Two at Once!

PostPost by: Tom Cotter » Sat Oct 27, 2018 9:32 pm

My son Brian and I have each purchased Lotus Elan roadster projects and plan to restore them side-by-side. I hope you'll bare with me as I ask very elementary questions. Thanks in advance.
Tom Cotter
New-tral
 
Posts: 13
Joined: 27 Oct 2018

PostPost by: The Veg » Sun Oct 28, 2018 12:51 am

Welcome Tom! Sounds like you and your son are in for plenty of adventure!

Where in NC are you? I get up there for business a bit- in fact I'll be near Fayetteville this week.
1970 Elan Plus 2 (not S) 50/2036
2012 BMW R1200GS
"It just wouldn't be a complete day if I didn't forget something!" -Me
User avatar
The Veg
Coveted Fifth Gear
Coveted Fifth Gear
 
Posts: 2329
Joined: 16 Nov 2015

PostPost by: tedtaylor » Sun Oct 28, 2018 2:20 am

post pictures, especially BEFORE and after shots!
TED
"Driving a Lotus is a triumph of bravery over intelligence." Stirling Moss
"TaylorMadeClassicCars" on WWW and Facebook
tedtaylor
Fourth Gear
Fourth Gear
 
Posts: 608
Joined: 09 Dec 2012

PostPost by: Certified Lotus » Sun Oct 28, 2018 2:37 am

Fantastic! Welcome Tom and Brian. You will find it a very enjoyable project.

Here are my ?twins?.

bc6e1b69-b961-4625-8728-c9e961677e99.jpeg and
Last edited by Certified Lotus on Sun Oct 28, 2018 10:51 am, edited 2 times in total.
Glen
05 Elise - Back where I started
65 Elan S2 - 26/4055
72 Europa - 74/2358R
69 Elan S4 - 45/7941
64 Elan S1 - 26/0379
12 Colin 30 - Lotus Racing Kart
07 Exige S - Wicked Road/Track Car
07 Exige S - Fast Road/Track Car
06 Elise - Track pack
User avatar
Certified Lotus
Coveted Fifth Gear
Coveted Fifth Gear
 
Posts: 1233
Joined: 04 Aug 2014

PostPost by: gjz30075 » Sun Oct 28, 2018 9:30 am

Welcome Tom!
Greg Z
45/0243K Sprint
45/7286 S3 SE DHC
User avatar
gjz30075
Coveted Fifth Gear
Coveted Fifth Gear
 
Posts: 3482
Joined: 12 Sep 2003

PostPost by: elanfan1 » Sun Oct 28, 2018 11:48 am

Certified Lotus wrote:Fantastic! Welcome Tom and Brian. You will find it a very enjoyable project.

Here are my ?twins?.

BC6E1B69-B961-4625-8728-C9E961677E99.jpeg


Crikey! Talk about optical illusions the car on the right almost looks like a scale model of the one on the right!
Steve

Silence is Golden; Duct Tape is Silver
User avatar
elanfan1
Coveted Fifth Gear
Coveted Fifth Gear
 
Posts: 2238
Joined: 13 Jan 2004

PostPost by: prezoom » Sun Oct 28, 2018 4:09 pm

You are going to have to spend less time on the road. Are we going to be able to follow along with your restorations with you and your son on Hagarty as well as here? Former owner of CSX2176
Rob Walker
26-4889
50-0315N
1964 Sabra GT
1964 Elva Mk4T Coupe (awaiting restoration)
1965 Ford Falcon Ranchero, 302,AOD,9",rack and pinion,disc,etc,etc,etc
1954 Nash Healey LeMans Coupe

Owning a Lotus will get you off the couch
prezoom
Coveted Fifth Gear
Coveted Fifth Gear
 
Posts: 1332
Joined: 16 Mar 2009

PostPost by: Elan45 » Sun Oct 28, 2018 6:05 pm

Tom,
Were these both barn finds? LOL

I spend my winters in Florida right off US-1 and I have 2 Elans there, one( a S3 DHC tI restored the first time in 1982-85, then again after a deer hit in 2010. The other, is a pre-airflow FHC that I'm restoring. Hopefully it will be back among the running next spring. I'm so confident this year that I'm taking engine parts along so that I can build a motor while the body is in the paint shop.

I know you travel a fair amount and I'd be honored if your woody wagon visited my driveway. My neighbor has a 41Merc woody I'm sure you would like to see (not for sale) PM me.

Roger Sieling, you'ld remember my light green Lotus Eleven
'67 Elan S3 SS DHC
'67 Elan FHC pre-airflow
'67 Elan S3 SE upgrade to 26R by Original owner
'58 Eleven S2 (ex-works)
'62 20/22 FJ (ex-Yamura)
'70 Elan +2S RHD
'61 20 FJ project
'76 Modus M1 F3
Elan45
Coveted Fifth Gear
Coveted Fifth Gear
 
Posts: 2518
Joined: 23 Nov 2008

PostPost by: Famous Frank » Tue Nov 06, 2018 3:23 am

Welcome Tom! Maybe do one at a time so you have one to look at to remind you how it goes back together!

Just a thought.

Frank
Famous Frank

67 Elan Coupe
66 Elan S2 SE
65 Elan S2
65 Elan 26R
69 S2 Europa
06 Elise
67 Barracuda
User avatar
Famous Frank
Fourth Gear
Fourth Gear
 
Posts: 627
Joined: 29 Apr 2004

PostPost by: Thornts » Tue Nov 06, 2018 2:04 pm

Welcome indeed Tom. As the custodian of your last Elan (I assume you haven't had any more in the mean time), I'll be trying to keep pace with your twins as you work on them. As you can perhaps tell, I have not been making huge progress with the S3 SE FHC though the 'History' has come together nicely in no small part due to this forum and Mark 'Elan in Forest' in particular. I need to join the dots between it going back to Lotus and arriving with you, perhaps starting with Christopher, the woodworking guy you bought the car from who thus far I've not been able to track down.
All the best and good luck!
Rob
S3 SE FHC
S2 7
22
S1 Elise
Thornts
Second Gear
Second Gear
 
Posts: 130
Joined: 03 Mar 2011

PostPost by: Tom Cotter » Sun Nov 25, 2018 12:19 am

Tom Cotter wrote:My son Brian and I have each purchased Lotus Elan roadster projects and plan to restore them side-by-side. I hope you'll bare with me as I ask very elementary questions. Thanks in advance.


November 23, 2018
We spent a little bit of time over the Thanksgiving weekend cleaning and documenting each car. I will describe each for you.

Lotus Elan #263802, Engine # 1943
img_5292.jpg and

I bought this car out of McPherson, Kansas, in mid-2018. It had been owned by a gentleman, and I bought it from his daughter after his passing. It had been sitting in a warehouse since the 1970s, and was covered with "warehouse filth." It is registered as a 1965 and has 43,114 miles on the odometer.

img_5293.jpg and

Someone had attempted to strip the paint and in some places sanded through the gel coat. It does not appear to have any body damage. The body seems solid and without cracks.

img_5294.jpg and

It's an early car with toggle switches. The wood dash will likely need replacing.

img_5303.jpg and

The engine seems complete. During my annual car party, "Tom'sWoody Party," I had five friends working on the car and they got it running in 3 hours and forty minutes!

img_5305.jpg and

The number plate seems to be correct, listing the engine number as #1943 and the Unit #3802. The lengthy number on the plate seems to read #US65 CHNO 26/3802

img_5307.jpg and

Thankfully the correct steering wheel is in still in place and in good condition!
Tom Cotter
New-tral
 
Posts: 13
Joined: 27 Oct 2018

PostPost by: Tom Cotter » Sun Nov 25, 2018 12:51 am

Tom Cotter wrote:My son Brian and I have each purchased Lotus Elan roadster projects and plan to restore them side-by-side. I hope you'll bare with me as I ask very elementary questions. Thanks in advance.


November 23, 2018

img_5311.jpg and


The second Elan is Unit # 7319, Engine # LP/8818. It was purchased from Lotus expert, William Taylor in Suburban Denver, Colorado. We dragged it home three years ago, where it has sat until now. I has 94,562 miles on the odometer. The car is very clean, when compared to the white Elan, but the body does need work.

img_5312.jpg and


The left front fender is in pretty rough condition. If anyone has a spare, please contact me at: [email protected]" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank. The headlight mechanisms also need work. My son has not totally decided to restore the car, and has considered a 26R look.

img_5314.jpg and


All four fender lips have been flared and are in pretty sad condition. I had tried to purchase new fender lips from Fay Curtis, who seems to be a very nice lady, but doesn't seem to want the business. If anyone has suggestions on alternative fiberglass suppliers, please let me know. Thank you.

img_5315.jpg and


The trunk is sound, but the rear panel and the left quarter-panel need major work or replacement. If you have one, please let me know.

img_5319.jpg and


The dash and gauges are in good condition, as is the steering wheel. I believe the dashboard is in good enough condition to refinish and use again.

img_5328.jpg and


The interior, when compared to the white car, is cherry. The seats are usable as is, but the carpeting needs replacing.

img_5325.jpg and

The engine is clean and complete. I tried to get it running, but even though is had sufficient fuel and spark, it didn't fire. Then I did a compression test. Front to back: 30-0-50-0. I guess that's why it never fired! A rebuild is in order.
Tom Cotter
New-tral
 
Posts: 13
Joined: 27 Oct 2018

PostPost by: gjz30075 » Sun Nov 25, 2018 12:56 am

Talk to Ken at Dave Bean. I think he supplied some fiberglass bits to Tim Suddard , for the 'Classic
Motorsports' Elan resto.
Greg Z
45/0243K Sprint
45/7286 S3 SE DHC
User avatar
gjz30075
Coveted Fifth Gear
Coveted Fifth Gear
 
Posts: 3482
Joined: 12 Sep 2003

PostPost by: StressCraxx » Sun Nov 25, 2018 4:32 am

Tom Cotter wrote:
Tom Cotter wrote:My son Brian and I have each purchased Lotus Elan roadster projects and plan to restore them side-by-side. I hope you'll bare with me as I ask very elementary questions. Thanks in advance.


November 23, 2018

IMG_5311.JPG


The second Elan is Unit # 7319, Engine # LP/8818. It was purchased from Lotus expert, William Taylor in Suburban Denver, Colorado. We dragged it home three years ago, where it has sat until now. I has 94,562 miles on the odometer. The car is very clean, when compared to the white Elan, but the body does need work.

IMG_5312.JPG


The left front fender is in pretty rough condition. If anyone has a spare, please contact me at: [email protected]" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank. The headlight mechanisms also need work. My son has not totally decided to restore the car, and has considered a 26R look.

IMG_5314.JPG


All four fender lips have been flared and are in pretty sad condition. I had tried to purchase new fender lips from Fay Curtis, who seems to be a very nice lady, but doesn't seem to want the business. If anyone has suggestions on alternative fiberglass suppliers, please let me know. Thank you.

IMG_5315.JPG


The trunk is sound, but the rear panel and the left quarter-panel need major work or replacement. If you have one, please let me know.

IMG_5319.JPG


The dash and gauges are in good condition, as is the steering wheel. I believe the dashboard is in good enough condition to refinish and use again.

IMG_5328.JPG


The interior, when compared to the white car, is cherry. The seats are usable as is, but the carpeting needs replacing.

IMG_5325.JPG

The engine is clean and complete. I tried to get it running, but even though is had sufficient fuel and spark, it didn't fire. Then I did a compression test. Front to back: 30-0-50-0. I guess that's why it never fired! A rebuild is in order.


Your Unit # 7319, Engine # LP/8818 is a rare car. It appears to be a "S3 Super Safety". Only a few hundred examples were built until the S4 was introduced. Elan45 owns one and mine is one as well.

Regards,
Dan
There is no cure for Lotus, only treatment.
User avatar
StressCraxx
Coveted Fifth Gear
Coveted Fifth Gear
 
Posts: 1414
Joined: 26 Sep 2003

PostPost by: Bombay Racing Green » Sun Nov 25, 2018 8:09 am

Hi Tom,

You have a PM.

Regards,
Pete
1970 S4 DHC
1971 S2 Europa
1968 +2
Bombay Racing Green
Third Gear
Third Gear
 
Posts: 262
Joined: 05 Sep 2012
Next

Total Online:

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 24 guests