The birth of LotusRescue

[johnpwalsh]

And it just gets better. The Blue M100 which was purchased as an MOT failure just gets better as I've found that all the items on the failure have already been replaced, including a full set of new front and back brake calipers, pad's and discs. Other items have already been repaired. Result. 

[johnpwalsh]

This little beaut was sold as a none starter. Well that was down to the fuel cut off having been activated. Pushed the button back down and she started with a push. The battery was also dead. I was also told it required a replacement starter. Replacement starter purchased and gets her up on the ramp ready to do the change out. Nightmare of a job. So, battery disconnected and start to remove the crossmember, then noticed one loose wire. Mmm. Tighten up said loose wire, reconnect the battery and hey presto. She lives. The garage that this car came from really want to look at the quality of their staff.

Nice little Pacific Blue M100 N/A up for sale very soon.

[johnpwalsh]

The latest LotusRescue find collected and taken home today on our own recovery truck after having been parked up in a store for the past 10 years. Last run 5 years ago. As usual with assistance from my personal navigator. Wendy. Nice turbo for someone to have back on the road for next summer. Could that be you.

Sadly, my brilliant VW Amarok and I parted company today. She has been a fantastic motor and a brilliant tow truck. Anyone thinking of buying one, you wont regret it. She just didn't suit my purpose anymore.

 

 

 

[johnpwalsh]

Well that's a full overhaul of the big RS3 shuttle covered trailer completed and it's cost a few bob. New brakes,  brake cables x 4, 8 new bearing's,  2 new wheel's and tyres, 4 new brake drum's and fitted one new axle only to find it wasn't the axle itself that was at fault. Loads of LED lights fitted inside the shell to help see what your doing if loading/unloading in the dark, and extra security latch's on the shell.

Ah well, she's good for a few more years and load's more miles now.

 

 

 

• • Well overdue to go back into the fleet. The 3.5 Ton Canter (middle one) is next for a facelift and a change to Silver with the LotusRescue logo. Cracking little truck. The 7.5 Ton big Renault has just completed having a modified leaf fitted and strengthened.

     

     

    

     

[johnpwalsh]

Anyone interested in an S3 N/A. Pretty tidy car which had a full engine and gearbox rebuild about 10 years ago prior to being put into storage. Since taken back out, given a full service including belts etc and a fresh MOT. Sadly, the buyer who lives fairly close to me has had a change in personal circumstances and now needs to sell her. He is going to take a fairly big hit on the price just to get her sold, so a bargain for someone. She will require some work, but nothing overly extensive as most of it has been done. Including a respray.

She is White with deep Red interior. Photographs will be available to any genuine interested parties.

Priced competitively at £16,500.

UK delivery is available at cost.

[TAR]

That sounds like an absolute bargain, I'm sure it won't hang around.  

[johnpwalsh]

2 minutes ago, TAR said:

That sounds like an absolute bargain, I'm sure it won't hang around.  

Fore sure. I know he paid  22K for it just 3 months ago. Sadly, things in life went against him just shortly after he bought it and I have been asked to help him move it on.

[johnpwalsh]

Hi folks. For those who keep up to date with our projects.

The Norfolk Mustard M100 SE has had her electrical gremlins sorted out and she now starts off the button, the Sigma 4 alarm system now working as it should. New windscreen and trim fitted, not cheap, and those 2 little plastic corner pieces  at £9.00 each, wow. Brakes overhauled and all working. Ready for someone to take her on and complete her.

The Pacific Blue metallic M100 N/A has also had her electrical gremlins sorted out. strange one as it was the same fault as the SE. She has had a full brake overhaul with new rear brake calipers, discs and pads, front discs and pads. Headlight lift motor repair kit and O/S door drop glass as the original was broken. The glass is still to be fitted and I'm not really looking forward to that as very time consuming.

Another nice little winter project for an enthusiast to complete.

Both cars competitively priced.

Also available. 2 x Lotus Elites. 1 x Lotus Eclat, 1 x Lotus Excel. These are exceptionally low priced to make room for more projects due in shortly.

Grab a winter bargain.

And as a one off.

1 x Renault Midlum recovery truck. Just had lightweight alloy leaf fitted, heavy duty winch, all new LED side marker and tail lights.  Also fitted with side mounted tool box for securing your ratchet straps etc. This truck has always been local to me and has exceptionally low mileage for her age. The Renault has been replaced by a smaller truck so is now surplus to requirements. She has always been registered as a recovery truck and not a truck with space shuttle miles which has been converted. Again, like all our project's sensibly priced to mover her on.

Photographs f all of the above are available.

Go on. Treat yourself to a Christmas pressie and have her done for next seasons runs.

[johnpwalsh]

So, last night the Mrs say's, lets send out 2021 with a BANG.

So we crank up the sound system, get all the Christmas lights on at the same time. And yes, they go out with a BANG.

Bloody fuse gone. No problem says I as the house gets cold (heating goes off with electric) we can light a fire. Kindlers on, bit of paper and some coal. And it's roaring.

Then I thinks. Which bright spark had that Idea, our chimney has been capped off so now we have a house full of smoke.

Call the fire brigade she say's.

Bloody phone wont work without power. No signal on the mobiles. Oooop's say I. Ding Dong, the clock strikes midnight. Well just as the small gas cannister which is lighting the stove near the fire goes out with a BANG. I say. Well Mrs, you got that one right.

Only joking.

Hope you all have a great, happy, healthy and prosperous 2022

From both Wendy, myself and all at Club Lotus North East Scotland.

[Escape]

Nice one, I was wondering why you didn't just replace the fuse. 😉

 

[johnpwalsh]

On 25/11/2021 at 21:37, johnpwalsh said:

Anyone interested in an S3 N/A. Pretty tidy car which had a full engine and gearbox rebuild about 10 years ago prior to being put into storage. Since taken back out, given a full service including belts etc and a fresh MOT. Sadly, the buyer who lives fairly close to me has had a change in personal circumstances and now needs to sell her. He is going to take a fairly big hit on the price just to get her sold, so a bargain for someone. She will require some work, but nothing overly extensive as most of it has been done. Including a respray.

She is White with deep Red interior. Photographs will be available to any genuine interested parties.

Priced competitively at £16,500.

UK delivery is available at cost.

UPDATE. Been in and viewed the car and met the owner. It is NOTHING as bad as the father in law stated, so I had a good look over her and told the owner. If your selling that for the price mentioned I would be grabbing your hand off. You are daft. So the outcome is he is now keeping the car and LotusRecue are going to give it a once over once I have space in the garage and get everything back as it should be. Believe me, there's not a whole lot to do. The owner was under the impression from the FIL that it was going to cost him a fortune to get is childhood dream car on the road and running. So I departed leaving one 30+year old a bit happier.

I suppose it could be classed as a LotusRecue of a kind.

Sorry guy's, but the bargain is off.

[johnpwalsh]

More changes. Some of you may remember I got rid of my trusty VW Amarok and replaced it with a Mercedes Vito Euroliner van. Well I found out not too long afterwards, that max towing capacity of the Vito was way too low for my requirements. So, I'm back on a VW, this time a Touareg 3.0Lt v6 diesel. I had one of these about 10 years ago, so when this one came on the market it was a no brainer. Just like the Amarok, she tows like a tank, not to bad on fuel and more comfortable than the Vito. Happy bunny.

[pete]

[johnpwalsh]

I don't plan on towing anything that heavy. Unless Geely start building bloody big cars.

[Escape]

That was a nice stunt, but had little to do with power or the engine. It's all about gearing and getting the power down. I recall the Jumbo was actually just an empty shell without engines etc and the Touareg was ballasted way over GVW and equipped with different diffs for more torque and less speed.
Land Rover did similar many years ago with a Discovery 200 or 300Tdi pulling a train, with a stock driveline and just the rail guidance wheels (as used by some railway companies at the time). Of course the friction of steel train wheels on rails is much less than rubber rolling on tarmac. 

[johnpwalsh]

Happy today. Well almost. The little Elan M100 SE we rescued a couple of months back went for an MOT this morning after a good bit of work and the result was not too bad.

Emissions a bit on the high side. Park brake just below required efficiency. 1 side repeater/indicator bulb out and drop link showing signs of ware.

I recon that's not too bad for a car that has been in for her 1st MOT since 2009. I'm happy with that.

[MPx]

Not bad John, other than not noticing a blown bulb beforehand! 😜  

You may struggle to get the park brake up to the required std - on occasions mine's been fitted with new rear pads just for the test so that there's max surface grip...and that's with uprated brakes all round (HiSpec fronts and PNM rears).  Fortunately I dont often use the park brake so dont notice it as an issue.

Emissions should be easily tweaked on an SE to get within tolerance - on the S2 they are judged aganst a Cat system and are very difficut to keep in the pass range.

Best of luck with it...looking good.

[johnpwalsh]

On 17/08/2021 at 13:25, eclat22 said:

Hi John, the show sounds great, but I have a feeling those dates won't work for us as I believe that is possibly still during school time, my wife works in a school and is only able to have time off during the school holidays. I won't write it off just yet as it is possible that she won't be working in a school next year. Your offer of secure storage to enable us to tour a lot easier is much appreciated.

Thanks again

Regards Dan

Hi Dan.

Well, so many things have changed since Covid. BUT the shows are back on and we are now busy organising for 2022. The Glamis show is back on again, therefore My offer of 2021 still stands. Come to the show with the car, use us as a stop over ands secure storage for car etc while you and the Mrs do a tour of god's country. See how you are fixed. We have the race Europa booked and a further 35 + cars already confirmed.

 

John.

[stephenwhyte]

John I’d be keen to bring my Turbo Esprit to the Glamis show - what’s the process to get it entered?

[exeterjeep]

On 17/02/2022 at 22:48, johnpwalsh said:

I recon that's not too bad for a car that has been in for her 1st MOT since 2009. I'm happy with that.

Checked the MOT online, looks like your 10 day re-test period has ended..... 

[johnpwalsh]

So, after our long trip to The Wirral of Friday ( nice Silver Lotus Excel for client restoration ) past which was a 19 hour round trip, we were off again early this morning, but this time heading way up the North West to the Isle of Skye. An old friend of ours who parted company with his very nice Excel 7 years ago to make room for a rather nice Elan 130 + had since sold it and decided he wanted back to an Excel. What better to track his old one down and get it back. Sadly, she had suffered a cam belt failure not long after she changed hands and although the head had been rebuilt with new valves etc, the engine was still out and never rebuilt. So the two get get together and a deal is made. Yours truly were tasked with the job of going to collect her and bring her home. On collection it was easily seen she had been well stored and looked as good as the day she had left all those years ago. So, car, engine and all the parts were loaded up and ready to go. The little Cantor had been pressed into service as the big VW Taureg had developed a fault on the final leg of the journey back from the Wirral. I must admit, the little Cantor just gets better and better. She took all the hills and glens in her stride and believe me there are some crackers on that road, part of which is the NC 500. Well impressed with her. Out come. 13.5 hrs later, car is delivered safe and sound. You could say another LotusRescue completed satisfactorily, and another happy owner.

Next adventure is Market Drayton to drop an M100, then over to Norfolk, for a possible Elan, then a stop to drop off some parts just South of Newcastle on Tyne, then home again. How long is that one going to take us, and which mode of transport. May just be the little Cantor again.

[johnpwalsh]

On 21/02/2022 at 09:36, stephenwhyte said:

John I’d be keen to bring my Turbo Esprit to the Glamis show - what’s the process to get it entered?

Email sent to you Stephen.

[johnpwalsh]

Another couple of real busy weeks for LotusRescue. The type 75, 504 has gone off to her new home so that was a quick run down to Stoke to deliver her in the trusty old Mitsubishi Canter. While we were there I noticed a rather nice Touareg for sale. Yes I know I have one, but this one was a couple of years younger and at a bloody good price. So went and spoke to the chap and bought her. Problem now is, drive back home, then get back down on the overnight train to pick it up. Just a tad to heavy for the Canter. Job done, car home, sleep time. And back at it. Looks like my other type75 could be going off in a container to Kuala Lumpur of all places. Professional body and restoration shop there want her as a project. So see how this pans out. M100 SE now ready for her new owner and should be away South next week which will also mean I can swing over to Norfolk and collect the Elan 130 that's been sitting waiting for the past 9 months. Fuel bill for last 8 days came up to just over £800. OUCH. Next in the line for collection is the S3 NA from Aberdeen (only one hr drive for a change) which will in for a once over. New client from Paris asked me to collect his new purchase of an very nice Excel SE which we found in storage for him, he managed to get it at a nice price, we went South (again) and collected it for him. Parts all on order and should be here soon. This car has been in storage since 2011 and never been started, the interior is unusually like new. Once that little lot is done it will be back onto the S4 from Ireland, parts for her all here now, so time to get cracking and get her back across the water. hen, maybe just then. I can get back at my own car. Poor S3 turbo been sitting in the Carcoon for 8 months now, untouched.

[eeyoreish]

Any pics of the Excel..?

[johnpwalsh]

Hi Neil. I will be taking pics of her once I get her indoors to start work.