Lotus Elan and Lotus Elan Plus 2 Forums

Hi Alan, thanks, I can imagine there is some wind noise with those Webastos. Interesting about the metal flake, mine only had it on the roof as far as I can tell and was 100% not a JPS car. I didn't realise it was applied in the mould though? I always assumed it to be painted. I will be super careful doing this, there are four distinct layers of paint on top of the silver, two browns and two undercoats, so I should be able to get through the top two layers quite quickly with a DA sander and coarse paper (400?) and then when I get to the last brown coat I'll slow down and get the fine stuff out. See attached pic of the metal flake exposed just by chipping it off with a knife! Regards, Jonathan

JJ66 wrote:

HCA wrote:Nice interior colour - AND, you do not have a sunroof

Yep all good, I specifically didn't want a sunroof, that was a more important feature than colour for me. Cheers/Salut, Jonathan

We think the same! My criteria - I did not mind the mechanical state, but wanted a good body, cream interior, no sunroof and no oil or gunge in engine bay or underneath. I waited and waited and then this came up - There comes a pont when you just give in, so I sacrificed the sunroof! Spydercars say they can remove it leaving no trace ( ) but it will cost £2.5 - 3.5k. Maybe something for another day.



Currently pulling it to bits so in a sad state! EFI is in, waiting for rear drive shafts ( may I suggest your first job is look at yours if you still have the Rotflex - you may, like me, get a big fright) now working on wiper boxes, electric light pods and a quick re-wire!



Anyway good luck with yours - I am interested in what you do for your door bushes, especially if you use Nylocast - I was reading not so long ago about Nylocast and where it is used. I understand that they are looking at gearboxes made with the stuff now!

Hi There, I actually enquired about this car and was trying to get the chance to view it. There seems to have been a lot of work done to it and I remember correctly the interior was lovely. My rotoflexes are OK but I am considering going to solid drive shafts. It will be interesting to see how your car runs with EFI, probably a big improvement! You have a fantastic garage by the way, very jealous of that! Good luck with the jobs you are doing. Jonathan

Thanks!

I feel a tad guilty as I offered way below the price and no hesitation, she accepted. A sad case - young Polish couple been in UK ten years, had great jobs and their pride and joy was her Elan (hence the girly pink valve cover.. ) but during brexit they were made to feel unwelcome, so they upped sticks and went back to Poland unable to sell the Elan! They spent a lot on the body yes - new door hinges, paint etc, but apart from a new waterpump, it is actually not the best underneath (one rotoflex is actually severed! lucky for them they only ever drove it 200 miles in two years..)

Re drive shafts, I have gone with Kelvendon. I ordered them through Sue Miller, but she is not doing the +2 now, but works hand in glove with Kelvendon. There is TTR as well, but I am not sure I like universal joints in place of CVs. The only others are Elantricbits in Australia, nice chap and I think a good product, but I had to bow out due to importation cost. There is another in Australia - Lotusmarques, but when I declined on import costs he got quite nasty. RD in the US have a lovely pair, but again, import cost.

The EFI is not for competitive power, but more reliability. Up to now I used to play with MGBs and always EFId them! Costly though and maybe not much return on outlay. It is ready to fire up, but stuck on small parts.

Shame about the paint blisters but the interior and engine bay look good. Someone’s done the carbs and fitted a reconditioned servo. Looks quite original - washer pump (new ish but correct) and it even has the Sovy thingie on the brake reservoir. Should cause the brake light to come on when you take the lid off. I note the seatbelts have trim on the B pillar, that’s not original but it is a nice touch. Dash must have been replaced at some point.

You did alright there... well done.

Hey - at the Yat, if you see a tree outside a cave halfway up the hill with RAY sort of carved into the bark, that was my mate about 35 years ago... we slept overnight in the cave, made soup with river water over a fire, and got food poisoning. Serves us right..

Yes, it is a shame about the front quarter blistering but I can live with that, the rest of the good points make up for it and the history is irreplaceable. The dash has been changed but it was done at Lotus many years back, and they also fitted and made the mounting plate for the radio. The car wasn't supplied new with a Radio but the long term owner found one, took it to Hethel and they fitted it along with a mounting plate that they made/adapted! The servo is the original (refurbed) and the carbs are also original but have been aqua blasted and fitted with new jets. The brake fluid warning light works (!) and most other things under the bonnet and in the wheel ends look good. The seat belts are not original but I hadn't realised about the B-Pillar trim, I'll ask the previous owner about that.

Lol, I'll look out for your cave!! There are quite a few round and about but you never know!!

Towards the end of production Lotus stopped the silver metalflake roof. You might want to check with Andy Graham (Lotus Cars) who could confirm it left the factory this way. It's possible that the customer requested it. Jim

Hi Jim, thanks for your message. I have checked with Andy Graham and the car did leave the factory with the Metal Flake roof, however, within two years the first owner had it painted over in Tawny Brown to match the lower half of the car - Clearly wasn't happy with his first choice!! Thanks, Jonathan

The car may have come out of the factory with the silver flake roof painted over. I have read that the late cars were all moulded with the flake roof and then painted over at the factory if the order was for a single colour car. My late 73 plus 2 is all yellow and I have never had the paint off so I dont know whats under it on the roof.

cheers
Rohan

For me the "B" Pillar trim is original the same as my August 1973 +2S130/was.
My Car had Oatmeal Trim with the black part on the "B" Pillar. I also knew the full history of the +2 and i was the 4th owner. The Dashboard was also like your car and in good condition.


Alan

Hi Alan, your car looks really lovely, fair play. And I love the colour, very classy. I think what Eagle-Eyed Jon is referring to is that my car seems to have black plastic escutcheons (always liked that word ) around the seat belt apertures on the B Pillar, see attached pic:

The plastic trims are correct for the job and must be from a different car, I will contact the owner who is likely to have done this and try to determine where he got them from! They do look very neat. Regards, Jonathan

I've been after a set of trims like that for ages. The problem is that the vinyl comes unstuck behind the cover and you can see flaps of it around the seat belt.

I too would be interested in a pair of these if you can establish where they came from or where to get them.

Alan.

Never seen trim around the Seat Belts, very nice touch.
Alan

Lock down boredom strikes again.

See item: 162344789948 on ebay US, four sets available. I just bought the fifth set.

also a little different style here: 162344910771 and 383505945831.

Just put the item number in the search block on eBay.