Lotus Elan and Lotus Elan Plus 2 Forums

Hello Folks
Here are just a few historic photographs. I have many more, but none recent. I'll take a few and put them on.
Cheers
Bob

Hello Richard
Tried to contact you but site wont allow me to, keeps telling me that the member doesnt exist!
Cheers
Bob

Hello all,
Ive a feeling I'll be talking to you all quite a lot over my car!!! Just thought I'd post an overview of its state aand history:
It is a 71 Elan Sprint FHC. I purchased it in 1973, so have owned it for 40 years! I took it off the road in 1975 at 32k Miles, to satisfy a rather childish whim. I wanted to have Woolfrace alloys on the car! I bought a set but when I came to fit them, found that they fouled the wheel arch. Since I also had an Elan black badge at the time, I thought i'd strip the rear suspension to see what could be done. I then got distracted by a female, and the sprint went into the garage. Fortunately, I did not change the suspension in any way and I grew out of the Wolfrace alloy phase.
Three marriages, two children, and a career later, Ive started the restoration again!
In the intervening years, all forty of them, I have done various jobs as I could whilst husbanding and fathering.
The car is totally stripped and is in a mass of labelled boxes.
In 1991 I purchased a new galvanized steel chassis from Lotus, this was etch primed and painted black. I bought a new chassis because the original was rusty (not rotten) but I wanted a pristine unit. I sold the original to another Lotus nut.
Every component to the level of nut bolt and washer has either been totally restored of replaced with genuine Lotus parts. (I was fortunate enough to have a relative who worked at Lotus who could get me parts at a substantial discount)
As I said, the car had covered 32k miles, not a lot, but I used to "use" it, so I decided to totally rebuild the mechanicals as well. The Engine, my favorite labour, was stripped and refurbished, machining an balancing by QED, assembly and titivating by yours truly. Gearbox was striped cleaned and reassembled, as was the diff.The brake calipers and servo were stripped re-plated and rebuilt, new discs fitted and Tony Thompson drive shafts replace the donuts. The suspension has all been powder coated and rebuilt with all new bushes and the shockers and strut inserts replaced.
All mechanicals are complete and ready for re-installation.
The body had never been so much as scratched, but had acquired the usual stone chip stars in the wheel arches. This was stripped and all the Lotus underseal removed. The body is now stripped into component parts and naked ready for the respray I promised it. This will be done in July this year.
The trim needs work. The drivers seat is the worst as a part of the internal wire frame has broken at a weld and has forced its way through the squab. I will need to re-carpet the entire car, and replace the door cards as the previous owner cut rough holes in them for speakers.
The original steel wheels need attention, two have rim kerb damage and I want to get them all checked straightened and repainted. I have purchased new spinners since the ears on the originals were bruised.
The original dashboard had the veneer de-laminated, so I bought a new replacement.
All instruments have been refurbished and calibrated, and new screen rubbers purchased.
Now its just time to reassemble, cold winters rheumatism and old age permitting!

Hello all,
Ive a feeling I'll be talking to you all quite a lot over my car!!! Just thought I'd post an overview of its state aand history:
It is a 71 Elan Sprint FHC. I purchased it in 1973, so have owned it for 40 years! I took it off the road in 1975 at 32k Miles, to satisfy a rather childish whim. I wanted to have Woolfrace alloys on the car! I bought a set but when I came to fit them, found that they fouled the wheel arch. Since I also had an Elan black badge at the time, I thought i'd strip the rear suspension to see what could be done. I then got distracted by a female, and the sprint went into the garage. Fortunately, I did not change the suspension in any way and I grew out of the Wolfrace alloy phase.
Three marriages, two children, and a career later, Ive started the restoration again!
In the intervening years, all forty of them, I have done various jobs as I could whilst husbanding and fathering.
The car is totally stripped and is in a mass of labelled boxes.
In 1991 I purchased a new galvanized steel chassis from Lotus, this was etch primed and painted black. I bought a new chassis because the original was rusty (not rotten) but I wanted a pristine unit. I sold the original to another Lotus nut.
Every component to the level of nut bolt and washer has either been totally restored of replaced with genuine Lotus parts. (I was fortunate enough to have a relative who worked at Lotus who could get me parts at a substantial discount)
As I said, the car had covered 32k miles, not a lot, but I used to "use" it, so I decided to totally rebuild the mechanicals as well. The Engine, my favorite labour, was stripped and refurbished, machining an balancing by QED, assembly and titivating by yours truly. Gearbox was striped cleaned and reassembled, as was the diff.The brake calipers and servo were stripped re-plated and rebuilt, new discs fitted and Tony Thompson drive shafts replace the donuts. The suspension has all been powder coated and rebuilt with all new bushes and the shockers and strut inserts replaced.
All mechanicals are complete and ready for re-installation.
The body had never been so much as scratched, but had acquired the usual stone chip stars in the wheel arches. This was stripped and all the Lotus underseal removed. The body is now stripped into component parts and naked ready for the respray I promised it. This will be done in July this year.
The trim needs work. The drivers seat is the worst as a part of the internal wire frame has broken at a weld and has forced its way through the squab. I will need to re-carpet the entire car, and replace the door cards as the previous owner cut rough holes in them for speakers.
The original steel wheels need attention, two have rim kerb damage and I want to get them all checked straightened and repainted. I have purchased new spinners since the ears on the originals were bruised.
The original dashboard had the veneer de-laminated, so I bought a new replacement.
All instruments have been refurbished and calibrated, and new screen rubbers purchased.
Now its just time to reassemble, cold winters rheumatism and old age permitting!

I have posted an intro so that you guys know what a time waster ive been! Well its all underway now. I'll post more pictures soon.
Cheers
Bob

Hello Richard
Tried to send you a mail but the site wouldnt let me, i'll try again soon.
Bob