Elite 4.9

My '74 Elite of course came with a black Lotus insert for the bonnet which goes much better with red paint than yellow does but the wheels were simply too small to find decent high performance tires so I upgrade them to 16 inch and had some stickers made for my new one which fit perfectly as the size was about the same.

Hey Paul, just spotted a yellow 1965 S2 Elan. This one is very nice !!!! https://www.grandprixclassics.com/vehicle/1965-lotus-elan-series-2-type-26 cheers, Richard

Welcome Steve to the Lotus forum and looks like you like the color red. Good choice and who doesn't like AM cars? Your Eclat is a real beauty !!! cheers, Richard

congratulations on all the hand blocking. That is some dirty, difficult work and you are picking a color that will hide the most and also look clean when it is really dirty. Been there done that. lol Looking great !!!!! cheers, Richard

I don't believe electric is the answer right now. maybe in the future but definitely NOT NOW. Here's why from two different researchers conclusion. https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=paul+christensen+lithium+ion+battery https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=paul+christensen+lithium+ion+batter cheers, Richard

One of Jay's Elans he built was a modified ( 26R ) It has a sequential 6 speed transmission like in a motorcycle. Has bigger brakes and more power among other things. Jay usually goes over the top with his cars and this one is no exception. cheers, Richard

Always loved the Elan and now I would like to find one in great restored shape. There was a guy who raced one here in the states and I actually sponsored his car (minimal actually) but he did things to make his Elan a Corvette killer. Very quick !!! One race track, which was near my home in Kent, WA in which I saw many races over the years, At Kent Pacific Raceways, I witnessed his Elan frustrate this Yellow big block Vett to his demise. The vett would pass on the long straight but the Elan would repass in the tight corners of the rest of the track, lab after lab this happened until the Vett spun out and ended the dual. Very cool to witness and one memory what stays with for a lifetime . Cheers, Richard

Has anyone seen the movie "Rain Man" ? Early in the movie @ 3:19 minutes there is a red Lotus Elite in the corner of a exotic car sales warehouse. First one I have ever seen in a hollywood movie. Good older movie, and some cool old exotics this Elite was around, with Tom Cruise and Dustin Hoffman. Cheers, Richard

Welcome Darren, Nice selection for a project with an S2 Esprit! Iconic styled Lotus for sure. My grandfather left Plymouth just after queen Victoria's funeral in 1902 and came to the USA and settled in North Dakota in which my dad said it was good place to be from. lol Take your time restoring and looks like you are starting it well taken the body off. Keep us posted with lots of photos please. Cheers, Richard

And for a finish, the product is probably near you and it is any clear urethane and easiest would be in a spray can, sanding slightly between, (600 git} coats ...maybe 4 coats or more.

Hey Martijn, There are a lot of products out there and one company I use quite often as they sell car related restoration products is Eastwood. Here are some videos and other sources as well. https://duckduckgo.com/?q=chemical+striping+compound+to+remove+lacquer&t=chromentp&ia=web Some would say to just sand the old finish off but it is a delicate job and very easy to destroy the walnut edges, as the dash isn't solid walnut but just has a very thin veneer on top with cheaper wood beneath and is easily ruined. This was done to a car I bought many years ago. A 1953 Jag 120 FHC so I had to glue a new burled walnut veneer over all the dash which isn't totally flat and was quite difficult. Eastwood also sells gas tank cleaner and sealer which is also a good idea with an older restoration and essential to having a reliable running machine. cheers, Richard

Congratulations Tony, on your restart ! How exciting. It would be a good idea to use a relay for your fans that way only a small amount of electricity goes through your switch and the electrical load is taken up by the relay which should be mounted close to your fans. cheers, Richard

I agree about cutting out the rusted parts but you can braze a new piece of sheet metal to the tank no problem. I had to do the same thing on a gas tank from my 1953 Jaguar 120 FHC with no problems after years of service with no leaks. Also you should seal the inside of the tank after making sure it is clean and rust free otherwise you will have fuel delivery problems down the road and it will leave you stranded by the side of the road. Cheers, Richard

Great car and congratulations on your project. Nice to know the complete history. You can chemically strip the dash but don't respray with lacquer as it will just crack again but use a urethane as today, this is what most every new car uses on the exterior and it will never crack. I used it on my Elite dash and exterior paint (check it out if you like, Love those old Elans and I would love to find one already restored. Also you will want to change out the rubber donnets on the rear axle half shafts as they wind up and reflex like a rubber band when a lot of throttle is applied. Not good. There are a number of newer cars that employ such parts like VW used on some of their older machines and others. I am sure someone on the forum can assist you in this matter. atb, Richard

Welcome Tone, to the Lotus forum! I know exactly how you feel as when I was a young boy, one of my first loves was the Lotus Elan and the super 7 way back in the 1960's. The Elise is an excellent car for such an enthusiast like yourself and when it first came out, it was likened to a modern day 7 which is a car, true to the bone of what Lotus was all about in the day. cheers, Richard