The purple challenge - 1974 Elite 503

[JPohja]

Nice work Per! Where did you got all the time for that? In Finland we have to spend all time to earn living and Lotus

Btw, next time you visit your garage, is it possible to have few pics from altenator? From front and back.

[permelite]

Thanks a lot all of you for your support - much appreciated!

 

 

15 hours ago, silverfrost said:

Fantastic effort, any ideas when you will looking at booking the MOT ?  Keep up this  momentum and hopefully not to far away

Would I dare to say MOT in end of May... I'm afraid it could as well become August or October Or even worse... But keeping my hope up...

 

4 hours ago, mikeeech said:

Your brake pipes are so pretty! Soon you'll be polishing these to a mirror finish and then using laquer to keep them that way!

Thanks Mike! Great idea! I'll see what I can do to them...

[permelite]

4 hours ago, JPohja said:

Nice work Per! Where did you got all the time for that? In Finland we have to spend all time to earn living and Lotus

Btw, next time you visit your garage, is it possible to have few pics from altenator? From front and back.

Haha! Easter with four days holiday made a great support and also not going to Germany watching beautiful classic cars might have helped 

Here some pics of the alternator:

Also some more pics of the relays. The one you asked about yesterday is going to the head lights with a dodgy non original grey cable connecting to a blue with white stripe... The condenser wasn't connected anywhere! Might have fallen off + if it had been (recently) connected anyplace previously, or might have one someplace else? I'm useless in car electrics! Hope to get support with that from a good friend who will visit us early May (have not told him my intentions yet ) The whole car is loaded with these awful "squeeze together connections" - hate them, must replace! Will later hopefully try to replace some relays with something closer to original, the orange and black looks horrible!

[JPohja]

Thanks, thats original Chrysler alternator. Thats just what I want but where can I buy one???? Is there any type or numbers printed somewhere?

Now I understand why mine is not loading when idling, you have twice diameter wheel in alternator!

Btw. I am confused and terrified with my blinkers. Every time I try those they work different way, cannot really understand..need professional help soon (me;).

[permelite]

Sorry Jukka, haven't had time for the car and TLF for a while...

The only number i have found on my alternator is this:

[permelite]

Finally, after almost two weeks of being held up with other stuff I found some time during the weekend to continue.

I have to say its a proper (purple challenge many times... Thought I had succeeded quite well with installing the new brake pipes and hoses with the diff out. How stuuupid of me! Had forgotten to read the workshop manual in which order to put things together. Well got pipes etc. off again and the diff back in the car with some advanced technology... Here is only two jacks in use but I was adding one more before managing to get it in place.

Then, how the f..k are you supposed to be able to install the brake pipes and hoses with the diff in the car without lifting the body off??? Have read some good advice here on TLF and sent my own plans of keeping the car original to some hot place and made some nice holes instead : 

After cutting the body to pieces the rest went quite well without any major set backs... Now the whole rear suspension is fitted with new brakes, bearings, seals and bushings. Feeling quite happy tonight.

Next mission will be the fuel tank...

[JPohja]

Nice job Per! Life is learning.. I am glad to see what can be done with determinite mind. Really hoping to see you and your Elite this summer.

Fuel tank is piece of cake after that.

How was your engine?

 

[permelite]

Thanks Jukka! Certainly is! Only so much to do and so little time... Would be really fun - hope I can manage to get "the purple" running by then,

Have taken the fuel tank out and removed the suface rust - wasn't that bad. Will try to paint it tomorrow evening. Have forgotten to take any pictures.

Well, haven't been started in over 10 years... Turns over by hand without any problems but will replace the cam belt before trying starting it up. Began in the rear end of the car as the leaking brake was the prime reason for becoming stored awy. Soon be moving to the front end with the brakes there and then the engine...

Did you manage to get your fuel pump working?

[permelite]

Earlier in the winter, before starting the thread here, I have tried sort the carbs. They were quite nasty! Took them apart, one first, then the other one, just to have a complete one to look at if I would lose track of some part. Had the pieces in degreasing liquid for weeks... It was almost like someone had put glue into them. Have now replaced gaskets, float valve, bearings, etc.

Before and after cleaning (hard like tarmac!):

lots of pieces:

first one done:

Both are now clean and look nice - but that is one thing, hope they also will work...

[silverfrost]

Awesome Job Per,  Yes quite a lot of build up of muck on those carbs, I bet this is the first time they have ever been fully stripped.  The finished one looks great, i am sure they will work fine when back on the car  

[jonwat]

On 21/03/2016 at 01:29, permelite said:

 Had to skim the back of the needle cups 1-2/10 of a millimetre to be able to get the lock washers (is that correct name?) 

They're called circlips, great work Per keep it up. I used to have a Europa Special in Roman Purple (pictures on my website) which I sold to some lads from Sweden