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PostPost by: adigra » Wed Feb 29, 2012 5:13 pm

Hi everyone. I realise it's been nearly a year since I last actively participated on the forum. I feel rather bad about it, but at the same time visiting here has been depressing me due to my car not being finished and it being out of my control. I still own it, but I haven't had much joy from the ownership in a long time. At the last stage, a year ago, it really needed just about two weeks of work to be ready for the road. I started a new contract at the time and decided I couldn't finish the car as fast as I wanted so booked it in with a well respected specialist. Within a few weeks he had fitted the engine and the gearbox and tidied up the bay, things were looking great... so with that in mind, I accepted his suggestion to fit a new loom prior to fitting the new dashboard. Was quoted about 10 hours for that, still looking great, should have the car ready by June (2011), just in time for some fun...

And then it all fell off a cliff, and month after moth I was receiving the same excuses and reassurances, promises and deadlines which came and went, month after month after month. So I had nothing to say on here other than get depressed, so I stopped posting and then even stopped visiting, as it was really making me feel bad. So finally I was made one last "100%" promise at the end of January that the car would be done by the end of February. It isn't. I am picking it up tomorrow and don't really know what to expect as I've not had any progress updates since July and haven't seen the car since October. I will immediately book it in with Paul Matty, who will hopefully be able to finish it in some decent time so I can maybe finally get to enjoy it after three years of ownership.

Hopefully this will also mean I will, once again, get some joy out of actively participating in the community and going to meets, etc.

I hope you are all doing well!

Adi
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PostPost by: elansprint71 » Wed Feb 29, 2012 5:25 pm

Is the "well-respected" specialist also in West Yorkshire? This story sounds rather familiar.
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PostPost by: adigra » Wed Feb 29, 2012 5:31 pm

Yes. And does it? Was this something I should've anticipated?
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PostPost by: elansprint71 » Wed Feb 29, 2012 7:09 pm

One of our group took his car to a specialist who advertises in the Club Lotus magazine to have his water-pump changed. A very, very, long time later he reclaimed his Sprint, after a lot of empty promises and found that it would only fire on three cylinders, amongst other woes.
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PostPost by: adigra » Thu Mar 01, 2012 9:31 pm

I picked the car up today. It was very strange to take something back which seems to have been frozen mid step. There are about a dozen "almost there" jobs all over the car. I had no idea what to expect, and in some ways it's much better than I feared, but in others it's deeply frustrating. All the work completed seems really top notch, and the attention to detail is impressive, but on the other hand there has been little progress at all since I saw it last in October and for all I know, had we carried on this course, I might be here next October still wondering where my car is.

Luckily I've been provided with a summary of all the areas needing attention, which was very good of the specialist, so now I just need to make a summary of it to present it to Paul Matty so they can book it in. I'm struggling to figure out what to say to them... so many areas need just the last 10%...

Great to see it though. Even without the bonnet, while on the trailer, it prompted someone to stop their car and express many compliments. And it was a sunny day!

Adi
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PostPost by: adigra » Wed Mar 21, 2012 6:48 pm

So, it's well under way at PM. Roy there is working on it and has already fixed various "issues" which stalled the progress before. I saw the car on Monday and it is all coming together nicely. The icing on the cake is that he estimated I could have it back in a couple of weeks. Since I am away on business for most of that time anyhow, it's just perfect. Just in time to run it in before a drive down to Goodwood for a track day. So excited!

Since I took it off the road two years ago it has had the engine, gearbox and diff rebuilt, new wiring loom, new dashboard, manifold, alternator, electronic ignition, a full retrim, new seals, CV driveshafts, etc. It has had all of the dials restored, the rdiator recored, the fuel tank Renu treated, the wheels powdercoated... I've had everything short of removing the body taken off it, and did most of the work myself, including trimming the car. Prior to my ownership, the car has had a new chassis and suspension (still looking brand new), and had a respray before I picked it up.

The engine was done to Q420 spec and has had square main bearings fitted along the way. It was dynoed at 146bhp, with a very flat torque curve. It's an SE car with 3.55 diff from new. I've not driven it since the engine work, which was quite tired at that point after 116k miles and I doubt it was achieving even 2/3 of its power. I bet it will be a nice difference.

I am sure there will be many more jobs to do as I go along, but at this point in time I struggle to think of anything else I'd like to do other than drive it.
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PostPost by: collins_dan » Wed Mar 21, 2012 7:49 pm

Glad to hear that things are looking it! Take a couple of pictures when you get it back. Sounds like it has been transformed.
Cheers, Dan
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PostPost by: Ross Robbins » Wed Mar 21, 2012 11:45 pm

Adi,
While I am delighted that you are close to being back on the road, I believe this discussion should be in the "MODS" section as I am sure I don't understand the extraordinary benefits of this engine specification...
has had square main bearings fitted along the way
:D :D :D :twisted:
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PostPost by: adigra » Thu Mar 22, 2012 12:59 am

They rotate the whole engine around the crank, didn't you know. It's the ultimate mod!

:oops: Of course I meant square main bearing caps.
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PostPost by: dougweall » Thu Mar 22, 2012 5:04 am

elansprint71 wrote:Is the "well-respected" specialist also in West Yorkshire? This story sounds rather familiar.


Oh, Oh, this is not good news for us here around the area.

Sorry to hear of your plight Adi, especially as you appear to have put a lot of work in yourself before using said "well respected specialist" however I am pleased that you have retrieved your car just about intact.

Hopefully we might meet you at a Nyloc meeting sometime.

Doug
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PostPost by: adigra » Thu Mar 22, 2012 1:42 pm

Thank you Doug. I think the biggest issue with this specialist is that a mechanic working there, who did most of the mechanical work on my car, retired last year. I am only guessing, but I think that is the root of the problem there. His retirement is a real loss as he was really very good and highly respected.

As soon as I have the car I'll be over at a NYLOC meeting. It's been my plan for years now and I feel a bit guilty for not having gone even without a Lotus.
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PostPost by: Ross Robbins » Fri Mar 23, 2012 9:59 pm

Of course I meant square main bearing caps.

Of course I know that. But it wouldn't be sporting to let an opportunity like that to pass by now would it?? :twisted: :twisted:
Adi, I hope you have lots of smiles soon in your lovely car and perhaps I shall see you at a NYLOC meeting :shock: After all I have already met Doug Weall at one haven't I?
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PostPost by: adigra » Fri Mar 23, 2012 10:24 pm

It made me chuckle too :lol:

You come across to Yorkshire?

I am off to the States for a week next week, so I hope the Elan will be finished by the time I return. They'll MOT it for me as well, so I'll pick a nice day to go pick it up and spend it coming back the long way.
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PostPost by: dougweall » Sat Mar 24, 2012 12:14 pm

Ross Robbins wrote: perhaps I shall see you at a NYLOC meeting :shock: After all I have already met Doug Weall at one haven't I?


Sorry for the thread drift.

Hi Ross,

That sounds like you might be over again to see us, yes we met at Classic Le Mans 2008, remember the blue Elan ( not quite straight? ) it is now by the way.

Adi,

You will be more than welcome anytime to Nyloc, 4th tuesday of the month, I will be there from April meet onwards. Or maybe you can get to the Michael Oliver talk on the 28th April.

Regards,

Doug.
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PostPost by: adigra » Sat Mar 24, 2012 3:11 pm

Doug, are you going to Le Mans Classic this year? My trip is booked and I hope to have the Elan running reliably.

I'll definitely start coming to the NYLOC meetings. I drive past that pub quite a bit actually so it'll be good to stop and see some nice cars. If my car is ready I'll come in April.

Adi
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