New car now with pics!

[sulzeruk]

Hi all, the bottle was to pump some of the old fuel out of the tank to get the last of it out. The brakes would be stripped as a matter of course anyway and I would probably change the master cylinder for the clutch and brake and also the clutch slave cylinder. Paint was done about 13 years ago by a friend of the guy.
The tacho is stuck at 1000 rpm at the moment, not had the engine running as yet. The seller was going to get a new set of plugs and points today so may have it running. Oil pressure was up to 70 PSI in under 4 seconds of cranking, engine sounded fresh turning over on the key.
The whole car was rewired which is why the relays are different to standard. Don't know about the spot, everything electrical worked though, will try and haggle more money off it, I am Scottish so that is never a problem.
I am in Bonnybridge in Central Scotland,
Al Cowan

[Robbie693]

Hi Al,

Oil pressure of 70psi is way too high! Good news is it's probably the sender - I went to see a Plus 2 a few years ago and the oil pressure was stuck up at the top of the gauge (owner didn't even realise...) Fiddled with the wire on the sender and it worked properly - as I said you'll probably have to do some contact cleaning

[tdafforn]

If the gauge is a cappilary type the
Oil pressure could be stuck relief valve.
Tim

[Craig Elliott]

...or the car has a high pressure oil pump (see other threads on this).

In terms of getting an understanding of the value of the car, there's no substitute for looking at as many as you can before committing (possibly with the help of club members as someone has already suggested). It's the only way of getting a good idea of what is or isn't good value and you'll get better at spotting possible problems in the process. A lot will also depend on what work you can do yourself and what you can't - most of the cost of any work on +2s is down to labour.

In the end it has to be your decision and you don't want to fall out with someone who lives next door/near by if any problems happen that you weren't aware of. As well as doing the rounds of the usual websites I'd also suggest looking at the various club magazines.

C

[sulzeruk]

Hi all, I am going to get in contact with a friend who has had a fair few of them through his hands, should be going for a look on Thursday evening.
The dash was new when the car was restored. The oil in it is 20/50 and it is rather cold up here in jockland hence the pressure, possibly a sticky pressure relief valve.
SHouldn't be many stiocky contacts as everything was new, loom, switches, etc!
On the subject of past experience of working on cars, I am halfway through this at the moment so an Elan should be easy after this!!!







Al Cowan

[alaric]

Hi.

Just wanted to second / third the comments about taking a look at other examples. It's impossible to tell from the photos, but for ?6k you should be able to take the car on a test drive and expect to have no work to do on it to get it through an MOT, and there should be no major faults with the bodywork. An engine rebuild can cost ?3500, and a body prep and respray is about ?5k and upwards. The exception to this rule, I guess, is a part restoration where there are full reciepts and there's a clear path to completion. In that case you're expecting to get the equivalent of a brand new car on completion. If the engine rebuild only covered replacement rings etc then it wasn't a rebuild, more of a patch up job.

It looks like lagoon blue in the photos.

I think the advice about getting a local club lotus man to take a look, and getting it to a dealer, is spot on. The local expert may be able to tell you that it's a gem awaiting a moderate amount of tlc...

If you want a restoration project then look to pay between 1k and 3k depending on condition, but more importantly in some respects, on whether all the bits are there or not.

Good luck.

Sean.

[Garibaldi]

-----------------SNIP------------------------
On the subject of past experience of working on cars, I am halfway through this at the moment so an Elan should be easy after this!!!
-----------------SNIP------------------------

Please take my former remarks as advisory and misplaced. It's clear that I thought your level of automobile knowledge needed the benefit of my miniscule amount. My bad.

GP

[sulzeruk]

I was a member of Club Lotus for a few years so will see if I still have the contacts for this. Would join up anyway after getting a car so will see if I can get the local Elan expert out for a look as well. I suppose the more people that see the car and tell the guy how much it is worth, the more chance he has to knock some money off,
Al Cowan

[sulzeruk]

Hi all, after a visit from my friend tonight, we had another going over the car, finally managed to get a deal from the guy, got ?500 off. Deal is still dependant on engine running as well, should have this sorted for the weekend. He is only the second owner as well!
Al Cowan

[alaric]

Cool. Sounds like the car's a bit of a gem then. Wish mine was as close to being on the road - it's still at the body shop - hopefully this summer.

Good luck.

Sean.

[tdafforn]

Still think it is worth having a look at others in the market.
I looked at quite a number before I got mine, and the range was enormous.
from 6 grand for a car with blisters and seized brakes (being sold as a rare classic), through 5 grand for a car that was well looked after but also V well used (200K on the clock and 2 chassis). Eventually I settled for one fo 4.5K which has a near perfect body (old restoration so its not just a dust over respray), 60K miles, tired but orignal engine and tired suspension. Car has since done 4 years of trouble free motoring. so much so that it has been a bit boring on the mechanicing front (even caught myself polishing the interior!). Which is why I now have the engine out.
Tim

[Elanintheforest]

Al...are you sure that you're half way through restoring the Dino?
Looks like a hec of a lot more work, but what a stunning car. I think that a convertible 2 seat Elan would complement the Plus 2 and Dino very well...you only live once

[sulzeruk]

I think I have done alright for the money, I have a good friend with a body shop so that side will not be a problem, I will MOT it, get it on the road and use it. Had it up ona ramp earlier and it is nice and clean underneath, should have the engine running tonight. Looking forward to trying it when the snow and sleet let up!
I really don't have the time to scoot about the country looking for cars. I work shifts, also have my own businees (doing parts for 1960s yamaha and Kawasaki motorcycles) and a Ferrari to restore so time is not ever on my side. My time is ?50 an hour to me so 1 day away and I have lost any benefit of buying a car, i may have to look at a dozen before I find one! I looked at the yellow one on Ebay recently, if that went for ?4300, then mine looks a bargain, maybe you are undervaluing the cars! ?6000 for an older restoration that needs 1 or 2 bits is not bad in my books. I also like the colour and the perfect metal flake original roof which was one of the major points fo me! I am happy with my purchase!!
The Dino is a job for a customer of mine, he has 2 of them, one nice one and this one, it is a Flairs model with Campag wheels so should be worth a few notes when done. The bodywork is pretty scrap though, it is getting a whole new front end, new doors skins and lowers (as there is 3 inches of the door bottoms missing!), new back arches and a fair bit on the rear panels. It still has the engine in it and the 4 corners of the suspension, I have been working on his Elise at the moment, it is not playing ball at all!
Paint code was originally L11 which is Regency Red.
Al Cowan