Lotus Elan and Lotus Elan Plus 2 Forums

Being a newby to the Plus 2 world, I am attempting to semi restore the engine compartment, and before I do something that I will regret later, could anyone tell me if the bolts that secure the bonnet latches to the firewall are threaded into bobbins or are there impossible to reach nuts up under the dash? And why on earth did they use wood as a spacer? Or did they employ an ex-Morgan worker who was suffering from with drawl symptoms, or is mine unique?

Thanks for the continuing education.

My car had nuts welded to a plate inside the car. I think one may have come un-welded but I didn't find them to hard to access with the under trim removed.

Am at the moment refurbishing the heater ready for winter so have the dash out and it seems that as stated there are four nuts welded to a plate,or at least it doesn't feel like fibrerglass through the half inch of stuck-on "fluff",certainly feels like a metal plate.

John

Yes a plate with welded nuts on mine. The wooden spacers tapered are original and very special and must be restored and reused and not replaced to maintain the cars value

cheers
Rohan

Yes, you must keep the original pieces of wood the angle is very critical.
Cheers
John

Add lightness and replace with plastic,Colin would have if he could of got them cheaper..

John

Thanks everyone. I think I will try to make a little modification (the originality went in the porcelain fixture with the Zetec mod) and try to secure the plate from the firewall side so as no to loose its current location. My wood is split into several pieces, and I agree that the angle/shape is critical. I have some black Delrin blocks that I could machine into new blocks, or I could obtain some dense hardwood as replacements.

Right now I have to replace the plastic oil pressure line in the Elan, as a mouse found it to be tasty. Was a heart stopper when I started the car for an early morning jaunt and upon looking at the oil pressure gauge seeing it register zero. At the time, my mind ran wild trying to figure out what could be the problem. Spent last night on the front steps calling "Here Kitty Kitty", in hopes of luring a neighborhood cat that I could toss in the garage for the night.