Television Program Wheeler Dealers

PostPost by: elanman » Fri Dec 24, 2010 1:53 pm

Hello Gentlemen,
My name is Brian Buckland the Author of the book, The Rebuilding of a Lotus Elan. I have been asked to comment on the Wheeler Dealer program which showed a Lotus Elan being repaired / restored. The program was shown on TV last night and I believe it has been shown before. Has anyone got a DVD copy of the program that I could study. I guarantee to return the DVD within a week together with a free copy of my book to compensate for your trouble.

I have had many many e mails wishing me well after my heart bypass operation recently. May I thank everyone for their good wishes. I am recovering well and cannot think of any better Christmas present than that. I am looking forward to 2011, spring sunshine and driving my Elans.

A super Christmas to all Elan owners and their Elans, the finest car in the world.

Brian Buckland
elanman
First Gear
First Gear
 
Posts: 26
Joined: 25 Sep 2003

PostPost by: Jason1 » Fri Dec 24, 2010 2:12 pm

50/0951 1968 Wedgewood blue +2, 1990 Mini Cooper RSP
User avatar
Jason1
Coveted Fifth Gear
Coveted Fifth Gear
 
Posts: 1554
Joined: 03 Nov 2005

PostPost by: elanern » Fri Dec 24, 2010 2:27 pm

Brian,

So glad you are recovering nicely. That is, indeed, the best Christmas present.

I have a Christmas moment each time I open your book for yet another helpful hint on how to restore my own Elan. So many nuggets of information, so little time. Many thanks.

Best wishes for a great holiday season and a healthy and safe new year.
Ernie
Florida, USA
User avatar
elanern
Second Gear
Second Gear
 
Posts: 91
Joined: 22 Oct 2008

PostPost by: LotusArchives » Fri Dec 24, 2010 3:08 pm

Is that the S3, badged as S4 with Sprint paint job?
LotusArchives
Second Gear
Second Gear
 
Posts: 149
Joined: 16 Jul 2008

PostPost by: peterako » Fri Dec 24, 2010 3:31 pm

Speedy and full recovery Brian!!
User avatar
peterako
Fourth Gear
Fourth Gear
 
Posts: 699
Joined: 02 Mar 2006

PostPost by: pete d » Fri Dec 24, 2010 5:32 pm

Brian ,just heard about your ticker ,all the best and a speedy recovery, thanks for your help in the past.
pete d
First Gear
First Gear
 
Posts: 34
Joined: 27 Jan 2010

PostPost by: miked » Fri Dec 24, 2010 5:48 pm

I very much enjoyed watching the clip but it is very naughty (IMO). It will inspire people though. Half decent cars can be out there to "drop on", and people do. Also folk pass on cars with problems with little concern. Generally I think the program is very wrong with the implication of the quick large profit on an Elan. The circumstances could occur but generally don't. This could mislead the inexperienced.

Paint prep' ???????
Did you see the finish when he was fitting the front indictors? Holes and lumps.
S3 to S4 was an issue. I heard nothing mentioned about it's model series (could have missed it). Just as well.
How about the rust on the rear disc, was the disc removed and cleaned so it sat right?
I would have been concerned with disturbing and then trapping crud and disc run out.
All a bit scary, taking bits off and fitting with out fresh rubbers or hardware etc. See head lamp screws and split rubbers (pennies worth). Attitude to work looked blinkered to me and Ok for some old heap of a road going car, not an Elan. I hate that fix one bit and get back out as quick as possible. That my opinion.

Nice to see Sue getting some air time!

Merry Xmas

Mike :D
Mike

Elan S4 Zetec
Suzuki Hustler T250
Suzuki TC120R trailcat
Yamaha YR5
Suzuki Vstrom 650XT
Suzuki TS185K
User avatar
miked
Coveted Fifth Gear
Coveted Fifth Gear
 
Posts: 1233
Joined: 29 Sep 2003

PostPost by: UAB807F » Sat Dec 25, 2010 7:17 am

I felt similar reservations about everything from the apparent state of the car to the final "restoration" and sale. Did he really drive it so hard with those worn out parts ? it must have been obviously wrong from the first bump/corner. To me the completed car just didn't look right; I know some late S3s came with varying specs and mine came with the stromberg bonnet, but that one looked like someone really wanted an S4 but only had an S3.

But it's only television after all, so maybe we shouldn't take it so seriously and after all I do have a chuckle at his enthusiasm and some of the antics. On the plus side it finally pushed me into getting the Sue Miller CV driveshaft conversion, so some good did come out of it after all !
User avatar
UAB807F
Fourth Gear
Fourth Gear
 
Posts: 730
Joined: 20 Dec 2010

PostPost by: peterako » Sun Dec 26, 2010 6:40 pm

Sand and fill(er) Gel cracks :shock:
Naughty naughty.....

What a cracking car though :D

Great to see Susan Miller on the small screen too!

I'm one of the 700 Mick Miller CV users and delighted to be.
User avatar
peterako
Fourth Gear
Fourth Gear
 
Posts: 699
Joined: 02 Mar 2006

PostPost by: nebogipfel » Sun Dec 26, 2010 6:51 pm

peterako wrote:Great to see Susan Miller on the small screen too!

I'm one of the 700 Mick Miller CV users and delighted to be.


She's the best thing about the programme :D

Ditto on the shafts :wink:
John

No longer active on here, I value my privacy.
User avatar
nebogipfel
Coveted Fifth Gear
Coveted Fifth Gear
 
Posts: 1716
Joined: 25 Sep 2003

PostPost by: worzel » Mon Dec 27, 2010 11:26 am

Hi

Seasonal greetings

What really surprised me was the state of the top balljoints- do they really wear as quickly as that between MoT appointments?

I'd have thought such an obvious fault would have been picked up a lot earlier- unless the car hadn't been on the raod for ages- but even then surely such a degree of wear would be noticed. Eye test for the examiner maybe!

John
worzel
Fourth Gear
Fourth Gear
 
Posts: 626
Joined: 13 Jan 2004

PostPost by: peterako » Mon Dec 27, 2010 12:40 pm

I might be sounding a bit cynical but....

My thoughts on the balljoint(s)....

Like mentioned above, if the balljoint was THAT bad it would have been noticed by a seasoned dealer pretty early on. Not to mention being a very audible clunk!

So....maybe it was a 'fix' so that they could show their 'expertise' in car handling by fixing a vague steering problem with a quick and cheap repair.

As to the other fixes.... the only one with any credibility was the Sue Miller stuff (as mentioned above).

Having said all that it was a joy to see a whole 40+ minutes of Elan on TV!

Peter
User avatar
peterako
Fourth Gear
Fourth Gear
 
Posts: 699
Joined: 02 Mar 2006

PostPost by: ElliottN » Tue Dec 28, 2010 1:03 am

Well.... it was a gee whizz televison program after all.
Elliott - 70 S4 dhc
User avatar
ElliottN
Second Gear
Second Gear
 
Posts: 189
Joined: 19 Apr 2004

PostPost by: MarkDa » Wed Jan 10, 2018 12:26 am

I know this is years late but this car had a clean MoT in November 2009.
With a car the original owner said he didn't drive there's no way the ball joint would have got that bad.
Same goes for the rotoflex - they all looked good and the 'bad' one was looked ok before they took it off.
So the usual tart up job!!
MarkDa
Coveted Fifth Gear
Coveted Fifth Gear
 
Posts: 1215
Joined: 15 Apr 2017

Total Online:

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 23 guests