korteix

Yes, it was just the weight of the body! The châssis is not too bad, just one hole. I will have parts to purchase to get it black on the road… but I think it will be a good gt, very original.

Done!

Ha ok, of course I have detached it in the boot. I think it is like if the body was stuck at the chassis beam. I have put the fuel line out of the body, the battery cables too... Mystery 🤪

Hi, the spare wheel support? No. It can come from it?

Hi Tar, thank you for the diagram, now I'm sure of what I'm looking for. I don't see something I have missed. I may have forgotten something that's not a bolt or I must move the front and the rear of the body in the same time... I feel that the problem is near the rear seats, I'll check if I have removed the good bolts under the car next monday.

Hi Peter, thanks a lot. I have found the four bolts at the rear, the two bolts under the car too… and I remember the other ones… Maybe the body is heavy but it seems impossible as it does’nt go up with a jack. I’ll take pics. Thanks!

Good afternoon, It's a long time I have this car now, I have start to take it appart because of a very smokey engine. Sorry for my bad english, I'm french... Now the gearbox is rebuilt, the engine is new too, the diff is ready. A little hole in the galvanised châssis needs to be repaired, I have put the interior out of the car, put the brake pipes, steering column, electric things appart in view to put the body out of the châssis. I have found a lot of bolts but the body doesn't want to move up at the rear... and I don't know why So please I need help, if one of you has a diagram of the châssis and the blots or if you know the problem... Damien

Thanks for your answers, I have called lotusbits and they don’t have a 4:1 at the moment. They also told me it wasn’t possible to fit a 3.7, but if that’s possible, even if I have to change all the rear I will do it. I have always tought that the fifth gear was too long, it may solve that problem too. thanks once again for the good news !

Good morning, the diff of my Elite is noisy and I'm looking for a good used unit. My Elite is a 1975 501 with the 5 speed Lotus gearbox, the plate on the diff says it's 4:1:1. Please send me the price you want if you have one. Thanks for your help. Damien

Hi Tony, the website where buyers can see and compare the Elites is autoscout, I think it's better than ebay because if someone in Europe wants an Elite he will have to buy it in another country, the european cars are most of the time shown there but not the english ones...

In France I think we have 7 Elites on the road and 3 SORN. In those seven running ones I have known 4 of them were existing because they were for sale, so maybe they're gone to another country now... edit: 8 on the road

I live in South west of France, I don't know Morges but it seems to be a good trip. You've said that the bad réputation of Elites comes from the 80´s owners, in my opinion it also comes from the unknoledge of the journalists and bloggers. As there are only a very few cars they write things the other ones have said before without any test, without owners advice and most of the time without having ever seen one. There is a french (well known) blog in France called boîtier rouge whitch as done a big paper about the Elite a few months ago, and you read the same old song: "bad quality, not reliable...etc..." boring.

I love your blog, it's a good thing to speak of our cars, they're not known enough, a lot of silly things have been said about them in the "specialised magazines", I have written one or two things in France and there was a lot of people interested, asking questions. I've been to a little festival this week-end, my Elite was parked at the side of a beautiful XK150 and it's been a big surprise for me to see that the public was more around my car than the Jaguar! I hope you'll be back on the road soon, your car is very nice, as mine it has the vinyl roof, I love it.

Hi Farmer Bob, I must say your car really, really, looks good! I've done the same work of sanding the body of mine and it's very very long as the original paint seems made with glue. You can be proud having finished with this! and so fast! As you asked for the next steps I would say that you should check the clutch/gearbox before mounting the engine/gearbox. In my opinion it would be a mistake not to change the clutch/clutch cable while it is out of the car... and the engine seals... Well done Damien

Hi, I've seen this poor thing for sale in France, missing engine, just châssis... I've sent an email to know what could be saved...

Hi Dunc, I'm in France and I have sent you the file by e-mail one or two years ago with my Elite details. I thought you had recieved this e-mail, but as I didn't get any answer... maybe not:) Bernard, if you drive to south west of France I'm in Dordogne, you're welcome. I know 5 other Elites in France (2 I've really seen and 3 for sale), so we're 7 or more... It seems they are coming more and more out of barn and back on the road.

If the title has'nt been changed it can be a pre-2009 french one, sometimes when the owner dies the family don't change the title because the notary can make a paper. But the new owner won't have the same number plate if it's in France.

It's not a french number, we've change the system since 2009... Just for the pics? but that's a nice historic car, sometimes I dream to find the motorshow Elite riviera

Whaou! exactly what I'm seeking, they're still building ones for the Esprit but not for the GKN anymore. I'll send you a message!

Hello, I am looking for two "wheel centers" (I don't know the english word for it), if somebody knows where I could find this item. I would prefer to find original ones with the Lotus caps, I've asked Paul Matty and SJ sports cars but they don't have it anymor edit: it's for an Elite 501

My Elite has had a lot of work done, gearbox, clutch, brakes, new paint and of course once the work done... a bad noise into the clutch... a few weeks ago I put the engine out once again, it was the axle of the clutch release bearing, three days of work for a part that costs 25... I love those cars, I wanted do do a lot of work in the interior... but with this bad surprise it's reported. Now just an litle electric problem to solve, I have mounted the timing belt cover, it's touching the bonnet... time after time it's getting better because when something is done another thing does'nt work

Good idea to make this list! I know that the electric window motor comes from jaguar XJ6 mk 1.

Hi John, very nice work! Don't forget me if you haven't sold interior parts!

I don't know if it's the same problem on mine, when I drive sometimes there's a sound like "scraping a knife on a stone", I can feel it when I touch the clutch pedal. All the gearbox:clutch has been rebuilt, I'll check oil level soon.