five minutes a day fixing my lotus

[tom kilner]

These cars are so inexpensive.

They look great out and about. ..

But they have their weaknesses.

 

But everything cam be fixed.

Almost everything.

 

Here's the replacement chassis - just need to fit it,  and repair every little problem I find on the way.

[tom kilner]

So it's time to get the elite indoors for some major attention.

Damp electrics from sitting under a tarp mean I'm using the auxiliary drive system.

And winching the car into the shed.

Out comes the engine thanks to Steve v8

In there there's a chassis somewhere.

[tom kilner]

So here are some of the problems:

Misalignment between sump and bellhousing.

Cracked and broken exhaust manifold.

Rusty and loose radiator frame.

Mental wiring.

 

[directordanw]

The radiator and the wiring look just like mine! Guess it must be a design feature... 

[Straker]

What’s the next task? The Great Bellhousing Mystery or chassis swap?

[tom kilner]

 

 

Great bellhousing mystery. ..

Answers on a postcard?

😅😂😅😂😅

[silverfrost]

My guess  is non standard gearbox !    

Great looking project and yes the Elites are a thing of beauty,   Radiator rust frames is the same on the esprits aslo,  Just one of those things that happens to low shark nosed sportscars 

[tom kilner]

It's a 911 block with the wider lower section - there's a nasty steel plate bolted on there with a hole cut in it for the 907 sump thats bolted below.

 

The thickness of the plate is causing the misalignment of the lower bellhousing bolts - there may well be a problem with the oil pickup pipe - thanks to Mike at lotus bits for guidance and advice - I'm planning to swap the block back to a 907 using my (superior 😆) 911 internals and a load of new parts.

I'm hoping this will stop the oil leak😂

[oilmagnet477]

Loving your work here Tom - great progress - all since Thursday is even more impressive!!!

I now have Tractor envy.........

Please, please, make sure you do everything on the chassis before you put the body back on!

[tom kilner]

Ah I remember the chassis. I wonder if it will turn out to be easier to replace than the engine block,  or more difficult.

Which one will be more fun?

Can't wait!

[Steve V8]

FFS... This is beginning to look like Frankensteins monster. 

[silverfrost]

I am not sure what concerns me more the mod that someone has done or the pigeon sxxt welds lol.  

I love this project car,  I think this year is the year of spooky bodge job lotus cars,  after seeing Georges chassis mod where someone used an air chisel to cut out large sections to cure a water leak !  I think i have seen it all now,  As much as i hate seeing bodge jobs,  I am intregued by how some folks overcome problems with the strangest of mods lol. 

Look forward to more,  I think this car is well deserving of the restoration after all the pain and suffering she has been through 

[tom kilner]

Thanks for the moral support!  I felt a car continually in use since the 70s would be a better bet than a hedge find but now I'm seeing downsides to those extra years of bodgery and cheap fixes.

Still, it's a lot more interesting than "rust rust rust"😂

I mean I can't find any corrosion on the bodywork at all!

[silverfrost]

Plus side of fiberglass cars,  got to love them, spyder cracks and all 

[tom kilner]

And I'm warming to my galvanised chassis - even though the paint won't stick.

[Straker]

I don’t think buying a laid up car is any better..

in my case discovering that the front and rear sections of the loom have been soldered together and wrapped in sweaty pvc tape which is falling apart...or the holes cut in the inner cill to fit new seatbelt fixings.... which turned out to be just nuts glued in place..... are just the latest mysteries and I’m sure many more are to follow.....

having watched a friend attempt a 911 resto on a 70’s car, id rather deal with 40 yrs of unusual repairs than body cavities filled with copies of the racing post...

Goodluck & Looking forward to seeing your progress 

[EXCEL V8]

4 hours ago, tom kilner said:

And I'm warming to my galvanised chassis - even though the paint won't stick.

You have to use an etch primer!

Pete

[tom kilner]

I think I'll leave the chassis bare -I think the look of galv is reassuring, but the previous owner went for the hammerite option - without the etch primer. It's his paint not mine!

I'd love to have monstrous p.o. repairs on my "Things that could be wrong with a Lotus" post - I mean glued on seat belt mounts surely make my sump bodge discovery look trivial.

 

 

 

[Steve V8]

How old is that chassis Tom, the galvanised coating will begin to lose its protective qualities after 20-30 years of oxidation, if it's getting anywhere near that age you should think about either getting it re-galvanised, or at least a new protective coating of zinc based chassis paint designed specifically for galvanised steel.

Take a look at frost restorations website for suitable products.

Steve

[Dunc]

and change the pad at the rear crossmember for closed cell foam. (I realise it is galvanised, but its still better to be dry than be a wet sponge).

[silverfrost]

I think hammerite is ok to paint over after a set amount of time,   Hammerite to be honest is a decent quality paint, always liked it myself,  try a quick clean up with a wire brush or scotch brite pad at least and buy a few cans of hammerite smoothright silver spray 

To go through the trouble of replacing a chassis and not re zinc or at least put a lick of paint on it before fitting in my eyes is the devils worlk lol 

[tom kilner]

A very good point Steve - I will reach for the paintbrush the etch primer and the pr15

Damn I thought this was going to be easy 😃

[Dunc]

I assume you know that chapman's martini green elite (the one that went to Japan) originally had a 2.2 911 engine. It was replaced with a normal 907 engine off the line when Lotus sold it on.

I always wondered how it had been fitted as I knew the sum from the 911 didnt work for an elite.

It is likely that this engine is somebodies home brew project, but you never know....

[EXCEL V8]

I had my replacement galvanised chassis blast cleaned and etch primed by a local metal finishing company - worth every penny;  I then sprayed it with an epoxy paint (from Bilt Hamber). Personally I hate Hammerite!!  It does not do what it says on the can!  😉

Pete

[jonwat]

13 minutes ago, EXCEL V8 said:

Personally I hate Hammerite!!  It does not do what it says on the can!  😉

I agree, it's ok for garden furniture etc but not worth the time & effort on anything automotive.