The birth of LotusRescue

[exeterjeep]

Do hope it gets back on the road - excels are great practical cars and still look cool. (not a word I often use..)

[LotuStuart]

aircon also helps demist in winter...

I would keep aircon if installed. There is no fun sitting and sweating in 84 Deg in traffic with a £400 Fiat punto sat next to you, with all 4 people inside being cooooool.

Each to their own, but taking effort to remove a useful extra like aircon makes no sense to me. I'd at least leave that to a new owner, or at the very minimum keep the parts to pass on to them.

[Escape]

I'm with John on this one, I've actively removed the AC from all of my cars, as far as practical. I don't like to use it, even if it does make sitting in traffic on a hot day slightly less annoying.

For demisting I find opening a window just a tad with the heater on works great.

And yes, that is (or rather will become) a lovely early Excel. 🙂 

[johnpwalsh]

I'd at least leave that to a new owner, or at the very minimum keep the parts to pass on to them.

Yep, the parts will go with her.

If no interest, I may just stick in the spare engine and gearbox I have and get her mobile.

Any offers/Interest. On this Celebration model. Documented as No6 of the production line!!.

1st wash since 2004, looks a good deal better. The interior is back in her as well.

[johnpwalsh]

Well today I went and visited a field I first viewed about 4 years ago which had a nice early Elise sitting on a trailer and an unknown 2 seater race car with it's nose sticking out of a container. At that point, it was the usual. " I'm going to restore them soon". Well 4 years later, they are both still in the same sad condition, although the engine has gone missing from the Elise. I was unable to find the owner, but rest assured I will be going back shortly.

[cor]

John,

 

the  two seater is a westfied xtr,

Must say really love your your updates 👍

[johnpwalsh]

Lets see what happens on the next one when the owner gets the all clear from COVID and I can revisit.

[johnpwalsh]

Still waiting for the all clear to go back visit.

[johnpwalsh]

Well its been a couple of busy months at home base, even more so with the show season back in full swing. This year to date, two of our club members (Club Lotus North East Scotland of which I am the founder) have prizes, the 1st an most prestigious went to Stephen White in his immaculate S3 Turbo Esprit. Stephen just went and one best in class for an un restored car. Now to give some idea. That was at what is probably the biggest classic car show in Scotland with over 2,000 exhibits, so that is a great accolade for the club, Stephen and the car . The 2nd was to George McKenzie for best in class at a more local event with his restored Elan 130+2. Another stunning car. Also had a nice notice via a popular Lotus page on FB from the  chap who purchased the Yellow Elan M100 turbo from me a couple of months ago. Guessing you remember the one I had so much hassle with trying to get the emissions down. Well Dan continues to further improve the car and is loving it. Great to hear. That car's garage mate, the Blue Elan M100 N/A is now also sold and heading off to the other side of the world in a couple of weeks time, all the way to down under, Brisbane, Australia of all places. This will be the 2nd car we have sent down under.

Must have a bit of an international flair on the go as the Ausi one just about to go, another Excel about ready to leave for Paris, ( that's the 3rd car to France) a Riviera went off to Germany and an S4 half way being ready to go back to Belfast. Current projects. S1 Esprit. S3 N/A. S4 Turbo. Eclat/Excl. Excel Celebration. Elan 130+2 from Norfolk of all places. Early Eclat which is believed to be one of only 4 in original gel coat Orange. S3 Turbo, oh and Excel Ekup which will get done at some point.

Retired, what's that.

 

 

[exeterjeep]

Happy birthday - John..... take a day off from the cars.

[Bibs]

Happy birthday matey
 

[johnpwalsh]

6 hours ago, exeterjeep said:

Happy birthday - John..... take a day off from the cars.

I wish. Left home with the truck at 09.30 yesterday morning. Straight drive to just South of Wolverhampton, loaded up another car and drove back home again. 22 hrs round trip. Knackered. But happy as another Lotus elite saved.

[johnpwalsh]

And things just keep moving. Over the next couple of weeks, and once shipping is sorted out we will have the following off to pastures new. Nice little Lotus Elan N/A M100 confirmed as sold and going to Brisbane, The Elite which I managed to have a new roof grafted in to get rid of a sunroof has been confirmed as sold and off to Sydney. So two making there way to the other side of the world. The White Eclat which was one of the original few produced in gel coat Orange has gone off to her new owner. A very enthusiastic 21 year old and only 10 miles from base, so I am sure we will hear plenty about her. Late Wednesday night I had a message about a very sad looking 79 Eclat had come on the market. Well as it not being more than an hour from base, I just had to didn't I. Contacted the seller and made arrangement to collect it yesterday morning. Made my way to his location and find not one, but two cars. The 2nd one being a not too bad type 75 Elite. The deal was done, the Elite loaded on the truck and taken home with the promise that the owner would deliver the Eclat today. All sorted by lunchtime and both cars home. The Elite is rather nice, although needing a bit of work which will be carried out soon. The Eclat will make a good, cheap restoration project for someone at sub 1k pricewise.

Car's in the shop at the moment consists of 1 x S4, restoration project 1 x S3 N/A, restoration project 3 x Excels, restoration projects  1 x Elan 130+2, restoration project , 1 x S3 Esprit Turbo, (mine which will be worked on sometime) 1 x Elite, light remedial work, 1 x Eclat and 1 and last but not least, 1 early Esprit S1 for a full restoration. Not a bad little collection.

Retire, nae chance. Even have the Mrs up the garage at the weekend to do a bit of MANual graft. She loves it. I think.

And the best bit of the day. After going back and forth arguing with the DVLA about my registration number C 10TOS which I have had for a few years now. They at last agreed that it is mine and that I could put it on retention. This was done immediately before they changed their mind again. The beauty of online changes means you get confirmation emails of the transaction straight away so as soon as that was received I went and re-assigned the number to my recovery truck. So now my Mitsubishi Canter will be sporting a nice new plate. A long awaited positive result.

[johnpwalsh]

Well it's coming to the end of what has been a very, very busy year for LotusRescue. Kind of lost count on the car's saved this year to be honest. Couple of Elan M100's 4 or 5 Excel's, couple of Elites, couple or 3 Eclats. Currently working on 4 big projects. No1, a friends Elan 130 which has been in the family since about 1975/76. The car is now in the paint shop for a full respray and the engine etc is sitting in the workshop waiting on a refresh. An S4 partially stripped down for what seems to be a never ending project. Started off with being asked to do a full service, then partial restoration, now a full restoration. An S3 which came in for remedial work after having been purchased from another dealer, supposedly restored. Cant rails hanging by 3 pop rivets, ball joints totally shagged, paint peeling of in several area's, exhaust sytem welded together and covered in bandages, one choke, half open, the other fully open causing major issues.  And that's just for starters. Strange how some of te big boy's call back street garages cowboy's. Pot and Black kettle syndrome springs to mind. And my favourite of the year. Chap calls me up and says, I've heard you do good things with old Lotus. Obviously intrigued I listen too what the guy has too say. The conversation kind of goes. I know of an S1 Esprit in a shed in Fife, can you go have a look at it for me (this was when diesel was at its peak of £2.01 per Lt and it was a 7 hr round trip) and give your opinion. My response was, do you know the price of fuel now. AN agreement was reached as regards cost and the trip was made. Inspection was made as far as possible considering the car was jammed in a small lockup and could not be taken out. Telephone call made and description given. OK he says, can you buy it then and take it home. WHAT. It doesn't work like that. So the phone was handed over to the previous owner and they struck a deal. We then had to take said vehicle home. Car home and on the ramp for a full inspection and the new owner invited to come and have a look. Decision made for a partial restoration and plans made. Oh hum. Since then (as they do) plans have changed a wee tad. 10 days ago, the body was removed from the shell, the chassis completely stripped down and sent off for soft blast cleaning, the shell has since been stripped down and is going off to the paint shop in the next week or so, and the company who did the fantastic job on my own S3 Turbo interior is taking on the task of the interior. All that from a quick chat on the phone. In between that the engine has been stripped down and found to be completely seized with corroded liners, cylinder head ports and pistons, so another complete rebuild to be done. Budget, out the window, new owner, happy with the quick progress, Me (running between two workshops as I don't have room at the moment for all this in my own one and they are an hour apart) am knackered. Retire they said, you will have loads of spare time they said. I said it before and will say it again. THEY LIED.

But am I enjoying it. Oh yes.

 

Oh, and the Excel SE from France is still being worked on in between as the owners funds are available to cover the cost of the parts.

 

the following destruct was carried over 3 very, very long days. Since the pics were taken the shell has also now been stripped ready for the paint shop.

P.S. Don't ask about the Land Rover in the background. It's a top secret project being built buy the property owner. I can tell you it turns out 720 BHP at the flywheel and 631 at the wheels on 7,000 RPM and does 0 to 60 in 3.2 seconds. Verified on a dyno just last week. It's an animal and reputed to have cost in excess of 100k+ to build so far.

 

[johnpwalsh]

Well that's 2022 done. Door's closed at 1500 today and the final call was confirmation that I have managed to save and purchase another Excel SE which has been sleeping in a council garage since 2016, not seen it yet, but reputed to be in pretty good condition with good service history so I guess the 1st job for 2023 will be to go and collect said beast. Once checked over and running she will be a nice project for someone to complete. Original Monaco White with Red half leather interior.

Not counting this latest acquisition LotusRescue have brought home 14 cars this year with 11 of them now up and running and off to new homes, 2 all the way to Australia, 1 to France, 1 to N Ireland and the balance spread all over the UK.

3 full restoration project underway at the moment. The S1 Esprit which has undergone a complete strip down to bare chassis. Blast cleaned and painted, wheels refurbed and about to start the rebuild once all the required components arrive. A 73 Elan 130+2 which has been in the same family since 74 , the current owner having been taken home from hospital as a baby. Now in the paint shop for full strip and repaint, engine out for a refresh, brakes, suspension etc all to be done. A 89 S4 Esprit with the more rare Eagle chassis, engine out for a refresh, chassis paint, suspension, brakes and wheels all to be done and an S3 Esprit NA which is being rectified after a previous dealer supposedly restored it two years ago. This came with a NEW MOT. Top ball joints were actually split, nearside rear brake calliper had no handbrake cable attached and half the electrics disconnected. Unbelievable. 

Again, for another year my on cars have been sadly neglected to the extent I have to farm out my S3 turbo to dry storage as no room at the inn. I have made a promise to myself that she WILL be done (or partially ) this year, or I will be too bloody old to drive her.

Lastly. I want to take the opportunity to thank all those who I have called on for information and advice at various times, many projects would remain in back sheds etc if it were not for the likes of TLF and the members who are always more than willing to help. And to those who I have given advice, I hope it worked for you and I didn't make matters worse. And of course to my long suffering wife who is still under the elusion that I'm retired. Nope, wrong again huns.

All the best too all for 2023. for those in poor health I hope it improves soon, for those finding life a struggle, don't be afraid to speak up, there are plenty on hear who always have time to listen.

To all the other lucky bugger's, crack on, have a dram and enjoy life. See you all next year.

[johnpwalsh]

Well what's this here then. Have LotusRescue gone and invested in a new recovery truck. A tilt slide by any chance.
Oh yes we have. We can take 2 cars and have 7 up inside the cab. Being a true Scotsman, save on accommodation when going South, save on kennel fee's for the dog's as they can now come with us on an overnight and your's truly get a newer motor.  

For god's sake, dont ask the price.

[johnpwalsh]

Couple of updates, and one that took me totally by surprise. Had an email yesterday informing me that I had been shortlisted on a list of four for the Oliver Winterbottom award. Her in doors. I.E.the boss had only gone and put a nomination in for me. Outcome, Angus Marshall was the chosen worthy winner for his services to fellow enthusiasts and and purveyor of rare and remanufactured parts. Well done Angus and well deserved. As for me, LotusRescue, I was just well chuffed to be even considered. Not too bad going for a retired grumpy old guy away up in the sticks in N. E Scotland.

2nd bit of good news is that both cars sent off to Ausi end of last November last year have landed and so far other than a missing drivers door mirror and a water leek somewhere on the Elite, they seem to have survived.

No3. The little 130 Elan is finally going into colour next week after loads of prep work for paint. From as found and having languished like this for the past 22 years, she will look resplendent in her original Lagoon Blue and Silver roof once more.

Once she is done the S1 is next for the paint treatment. She is all stripped naked and ready to go.

As found.

 

 

[johnpwalsh]

S1 wheels all done and ready for the new tyres. Local lad who started his own business couple of years ago does a cracking good job. All imperfection's either alloy welded and filled, then going through a 4 course treatment prior to powder coat and lacquer.

All the cam covers, plenum etc have had the same treatment in high temp crinkle coat Red.

Chassis repairs include cutting out any corrosion with the chassis set on a jig, new sections welded in the bead blast cleaned and corrosion protection coating in black. The coating applied is slightly flexible and chip resistant. Not cheap. .

Engine all stripped and being rebuilt with new pistons, liners, shell's rings all oil seals and gaskets. gearbox due to get same treatment then she will be fitted with a new clutch assembly, fork and release bearing. carbs stripped and being rebuilt and alloy engine parts vapour blasted back to as new.

 

[johnpwalsh]

Anyone spot the deliberate error in the pics above.

[mg4lotus]

Inside the wheels coated gloss red? Very nice but will never be seen.

[johnpwalsh]

Yep, but helps the tyres slip onto the rims and seal nice and easy. Nobody noticed I posted the wrong pic of the inlet manifold and plenum.

 

[Escape]

I did see it was a Turbo manifold, but wasn't sure about the exact build you were describing. 😉

[johnpwalsh]

So tomorrow we are off to Englandshire again to rescue another old Lotus. This time we are about too pull an S2 Esprit out of it's long hibernation. That will make 1 x 1 Esprit S1, 1x 1 Esprit S2, 1x1 S3 N/A, 1x 1 S3 Turbo, 1 x 1 S4 turbo all in the workshop. Then the usual cluster of Excel SE's, Excel narrow body, Eclat's, an Elite and the Elan 130+2. Nice lineup I recon.