Lotus Elan and Lotus Elan Plus 2 Forums

lotusfan wrote:Richard

Could it be that the hole for the gear lever in the top of the tunnel is not central? Looking at your original photo of May 26 it looks as if the gear lever is central, relative to the cut-out in the dashboard but it does depend on where the camera was. Is the hole in the tunnel central from side to side?
Good luck.

Agreed, your gearbox is central to the dash, but the hole in the tunnel is off to the right!

I can hardly believe it, but you are bang on, absolutely right! Talk about eagle eyes Mike and Phil. Incidentally, I sent the previous pics to Tony Thompson and their man Stuart replied promptly saying it was a mystery. I measured from the side of the bodywork to the edge of the hole and got 90 mm one side and 77 the other. Then I put the console arm rest thing on, having checked the hole in that is central, which it is, almost. I attach a photo showing the body work sticking out past where it should. In the other photo you can see a wear mark from the gear lever gaiter, from which it is not hard to judge the gearbox is in the same place it always used to be. So a bit of corrective surgery on the fibreglass and all should be good. Thank you very much, I'm enormously relieved.
Regards
Richard

Richard

I am pleased we were able to help. From what I understand Phil is a beer drinker, personally I prefer gin so if you would like to have a word with Santa we will have something to look forward to later in the year!!

Now that the gearbox problem is solved how long before you are back on the road again? There can't be too much left to do, carbs back on, radiator back in, there you go...................

Yes indeed - drinks all round!!!!!
I'm always being asked 'how much longer', but I won't set a date. Not least because when you start checking things like Dell Orto carbs that have been left for ages, you find they need a lot of attention (blocked jets needing ultrasonic cleaning, needle valves that leak, accelerator pumps to recalibrate etc). And so it goes on. My aim is to get it running, then get it MOT'd. I don't expect it to pass, but I will come away with a list of what I have to do. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it won't be too long a list. I am making progress all the time.
regards
Richard