1976 Elite restoration.

[mikeeech]

I'd go back to first principles. Find tdc on cylinder no1, find out where the distributor is pointing, and that's your plug lead. Make sure it's sparking, you know it has fuel then go for a start.

[Doris the dog]

If anyone has the German HARDI fuel pump and needs a new O ring I have 49 spares.  

[Doris the dog]

Hi all , yet another question, the radio suppressors fitted to electric motors, ( fuel pump wiper motor etc) do people leave them on or remove them ?

On mine fitted by the dreaded Scotchloks. 

[Doris the dog]

A very big thank you to rjwooll, mikeeech,Steve clack and angus555.  
Yes I went and re-timed engine , yes the dizzy was different to original and yes I did swap plug leads. 
AND IT RUNS.  

Thankyou all.  I will still be asking more questions very soon. 

[Multistrada]

On 06/05/2020 at 15:18, Doris the dog said:

Hi all , yet another question, the radio suppressors fitted to electric motors, ( fuel pump wiper motor etc) do people leave them on or remove them ?

On mine fitted by the dreaded Scotchloks. 

I find it best to remove them with the radio.

[Doris the dog]

Here we go again, help needed again.  
Please could some kind person tell me what this is. Uncovered it today.  Guessing it’s Lotus. 
Perhaps a heat shield ??

Edited May 9, 2020 by Doris the dog

[EXCEL V8]

It's the "deflector" panel that sits behind the radiator.  The strap on it fastens the air intake hose for the airbox.  It's probably really thin and fragile if it's original.

Pete

[williamtherebel]

Hi Tony, As @EXCEL V8  says. I had one these many moons ago. It fits on the front of the engine. I cant remember how it fits now  but the large breather pipe from the airbox fits inside the 'indentation'. The bracket fits round the breather pipe and keeps in in place. Its a pain trying to access anything behind it so most people(everybody??) leave it off.  

[rjwooll]

Maybe people do leave it off, but it is an important part of the ducted cooling system on the car, specifically designed to provide high cooling efficiency and to assist the aerodynamic flow above the bonnet and windscreen. This from Mr Kimberley!

Cheers, Richard

[Doris the dog]

56 minutes ago, EXCEL V8 said:

It's the "deflector" panel that sits behind the radiator.  The strap on it fastens the air intake hose for the airbox.  It's probably really thin and fragile if it's original.

Pete

It’s in a good condition to me, especially as I’ve never seen one to compare.  It’s got two holes in either end to fix to car. 
 

[Doris the dog]

Does it mount vertical, and the cut out in the wide edge is clearance for top radiator hose ?

So it hides the fans. 
 

[EXCEL V8]

You can see from this picture where it mounts:

Be really careful when fastening - it's a Lotus special - the bolts  go through a double skin in each location and there's no support between the skins.  You may already find that the fibreglass is broken at these locations inside the wheel arch.

Pete

[mikeeech]

The two holes on either side should match two holes under the bonnet so that it can bolt through to the underside of the wheel arch. It sits at a slight angle so slopes backwards so the top meets the bonnet vents. As you say the top water hose goes in the notch and needs to be disconnected to get it in.

 

Peter beat me to it!

Edited May 9, 2020 by mikeeech

[steve clack]

You got me thinking on whether I had one of those...found it and put it in situ.

[Doris the dog]

Well I definitely haven’t got the tube !!!

Edited May 10, 2020 by Bibs

[EXCEL V8]

That's an after-market tube.  The original is more of a cardboard/aluminium affair with a foam lining I seem to remember.

Pete

[steve clack]

That’s interesting Pete, that makes this tube, the only thing on my car that is not original....

[Doris the dog]

2 minutes ago, EXCEL V8 said:

That's an after-market tube.  The original is more of a cardboard/aluminium affair with a foam lining I seem to remember.

Pete

Similar to the air vent tubs on the heater ducts ?

[Tony D]

The original on my car was in very poor condition, but best part of 30 years ago I bought a new one from Christopher Neil's. (long gone, but I think they now trade under a different name). Like the original, it's a paper wrapped Ali coiled tube in black. I don't recall it having any foam lining. It looks very much like the one in Steve's photo. 

30 years on, it's exactly as I bought it, just covered in dust!!!!

Tony 

[Doris the dog]

Just looked in parts manual and it’s called Induction tube. 

[EXCEL V8]

2 hours ago, Doris the dog said:

Similar to the air vent tubs on the heater ducts ?

Yes, but larger o/d of course.

Pete

[Tony D]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Lotus-Elite/303562672240

Tony : The photos on ebay for this car are a good representation of many aspects for how these cars looked when original. It still has the original radio fitted and the trim looks like original ( at least the parts the mice have not dined out on). It shows the air deflector well in the engine bay and Air feed to the carbs. Routing for Vacuum attachments ( servo, pod tanks and ventilation tank) also looks to be not butchered about.

The price made me wince though.....................

Tony

[steve clack]

Tony, the price made you wince in what way, too high or too low!

[Tony D]

High.

Looks like a good original project car and I'd kill for the chrome trim around the centre console. There can't be many of those that have survived 😢. I can't see the microphone in any pictures, but the radio is original and would cost a few bob to source I know if it wasn't there. Philips cassette microphones can't be that hard to find. But £4.5K seems a bit speculative. If it's on a galvanised chassis ??? still in serviceable condition, I might have seen it at £2 - £3K based on its originality - Or am I way out of touch with reality after being shut in for so long?

Tony

Edited May 10, 2020 by Tony D

[steve clack]

Lets hope that this is the way that the Elite values are going to go...it still seems a real shame they are unappreciated and under valued. Having taken one completely apart in this lockdown, they are well put together albeit a bit over engineered. 

Sadly with the amount of work that these cars need for restoration many people don't commit to it, thinking they will never get a return.