Right then better start my '77 S1 project...

[CharlieCroker]

Now that's the kind of positivity I like, and restores my faith in the majority of decent Lotus owners and members on here. I car like this will always divide opinions, personally I don't like factory spec cars but I would never ever post a negative to someone, especially when you can see the amount of effort I have put into this car, well over 500 hours of hard work, money I haven't really got. Negative comments generally come from the ill informed, I'll take it on the chin and move forward and come back with a better car than version 1. I hasten to add there is no problem with the integrity of my mechanical skill and level of engineering to date infact there's not many professional mechanics that would spend the amount of time and give the effort I have done to bring this car back to life. Building a car like this is not just bolting an alternator on or changing a brake pad here or there. It's involeved sheer dogged determination to work on all aspects of car restoration, mechanics, trimming, electrical, everything. I repeat to all the haters, the car isn't going away, it's about to get better, stronger and still look the utter bollox.

[johnpwalsh]

Lets be honest here, Charlie is a version of Chapman, his build has been thinking out of the box as Chapman did, his parts have come from others as Chapman did, Charlie as you know I have followed your thread and I still think its brilliant, yep I also like originality but at the same time back in the early 70's I was one of he first to cutomise cars up in my neck of the woods and I had much he same comments as you are haveing now, well who ever heard of what they now call a slammed (lowered) Purple Morris 1,000 with wide welded rims, a MG 1500 engine and box running on twin SU's. I was the crazy kid with the Purple car. Keep at it Charlie, many of your engineering points I am sure have helped others and will continue to do so.

 

 

John.

[CharlieCroker]

Very kind comments indeed and much appreciated. Like I said, version II is on the way and should help gain more publicity, good, bad or indifferent. By the way can somebody tell me how to use this unusual object? My neighbour gave me this utensil I believe it's called a 'screwdriver' it has a long thing metal bar on one end and what looks to be a rubberised hexagonal grip on the other end? What is it used for, any advice welcomed, all the best, Charlie ;-)

[johnpwalsh]

Most common uses are as follows.

 

1/ The wife uses it to dig weeds out between the slabs on the footpath.

2/ The wife uses it to open tins of paint when she is decorating.

3/ The wife uses it to change a fuse in a plug when she needs to fix the vacume cleaner when she cleans the cars.

4/ The wife uses it to pry open the shed door when she goes to cut the grass.

 

5/ I use it when the ring pull on the beer cans dont work.

 

Usefull little spiked thing.

[Barrykearley]

Careful.......careful...

[johnpwalsh]

Thats exactly why I let the wife use it, see prvious post.

[Barrykearley]

[CharlieCroker]

Just a quick update, got my mx5 motors working correctly now, up and down from the original dash switch. Many thanks to Barry for the advice and encouragement. Onto the next job...

[Barrykearley]

That's a right royal result...... Ticked off done....... You've inspired me to go and make a link plate bit to go on mine - just can't bring myself to pay the huge amount for a couple of inches of flat plate.......

Looking forward to seeing the next stage

[tinky]

Hi im new here but ive also gone down the mx5 motor root.

While doing this i wanted to change the apperance and do something different even tho some of you might not agree or like.

What i wanted was twin light and the pods to be lower when raised i opted to use 90mm hella for this.

 

 

This is still work in progress and yes i do need to align the headlights.

 

Heres a link to my G+ where theres a vid of them working.

 

https://plus.google.com/u/0/116608202344111391624/posts/J7gFNyFXSof?pid=6157643538079433426&oid=116608202344111391624

[V8-ESPRITS3]

Just a quick update, got my mx5 motors working correctly now, up and down from the original dash switch. Many thanks to Barry for the advice and encouragement. Onto the next job...

Luke its an old lotus you will be fixing that again before the end of the week! mine have also stopped working think I will just manual lift them and leave them up. I kinda like the look of the lights up anyway? hows the air ride going have you got the fronts close to finished? Rob

[pbharcourt]

I like the four lamp look, very Esprit!

[CharlieCroker]

Fronts almost in Rob, just waiting on a laser cut bracket to arrive then I should be able to start testing. Yeah, it's great to see the pop ups finally working and those mx5 motors are bloody smooth in operation. Just need to wire up the other side, adjust the open/close and job done. Good job on the modified lights tinky, just a matter of time before someone does the shakotan mx5 low light look.

[V8-ESPRITS3]

"just a matter of time before someone does the shakotan mx5 low light look."

funny enough was thinking of doing some thing like it on mine but too many other jobs unfinished and needing my attention before I start any more jobs to do!

[V8-ESPRITS3]

 

these small projection headlamps look like they would do the job? may look into doing it latter on

[Dunc]

Welcome Tinky!

 

I like your car - I think I have seen it before on youtube (LT engined elite with no doors?)

 

Can you start a new thread for your car in the projects and resto section, as I am sure there are others like me who would like to find out more about your project and follow its progress.

 

Dunc

[CharlieCroker]

I'm looking at these...

http://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/121520603713?nav=SEARCH

Angel eyes!

[Clive59]

They would be good if you didn't want to bother lowering your lights, just leave on all the time. Easy fix for a failed vacuum system?

 

these small projection headlamps look like they would do the job? may look into doing it latter on

They look the part, what are they from?

[V8-ESPRITS3]

They would be good if you didn't want to bother lowering your lights, just leave on all the time. Easy fix for a failed vacuum system?

They look the part, what are they from?

for kit cars found them on ebay

[CharlieCroker]

Just finished my mx5 popup conversion, very pleased with the end result. The timing of both pods is practically perfect, and the action is fast and smooth.

Btw, a little bird tells me there is another slammed s1 elite in the making, so potentially 2 slammed esprits and 2 slammed elites, the makings of a unique lotus club me thinks!

[V8-ESPRITS3]

Nice work fella! will look into the mx5 motors for mine? whats the going rate for them from breakers?

[Barrykearley]

I'm loving that - super flappy and up and downy.......

The way it's going with mine - I'm only going out in daylight hours....... And then skulking her home when it's dark, sneaking into the garage and twisting the one side down by hand!!!

Going to strip the motor out again this weekend and get a build kit - just so I can tick that off

Rob - we both got a set off fleabay think they were about £15 the pair......

[CharlieCroker]

You shouldn't have to pay more than £20 for a pair, I got mine 2 for £15 delivered. I can't find the listing now but these look good also.

http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&id=151706761719&alt=web

I forgot to mention, the last two popups in the video are off the 'flash' from the stalk, so all that is working correctly now. Before that never ever worked when I had the vacuum system. So worth all tge grazed knuckles and ffing and blinding...

[tinky]

Nice work with the motors gives you a sense of achievement when they work.

One thing I did extra on mine is fit a second switch which gives me the ability to lift the pods without turning the lights on now that gave me alot of head scratching but I got there in the end. So if anyone every wants this option let us know and il do a diagram of how I did this.

[Barrykearley]

Charlie - we can adjust the wiring on yours with a diode and a wire to do the above nice and simply

You boys and your crazy plans.........