floor and Four cut to length and used to stress the long ones against the side lips on the truck floor. You can also (Possibly) fasten the bearers to the truck (timber?) floor with some decent screw nails.
The bearers should be solidly fixed and immovable before you place the body on top.

Posted: **Sat Jul 14, 2012 10:09 pm**

Update for you Chaps.

Its been a while since I got some work done! Work keeps getting in the way of progress.

Anyway, after a small purchase of nuts and bolts I finally got the engine and gearbox/prop back into the chassis. Fairly easy with an Engine hoist and my eldest son home from Uni to help the old man.

Gearbox has oil and no leaks observed

Now to think about getting the body off to Option 1 for its transformation. Will be mega expensive but its got to happen. I'm looking forward to gaining some space in the garage when the body is dropped onto the chassis, hopefully within the next 4-6 months. I have decided to transport the body in a Mercedes Sprinter van that I have access to. Will require me to build a frame to mount the body on. Stay tuned!!

Ian

PS Photo stream updated.

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