Nelly

Likewise, thanks @Kevin Wheeler for the invite and organising - really enjoyed the evening an it went far too quickly. I had the same dessert as @pbharcourt but it didn't look anywhere near as dodgy as his. Looking forward to making more meets next year.

Hi guys, I feel a bit of a fraud just turning up at the Christmas do's and not being at many of the meets during the year. True to form, I am in Hull tomorrow afternoon so am staying away and can't make this months but I will do whatever I need to for the 11th December, so please put me down as a yes. Let me know about deposits etc and I will do what I need to do.

Yes, replied. Sorry things pretty busy at the moment.

Hi Lez, I don't see why not - just the one? I will send you a PM. Neil

Hi Lez, sorry for my rather late reply. In answer to your original question, I did successfully refurbish the box but in the end I bought a second hand one from Lotusbits and refurbished that. I still have the original unit in the photo on my post of 5th March 2011 which has a dent in the top. Put simply, one end has screws so you can remove that side, the rest of it is pop rivited together so I drilled them out, and got all the metalwork blasted and repainted. There is a small heater matrix inside, you can get them from SJ I think but I took mine to a radiator refurbishing company who sorted it out (I think it was 80% restricted). You will need to remove the two hoses which enter it from the passenger foot well under the dash, with a bucket to catch the coolant. I do have photos of it in bits so if you want to see those, let me know. It was a total bastard getting the thing in and out. I guess you will have seen the whole dash has to come out to get to it?

Hate it. I can't afford a new Lotus so the badge on the cars is not a problem I am going to have anyway. Its actually quite unusual for car companies to change their logos, most of them go back years. In fact the only ones I can think of which have changed are Alfa Romeo's recent update, and Fiat going from the blue rhomboids to their current red circular badge. Oh, and Vauxhall did tweak the griffin logo but the font stayed the same. Pretty sure the font is the same as the black badge on my 1979 Esprit, but in a straight line.

That looks epic! But then I am a bit biased to white cars.

I think I spot @eeyoreish twice a month = usually on a Friday as I am heading the other way on the M27 at 50mph.

Very quick question, am re-sealing a gearbox leak. Am using a guide done by @Andyww when he did his. Have got the rear cover plate off and am at th epoint to undo the 5th gear synchro bolt. I don't want to risk wrecking my gearbox - car is currently in 5th gear, with handbrake on - this is the bolt I need to be undoing? I have given it an initial attempt but it did start to make some noise so would rather check before I do any damage! Thanks Neil

Just to add some closure to the original thread post - as the car in questions is mine. I obtained a used gear stick assembly from Lotusbits which has the lift mechanism and this has solved the problem. To partially answer one of the earlier posts above I had to cut about 10mm of the body on each side of the opening in order to get the assembly out - clearly it is in place when the body gets put onto the chassis.

Hi Dean, I removed the string when I took my dashboard out (you have to remove the whole gloebox assembly to do this. From memory there is a rubber bung on a plastic pin which it attaches to, and it just pushes in and out. Its tucked up quite high if memory serves, i would suggest getting your hand up inside and having a feel. I tool the following photo of the pin when I was doing the removal, it may help:

I agree with Steve that the aerosol is not the best method. If you get a tin you can apply as above, I used a spatula on the recommendation of my trimmer. Just make sure its high temperature, as mentioned above. Yes you want to get the body painted first and then do before putting the rest of the interior in. I would suggest you get someone to help you position it as its going to be quite large and awkward!

The Bahar era proposed Elan looks to be the basis of their renders... Certainly no bad thing - it was the best looking of the five IMO.

You can get high temperature contact adhesive, so make sure you use that. If you get the tins you can smear it into place rather than spraying. As mentioned above, the material would usually have some kind of foam backing and the S2 headlining was stitched so it was "panelled" although mine wasn't done like that and still looks nice.

This does have a sort of Lotus link so bear with me. Just seen the latest GT episode (last of the series) and have to say I loved it. It was basically about the possible passing of the Mondeo, and tracing its history all the way back to the Cortina. There was some great footage of JC driving a Mk1 Lotus Cortina around Cadwell Park -but I think he absolutely nailed it with regards to the "class system" of cars. As someone who's Dad had 3 Cortina's, everything he said rang so true. I used to love getting the Ford brochures and seeing the differences between the base, L, GL and Ghia models. We live in different times now, where SUV's and faceless cars rule the roost. I think 70's and 80's cars were better, not in terms of built, safety and reliability, but character and personality. Its no wonder I find classic cars more interesting now than modern stuff. Anyone who grew up with a Cortina owning Dad I am sure will either agree or find it a great watch (have to say this series has been the best yet). Part of the Lotus Cortina segment below:

I wouldn't discourage you from buying from SJ, I have just purchased something which I didn't think was that great, and he has offered to refund me so can't complain. My only caveat is on refurbished parts - I recently ordered a refurbished headlamp lift motor from Rimmer Bros, and to be fair that was no better. Had to send the first one back, and the second works but the screw knob keeps coming off. Just livings with it for now.

I am in the exact same position, have P zero's on mine and the rears need replacing. The only reason I would stay with them, as mentioned before, is to get more from the fronts. Am trying to stretch to change over to Michellin PS4 too, only heard good things about them and the better wear rate is a definate plus.

My S2 has got an electronic oil pressure gauge and sender which a previous PO installed, so I can't be much help as to how it works but am happy to supply photos if you want o see what it looks like.

This isn't a resurrection of the thread, but it will be ten years since I bought the car next month and its been a pretty significant week. The car last run in 2014 and failed its MOT that year on emissions and brakes. I took the car off the road as I knew the front calipers were basically done, to refurbish the whole braking system. I gave it a damn good go but it defeated me and I basically left the car in the garage, unfinished. Step in @peteyg who took the car off me just before xmas, did his magic and the car passed its MOT this week! I can't believe it now works! Despite coming so far there is a few things which need attention - mainly suspension, although the body has never been off so the chassis is original and, although OK, will probably need to be done at some point. In the meantime, I am just pleased I can get to know it again. As a 10 year special, here are some before and after photos to show the cars condition when I got it, to how she looks today...

It did look fab! Tim invites me round whenever he has something nice. He had an Evora 430 in there a few months ago but didn't get a photo.

JLR's woes are widely known to be down to the slump in China but no one wants to blame poor sales when you can jump on the bandwagon. Reminds me when Wedgwood pottery closed a factory and blamed it on 9/11.

My own S2 went back on the road this week, very nearly took it in today so that would have been a Kodak moment

Was at the detailing company a couple of doors down from where I work. Just had three days worth of detailing, and was very shiny...

Last year I pad the full £50 to have it done at Snows, my local dealer, but to be fair they are only 15 minutes away. It was either that or pay £30 at the local tyre place and for some reason I didn't want to do that but probably will this year.

There was actually an Evora on Top Gear tonight!!! Is just a shame it was a bit part car in the background of the V8 Vantage review