You Tube setup

[johnpwalsh]

Folks. Ive been asked many times to set up a You Tube feature detailing some of LotusRescues, recovery's, what we done with them and where they are now.

Would it be of general interest. It would done under the banner of LotusRescue of course. I was thinking of compiling pictures and details of the cars that have been saved, fixed, sold on, helped out and what we currently have in the shed and the general plans for them.

If it may be of interest and someone can give me a few pointers on how to set it up. I just might manage to find some time during this quarantine period to at least get it started. I was also thinking of featuring my own S3 which restoration has just started on.

Let me know your thoughts. But bare in mind I am the original technophobe here.

[windymiller]

thats be cool and may though put me off doing a resto on an s3 lol

[johnpwalsh]

Loads of stuff puts me off, especially the thought of removing the dash. But after having done it, it's not so bad. Get the seats out, get on your back and crack on. get yourself a nice little 1/4 drive socket set with various wiggly extensions and they work a treat. With patience, a good days graft with coffee breaks could have it all out. Get little freezer lock seal bags for all the nuts, bolts washers etc and tag where they came from. I am replacing all mine with either stainless steel or cad plated in the hope that if they ever have to come out again, they wont be corroded to hell. You will see by the attached pic why mine all had to come out. The years of exposure to the sun and condensation gust killed the leather.

[Bravo73]

Paging @GTK. Your thread has arrived. 

[johnpwalsh]

So, trial page setup and channel organised on You Tube with a test video uploaded with my old S4. Where is it now. Anybody know. Once I sort out the glitches on the channel, the plan is do an update on all the LotusRescue cars to date, then run a video of the S3 turbo destruct and rebuild, and hopefully one of the Ekup project which has been sitting under covers for the past three years.

Thanks to Jayem who is going to give me some hints and tips on the video side of things as I am the original technophobe. Trial vid attached.

 

 

[johnpwalsh]

So. Since thats going to work, here's a couple of pics of the first two projects that will hopefully be on the videos. The first will be the S3 turbo which some of you maybe already know the story of her and how she came into my possession. The second will be the Lotus Ekup project. This car was bought as an abandoned project about 5 years ago as an engine donor for another s3 Esprit NA. The engine was checked over and found to be in very good condition and fitted to the Esprit. The rolling shell then went to another Lotus restorer who had great plans for her, but ran out of time to complete. She was shown as a rolling shell at Birmingham NEC several years later. That's the point where I  got the option to buy her back again. And of course me being me, went ahead and bought her. That then led me to having to find a third donor to supply everything that would be required for the Ekup. I was lucky enough  to source another abandoned project down near Manchester which was duly bought and brought home. The shell for this one had several major cracks and some front end damage which kind of made it unrealistic to repair. Roll on three years and both the Ekup and the door are still sitting waiting to be worked on. The time between has been used to restore several other cars and assist with the purchase and sales of several others through LotusRescue. I think to date something like 20 cars have come and gone with the exception of the 5 I still have in storage. All the cars purchased through LotusRescue have been self finance through rescuing and moving on others. No fortune being made as that was never the idea, just save them, move them on and make enough out of it to cover the costs of the workshop and fit it out with ramps, tools and more tools. To date, it's doing well having assisted in finding a buyer for one Excel in Australia, one in Germany and one in France. So LotusRescue kind of went international for a while. The Ekup is a bit of a Marmite, you will either love it or hate it, but for me it saved another from going to scrap and the plans for her, I am sure, will surprise a few when completed. The S3 restoration as previously said has already started but has a long, long way to go. The paintwork has been completed and the complete interior stripped out for recovering all in nice new leather and material I had made in Spain as a perfect match for the seat inserts and bottom half of the door cards etc. Even if I say so myself. This combination is going to look stunning and will be an almost identical match to the original color spec and style. Periodical updates will be made once I get back to the UK and work recommences.

What's your comments on Ekup, love it or hate it.

Ekup at NEC about 4 years ago.

S3 Turbo as found and with her new paint.

[ClubLotusNEScotland]

Ekup, love it

[ChrisJ]

I like the Ekup. As you say, something different, and saved from the scrap hear.

Really looking forward to seeing more videos.

[johnpwalsh]

I've had a few PMs asking why the name Ekup. Well it kind of looks like an Australian Ute and all Lotus names start with an E. Eute just didn't seem right somehow, then couple folk who have seen it at the garage asked what make of pickup was under the covers and I just it was an Ekup. And it kind of stuck.  🤡

[johnpwalsh]

I think Mrs W needs to update our club figures a bit. Membership now stands at about 130 with something like 140 cars.

[ClubLotusNEScotland]

14 hours ago, johnpwalsh said:

I think Mrs W needs to update our club figures a bit. Membership now stands at about 130 with something like 140 cars.

Mrs W did update the club figure's  months ago, Not got a clue why it says 85.   

[Barrykearley]

@ClubLotusNEScotland think John’s on about this

[ClubLotusNEScotland]

1 minute ago, Barrykearley said:

@ClubLotusNEScotland think John’s on about this

Hopefully  sorted it.

[Barrykearley]

Footer has now vanished 🤪