Introduction and first 2 questions
Posted: Fri Aug 27, 2010 3:58 am
First an introduction. I live in Virginia just outside of DC. I
already have more projects than I need, 1965 Mustang GT fastback which
will be on the road next month, 1967 Unipower GT which should be on
the road later this year, 1971 Jaguar XKE just finished body and
paint. And now my latest find a 1971 Lotus Elan +2s. A friend of mine
had owned the car since the mid seventies. He thinks he threw a piston
pin and parked it about 1980. I have been bugging him to sell me the
car for several years and he finally told me to bring a trailer and a
check.
Good news - Car is pretty much complete and has never been wrecked.
One of my daughter's boyfriends wants to learn how to do bodywork and
paint so in return for his doing the grunt paint stripping and sanding
I will teach him.
Bad news - Sadly it sat outdoors in the Texas sun for nearly 30 years. So
it needs a complete body off going through. Lots of work, interior and
all rubber is in very bad shape.
So for my first of what will be many many questions. We are pulling
the body this weekend. I have an engine hoist and plenty of room. I
have the checklist from lotuselan.net. In various pics of others
pulling their body I have noticed that the body weight is not
centered. Can anyone give me an idea of where the body weight is
centered? I have an adjustable load leveler that will allow for some
adjustment but I would like to start off as close as possible to the
cog. The body will be coming off with the seats out, the doors, hood,
and trunk lid off.
Secondly, what books are a must have? I got the original factory manual with the car but it is lacking in many areas.
Dennis
already have more projects than I need, 1965 Mustang GT fastback which
will be on the road next month, 1967 Unipower GT which should be on
the road later this year, 1971 Jaguar XKE just finished body and
paint. And now my latest find a 1971 Lotus Elan +2s. A friend of mine
had owned the car since the mid seventies. He thinks he threw a piston
pin and parked it about 1980. I have been bugging him to sell me the
car for several years and he finally told me to bring a trailer and a
check.
Good news - Car is pretty much complete and has never been wrecked.
One of my daughter's boyfriends wants to learn how to do bodywork and
paint so in return for his doing the grunt paint stripping and sanding
I will teach him.
Bad news - Sadly it sat outdoors in the Texas sun for nearly 30 years. So
it needs a complete body off going through. Lots of work, interior and
all rubber is in very bad shape.
So for my first of what will be many many questions. We are pulling
the body this weekend. I have an engine hoist and plenty of room. I
have the checklist from lotuselan.net. In various pics of others
pulling their body I have noticed that the body weight is not
centered. Can anyone give me an idea of where the body weight is
centered? I have an adjustable load leveler that will allow for some
adjustment but I would like to start off as close as possible to the
cog. The body will be coming off with the seats out, the doors, hood,
and trunk lid off.
Secondly, what books are a must have? I got the original factory manual with the car but it is lacking in many areas.
Dennis