johnpwalsh

Thanks for the kind offer. But we spent so much time searching for diesel around the Norfolk area, we didn't have time to stop or hang about. Do you guys drink diesel instead of T or water. Where the hell does it all go too in Norfolk. 9 service/filling stations with no fuel. Unless of course you want to pay crazy motorway prices, and at £1.99.9 per Lt, that's not for me when doing a round trip of 1471 miles at 22 MPG in the truck. Count that out at roughly 20 p per Lt extra. It expensive enough as it is. On average we were paying £1.77 per Lt, instead of the norm of about £1.70 at home which makes it bad enough. Profiteering me thinks. Must admit though. The little 3.5 Canter did herself proud again. Never missed a beat both down and back with the Elite going South and the Elan 130 coming home. Dragged this out sideways after something like a 20 year slumber.

Leaving home at 1am. 1st stop Lichfield and drop off a type 75 Elite complete with a replacement roof skin to get rid of a stupid sunroof chop job, then over to Edingthorpe, arriving late tomorrow afternoon . Working on an old Elite tomorrow evening which has been started in may years, then loading an early Elan (full restoration project) Sunday morning from the same location. Next. Head North to Houghton Le Spring and drop off a set of early Esprit wheels, then keep heading North back to bonny Scotland. Otherwise known as Gods country. The land of great roads designed with Lotus in mind. Have diesel, will travel. LotusBits got nothing on me lol

And another LotusRescue off to her new home overnight. Destination Market Drayton. Little cracker, went through a new MOT today and passed with no advisories. Not bad for her 1st MOT in 11 year's. Straight back home, then load up another rescue to go the South. This time an Elite type 75 to Linchfield. Looking at doing just over 2,000 miles over the next 4 day's. Two cars South and one coming back North. If we pass on on route, gives us a toot and keep me awake lol.

It's quite distressing for all concerned when this happens as you can imagine. I will admit that it's starting to take its toll on me - I'm feeling more and more frayed around the edges as time goes on but I just keep trying to focus on all the positives and not dwell too much on the other occasions. David. Hard is it may seem, you may have too just step back from it for a day or two to recharge your batteries a bit. Your body is telling you the same bud. Everyone at Club Lotus N E Scotland is routing for Jennifer and you.

Update on the S3 from yesterday. She lives, starts and drives. Not very well, but it's a start.

Have you tried LotusRescue. Often South with cars and empty coming back.

A few years back we did the tourist spots of London then Brooklands in my old S3. Something like 1700 miles in 5 days which included home to Whiteleaf a distance of just over 500 miles each way without stops other than for fuel. Great couple of days and the only issue we had was the headlight switch deciding to play up.

The guys were advertising, I think it was on Marketplace couple of months ago. There plan is basically to be doing the same as me, but breaking more car's for parts.

What a fantastic event to se the new Eletre being unveiled, especially consider the stunning Lotus Eclat now owned by Dave Webb, was the very 1st Lotus I rescued. Dave has owned her now for the past 7 or 8 years and is a great custodian. This more fantastic history to add to her outstanding life story. On another note. That's another 3 LotusRescue cars leaving, 1 last week and 2 this week to new home's and continued improvement. The Yellow Elan M100 SE goes off to Market Drayton and the 2nd Elite is off to Lichfield. Some of you may have been lucky enough to see our 1st Eclat 504 on display at NEC Birmingham last month. Her new owner has great plans to continue her restoration. Busy time's. The S3 N/A that I mentioned a couple of months ago was collected by your's truly and taken back to the workshop where work will start on her in a couple of weeks to get her back up and running and sort out a few gremlins. One of our first client who purchased an Elan M100 N'A from me about 6 years ago has just bought a rather nice Excel SE. W get the call, can you go collect her (900 mile round trip and at todays fuel prices. Euch) and do the work to get her back in the road. This will be the 1st time since 2010. The car looks to be in very good condition other than door beams and window frames. I set up a dummy fuel tank and pump just to see if she will turn over and bloody hell, did the thing not unexpectedly start. A good sign for sure. Shut her down after about a minute due to the age of the belts etc. The next one due home for some work is an old Elan of 1967. Been parked up for something like 20 years in the deepest darkest Narfok shed and not got a clue what she will need yet. Oddly, she is parked in the shed alongside a very, very nice early Elite type 75 which I also have to spend a couple of hours trying to get started while I'm down there. I have seen this car before and know her condition. One I would love to get hold of. So in the next week to 10 days the LotusRescue trailer will be flying about up and down and across the country. So if you see a rather tired looking Grey haired guy hanging onto the steering wheel of an old VW Touareg towing a White Brian James Race Shuttle trailer, give the poor old beggar a wave. It may keep me awake. Lol Once that little lots done it will be back to the Belfast S4 car and start to reassemble her for the next part of the project.

Very sad. I've known of them for the past 3 weeks. Loads of other vehicles inside as well including a couple of choppers, a tellehandler, couple of tractors etc.

Hi David, all positive. I know it may sound secondary to Jennifer's need's. But please ensure you are also getting enough rest. Everyone at Club Lotus North East Scotland are rooting for you both. J&W.

After a long drawn out affair with my own S3 Turbo, due to the trimmer contracting long Covid, then another ailment which meant he could no longer walk. This evening I get some surprise photographs with my interior. Well chuffed, and the material that I found in Spain certainly matches perfectly with the colour of the leather. Seat frames blasted and powder coated. Cloth material has had 3mm of foam plus scrim to back it up as has the leather to give it strength and help prevent stretching. Apparently something they do with auto grade leather. Considering the state it was in when I removed it from the car. I am a happy bunny.

Hi Neil. I will be taking pics of her once I get her indoors to start work.

Another couple of real busy weeks for LotusRescue. The type 75, 504 has gone off to her new home so that was a quick run down to Stoke to deliver her in the trusty old Mitsubishi Canter. While we were there I noticed a rather nice Touareg for sale. Yes I know I have one, but this one was a couple of years younger and at a bloody good price. So went and spoke to the chap and bought her. Problem now is, drive back home, then get back down on the overnight train to pick it up. Just a tad to heavy for the Canter. Job done, car home, sleep time. And back at it. Looks like my other type75 could be going off in a container to Kuala Lumpur of all places. Professional body and restoration shop there want her as a project. So see how this pans out. M100 SE now ready for her new owner and should be away South next week which will also mean I can swing over to Norfolk and collect the Elan 130 that's been sitting waiting for the past 9 months. Fuel bill for last 8 days came up to just over £800. OUCH. Next in the line for collection is the S3 NA from Aberdeen (only one hr drive for a change) which will in for a once over. New client from Paris asked me to collect his new purchase of an very nice Excel SE which we found in storage for him, he managed to get it at a nice price, we went South (again) and collected it for him. Parts all on order and should be here soon. This car has been in storage since 2011 and never been started, the interior is unusually like new. Once that little lot is done it will be back onto the S4 from Ireland, parts for her all here now, so time to get cracking and get her back across the water. hen, maybe just then. I can get back at my own car. Poor S3 turbo been sitting in the Carcoon for 8 months now, untouched.

So that's me with the weekend about to start, accounts frozen and their associated cards cancelled while I wait on everything being replaced. Great!!!! Oh, but Jennifer was having not too bad a day so that's the most important thing, . At least that's a glass half full thing David. Bank stopped them before any serious damage. Annoying as it is. And Jennifer's condition seems to be positive as well. Head's up bud. It will get better.

S3 Esprit turbo on my trailer doing ** miles per hour. Flash, flash. Car behind waving and pointing at the front bumper dragging along the motorway. Quick pull into hard shoulder to find said bumper only hanging by sidelight wires.

Na Na laddie, keep the sillar for the mair important bitties. I.E Lotus. I had one of them on a car once. A functional cat that is. But as I grew I come to prefer a nice pussy.

Sorry guys, I'm different from you lot. 4 pairs in the garage (the important place) one in each car, and a couple in the house.

Email sent to you Stephen.

So, after our long trip to The Wirral of Friday ( nice Silver Lotus Excel for client restoration ) past which was a 19 hour round trip, we were off again early this morning, but this time heading way up the North West to the Isle of Skye. An old friend of ours who parted company with his very nice Excel 7 years ago to make room for a rather nice Elan 130 + had since sold it and decided he wanted back to an Excel. What better to track his old one down and get it back. Sadly, she had suffered a cam belt failure not long after she changed hands and although the head had been rebuilt with new valves etc, the engine was still out and never rebuilt. So the two get get together and a deal is made. Yours truly were tasked with the job of going to collect her and bring her home. On collection it was easily seen she had been well stored and looked as good as the day she had left all those years ago. So, car, engine and all the parts were loaded up and ready to go. The little Cantor had been pressed into service as the big VW Taureg had developed a fault on the final leg of the journey back from the Wirral. I must admit, the little Cantor just gets better and better. She took all the hills and glens in her stride and believe me there are some crackers on that road, part of which is the NC 500. Well impressed with her. Out come. 13.5 hrs later, car is delivered safe and sound. You could say another LotusRescue completed satisfactorily, and another happy owner. Next adventure is Market Drayton to drop an M100, then over to Norfolk, for a possible Elan, then a stop to drop off some parts just South of Newcastle on Tyne, then home again. How long is that one going to take us, and which mode of transport. May just be the little Cantor again.

Thanks, This is what it normally looks like. Plants looked a bit dry to me. Well watered now though. Hope all dries out ok for you.

Hi Dan. Well, so many things have changed since Covid. BUT the shows are back on and we are now busy organising for 2022. The Glamis show is back on again, therefore My offer of 2021 still stands. Come to the show with the car, use us as a stop over ands secure storage for car etc while you and the Mrs do a tour of god's country. See how you are fixed. We have the race Europa booked and a further 35 + cars already confirmed. John.

Happy today. Well almost. The little Elan M100 SE we rescued a couple of months back went for an MOT this morning after a good bit of work and the result was not too bad. Emissions a bit on the high side. Park brake just below required efficiency. 1 side repeater/indicator bulb out and drop link showing signs of ware. I recon that's not too bad for a car that has been in for her 1st MOT since 2009. I'm happy with that.

Kinda getting used to it up here. This will be our 4th in 3 months. Not much left to destroy now.