Lotus Elan and Lotus Elan Plus 2 Forums

Your car looks fantastic! And putting her to great use. Enjoy.

Updates -

Just fitted a short shift gear-stick I won off fleebay, pretty happy with it.
I feel it gives a better feedback selecting the gears on the 5 speed (nice and "snickerty") and shift length dramatically reduced! (more than I thought it would actually).

Also now have a spare gear-stick as I didn't want to destroy my original one with a kit and couldn't be bothered with the work buying a kit and modifying a new cortina gear-stick.

Adjusted the handbrake pads as they were a bit too tight (but it did pass the MOT) making a bit of noise but surprisingly the brakes weren't getting hot at all... Now they are silent need to check to see if the handbrake still works! (My handbrake pads don't centre too well and they have been refurbed??).

Next new part to fit -> braided brake lines and +++ of bleeding to get the brakes feel a bit better.
Saving up for some CV drive-shafts too!

Happy days

Innes

Salut Innes

Sorry I didn't get back to you about the quick-shift. The end of holidays and the beginning of term got on top of me. Glad that it works - sounds like you're going to keep it, too.

Let me/us know which CV driveshafts you go for and your impressions.

@+

Vernon

Innes,
you gave a very useful account of fitting a new bonded windscreen surround, a job I plan to do in the near future. I noted that you used the surround available from PM. Could you tell me what you used to attach the surround and bond the screen in as PM do not supply a bonding kit for the surround,
thanks,
Mick.

Hi,
Wow such a long time since I have posted on here!

I think warmed it gently with a hair dryer to mould and shape it (easy to crinkle the chrome foil). The attached it with a couple spots of either clear silicone or clear universal "UHU".

Would avoid acrylate type super glues as they tend to cause "frosting" or the plastic might melt also. (Sorry I'm no chemical engineer).

Car is going well but I'm not using it enough!

Innes

Hoping for 2016 the car will get solid driveshafts (still using donuts!) And restore the old vinyl and corduroy seats.


Innes

Innes,

Thanks for the reply. One more question. Once you had the chrome trim fixed to the windscreen did you use a propriety type windscreen bonding product to fix it into the car,

thanks for your help,

Mick

Yup, well the windscreen man used a proprietary type, I called around a few local windscreen fitters (not the big national chain types) and asked if any of them had practice with classics. Found a mobile guy who popped round and had it fitted withing an hour.

Bond/primer black paint stuff around window and around frame, then the thick gloomy stuff around the frame. Fitted the window together making sure it was central left/right and up/down.

Strapped window round the A pillars to stop the weight of it sliding in the gloop slowly forward.

Innes

Hello Innes,

I saw your restoration thread, a fantastic read!

I am currently restoring a Lotus Elan Plus 2 JPS and am at the sage of fitting the windscreen.

I am using the PM Silver edging and I was wondering which adhesive you used to bond the silver strip to the windscreen.

Thank you so much for your help and informative post.

Regards,

Karel

lotus-chassis-f36/bonded-windscreen-t35507.html#p243025

If you have a look through this post, I did a write up of the method I used.
Hope it helps.
Dougal.

Looks like Dougal has you covered!
Has been an age since I have been posting and regulardy checking this forum, need to post an update. Also have some parts to sell.

Innes

Hi all,

MOT day! 3 miles since last MOT August 2016

I have been very busy working on my house in the past year and a half knocking down walls and putting up steel beams.

Car started after some fresh fuel, charged battery and a little bit of choke as it's -1*C here this morning

Passed MOT
But needs two new front track rod ends due to excessive play, (less than 1600 miles since I made her road worthy in 2013)

So definittely after something of "higher" or better quality!

Long list of little jobs for the car that I have never quiet sorted out, can't wait to get stuck in!



- CV driveshafts (Present from Santa 2017)
- "Club Lotus" petrol tank breather mod
- Remove carb filters and fit bigger airbox and filter in nose
- MX-5 fuel tank "slop" fix
- Fix tachometer converter by speedy cables but has not worked since...
- Brake master cylinder leak

Feels good to be back

Innes

Welcome back!

Hi Innes

Been reading your resto thread with interest, and wondering where you got to. Welcome back.

Track rod ends are cheap as chips (you probably know this).

I have just fitted a pair of CV jointed shafts to my +2 and they are very good quality. I doubt you will regret having them. You might need to grind the pins off the spiders first - if so, be sure to cover the petrol vent holes and avoid grinding the spider legs. You need someone standing on the brakes to tighten the locking nuts, and use a good quality 5/8" spanner that doesn't slip off like mine did. I was advised to tighten them "proper tight". You cannot get a torque wrench in there, so pull as hard as you can on that spanner. Also, retorque them after a hundred miles or so.

I also want to do the Club breather mod, but not sure where to get the parts from (notably, the bit welded to the filler) or how best to do the welding. I'm not good at this.. please share what you find out. I have an MX-5 valve on order but again not sure how to make up an adapter to fit it to the tank pipe. I do not have any lathe here. If you find something I can buy to fit it, let me know.

Cheers
JonB

First of the new progress

Ordered up a 1/4 BSP stainless 316 fitting and bought a used filler neck (stainless? I believe).
Also ordered a 1/4 BSP to 10mm hose tail and some hose.

Drilled the filler neck and got my friend an apprentice TIG welder to weld it, I think we were both very pleased with the results.







Lots more work to follow
Innes