`71 Lotus Elan Sprint for sale

[jimj]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fuWG-HW1Y04 tells you (not) all about it. I missed a few things: The battery is mounted in the spare wheel well and there`s no spare wheel, damn. On the other hand it does have a tonneau, good, but with a small tear in it, I see. There`s a workshop manual and a mint Sprint handbook.
I did the video, to save typing like Elanintheforest ! yesterday, and today I`ve been having a right good fettle. Though I`m doing all this as a favour, the lady did send me a case of wine and a box of chocolates, and, anyway, I love it. If I can get for her a good but fair price and the buyer does likewise then that`s all good.
I`ve given the engine a dose of Gunk degreaser and I can`t see any damage to the electrics at all. There`s still fuel in the glass topped pump and I`m told the car has been started regularly during its slumber and has no known mechanical issues. Bills in the file suggest that the car has been kept tip-top. I`ve given the car a clean and a quick polish, that`s the best way to spot any blemishes, and apart from the chips in the video it looks pretty good. There`s the odd tiny thing but nothing to bother with, it`s better than most, I`d say. The interior is first class, well, virtually. The whole car seems better than it first appeared.
The wheels look tatty and as I`ve got 2 spraycans of Holts satin black, I`m rather looking forward to sorting that tomorrow. Wheels off, I can check out the brakes and suspension which seem OK. The wishbones look a bit tatty though.
That`s pretty much it, email me at jimelan4attiscalidotcodotuk if you like writing too (!) or come and have a look. We live in the Peak District; Foolow, about 35 mins. from junction 29 on the M1.
I`ve taken advice on the price. Up and running with an MOT and the paintwork mentioned in the video sorted it`s got to be worth ?30k+, more in a dealer. It is a proper Sprint in the most popular colour. My advice to the vendor is to do just that but, in the circumstances, she just wants the car sold, hopefully to someone who`ll love it. They`ve had the car since 2005.
As it is, come and get it: ?25k. No less.
Jim
P.S. The mileage now reads 23069, in the 2005 ad. the vendor implied that the then mileage of 16000 odd might be genuine. It doesn`t seem likely to me, though.

[Mazzini]

Lovely looking car. Is that an E on the end of the chassis number?

Its a lot nicer than that ropy looking Sprint I saw locally a few months ago.

[trw99]

Yes it is a converted FHC. Jim says it has been done well.

Tim

[richardcox_lotus]

Interested in how your glamorous assistant jacked the rear of the car up.

Was it under the chassis below the diff inboard of the wishbone ??

[Grizzly]

Have the doors been sectioned? might be an illusion on the video but the tops of the doors don't look parallel with the drip rail?

I'm also interested why the front is so low? it looks likes it has Spax adjustable dampers on, are they just set too low (maybe the wrong springs fitted??) i know you say it's a Galv chassis but some better pictures of the uprights would be appreciated too.

Are you planning on getting it running or is it being sold as is? (if you do get it running can you do a second video)

We have a customer that has been looking for an Elan for a while but i think he's after a S1, i'll send him a like to your video.

[Mazzini]

It is a lovely car but I'm really after a Colorado Sprint... I know I'm a sad man...

[jimj]

Richard, of course my glamorous assistant jacked the car by positioning the jack inboard of the wishbones, the pad pushing up the chassis, well, I put it there ready.
Grizzly, yes it does look a bit like that, I`ve just been out to check; the drivers door frame is exactly parallel and the passenger door, maybe, is 2mm further out at the top than the bottom. The door fit is as good as I`ve ever seen, as good as my own car. The doors just click, satisfyingly, as you close them, first class.
This morning, so far, I`ve been tidying the boot area and reconnecting the battery, which I`ve had on charge. Hooray, everything functions and I see that, below the carbs. what I took to be an inline filter, is, in fact, an electric fuel pump chirping away with no leaks. As it`s after the mechanical pump, maybe the engine needs to be turning but I wouldn`t have thought so. I didn`t run it for long, just long enough to check the electrical equipment wired through the ignition switch.
I`m tackling the wheels next, now coffee break is over, and then I`m going to disconnect the coil and turn the engine over to check for any fuel leaks.
More and more, I`m thinking that if I was in the market for an Elan, I`d buy this one. It would take a lot to make it a show winner, I realise, but not much at all to make it just a good car.
Jim

[jimj]

Grizzly, here`s a couple of pics. of the front turrets, not that you can see much. I have had a good poke around and the chassis seems 100%. The front discs look new and the back ones show little wear though they`re thinner, is that normal?
As we rolled it off the transporter and pushed the car along, my GA (Glamorous Assistant) tried the brakes a few times and you can see they worked fine and didn`t stick on.
Yes the front does look too low, I can`t see any adjustability but may be missing something. In the history file the late owner wrote to the 2005 seller to say he was wanting to lower the front; "all Loti (sic) benefit from lower front suspension". Why amateurs think they know more than world class Lotus suspension engineers is beyond me. He said that he intended to loose everything off and "get 2 big fat blokes to sit on the front" while he tightened everything up. Maybe that wants doing without the 2 big fat blokes, just its own weight, as Lotus recommends.
Certainly, with the car set up as it is, my GA reported that the steering seemed very heavy.
The idea is to sell the car as it is. If I can get it running without any expense that`s fine but, as my GA keeps reminding me; "why are you wasting your time, it`s not even your bloomin` car?" Wasting time? I don`t ask her why she "wastes time" shopping or whatever. That would be dangerous.
Jim

[elj221c]

Yes the front does look too low, I can`t see any adjustability but may be missing something. Jim

You are missing something. Those adjustable spring platforms are at their lowest setting!

[jimj]

You`re right, even my GA didn`t notice, not that she looked, and my C spanner fits. The left moves relatively easily unlike the right. I`ve given them a dose of penetrating oil and will wind them up tomorrow. Thanks,
Jim

[rgh0]

There is probably a small grub screw to lock the adjustable seats and you may need to loosen this off on the one thats tight

cheers
Rohan

[Grizzly]

There are usually two C nut's that tighten against one another to lock.

Same make damper but not the same Model (note the two c nuts on the centre damper, it's how Spax usually lock their platforms, tighten one against the other)

[jimj]

Thanks for that Rohan and Grizzly, I`ll get on to it on Monday probably.
Today was Interesting Cars on Sunday Mornings at Hassop and despite the murky weather there was a good turn out. We went in the S3, hood up, and I was reminded what lovely cars they are to drive, not having driven one for 3 weeks. It must be an addiction.
Jim

[jimj]

I`ve just posted it on ebay; http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LOTUS-ELAN-SP ... 6016.l4276
I adjusted the front this morning, no problem, but for jumping up from sitting cross-legged forgetting I`m no longer a teenager.
Jim

[PeterG]

Hi Jim, have you had much response through ebay? It's a bad time to sell but a good time to buy. I think I may wait till the summer unless the house sells.