1976 Elite restoration.

[EXCEL V8]

41 minutes ago, Doris the dog said:

Pete, your apertures are neat and professional, mine the previous owner had a blue and white striped apron.  

😂😂

[Doris the dog]

Front grill ready for fitting. 
 

[EXCEL V8]

Looks great - another custom-made piece?  How does it attach to the car?  Does it have some captive studs?  I've got to make a lower one for my car.

Pete

[Doris the dog]

Hi Pete

Same as the ones I made while working on Formula Three race cars back in the 70s  They fitted to the car with “P” clips , would you believe I haven’t looked to see how it’s going to be fitted. Probably go with “P” clips  

 

[Excel SA]

Nice to see all the progress.

Pete, yours had to open to change your air filter....

Neil.

[Doris the dog]

Another question, the rivets that hold the finishers top and bottom of rear quarter glass are rivet heads inside or outside? 
Thanks

[EXCEL V8]

Inside.  ISTR some tiny steel washers on the outside to spread the load.

Pete

[Doris the dog]

Thanks Pete , another answer, could not see it in the workshop manual. Will get washers.  

[Doris the dog]

First motor mounting bracket 

[Angus553]

Looks good. What colour wiring to you have?

 

[Doris the dog]

Hi Angus , today I’ve ordered of eBay hopefully two female connectors that match with the mx5 males. Think they are used and coming with wire tails.  
Have at present only made one bracket to see if it will work. Got to sort out ball joint for the motor and was thinking of a rose bearing over the original steel shaft. 

[Doris the dog]

Update on the fitted windscreen. 
Having left the roof propped up for three extra days over what the fitter said, time to start to fit the surrounding trim. 
Removed the wooden prop, no problem all looked good.  
Now first fit for bottom trim , which I purchased from Lotusbits, not cheap as it was nearly in mint condition.  So, instantly I came a cropper the screen is fitted so the trim doesn’t clip into the plastic clips at both bottom corners. 
Guess I should have fitted top and bottom trims as soon as the screen was fitted, this may have set the thickness of adhesive between glass and body.  Or thinking back to when the fitter was installing the screen he was pushing and pulling way more than I would’ve done , so perhaps it’s fitted as good as the glass and body shape lets it. 
Might help anyone in the future who’s never fitted a screen things to watch out for. 
Perhaps I should have trial fitted screen to see how it matched screen aperture. But then if it’s not a good match there wouldn’t be much I could do. Plus risk breaking the screen by solo handling on and off the car and back inside my house. 
No worries it will all get sorted.  🥴

[EXCEL V8]

Did the fitter use the little rubber spacer blocks when fitting the screen or did he just offer it up to the body?

Pete

[Doris the dog]

Hi Pete he did use blocks. 

[Doris the dog]

Just fitted top trim in seconds.  Fits like a glove.  

[Doris the dog]

Just starting to think about door mirrors, the holes in door skins have been filled in and over painted. I can just make out where they are but noticed on an Elite down at Lotusbits it’s mirror was mounted on door skin next to the opening window. Any good reason for this ? Also purchased mirrors of internet, no bolts, are the nuts on the inside attached to a fixing plate to spread the load or are they individual. 
regards. 

[EXCEL V8]

On my '74 there was no fixing plate or reinforcement on the door skin.  I've added a couple of extra layers of glass fibre (inside, obviously!) to the fixing area to reinforce it.

Pete

[Angus553]

Hi Tony   my MX5 motors have arrived and ive bench tested one of them and it seems to work ok.  Rotates 180 deg one the dipped and main beam and continues to 360 deg on return/release. Looking at it from the front it rotates anti clockwise so hopefully its going the right way. 

[Doris the dog]

Hi Angus been side tracked with my sprinter, head gasket went at Lotusbits.  Had it skimmed locally and only just managed to get it to run 10 minutes ago.  For days whatever I did it would just turn over and never fire. 
I still need to source ball joint to go on motor arm, look like 12mm. So I can then check bracket out. Before I make others 

[Doris the dog]

Angus , found a post on the forum about MX 5 motors and several photos.  Trouble is I’ve been to bed since then and now can’t find it.   Think it was around 2014.  The person had extended the cranked arm on the mx5 motors. And went down to 6mm ball end couplings.  
it should be on my iPad saved to a file somewhere.  Will ask my daughter to find it once she’s finished work.  

[Angus553]

Hi Tony   its in the lights/HVAC section from 14/10/14 " MX5 headlamp conversation" and the really relevant stuff is from black eclat. This is the one i used for the wiring info. 

 

[Doris the dog]

Another question, the cant or drip rails, noticed on mine they must have been attached with self tapping screws, but over the door the holes seem large enough for set screws.  Have they been enlarged or does it have screws.  
Thanks  again.  
Tony

[Doris the dog]

Well after days of indecision over the finish of the windscreen trim and roof trim , I’m no further forward. When I first thought about the trim finish it was easy it would have to be painted black, as top and bottom windscreen trim were not in a good state. 
Then saw the post where the owner had vinyl wrapped them in brushed aluminium, that looked good , I will go that way I thought.  Vinyl arrived, never wrapped before and managed a roof trim reasonably.  Then attempted the windscreen top corner, well that didn’t go well. After several attempts I got one that was not really as good as it needed to be.

Had to pick up a new screen from Lotusbits, also they had a selection of top and bottom windscreen trims , one set nearly mint , expensive but worth it.  So that changed the mind away from brushed aluminium to vinyl chrome.  
To get to the point that again failed do to inexperience of me thinking I could do it. 
 So I have been working on a tandem bike from the 1940s for a friend doing a complete rebuild.   Some parts he’s had re-chromed.  Other parts he supplied a two part chrome paint from France. Thought will spray Lotus trims to be a close match to my new windscreen trim from Lotusbits.  Well turned out it’s nowhere near a match to original anodised trim. So I now have three options, 1 not sure on the cost or if it’s possible to re-anodise original parts 2 take trim to vinyl wrap company and get professional to cover them. 3 paint the entire trim gloss black.  
The trim obviously makes the car stand out, so tomorrow job phone anodising company first then if failure, the vinyl wrap company.  
It’s taking many days but I know it’s beaten me. 😂😂

Hope that all makes sense ,it’s taken so long to type on my iPhone with one finger. Basically tried couple of things , total failure be me , now going to professionals. 

[SimonOmeara]

The Trims are polished and hard anodised if you send them Heritage  Motor works they will do them for you. Along with taking out any dents or imperfections, speak to Drew on 0118 973 1631. They did mine check them out on my restoration see what you think.

[EXCEL V8]

I'm going to an anodising company in Birmingham soon to get a quote for bright anodising (not hard anodising 😉) - very few people do it now because the chemicals are so toxic.  I'll be getting quotes for my roof trims but it will give a good idea of cost.  Before re-anodising you have to remove the anodic coating and re-polish to a mirror finish.  I've been quoted about £25 per piece for this by a local company.  I'll let you know what the quotes are for the roof trims.

As Simon says Heritage motor works offer this service (they sub out the anodising I think), but I've heard good things about them.

Also SJ still keeps some new trim in stock.

Pete