Lotus Elan and Lotus Elan Plus 2 Forums

Elanintheforest wrote:an all yellow Plus 2 looks magnificent!

I heartily agree!

Further to Eric's post, are you sure the petrol smell is coming from the breather. In my case (S3) the float levels in the carbs were set too high and what would happen was a few drips of fuel would leak out of the carbs (between carb and manifold) after the car was parked up. It was only a few drips but it is enough to stink out the garage. Setting the float heights correctly (using the method found on here of dipping it while idling) made everything so much better. It also improved the economy and made it run better. So important to check.

Keith Scarfe wrote:Further to Eric's post, are you sure the petrol smell is coming from the breather.

Ive no idea where the smell is coming from. As stated above it has a spyder modified system that only has 1 breather. I guess the logical thing would be to block that and see what effect it had - if any. Assuming I can find it.

Keith Scarfe wrote:Setting the float heights correctly (using the method found on here of dipping it while idling) made everything so much better. It also improved the economy and made it run better. So important to check.

Does this also apply to Dellortos? It sounds rich to me anyway, on the rare occasion of it actually running.
As far as I can see the float bowl is not so easily accessable.

I'm guessing / hoping that the non starting may be due to a slight low battery voltage?? I've heard these smarty electronic distributers simply dont trigger with a slightly low voltage.

A clue may be the fuel gauge only reads a quarter full although I know it holds at least half.

vincereynard wrote:As it happens the yellow pig refuses to start now, so the colour of the roof may be the best way of finding the bas***d when I bury it! On the other hand Nov 5th is soon.

Less than I week and I wonder why I bothered.

How many miles has the car covered in the last year / since being re-built? It may not have been shaken down yet to iron out the teething problems, sort out the crap aftermarket bits etc. It all takes a bit of time, a lot of patience and a bit more cash!

On the roof subject, I believe that the ambition was to always put the metalflake in the gelcoat when making the shell, but many needed to be repainted as the process didn't work too well. My JPS had the gold roof which I'm pretty certain was in the gel coat.

I believe that it wasn't uncommon for the metalflake roofs to be over-painted at the factory / at the dealers when their popularity waned by mid 1972. But I have had two very late cars, a black one and a yellow one, that had never had a metalflake roof. Indeed, the dispatch book at Lotus showed the colour of some cars as 'all tawny', or 'all black', when metalflake was not wanted. Quite a few JPS cars had their roofs and sills over-painted towards the end of production as well.

When I rebuilt mine it had "all yellow" written in crayon on the transmission tunnel.
I always wanted the flake roof so was made up when I found it!
I think you are correct about a lot being not good enough and painted over, There are a few "iffy" bits on mine but, as it's an old girl now I don't think it matters?

My +2 has "roof rejected" written inside the shell, when I stripped the paint there was a 75mm diameter gel coat repair in the middle of the roof! - not repainted yet and still cannot decide whether to try to replicate the flake finish.

John

......................then just enjoy the lovely smell of your wife and tell her that the symbiosis of both smells (downstairs and up) make life almost perfect! sandy

Mr Reynard,
Pleased to see you have wasted your money on one of Hethels finest! No doubt the modifications are working against you and the immobiliser is the culprit for the non start today.

The metalflake is original if it is extraordinarily bright and offensive,, no shame to make it body colour if you want or perhaps gloss black would be nice. A period solution would be a vinyl roof.... yuk!

A Zetec engine and MT75 gearbox would make it perfect.

Spyder fan wrote: No doubt the modifications are working against you and the immobiliser is the culprit for the non start today.

Wouldn't that mean the immobiliser was actually working? Result.

Spyder fan wrote:The metalflake is original if it is extraordinarily bright and offensive,, no shame to make it body colour if you want or perhaps gloss black would be nice.

I was thinking more an apple green. Then it would be like an, occasionally, mobile fruit bowl and contribute to my 5 a day.

Spyder fan wrote:A Zetec engine and MT75 gearbox would make it perfect.

But I did want a real Lotus ! On the other hand I could maybe have saved a few bob by getting a KitCar?

Silence is shiny silver in this case!

Spyder fan wrote:A Zetec engine and MT75 gearbox would make it perfect.

But I did want a real Lotus ! On the other hand I could maybe have saved a few bob by getting a KitCar?

Silence is shiny silver in this case!

Big-valve.jpg

Don't worry, I won't tell anyone about the Spyder twin rear wishbone and strut setup you have fitted

Ah! Dellortos, Sorry, I know nothing about them, unless of course they also have the float chambers vented to the air box like the Webers.
Eric

Eric, I can't remember if you've ever posted a picture of your car. I recall the blue was a non standard metallic blue that I thought would look superb once it was assembled. Can you oblige?

Hello Steve,
Try typing `here it is and thankyou` into the search box and you should see a few pictures and a short story.
It is a metallic blue and I think it is great, but it is nowhere near yellow. Shame, but you can`t have everything.
I also like dark greens.
Eric.
PS watch out for the thread drift police.

Hi Vince

Congrats on joining the club - i love the car + you can buy a replica on eBay!!

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Lotus-Elan-Pl ... Swv-NWWNou

Im not connected to the seller in any way.

Quick question to the forum re the plugging of the petrol vents, I was led to believe that this can cause an issue where you can't fill the tank up full as the air gets trapped? I have one of my vents plugged (although I don't get a petrol smell particularly).

Also maybe biased but I agree with the chap who mentioned black vinyl roof on yellow as I think it is a great combo



Best of luck Vince, get the ol' girl running, use her regularly, get the gremlins out and she'll do you proud. Me Im fighting a burst seal on a slave clutch cylinder at the moment (but am enjoying fixing it).

Regards & keep on posting pics

Gareth

I have faith it will start like a frightened hare tomorrow. What could possibly go wrong?

Oh Spydie - you promised not to tell!

" PS watch out for the thread drift police." Feel free to drift wherever you like!