Elite 504 Retirement Project

[peter russell]

Hello I have just bought a Lotus Elite 504 off Ebay ,I am calling it my "Retirement Project" it hasn't been started for 17 years ,it's only covered 4200 miles , it's had a body off rebuild about 20 years ago and looks really good and solid .i am looking forward to getting  stuck in .I have  managed to get it started it sound ok . I wonder how many Automatic Elites were made ,I hope some one can tell me . I also own a Gold Elite 503 which I have owned for 25 years which I love to bits.

 

[Barrykearley]

Peter - well done - should give you something to do.....

 

um - photos???

[Loose Cannon]

Hi Peter welcome to the fold. With that much experience with Elites I'm sure you will do a sterling job on the new car. Keep us up to date and post plenty of pictures, including your gold one.

[soldave]

Looking forward to seeing these, and especially the gold Elite.

[peter russell]

I will try and get some photos 

[peter russell]

[Loose Cannon]

Oh THAT gold one! Seen a t few shows over the years, did it also feature in a magazine or was that another?

 

Looks like you are halfway there with the red one already, certainly not the usual basket of bits.

 

 

[Elite 4.9]

Nice find.

almost new.

that's quite a collection you have. 

[oilmagnet477]

Cracking car, but I don't remember seeing it on ebay though!

[CharlieCroker]

Just seen this in my 'ended watch list' on eBay, nice figure bought it. That interior is as good as you will find, great buy, hope it goes as good as it looks, looking forward to seeing your progress. 

[peter russell]

Thank goodness you didn't see it ,I might not of had a retirement project . I have owned it about a month ,

I do need a driver side door mirror if you know who has one please ? 

[oilmagnet477]

Doh! I think (occasionally!) I remember it now - Bromley if I remember correctly?

Cracking car - good luck with her - I'm still on the hunt but finances are holding me back atm

I will get there soon and join the 'elite' few!!

[peter russell]

I am making good progress ,I have now got it started on a temporary small fuel tank  ,and driven up the drive , the off site rear brakes are sticking on hope it's not "A Diff out job" to get at the wheel cylinders, and the carburettors need cleaning out ,I haven't ever been in dellortoes  carbs before so is it a big job ? I have the petrol tank out at the moment with a view to flush it out ,

 

[eclat22]

Hi Peter, nice looking cars. From memory the brakes can be done without dropping the diff, worst case scenario would require pulling the output shafts to release the drum back plates, it's been a long time since I've played with drum brakes on these cars, I have converted mine to inboard disc brakes. With regards to the carbs, again from memory they are not to bad to work on, keep everything clean take photos as you dismantle them to aid reassembly and ideally get a reference book, I've got the Dellorto superformance tech book on them, this has tuning guide for DHLAs and the specification for the various types used on Lotus, again I no longer have carbs on my car as it has been converted to efi. I gather that you have to be careful of the float pivot housing as the pivot towers are prone to breaking if you are not careful.

good luck with it 

Regards Dan

[markgenesis]

Stunning looking Elites.

In an attempt to answer to your question on Autos from what i've gathered all 504's were Auto's as standard.

 

[Herc]

The 4 in 504 means auto. 503 is a top spec manual.

The 502 loses the PAS.  The 501 further loses the air con.

[peter russell]

Dan ,  My goodness you have completed a lot of technical work on your car !!and thank you for your advise on my project . The mod I am pleased with is the headlights have been modified from vacuum to electric .

 

[eclat22]

Yes, I can understand that, my headlights were electric to start with, only issues I had was with the relays, I've now converted to faired in headlights for weight reasons, now being a race car weight or lack of is everything.

I think the only thing I haven't modified is the Getrag gearbox.

regards Dan

[pbharcourt]

Hey Dan,

Tell me more about your rear disc conversion as i fancy doing the same!

Paul

[eclat22]

Hi Paul, the rear disc conversion involves fabricating calliper mounting brackets to replace drum back plates, the calipers I have used are a wilwood rear combination hand brake caliper. The discs I purchased I had to machine down in diameter and drill to fit the drive shafts, this was fabricated to have the pads accessible through access hatches I cut behind the rear seats, this is the same setup that Aston Martin has on the 1970s V8s.

regards Dan

[pbharcourt]

That sounds expensive Dan!

i was hoping to convert a production rear disc set up.

[eclat22]

Hi Paul, the parts were not that expensive, but did take some time to customise to fit, fortunately I have access to the machinery to carry out the fabrication this would be the expensive bit.

 

[Elite 4.9]

Hi Paul, the rear disc conversion involves fabricating calliper mounting brackets to replace drum back plates, the calipers I have used are a wilwood rear combination hand brake caliper. The discs I purchased I had to machine down in diameter and drill to fit the drive shafts, this was fabricated to have the pads accessible through access hatches I cut behind the rear seats, this is the same setup that Aston Martin has on the 1970s V8s.

regards Dan

So Dan, you used the original rear end . right? what diameter are your rotors? and do you have any pictures? 

Great idea for sure as the drums are problematic for sure.

 

thanks,

Richard

[Don.Hasi]

, this was fabricated to have the pads accessible through access hatches I cut behind the rear seats, this is the same setup that Aston Martin has on the 1970s V8s.

Sounds interesting. But why did you install them that way? I thought about this solution especially to work around the PITAjob with the adjusting of the handbrake system of the drums... To get an easier life for maintaining the brakes. Wasn't it possible to get them the other way round?

[eclat22]

Hi Richard/Don, from memory the rotors are about 265 mm diameter and vented. I mounted them this way round for two reasons, 1 ease of changing pads 2 to facilitate the cold air brake ducting that I have fitted to the race car. The last picture is of the dry fit building up of my diff, it's a bit trick!

regards Dan

Edited October 5, 2015 by eclat22