Finally have my Elan
Posted: Fri Jan 30, 2015 6:54 am
I have been a long time fan and in a way had an Elan my entire life, but just in October finally gained possession of one. The story starts over 40 years ago whenever my parents purchased this Elan from its original owner. In my 40 years, I know the car has only run a handful of times in the past 30, as its been apart for most of that time. Prior to that I know it ran at some point as my parents used it to autox, until one year in the early 80s they couldn't find the right brake pistons, so they started kart racing and the Elan was doomed to sit in the back of the garage until I got it running sometime while I was in high school. There were more complications, it stopped running for a few years, then I got it running again sometime around 2000, when it again had issues and has sat in the back of my parents garage since then.
Well, they are now trying to sell the house and needed the car gone, so during a business trip back to Massachusetts where it was, I packed everything up and put it on one of InterCity Van Lines trucks bound for Sunny San Diego where it now lives in my garage. At the moment I don't have the funds or time to really start on the restoration.. overall she's not in bad condition, the paint has some cracks and bubbles, but from 5 feet away looks good, the seats, etc are intact, just dirty, suspension is Ok, rear shocks will need rebuild or replacement.
Where she needs work is the engine and transmission. Due to parts availability way back in the late 70s or early 80s, my father moved or fabricated or something the syncro springs. I recall all working except 2nd gear, while it's drivable if you double clutch, it should be fixed before something bad happens. Moving forward, the clutch will need to be checked over. The starter was already replaced with a Tilton Super starter so that's good! The engine, while bolted in the car for the cross country trip, well, it needs a full go over. My father says that when he did .040 pistons, he thinks the ring gap was not done correctly, so that will need fixing. The head was last sent out to have a small crack repaired and I think "modern" valve guides installed during most recent diss assembly. This work was done by a shop recommended by Callaway Cars, so it should be good work, but the lifter, cams etc must be installed.
When things go back together I'm planning to do an alternator conversion, as well as electronic ignition, and conversion to negative ground, fortunately this car has a mechanical tach, so that whole conversion should be fairly easy. I'm debating if I should do the removable water pump housing, but it cost so much.
At some point down the road, it will need the body stripped and refinished and a new dashboard as the original, while always cracked is now starting to separate near the glovebox.
Now a bit about me. I've been lucky enough to have had the chance to build 2 Caterhams for a friend who was the California Dealer for a while, which really got me back on the horse to get the Elan in my possession. I've also built my BMW E36 racecar, so thats the go fast on the track car. In addition, I have an older Nissan Sentra SE-R, with the original SR20 motor and an older BMW E28 5 series, of and a company car for everyday use. While none of these are super special or expensive cars they are all unique classics that have cult like followings. All of them need attention of some sort and the Elan my eventually displace either the SE-R or the 5 series as I dont really have a huge house, driveway or garage. Fortunately the soon to be wife is so far OK with all this. The current rule is as long as everything is in the garage, or driveway, it good, thank god the size/shape of the driveway can fit 4 cars and 2 in the garage as long as its clean....
So this will be a long term project despite it being a minimal restoration at this point.
Before shipment
After my embarrassed father cleaned all the mouse shit off the body.
Upon arrival
Well, they are now trying to sell the house and needed the car gone, so during a business trip back to Massachusetts where it was, I packed everything up and put it on one of InterCity Van Lines trucks bound for Sunny San Diego where it now lives in my garage. At the moment I don't have the funds or time to really start on the restoration.. overall she's not in bad condition, the paint has some cracks and bubbles, but from 5 feet away looks good, the seats, etc are intact, just dirty, suspension is Ok, rear shocks will need rebuild or replacement.
Where she needs work is the engine and transmission. Due to parts availability way back in the late 70s or early 80s, my father moved or fabricated or something the syncro springs. I recall all working except 2nd gear, while it's drivable if you double clutch, it should be fixed before something bad happens. Moving forward, the clutch will need to be checked over. The starter was already replaced with a Tilton Super starter so that's good! The engine, while bolted in the car for the cross country trip, well, it needs a full go over. My father says that when he did .040 pistons, he thinks the ring gap was not done correctly, so that will need fixing. The head was last sent out to have a small crack repaired and I think "modern" valve guides installed during most recent diss assembly. This work was done by a shop recommended by Callaway Cars, so it should be good work, but the lifter, cams etc must be installed.
When things go back together I'm planning to do an alternator conversion, as well as electronic ignition, and conversion to negative ground, fortunately this car has a mechanical tach, so that whole conversion should be fairly easy. I'm debating if I should do the removable water pump housing, but it cost so much.
At some point down the road, it will need the body stripped and refinished and a new dashboard as the original, while always cracked is now starting to separate near the glovebox.
Now a bit about me. I've been lucky enough to have had the chance to build 2 Caterhams for a friend who was the California Dealer for a while, which really got me back on the horse to get the Elan in my possession. I've also built my BMW E36 racecar, so thats the go fast on the track car. In addition, I have an older Nissan Sentra SE-R, with the original SR20 motor and an older BMW E28 5 series, of and a company car for everyday use. While none of these are super special or expensive cars they are all unique classics that have cult like followings. All of them need attention of some sort and the Elan my eventually displace either the SE-R or the 5 series as I dont really have a huge house, driveway or garage. Fortunately the soon to be wife is so far OK with all this. The current rule is as long as everything is in the garage, or driveway, it good, thank god the size/shape of the driveway can fit 4 cars and 2 in the garage as long as its clean....
So this will be a long term project despite it being a minimal restoration at this point.
Before shipment
After my embarrassed father cleaned all the mouse shit off the body.
Upon arrival