XIL - A Rolling Project

[cliff]

I'll be interested to hear how you get on with the Struts, I fitted a pair a few years back and found they left the bonnet sitting a little high, not terribly, but apparent nevertheless. You're more 'the perfectionist' (which I admire) than I am so I'm interested to see if this is also a problem for you and if so how you manage it.

I thought welding part of the strut bracket (the upright) to the hinge might do it (and toyed with getting a set of hinges off the Aftersales to play with) but it's beyond my skill set!

Pete, it does sit a little high but its not noticeable unless you are really looking for it. May be able to adjust it a bit more.

[Scott]

Yes I will post pictures soon!
About bushes not very sure but I had done a major service in both suspensions 3 years ago and consider that car hasn't been used the last year. So they're kinda new but I might go for new when I order the GAZ set. What is your experience with gaz's?
My alternator has been reconditioned also 3 years ago,became totally new (cost 400euro!!), gear cables are new and better as my old one were cut(!!) and had to replace them with a new flywheel/clutch kit strong enough for 300bhp.
In general, after the rebuilt of the engine, I am gonna be ok from there, so I have to go for chip, exhaust,brakes of course and shocks! Then it's about the looks

[HJ2]

What clutch kit did you use then?

[cliff]

Yes I will post pictures soon!
About bushes not very sure but I had done a major service in both suspensions 3 years ago and consider that car hasn't been used the last year. So they're kinda new but I might go for new when I order the GAZ set. What is your experience with gaz's?
My alternator has been reconditioned also 3 years ago,became totally new (cost 400euro!!),

Alternator from Wood Autos was about 130 pounds, you were royally ripped off there.

Like the GAZ but I did have some corrosion issues, GAZ replaced them for me and are still ok. Remember, springs do sag over time as well.

[Scott]

Yes I will post pictures soon!
About bushes not very sure but I had done a major service in both suspensions 3 years ago and consider that car hasn't been used the last year. So they're kinda new but I might go for new when I order the GAZ set. What is your experience with gaz's?
My alternator has been reconditioned also 3 years ago,became totally new (cost 400euro!!),

Alternator from Wood Autos was about 130 pounds, you were royally ripped off there.

Like the GAZ but I did have some corrosion issues, GAZ replaced them for me and are still ok. Remember, springs do sag over time as well.

Yes here in Greece the're trying to robb you. Now I have to pay 1000euro for some really little turbo servicing, some dust filling in exhaust manifold, springs and some little things for pistons (some metals) and labour.
Anyway I hope they have done good job I'm getting the car soon guys!!
But I should ask about the clutch kit. Exedy maybe??

[HJ2]

I have an Exedy clutch kit, but I am not aware that this is an upgrade
I'd need to compare the part nrs.However, it is not very important since I am not about to install another

Enjoy your ride

[HJ2]

What is a good adress in Europe to get a clutch kit nowadays?

[dapinky]

What is a good adress in Europe to get a clutch kit nowadays?

I know it isn't Europe, but I still don't think you can beat USA for these things - my clutch kit arrived from Rock Auto less than a week after being ordered.

[Peter D]

Any experiences with the SJ kit SJ100Q0001 ?
On the pic it says Exedy, though the kit looks not as extensive as the one on RockAuto (extra bearing, align aid and grease).

[chrisP]

I second RockAuto for clutch kits, well packaged and arrived in the week. Alot less money than most places as well.

Chris

[cliff]

[cliff]

Time for some fluids and a last check.

Outside under her own power for the first time in ages.

A few little issues, a fuel leak from the pressure regulator, cured by replacing the seal. Idle was way too high but noticed that I had left the vacuum pipe to the brake servo off.

Worst problem was that the gearbox jammed in a forward gear, so called Alan Voigt who overhauled the box, he suggested that the selectors may have moved in transit. I removed the selector box, reseated everything and put it back together, all good. Noticed the reversing light was on tried so select gears again, jammed. Selector box off again, found out that the new reversing light switch was jamming the mechanism. A thicker washer than the one supplied cured the problem. Thanks to Alan and Mark for their assistance today.

Need to bleed the brakes, compressor gave up the ghost today, then have a look at the cooling fans. Getting closer to MoT and road test.

[tigerdog]

Looks super. I like the body-colour spark plug cover, too. Tiny details make it special.

[cliff]

I have no idea where the time has gone since my last post so the poor car has just been sitting in the garage.

Made a determined effort to get the brakes bled on this trip to the UK, no air at the calipers but still no pressure at the pedal. Started the car and after a few minutes, clouds of white smoke, I found that brake fluid is being sucked through the servo into the engine. I guess the BMC seal has gone, allowing fluid into the servo, unfortunately this means the servo has to come out for overhaul/replacement.

Ironic given that this is one of the few parts I haven't replaced or had overhauled. The BMC is not too difficult but the servo looks like a different story, according to the manual, facia, steering column, & pedal box out! Luckily I have found an firm to refurb it not too far away in Rochdale. A "new" one is likely to have seals that are more than 20 years old and as mine has to come out anyway, there is no point fitting an unknown second hand unit. New hoses and one way valve and it should all be good but that has to wait until my next trip in April.

[cliff]

The Australian comedian Kevin Bloody Wilson sings a song describing the kind of day he has had. Note, only google this if you are very broad minded. After today, I know where he is coming from.

It started off quite well, steering wheel off, column out, instrument panel removed.

The silver box on the rh side is from the alarm immobiliser I had fitted a while ago, at least I can wire it correctly now. The black box on the left is from a previous alarm install. That will be removed.

Then the fun started, disconnect the earth point,the manual totally forgetting to mention that it is a nut and bolt.

The manual says remove the 2 securing nuts and leave the master cylinder connected. This is not possible unless you have a trained octopus. Removing the wiper motor and power steering reservoir give a little more access.

You then have to remove the 5 13mm bolts securing the pedal box, 3 of them can be seen marked in green.

There is no way of getting to these without removing the BMC & wiper motor.

The manual then says, remove the pedal box and servo. After trying for more than 1 hour, I gave up and went for a beer.

The designers of this car need to be forced to play the Kevin Bacon part in National Lampoon's Animal House. "Thank you sir, please may I have another" Except in their case, the scene needs to last a lot longer, about 1 year.

[cliff]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qdFLPn30dvQ

[Steve A]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qdFLPn30dvQ

Hi Cliff,

I've been following your progress with much interest over the years.
I have a few questions:
You used POR 15 a couple of years ago, how's it holding up.
You had to exchange your Gaz suspension as the first set corroded, is the new set any better?
Who was you point of contact at Gaz
What springs did you use?

Keep up the good work

[cliff]

More things that are not mentioned in the manual, this bracket has to be removed. Two, 13mm bolts.

There are also two 10mm bolts that hold the cable conduit to the pedal box. You can see 1, the other is hidden under the cable loom. Had the clown who wrote the manual procedure mentioned this, it would have saved a lot of time and effort.

After these are removed, the relay box can be repositioned to allow a bit of movement in the cables. The cables have to be moved to free the top of the pedal box.

Finally, with a lot of jiggling it is out. Full of brake fluid!! Some of which, just to make my day even better, spilled on the carpet.

There was a 'new' servo on ebay last week for a good price, however the seals will be 25 years old. This is a job I will do only once, I would rather scrap the car than do it again. So it has gone off to a company in Rochdale for overhaul.

http://www.jlspares.com

Not cheap but at least I know the seals are new.

When I calm down a bit and stop aching, I will write a wicki for this. Pray you don't ever need it.

[cliff]

Hi Steve,

thanks for the interest

POR seems to be doing ok, if I hadn't done most of the suspension work in Germany though, I would have had more stuff powder coated. So much easier to have this kind of work done in the UK.

Rear shocks sourced direct from GAZ.

Front shocks from South West Lotus, James dealt with the issues. Springs from SJ Sportscars.

Trying, but there is something profoundly depressing about stripping a car down that was only a brake bleed away from an MOT!

[Steve_P]

Very late to this thread having had the Elan off the road for a while - just wanted to say that I'm mightily impressed Cliff with your mechanical ability and commitment to see this restoration through to completion - WOW
I struggle these days to find enough motivation to wash the car and hoover the mats

It's easy to forget how old the M100 is now given that it still looks so modern.... seems like yesterday I was drooling over it at the Earls Court Motor Show...