Restoring my 502 Elite

[esprit s2]

Right. I don't think I've started a dedicated resto thread about my Elite 502 so here goes.

I bought the car from a lovely elderly gentleman way up north thanks to eagle eyed Mark (Loosecannon) spotting it in his carport. It didn't run and was looking a little sorry for itself but importantly it was a complete car even down to the original stereo and dictaphone!

At the time, I was renting a garage off of the local council and thats where I renewed the brakes and rear drive train components.

Then I got some help starting her up for the first time from Sparky and Trevor.

When the wife and I bought our first place together I insisted on having a garage and thats where the car lives now. I've removed the engine and gearbox and cleaned them up...

..as well as trying to give the paintwork a new lease of life. I can't afford a respray at the mo so it'll have to do for now.

Thanks to all that have helped me so far, there is still a long way to go but I'm loving it at the mo!

Edited April 13, 2012 by esprit s2

[TAR]

Its always satisfying to see the less well known classic Lotus being restored. Good luck, and can we have some bigger pictures?

[Loose Cannon]

Paul, if I'm past that way again I'll call by old Albert and let him know you are getting stuck in! BTW can the pics be made bigger?

[Guest saraphee]

My Best Wishes for what seems to be an exciting project.

Yes - Please - Bigger pictures I really want to know what that sticker/plate? is on the doorsill.

'Cos I haven't got one!

[esprit s2]

I don't know why the photos are so small!! I'll try and make them bigger now.......

[cbclotus]

Great to see you saveing this elite.Good on you.Fab looking car

[esprit s2]

I've tried everything to make them bigger!!! Any one know why they are so small? Edited April 14, 2012 by esprit s2

[Loose Cannon]

They are really small on your Photobucket site for some reason (20kb or less). Is there a compression option you may have ticked when uploading? You may have to start again

I really want to know what that sticker/plate? is on the doorsill.

It's a Bell & Colvill dealer plate. On checking the history it occurred that a previous owner lived just a few hundred metres from me in the early 80s, yet I don't recall seeing it.

[Guest saraphee]

Thanks Mark ,

There were many bits missing when I found TFC, but at least that's one thing I don't have to worry about. I'm sure the yellow beast never met Mr Bell, or Colvill for that matter.

[esprit s2]

[Loose Cannon]

Glad you got it running and there weren't any issues. A nice original untouched car, but you never know after that length of time laid up. The engine sounds great, Albert will be pleased!

Are you keeping the aircon unit or ditching it for simplicity?

[esprit s2]

Was going to get rid of it but I have now decided to keep it. Keep it original!!

I pleased with the progress I'm making, I installed the steering rack this morning and painted the chassis a bit more with rust encapsulator. Put the exhaust manifold on properly as well, if I get time I'll do the cam shaft covers this afternoon.

Hows yours coming along Mark?

[esprit s2]

A little video of my garage.

Put the gear box on the engine stand yesterday so I can clean it up, the gear lever is in just as a test fit. Wish I had more room!!

http://s487.photobucket.com/albums/rr240/paulbaxters2/?action=view¤t=00349.mp4

Edited April 16, 2012 by esprit s2

[Ranald]

Hi Paul,

Glad to see another one of these fine but under appreciated Ollie Winterbottom cars being saved and restored.

I have owned my 503 for 23 years, and would not part with her even for an Aston Martin.

Incidentally we were travelling back down the M62 a few years back, and a brand new Aston drew up alongside us and the driver looked us over very approvingly.

A thumbs up was exchanged from both us, and he sped off into the distance.

My wife has this moment reminded me that a yellow Lamborghini driver did exactly the same thing travelling through Hull a few weeks later!

If you would like to see my cars, I have uploaded a few pics on my "replica crommodora mirrors" post.

Without being too cheeky, I notice you still have the original Philips 22RN712 radio/cassette.

I have recently sourced a non working unit from eBay to fill the long time gap in the dash.

It is now working, however, I am missing a couple of parts, namely:

L/H Knob assembly and flat plastic fascia piece.

If you intend to bin this unit, it would be a shame to send those parts to landfill.

I am quite prepared to buy them from you, so that I may finish my renovation.

Please give it some thought.

Cheers,

Iain

[esprit s2]

Hello Iain,

I have seen your cars on the other topic and they look great! Your S1 looks the best to me but I am biased.

I'm afraid I will be keeping my Philips radio/cassette as I am trying to keep the car as original as possible and it's one of the reasons I bought the car in the first place.

Good luck with your search.

Paul.

[Ranald]

Hi Paul,

Thanks for the appreciative comments, will be following your own restoration with great interest.

Regarding the radio, no worries, will keep on looking, can retro fit the parts anytime in the future.

Cheers,

Iain

[esprit s2]

Fitted carbs and water pump today.

What a difference a bit of paint makes!!

Edited May 1, 2012 by esprit s2

[esprit s2]

Took off a bit of the (stainless steel??) trim today, look at the crap that was underneath!!

Is it easy to get the bit of trim off that goes from the A piller all the way back to the C piller? How does one go about removing the pitting and get it nice and shiny again?

[esprit s2]

Gearbox mated to the engine at the weekend.

[Tocus]

Took off a bit of the (stainless steel??) trim today, look at the crap that was underneath!!

Is it easy to get the bit of trim off that goes from the A piller all the way back to the C piller? How does one go about removing the pitting and get it nice and shiny again?

I think thats a big job, i try allready many much options to get the shine back and all that other bad stuff on it, go away,

butt polish it is not a option, just find some good ones, (yess they are very rare..) i have still a couple of sets (lucky man i am)

butt i dont know if you can buy them new, the ones i got look very very good,

and they are for sale.. butt if you can make them shine agian, please tell me how..

[clivef38]

To get the long trim off that runs from front to rear remove the inner trim sections in the rear above the glass and you will find self tapping screws. Also they are held on with double sided tape the full length.

[esprit s2]

Am in two minds about what to do with my Elite.

I'm at the stage where I could put the engine and gearbox back in and sort a few electrical gremlins out and then have a working car. Although a little tatty paint wise, it would be usable.

OR,  could go the full hog and restore the car completely i.e. remove the body etc.

 

What would you do?

[Loose Cannon]

I know what you mean. Many project cars end up unfinished as their owners try for perfection, then get sick of it all. Do you need your Lotus "fix"? Would you be happy driving around for the summer unfinished, then start again next winter?  It's tempting to relieve the chassis from the body for awkward stuff like diffs and suspension, especially when people on the forums say they have done it in a couple of hours, but then could you store all the bits, and have the height to work under the body?

[cdfps]

Regarding the driving vs restoring .... Hmmm.

If you like driving, fix it enough to run reliably, drive it and maintain it. If you like tinkering, drive it, there will be more than enough tinkering.

If you like collecting cars fix it up. Collecting usually means restoring a car to "original" and only using it occasionally on the road but using it all the time as something to take joy in owning.

Collecting old cars and driving old cars are equally senseless addictions so do what you think will bring the most happiness.

Keep up the good work!

Also, I pulled the body even though I am building a driver. You get a good idea of what you really have and jobs one would hate with the car together take 10 min with you sitting upright on the chassis when the body is off.

[esprit s2]

I think I'm going to restore it properly. I'll try and work out how much space I've got above the car so I can work out if I can store the body above the chassis. 

Another option is to send the body away to get painted whilst I work on the chassis/diff/suspension/brakes.