S1 Elite, running, daily driver rebuild.

[Loose Cannon]

Hi Mark, just catching up with this thread. Ditto like you I sold my Elites and ended up with a Firebird, which needs the same kind of restoration (rust free but sun baked dry state car). Rest assured everything is available but costs a mint to send in from the states due to shipping and taxes. I saw your gold one on  Ebay and fancied it too, but the amount of interior work looked drastic.

IMHO the Elite and Firebird would make an excellent pair of 70s classics if you could keep them, and both should increase in value with time, but only you know whether the logistics of that matches your own situation. Put it this way I think 3 grand is giving a smart running Elite away, and compared with the costs of some crappy trim panels flown in from the states is a bargain!

PS I'm finding my Firebird needs just as much tinkering as the Elite ever did so you may find your spare time at a premium!

[johnpwalsh]

Mark, at current values, 3k is far too low for a running, mot'd car with the history and work just completed I would be hedging to 4.75 and maybe let go at 4k. even that sounds cheap, but fair.

[CharlieCroker]

That black one on ebay is already getting near 5k, elites are definitely on the rise, hold on to it, could be a winner in a year or two. 

[markgenesis]

Maybe i have valued it a bit low but i think the car does look a lot better in the pics than in the flesh (so to speak), the paint is really microblistered in a lot of places and has the ugly repair at the tailgate hinge, also the car has no carpets or soundproofing (it was all rotten and i threw it in the bin), these are things i can live with but need to consider if a buyer has to budget for new paint and trim.

It does run and drive very well though, has no major or foreseeable issues, has a full MOT, from what i've seen running, driving, MOT'd Type 75 Elites rarely come up for sale.

Great to hear you own a Firebird Ronnie, the interior was shocking in my car, have already priced most stuff i need (mostly on firebirdcentral.com),  i got the car for 7K recon it'll cost me about 4-5K to get the car on the road (not counting a respray), most of that is in the interior, the engine will be fine but i still dont know what the gearbox is like, i will probably need a steering box (leaking) which will be about 500 quid. Got experience with Yank muscle though, had a 68 Charger and a 70 Mach 1 Mustang years ago so kind of knew what i was getting into.

Trouble with keeping the Elite is (apart from funds) it's now sitting in the drive which i dont like, would much prefer the car to be garaged also most weekends i'm working on the Firebird so the Lotus is sitting unused which is a shame.

[mikeeech]

Given the acres of paint on these large American cars I can only wonder at the cost of a respray... I saw your repair of the rear hatch and only remembered it as I chuck my rear end in the skip. I should have cut the hinge section out for you!

[Loose Cannon]

2 hours ago, markgenesis said:

Mthe interior was shocking in my car, have already priced most stuff i need (mostly on firebirdcentral.com),  i got the car for 7K recon it'll cost me about 4-5K to get the car on the road (not counting a respray), most of that is in the interior, the engine will be fine but i still dont know what the gearbox is like, i will probably need a steering box (leaking) which will be about 500 quid

The steering box on mine was shocking, I tried adjusting to no avail. In the end got a good 2nd hand unit from a UK breaker in Watford, nice blokes to deal with (American Technique I think they are called) for £70. My mate machined a couple of brass flare converters for the PAS pipes unions and away it went, feels really good now. The boxes are interchangeable all the way up to 1992 if you re-use the pitman arm and sort the fittings.

 

Some of the prices of repro parts are bonkers - a pair of door cards (literally - made of cardboard) can run to £400. I reckon it's worth buying the very best car you can stateside and bringing it home, or at least getting someone to fit the bits for you - attached to the car all these goodies can come in with low VAT and import duty as a "historic vehicle". Import the parts after and it attracts the full whack. Too late now for me and you though!

[markgenesis]

Aye Mike, i was hoping about 2.5K for a respray if i did most of the prep myself, paint will be a long way off though, will need to be mechanically 100% before paint and that could take a couple of years..

Cheers for thinking about me regarding  the roof section, tbh that repair hasn't bothered me much so i'd just be giving the section to the new owner.

Cheers for the advice LC, will keep that place in mind, also didn't know all the box's were the same, handy to know. 

[markgenesis]

Hi Guys, my Elite is now on E-bay if anyone is interested, sad to see it go but needs must.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Lotus-Elite-S1-1980/282052657934?_trksid=p2045573.c100033.m2042&_trkparms=aid%3D111001%26algo%3DREC.SEED%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20131017132637%26meid%3D5f27311242e64f5db3b41350d1133411%26pid%3D100033%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D4%26sd%3D282052657934

[oilmagnet477]

Good luck Mark, hope all the hard work is rewarded with plenty of interest - nice video btw

Cheers

Ant

[Loose Cannon]

Which forum are you on to document your Firebird rebuild?

[markgenesis]

Just now, Loose Cannon said:

Which forum are you on to document your Firebird rebuild?

Not sure yet, maybe Retrorides or Pistonheads, will wait till i'm a bit further on with it though. 

Sorry, just read the question again, not started a thread yet but will be one of the above forums.  

Edited May 30, 2016 by markgenesis

[markgenesis]

Hi Guy's. just a small update to say i still have the Elite, only had it on Gumtree and E-bay, all i seemed to get was time wasters, super keen buyers, a million text messages (i hate texting too) only for it to fall through, so keeping it for now, had to fit a new alternator last week, i think the front brakes are binding a bit (lack of use over the last few weeks) also have the cam cover gaskets to do (going to try the rubber ones this time to finally cure the lower cam cover leak), also the headlight pods have stopped working so those will need looked at, going to tax it anyway and start using it daily next week.   

[oilmagnet477]

'buyers' can be such a pita, especially ebay - lost count of how many times I've sold something only to get zero response or crap excuses. Ebay never seem to do anything about it either.

Sorry she didn't sell, as we know you need the cash for your American Dream! However, in spite of the issues you have to resolve, I'm sure driving it over the summer will cheer you up.

GL

[markgenesis]

On 5/30/2016 at 19:11, Loose Cannon said:

Which forum are you on to document your Firebird rebuild?

I've started a thread on here for anyone interested  

http://www.rodsnsods.co.uk/forum/garage/my-little-firebird-formula-400-project-454913

[Loose Cannon]

Nice progress, it's going to be a wonderful car. Good choice on keeping the rear end clean and spoiler free, the 2nd gens look so graceful without them they really just belong on full-on Trans Ams.

Interesting choice Ford Arizona god, that was my first car (Capri) and I mulled that over for a while as sort of nice familiar touch. However I got hold of a colour chip of the genuine Rockford paint mix so fingers crossed thats the direction.

[nanardos]

Hi Marki,

 

Were did you plug the oïl breather hose (that is normally connected from the cam cover to the air filter box) ?

[markgenesis]

Just now, nanardos said:

Hi Marki,

 

Were did you plug the oïl breather hose (that is normally connected from the cam cover to the air filter box) ?

Hi Bernard, i just fitted a universal breather filter (K&N style) straight to the cam cover, from memory the stub on the cover is 15mm, did the same with the crank breather, just means the engine is venting to fresh air rather than back into the engine.

An alternative to this would be an oil catch tank (as used on race engines), breather hoses are fed to the tank and the tank is vented. 

[nanardos]

Thanks Mark

 

I think I am going to consider this set up for my Elite too.

[markgenesis]

That looks stunning 

[nanardos]

Thanks,

 

There is more about it here:

 

[markgenesis]

Hi guys, well my Elite is gone , off to a new life in Southampton, was sad to see it going off on a trailer but really had to go as it was sitting about on the drive for long periods which was a shame as it runs and drives great, it's off to a super keen owner who i'm sure will look after it and carry on where i left off.

Thank's for all the help and advice over the last two years, this is a great friendly forum, i'll still look in now and again and may even be back with a Lotus some day 

 

[pbharcourt]

For goodness sake get him to join the forum and come to a Hampshire meeting!

Would be great to see another elite or eclat at the pub!

[Tokyotaxi]

On 27/08/2016 at 19:54, pbharcourt said:

For goodness sake get him to join the forum and come to a Hampshire meeting!

Would be great to see another elite or eclat at the pub!

Hi - I am the new owner of Mark's Elite - he has done a great job with it. 

Up for a meet in the Hants area - just let me know

Cheers Jim

[pbharcourt]

Hi Jim,

Go to the Hampshire section on the forum to see the next get together.

I think it may be north Hampshire but nothing is fixed yet, very informal really.