Hello plus 2 people!! I need advice and parts!!

[M and A's elan xx]

Well, hello all you plus 2 owners, I am new to the ownership of a plus 2, my very recent purchase. I put up a new post on the introductions section of the forum and as I explained there, I am in need of basically a plus 2 elan in component form!! Excluding the shell, rear window, side windows, and light pods! Yes I know, I don't have much left of the old girl, but that's why I'm on here, I need to gain the bits I'm missing, especially a chassis (that's my priority at the moment) and also all the advice and pointers you may have, I have access to all the expertise I need to help me carry the work out however I need any tips you can give me. As I said, my priority is obtaining a chassis in whatever condition, would be amazing if someone had a good rolling chassis (even better if it had a vin number, as some thieving b*st*rd had that out of mine long ago) but otherwise, a chassis in any condition would be brilliant. I would consider anything at all and would be a cash buyer.

And here she is!!

You would probably gain more from reading my post on the new members introduction bit as that is probably more detailed, it's title is "calling all plus 2 owners!!! And any other elan owners!!"
Thank you so much for any help you can give me, and thanks for taking the time to read this
Maddy xx

[jimj]

Sadly, the best advice I could offer would be to buy a complete car as what you have and propose is not really feasable. Sorry if it`s not an answer you hoped for.
Jim

[theelanman]

Sadly, the best advice I could offer would be to buy a complete car as what you have and propose is not really feasable. Sorry if it`s not an answer you hoped for.
Jim

Jim
is there not one under a bush at Hargate?
lol

G

[M and A's elan xx]

Sadly, the best advice I could offer would be to buy a complete car as what you have and propose is not really feasable. Sorry if it`s not an answer you hoped for.
Jim

Thank you Jim, but I'm not afraid of a project!!
If you had seen the state of my delorean when I first got it you would believe anything is possible as it's now on the road.
My boyfriends got a collection of four lotus esprits and ferraris' various that he has restored and the elan is not that much of a massive project, we don't believe anythings beyond repair and would love to see the plus 2 back on the road, going out and buying a good car is the easy way out!! But I like this elan and would love to get it going.

[KevJ+2]

Maddy, in response to your most urgent question, don't be tempted to buy a second hand old chassis. Most likely, it would be shot and you would waste your money. I have an old chassis but it's only fit to exchange for a Spyder re-con unit (about ? 950+vat). Once again, good luck and don't take any s**t along the way. Kevin

[M and A's elan xx]

Maddy, in response to your most urgent question, don't be tempted to buy a second hand old chassis. Most likely, it would be shot and you would waste your money. I have an old chassis but it's only fit to exchange for a Spyder re-con unit (about ? 950+vat). Once again, good luck and don't take any s**t along the way. Kevin

Thank you for your lovely response, you say you have a chassis that would be good for a re-con from spyder, that sounds a really good idea, I obviously am looking for a complete chassis as I don't have any component parts for one (i.e diffs, suspension, driveshafts etc) but what would you want for the chassis you have? To do as you propose? Could you email me a photo of it? My email is [email protected]

Thank you once again

[KevJ+2]

Sorry Maddy, I wrote that really badly. The chassis I have is the one I have to exchange, but it may be a cheaper option for you to source an old chassis when someone changes to a new one and 'take it off their hands' for them, allowing you to then exchange. Hope this makes sense and sorry for the confusion. Kevin.

[collins_dan]

It may be worth contacting Spyder http://www.spydercars.co.uk/
Not sure what they do with all the old (chassis, twin cam, chapman struts, wiring harness...), when they replace them with new (spaceframe chassis, zetec, their double wishbone suspension set up...). Just a thought. Dan

[Johnfm]

Good luck with the project - though not sure how ou are going to register it - unless the shell you bought came with a V5.

Like you say, not a big project a but if that shell is all you have, you are in for a costly ride...have fun and good luck.

[cal44]

Maddy,
I'm going to do you a big favor...........what you have is some parts........not a car. By the time you dump all the money it will take to complete these parts...........you will have thrown 1000's of pounds into something that should be sold. You then should look for a complete car. Not "hope" to find a car for your parts.

I've been down your path............and I love your spirit............but, don't bother.with this one, you will be sorry.

mike

[M and A's elan xx]

Thanks for the replies but just to say I don't care about the money as I have enough to go out and buy whatever I want as we already have a collection of 20 cars, lotuses, ferraris, astons, you name it. So money is not really an object I care about that much. Seeing that this shell was never sold as a surplus component from factory it was therefore once a car, even without current v5 getting a new one isn't that hard if you trace it properly through the lotus archives which I'm probably now going to do just to prove that buying a complete car is nothing but the cheats way out as let's face it, money's cheap compared to skill.
Sorry to sound ars*y but I was only asking to see I anyone had any bits to help me get further along and not to get replies saying that it isn't worth it.

[PeterK]

Hi Maddy, you obviously like a challenge and I love your emotional response in 'saving' a car.
I bought a 'complete' car albeit in boxes, less engine but with an unused chassis and various new parts. Finding and buying the surprisingly large number of missing component parts separately has (& continues to be) a long job. Buying every component separately is probably not the best way for you to proceed, so can I suggest that first you look for another project or accident damaged car to give you a fair proportion of the parts you need in a single purchase, and then look for final missing components.
Most parts can be found, although the chrome trim is fairly elusive (I'm still trying to source the waist trims from the top of the doors), so you're ahead of the game with your shell.

There will probably be numbers written on the inside of the doors and on the roof under the head-lining, and the original registration can often be traced - the Lotus archivist is on this site. However, it is possible that the VIN / V5 has been sold on / re-purposed and therefore no longer available to you. VIN /V5s do come up occasionally, but again, buying another project / damaged car should provide one.

Good luck and a series of updates with photos will always be appreciated.
Peter

[Bombay Racing Green]

Hi Maddy,

Firstly, may I add my welcome. Secondly, good luck with your project. This site has a lot of useful information which was helpful during my light restoration of my 69 +2. Sadly I'm selling my car but I do have a few spares that you may be interested in. I'll have to see how the sale goes first but I shall pm you a list of parts.

Regards,

Pete

[M and A's elan xx]

Hello Peter and Pete, thank you for your somewhat more enthusiastic/helpful replies, firstly I think I'll do as you suggested Peter and check under the headlining as well even if that particular vin is unavailable it would be interesting to find out
And Pete, I would love to hear what bits you may have left over if there's anything you can give up, and as I said if necessary I will be a cash buyer to said bits. Your plus 2 looks very nice by the way
Thanks for your help both of you xx

[jimj]

Aw! Maddy, don`t be dismissive if good advice is not what you want to hear. No-one wants to be "negative" just trying to offer sensible help.
Jim