OMG WHAT HAVE I DONE?? (Version 2.0)

[JonB]

Hello again friends!

I've gone and done it. Bought an S4 DHC in need of full restoration. It's a ratty looking thing but - crucially - it's complete and very original. Dry stored for 30 years (allegedly) and 65k on the clock. I should get it next week some time, so I will post some pictures then. Or you could look at the advert here: https://www.carandclassic.com/car/C1488023

This will be a long journey and I don't propose to rush it. But that is all part of the fun, right?

Cheers
JonB

[2cams70]

Commiserations. I suffer from this mental ailment too.

[gherlt]

"YOU BOUGHT WHAT !!!!!!!?"
(c) Brian Buckland, 2006

looks good to me ... just needs some TLC ....
and lots of free time and/or good budget.

In any case, congratulations for your new adquisition

[ericbushby]

Well done Jon, that looks great. I have seen two cars in that colour and I liked it a lot.
Keep it.! My favourite colours are green and yellow, mines blue but it looks good too.
Eric in Burnley
1967 S3SE DHC

[Donels]

Well it has been a bit quiet on here recently………

It appears you caught the Lotus disease. There’s no cure congratulations Jon.

[661]

Welcome back, Jon.
I like the sellers comment ( my interpretation) that restoring this car would be a financially solid proposition.

[pharriso]

Congrats/Commiserations!

[alan.barker]

well done Jon,
things have been quiet here for a while
Alan

[JonB]

Thanks all, great to be back.

However.. I think I will be a bit less loquacious this time round. Or not, depends on how much time I have to write posts. Having recently moved house, there is much to do, and I have other hobbies / interests as well.

I'm not sure I like the ultra dark green that you can just make out under the lighter shade, where the body's been rubbed to show it. It appears to be the original paint. A quick look on the forums reveals it as B.R.G. - obviously British Racing Green: viewtopic.php?t=17089&f=36&start=0#p88562 see the p[icture which is labelled 1969 colours.

I had thought to get it on the road for a trial drive but as the brakes aren't fitted and there is a hole in the driver's side turret I think first order of business will be body off. A different thread I think!

[alan.barker]

I hope you got the Lotus galvanised Chassis with it. I suggest you keep it the original colour also
Alan

[Elanintheforest]

I'm looking forward to seeing the car Jon. Have a look at my old topic which talks through some of the aspects of restoring an S4 DHC that was off the road for 35 years.

Once you've found out how to make the lights pop-up flashing you'll know that you've cracked the electrics!

viewtopic.php?f=19&t=45156

Mark Kempson

[jono]

I almost bought that car when it was previously for sale. It had stood in a greenhouse for many years.

Still regret not doing it - I was 95% there with the previous owner (who is well known in Lotus circles) but I dithered.

Stomberg didn't put me off as I have a spare Weber head.

Good luck with the project, it will be nice to do.

I ended up buying an early Plus 2 project instead which I am well on with.

[berni29]

Hi and Congratulations.

Looks like a great project at a good price.

Wishing you the best of luck and look forwards to hearing how you get on......

All the best

Berni

[richardcox_lotus]

Welcome back Jon.

I thought you had moved on to an Elise after selling the Plus 2? Do you still have it ?

Let us know how you get on

Regards
Richard

[JonB]

Well, the Elise is a different story. After doing everything it needed (not much as it had 9000 miles on the clock) and buying a new car, I had a bout of guilt that there was £26k sitting in the garage not getting a lot of use but costing money. That's before we sold up and moved to Herefordshire. Anyway.. I sold it and got my money back. I'm not sure if I regret that decision or not - it was one of the best Elises on the market, no doubt, but somehow did not feel like my old one, which I bought new back in 1998.

Fast forward and here I am in a nice rural house with a huge workshop complete with mezzanine storage area and inspection pit that's dry and clean, retired with time on my hands. What should I do? Oh I know, buy another classic car. You can see how this has gone and I am sure it is a familiar story to many.

So. The seller is on here so I'll say "hi" to him, and what a pleasure it was to see his other cars. Regarding the Strombergs, I don't mind that it has them as the power gain with Webbers is supposedly negligible and I understand the fuel efficiency is better. Also, on my Plus 2 I had Dellortos and they were a big of a pig to keep in tune and had open float chambers, so the garage always stank of petrol. There's not much between these and Webbers as I understand it.

Interesting to hear it was stood in a greenhouse, or "dry stored for 30 years" as the seller put it. That explains why the black carpets are brown. Electrics do not faze me, the loom looks untouched and I will have it flashing! However, that is an awful long way down the road. I will review your thread (elanintheforest) as it undoubtedly has many lessons for me, thank you. And I am looking forward to meeting up.

Yes, I took the LR chassis, because the original is "holed below the waterline"; that is, the front driver's turret is rusted out (but not showing signs of sagging yet). It may be recoverable, but I didn't want to take the chance. I wonder if there are any issues with the DVLA when changing the chassis? Or is it technically a "subframe"? I've read some horror stories on here....

Regarding the colour... well, again, it's way down the line, but I am not sure I really like the dark green. I'll have to have a think. On inspection, I could not see any crazing or cracking in the fibreglass so I'm hoping the body won't need too much repair work. Even that monumental scratch on the nose doesn't appear to have gone through to the gel coat. So I may get away with a bit of a light buff for the time being; that will give me a better idea of what it might look like once done proper in BRG. I had intended to kick off by making it drivable, but the brakes are off it and the engine appears to need some work (it turns over by hand but there's a rattle, which I assume is the timing chain clicking against something). Also, one of the shock absorbers is dead and my old friend the rear passenger side wheel bearing is loose (oh joy), or the output shaft is loose in the bearing, which is what happened on my Plus 2 (oh joy). So all this is saying to me "just take the body off already", because as you know it is much easier restoring the suspension without having to duck under the wheelarches all the time.

Now off to tidy the workshop. It is currently full of stuff we moved in with but have not found homes for. And I will need that space!