Wiring Loom

[Chris-72-Sprint]

I have now reached the stage in the resto where the body is stripped and ready to go to the body shop

However I found the wiring behind the dash and in the engine bay looks like it has been fried and there were several "extra" wires presumably to replace burnt out wires.

As I dont want to risk problems in the future I think I need a new loom

Are these available or is it a case of making your own....which slightly worries me

Advice appreciated as always

thanks
Chris

[alexblack13]

Hi james,
Sounds like I am just ahead of you. I bit the bullit and bought a new loom for the engine bay and dash panel. Susan Millar has them in stock. Made by Autosparks and quality looks fine.

Who is doing your paintwork etc? I used option 1 in Bromsgrove by Birmingham and the job is just fantastic. I just got it back and I am over the moon with the job. Scottish LDC man said it was the best he has ever seen. Expensive but spot on. Fully restored the body at same time.
PM me if you would like some pics and more info'.

Alex B

[steveww]

I second that. Get a new loom from Sue Miller. Elans do not like electrical fires

[SADLOTUS]

CHRIS.... PAINT! SUFFOLK/NORFOLK! Don't go to Max Bidwell!

...ahem... I need a little lay down now.

[john.p.clegg]

Go on then,I'll ask,what is the story re.Max Bidwell?

John

[Chris-72-Sprint]

Thanks for your replies

Susan Miller is just down the road and I have been pleased with the other bits she has supplied. I will go for the new looms

With regard to paint I am using a guy called Peter Teager at Tunstall - he specialises in american corvettes and knows what he is doing with fibreglass - the work I have seen looked superb. Still I wont know for sure until the body comes back !!

I saw the plus 2 at Donnington that Option 1 had done and it looked superb

Sorry for the confusion on James/Chris - James is my son who bought the Elan to restore as I had a 1965 S2 when he was small boy. He then bought himself a Cayman S so I now own the Elan and am reliving my youth - I ought to change my username

Sadlotus - I thought you were ok with your paint job other than the stonechip on the valance ?

cheers
Chris

[SADLOTUS]

Chris,
Sorry, I didn't mean to change subject half way through your wiring question.

John, you're starting me up!
Cottage Classics did the bodywork on my car, really pleased with it and no problems - and kept me up to date with photos, emails and phone calls - kept the budget under control. Cottage Classics use Max Bidwell for a lot of their paint - not sure why - and suggested I use them direct for cash. I went up to Max with the car and had a 45 minute chat about what I wanted, he explained about modern paint and what and how he'd do the job.
Weeks of pestering later I went to collect the car in the pouring rain. They'd put stonechip under front and rear valance and inside the boot - which they delivered later because they'd not painted the number plate light area (eh? why?)- the lightpods had a mist of silver from the bumpers on them, the paint is very thin and scratches easily exposing grey undercoat and some nitwit jacked the car up punching a neat 4inch hole in the floor and kept it a secret. There's a lot of stonechip overspray on the underside on the chassis, and to be honest I think he got one of his boys to practice on the car.
Don't get me wrong - the car looked fab, the paint and panels looked straight and smooth and loads better than what I'd lived with for years, but, after telling me how easy it is to get a good result straight from the gun, I was a bit disappointed when I started noticing things about the paint and the holepunch in the floor, anyway CC did the panelwork and prep, so all they had to do was paint it... at college we could get a great paintjob for 40quid from this geezer John O'Neil and it was better than this. This was a lot more than ?40.

Until I get the car running and can take it back up to Cottage Classics and Max in Norfolk all I can really do is have a moan to whoever I talk to about the car - and shrug.

Thanks for letting me get that off my chest, a bit of therapy methinks.

One person I can recommend is Tony the windscreen man in Bromley 07930351250 professional, careful, competent with plenty of years experience.

[john.p.clegg]

It's always the same,new paint and new chrome always look good but with a little time under the belt you can tell the good from the bad and ugly...

John

[alexblack13]

Hi All,
I have to aggree with the recent post.A few mles down the line and anything can happen. Difference is .... Option 1 give a warranty. They say if it crazes etc..Bring it back. Wear and tear permitting of course..


I like it....

alex B

[bruss]

If you are looking for a bodyshop my brother has one in Hertfordshire - my car from this - to this.