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Re: Parting out 1965 Elan

PostPosted: Mon Mar 15, 2021 6:47 am
by rgh0
JCS wrote:There is an ID plate. Looks like Unit number 4681, Chassis number 2611681 (maybe). Engine code below head: 26E004. Prior registration in the UK: EVA 56C, Michael John Ball,, Yate, Bristol, England.



chassis number is probably 26/4681. Lotus added 3000 to the unit and chassis number which are the same thing, early on in the production after the first few hundred cars so it is really Elan 1681 produced.

cheers
Rohan

Re: Parting out 1965 Elan

PostPosted: Mon Mar 15, 2021 9:32 am
by nmauduit
JCS wrote:There is an ID plate. Looks like Unit number 4681, Chassis number 2611681 (maybe). Engine code below head: 26E004. Prior registration in the UK: EVA 56C, Michael John Ball,, Yate, Bristol, England.


you may want to register your car (project ?) with

https://www.elanregistry.org/app/list_factory.php

it also offers the following infos,

record # 4681 Aug. 1965 serial # 4726 Engine # LP4029 Built/invoiced/1st registrered 1965-08-17

that may be confirmed and certified by the Lotus Archivist (you'll need to contact Lotus), possibly with extra infos (original color ...)

Re: Parting out 1965 Elan

PostPosted: Mon Mar 15, 2021 3:31 pm
by JCS
Great Idea! These are interesting cars. I may end up putting this back on the road.

Re: Parting out 1965 Elan

PostPosted: Tue Mar 16, 2021 4:08 am
by JCS
Hi All,

Digging into the car. A couple of questions: does the etching on the windscreen indicate it's the correct glass? Both doors have the same ID number, written each door prior to painting, and obviously protected by tape prior to painting. Is this typical?

Re: Parting out 1965 Elan

PostPosted: Tue Mar 16, 2021 9:01 am
by rgh0
It was common to mark the body components with the body number which looks like its 4280. The body numbers did not align with the unit number / chassis number. On later cars the body number was moulded into the firewall in the top RH area using dymo tape, I don't know when this started but it may not exist on your car but you may find the body number elsewhere written on the body or hood or boot.

cheers
Rohan

Re: Parting out 1965 Elan

PostPosted: Tue Mar 16, 2021 10:44 am
by elanfan1
JCS wrote:Great Idea! These are interesting cars. I may end up putting this back on the road.


It’s quite a project you’ve got there. It’ll be lots of $ to do but be highly rewarding once completed. Maybe someone in your area could offer you a ride in theirs, I suspect that might convince you! Any offers out there?

Re: Parting out 1965 Elan

PostPosted: Tue Mar 16, 2021 11:51 am
by Billmack
Yes and yes. Tape applied over number at factory

Re: Parting out 1965 Elan

PostPosted: Tue Mar 16, 2021 3:05 pm
by h20hamelan

Re: Parting out 1965 Elan

PostPosted: Tue Mar 16, 2021 3:34 pm
by JCS
GREAT LINK....thank you!

Re: Parting out 1965 Elan

PostPosted: Wed Mar 17, 2021 2:07 pm
by JCS
Hi all,
This looks like a difficult issue. The wireframes around the door sills (and mount for seat belt) are badly corroded. How difficult is this fix? Seem tough given the frames are integrated into the fiberglass...

Re: Parting out 1965 Elan

PostPosted: Wed Mar 17, 2021 2:12 pm
by fattogatto
Suggestion is that this is a major effort best left to those professionals used to doing such restoring.

Re: Parting out 1965 Elan

PostPosted: Wed Mar 17, 2021 2:20 pm
by JCS
This falls into the 'expert' category from the looks of it. I agree.

Re: Parting out 1965 Elan

PostPosted: Wed Mar 17, 2021 3:01 pm
by h20hamelan
Probably that rust will not only be on every single nut and bolt, but chassis and...?

Re: Parting out 1965 Elan

PostPosted: Wed Mar 17, 2021 3:44 pm
by nmauduit
JCS wrote:Hi all,
This looks like a difficult issue. The wireframes around the door sills (and mount for seat belt) are badly corroded. How difficult is this fix? Seem tough given the frames are integrated into the fiberglass...


not too difficult when doing it on a fully dismantled car, esp. during the course of a major rebuild.
if you can get/fab new pieces this is way easier than bodywork imho, you just need to use the proper toolsto remove the rusty bits (not an angle grinder which would heat up the fiberglass and throw dust everywhere)

Re: Parting out 1965 Elan

PostPosted: Wed Mar 17, 2021 3:49 pm
by bitsobrits
I had to replace the wire frames on one of my Elans, and I wouldn't describe it as overly difficult. It was very tedious and messy to use a 2" grinding disc to 'cut' loose all the areas where the steel was bonded in. I wouldn't recommend using anything brutal like a sawzall, nor would I do anything that would overly flex or break any of the remaining GRP. Once the steel was removed I cleaned up the 'glass mounting area and added some 'glass reinforcement where things looked a bit thin. I had a local welder make up the new wire frames using the crusty originals and cardboard patterns as a guide, then glassed them back in. I do believe my repairs looked better that the factory original, but then that's really not too hard to do.