45/6994 Elan S3 Rebuild

[ethanlance]

Sorry I have not updated in a while. Tons of progress. She’s back together. And now I’m focused on detail work, interior, etc

attachment=0]39BD6E51-64C7-4AE9-9860-A928153259A1.jpeg[/attachment]

[S3FHC]

Hi Ethan,

what a beautiful car!

we need more photographs like this to lift the gloom....

Mark

[snowyelan]

Beautiful. I may have missed it but if not could you share the color/paint code? I'm set on blue for mine, just not sure which.
Thanks

[ethanlance]

Beautiful. I may have missed it but if not could you share the color/paint code? I'm set on blue for mine, just not sure which.
Thanks

The small can of paint that came back from the paint shop reads “PPG Omni Base 18446 + Black”

We just picked a blue from a chip that looked close to an official blue color.

[ROADRUNNER]

Really enjoying following your progress. I think you'll be pleased with the colour. This is mine.

[ethanlance]

Really enjoying following your progress. I think you'll be pleased with the colour. This is mine.

I love it. Great color.

[ethanlance]

PSA as we head into wet season I wanted to remind people to replace old tires. This embarrassing episode happened to me last February 2020.

What happened? While testing my brand new suspension and more powerful motor, I just ever so gently goosed the throttle around a canyon curve... but still on OLD TIRES... and I shot myself nearly over a cliff!

Long story short. The car has zero damage, it sunk into the mud (that's a long way down otherwise). Some good samaritans helped me out and the CHP chewed me out!

I got new tires immediately, 145HR13 PIRELLI CINTURATO ™ CA67 from Longstone.

And I have not gone over a cliff in 8 months!

[pharriso]

You are lucky to be alive, let alone zero damage!

[Sploder90]

Wow, lucky escape. Glad you and the car came out intact

[The Veg]

I had a couple of 'lucky misses' on old tires with my former Esprit when I bought it ten years ago. The incident that made me buy new rubber IMMEDIATELY was when I was a little aggressive going into a left turn and wound up doing 720+ degrees of spin, coming to rest facing the way I'd come from, in the gap in a kerbed median, three lanes of busy traffic on either side, and *somehow* I managed not to hit anything or be hit. After my heartbeat and breath returned to nominal, I drove straight home and started shopping. When I got the new tires the guy at the shop told me the old ones (came with the car when I bought it a couple of months earlier) were 14 years old!

[lowflyer]

Lucky escape indeed. I learned my lessons a few years ago on Caterham 7s: check the dates and make sure you can get enough heat into the tyre with the replacements, especially if it's a lightweight vehicle.

You selected a great colour too, which works well in light and shade. But then I am biased

[h20hamelan]

From a tower's perspective. The recovery truck was a 5 degree angle flat deck. No side puller that could get to 15 or 45 degree angle, not even the 75 degrees required for such a pull. Therefore, the resistance put on your frame/chassis is major, and well beyond allowable parameters. There is never a case to use a deck truck for anything more than 5 degrees. I would be irate at that towing company for using the incorrect truck. Secondly, and the important part. Is your car. The angle your car was at, vs the angle of pull has no doubt put an incredible strain on the chassis. I would have a body-off look, and measure. If the "required state laws" say you must report to a structural and alignment body shop for confirmation the chassis is straight and true. After such an accident, here in BC we are required to.
My guess is a 1,700 car, at a 75 degree angle is well over 2,000lbs. Now factor in resistance, you said it was stuck in sand/mud. Add another 15-20% minimum. Now you have to overcome the angle, like said 75 degrees is the correct pull angle for this recovery.
The point here is, when you start pulling straight from the side of the road, you are pulling close to 4,000lbs. The winch line on his truck is a maximum working load limit. Your chassis is well beyond.
I only have the pictures provided to confirm this. I have high angle rope certification, swift water rescue, and wreckmaster cert too. And 30 years of practice.

Glad you and beauty car are okay, please check chassis!

[ethanlance]

Lucky escape indeed. I learned my lessons a few years ago on Caterham 7s: check the dates and make sure you can get enough heat into the tyre with the replacements, especially if it's a lightweight vehicle.

You selected a great colour too, which works well in light and shade. But then I am biased

blueelan.jpeg

Your's looks great. Love the color.

[ethanlance]

I had a couple of 'lucky misses' on old tires with my former Esprit when I bought it ten years ago. The incident that made me buy new rubber IMMEDIATELY was when I was a little aggressive going into a left turn and wound up doing 720+ degrees of spin, coming to rest facing the way I'd come from, in the gap in a kerbed median, three lanes of busy traffic on either side, and *somehow* I managed not to hit anything or be hit. After my heartbeat and breath returned to nominal, I drove straight home and started shopping. When I got the new tires the guy at the shop told me the old ones (came with the car when I bought it a couple of months earlier) were 14 years old!

Sounds like something I would do .

[ethanlance]

My latest weekend project and the second time this year she stranded me on a backroad.

Front-outer wheel bearing. Not sure if I should categorize this as a mechanical failure or a mechanics (me) failure. Hah. Did I somehow not pack this with grease!? Anyway, it's fixed now.

Ended up pulling both front wheels to check and re-pack bearings.

And here she was, looking sad, not even able to limp home.