tom kilner

I've been looking at sold prices on these Lotuses for a few years and I'd say originality isn't massively improving value. A current mot, good paint and interior seem to have the most effect on value - But to hit 5 figures I'm sure you'd need the original engine. And to have spent 5 figures on restoration and maintenance🤣 Lotusbits do a fuel injection kit for 9** engines - given how many they have done, and how long for, its probably worth a look.

... followed by an ominous silence🤔 at what point do we send out a search party?

I imagine the production team might have flipped some of the images. Surely that proto-clarkson is British - and therefore would refuse to drive a LHD model

Oil pickup remodeling: I flattened the tab but then it turned out the bend (where the pickup pipe exits the button of the mbp) was tight on the mbp, so I had to increase the bend in order to create some clearance. Now I've got 115mm clear in the Sump, and 114mm oil pan projecting and the pipe is unstressed. So that's fitted. I next need to refit the Sump, and just wondering whether i should replace the olive again(#37 above) Doesn't look quite right🤔

There's a similar diagram says non-fed red 2.2 - would you like that too? (I ignored lhd and federal, but I'm making assumptions)

This any use?

It's the trouble with years of superlow value - tends to lead to years of superlow maintenance. So although 16k might be at the top end of elite values, it would cost more than that to get a 5k car into this condition.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/305421254345?_trkparms=amclksrc%3DITM%26aid%3D777008%26algo%3DPERSONAL.TOPIC%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20221115143649%26meid%3D5247be2551074e94bfdc2174e202bf27%26pid%3D101617%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D1%26itm%3D305421254345%26pmt%3D0%26noa%3D1%26pg%3D4375194%26algv%3DRecentlyViewedItemsV2SignedOutMobile&_trksid=p4375194.c101617.m5481&_trkparms=parentrq%3Aefe62a6918d0a8dae88fcaacfffc72c8|pageci%3A22686558-d63d-11ee-ac81-72447fc5c366|iid%3A1|vlpname%3Avlp_homepage

After a trial Sump fitting, I found i needed a fraction more clearance under the oil pickup pan, so took it apart and had to remove the permabond sealant. Here's how I did it: Vigorous scraping with thumbnail - works pretty well on the thicker sections... Then spray with gasket remover and wait a few minutes... Now attack with a kitchen scouring pad. Five minute job mate.

You just need the sponsorship deal from your local builders merchants or double glazing installers!

And a nice strong battery makes a massive difference

... and the speed!

Lotusbits have offered to replace my tank - (which i bought "untested" for £40, it had just come in to them with a pile of stuff) with a good one for a further £60 - so it doesn't seem worth getting the torch out on that one. There's 3 patches necessary, probably get through £30 of gas and brass and 3 hours work prep and braze. If someone asked me to patch the 3 holes I'd probably ask £90 - £110 if it was through work so vat... I had the Grinder out, tank cleaned inside, long Henry hoover pipe from the (running obvs) car exhaust into one filler neck, and i thought - I'll just call lb see what they say. Course I've done an hour of prep already, but if you throw in the opportunity to not breathe poisonous gases, set yourself on fire or blow yourself up that probably balances that out🤣

Thanks for the tip pete. Now I've been wondering whether the oil pickup pan head was contacting the base of the Sump for the final millimetre of assembly... the old pickup pan was squashed flat too! 🤔 I couldn't imagine how this would be possible (everything looks good) so chose to press on with the sump fitting anyway - but now I've mulled it over, I think I need to remove the sump (and clean up the mating surfaces again🙄), measure accurately, and if necessary, remove the pickup pipe assembly (i have a spare o-ring) and modify the tab that fastens it onto the mbp so that the pickup gauze pan assembly has wafer of clearance from the Sump. I can't imagine that being under stress for 100,000 cycles won't cause the pipe to break or something else with catastrophic oily consequences🤯 ...or is the oil pickup meant to press against the Sump???