XIL - A Rolling Project

[epipete]

Do a bit, put it back together & enjoy the summer!!! The main worry I have is in regard to the outriggers (as pictured earlier), mine are like yours, this is the time bomb that is going to make all other restoration work redundant, and undermine the fabulous job you are doing!

The question is how best to address this problem.

Pete

[cliff]

Do a bit, put it back together & enjoy the summer!!! The main worry I have is in regard to the outriggers (as pictured earlier), mine are like yours, this is the time bomb that is going to make all other restoration work redundant, and undermine the fabulous job you are doing!

The question is how best to address this problem.

Pete

Do a bit, put it back together & enjoy the summer! Hindsight is wonderful. Great weather this weekend, had to take my son to Cologne, I really kicked myself for stripping the Elan.

Due to work & weather (minus lots), I have done very little this winter.

Did a compression check (with my really old tester) between 140 & 145 cold, not bad for 156k! New hoses & turbo o/haul then it's going back together for the summer.

I've been thinking a lot about the outriggers (pretty sad life really). I really want them sorted before I do much more on the car (respray etc) for peace of mind as much as anything else. I still feel a replacement could be welded/bonded in. I think this will be my priority winter project.

I read a thread some time ago about an Elite (or similar) undergoing a similar repair to metal reinforcement, can't remember where I saw it though. It was very comprehensive with lots of photos. Surfboardfiller has some good ideas and info.

viewtopic.php?f=30&t=17298

[epipete]

Yep, I agree both with the solution and the time frame (it'll wait 'til next winter).

Get back on the road soon, there's only a few more days of summer left!

[cliff]

[cliff]

One BIG recommendation ( i,ll remember next time )
sketch out a plan view of the shell identifying all the mounting points - include the lamp brackets etc..
now be carefull as you start removing bolts etc.. and lifting off the shell - note all the washers ( spacer's) - measure the overall thickness used - at each shimmed part - record this on the diagram for reference when you come to putting it back together

Good idea!

When we change aircraft windscreens, we make a cardboard template of the surrounding structure. That way, all of the old bolts, shims & nutplates are put in their correct places, makes replacing them very easy. Looks like that will be adapted for the Lotus.

[cliff]

Finally some free time. As there is some access now, a good time to fit Gordon's fans. Kudos to everyone who has done this with the turbo fitted.

Radiator lower frame looks worse than it is, rather than mess about, it is going for zinc treatment along with a few other bits.

The fans are still working but one is stiff to turn. If anyone is in desperate need, they are free to a good home.

Not happy with the radiator though, will take it out tomorrow for a better look but think it's time for a new one. Doesn't seem to be leaking but not really willing to take the chance. This might be why one side of the frame is more corroded than the other. According to the history, it was only replaced 3 years ago!

[cliff]

No evidence of a leak but the copper is corroded and flaking. There is an Anglia Radiators label on it so it has definitely had a re-core, not sure when though. Aluminium Rad ordered.

After rad removal, more project creep.

The lower part of the AC condenser has separated from the rest of it. It doesn't look corroded, aluminium corrosion usually appears as flaking or pitting. This looks more like the lower connecting pipe was not secured correctly and vibration has caused the cooling fins to separate. The AC was working when I last used it so it is still holding pressure.

I know AC is quite a rare option on the Elan but would recommend that anyone who has it, check their condenser lower pipe.

[cliff]

Got the condenser out eventually. Whoever designed those retaining nuts should be kicked up the backside every 10 minutes for the rest of his life! The other 9 minutes should be spent removing condensers with loose retaining nuts. The idiot who specified them on the Lotus should join him. Have these people ever heard of clipnuts? (OK, rant over)

The pipework is firmly attached but nothing seems straight. I am not sure what has caused this, maybe a front impact. Everything looks OK but I can see where one of the bumper mountings looks damaged. This is on the to do list for later.

On the plus side, condensers are shown on the aftersales list for £65. Just waiting for a reply from Lotus.

[Neko Elan]

Love your post !
Keep the good works and keep updating, this is inspiring !

[cliff]

I wasn't too happy with the state of the block water inlet housing so I removed the manifold for a better look. Quite happy I did as I found the dipstick tube was not even finger tight! Might account for some of the oil stains on the block.

I had ordered gaskets but they are on back order so I left well alone and cleaned and painted the water pipe in situ. I was impressed how easy the manifold came off, just needed to unbolt the steering pump for access.

Samco hoses came today, condenser & radiator a few days ago.

Matching a few hoses.

There is a metal pipe which joins 2 hoses to the left of the heater control valve in the picture above. Mine looked like this:

I had no obvious leaks but there are several pinholes in it, looking at the corrosion, it was only a matter of time before it failed. For anyone who has not replaced their hoses, I would recommend having a look at this.

[whippit]

there's two of them on the cooling system i think, mine where in a even worse state there still available from lotus though for a couple of English pounds

[cliff]

The parts guide is not clear but I think it's B075K0111Z. (46.01A item 23) SJ's list them and the photo looks about right.

Thanks for the tip whippit, I will give the local Lotus dealer a call on Monday.

[cliff]

So, a few small jobs before work rears its ugly head tomorrow.

Everest chip installed along with missing wires. Quite easy really thanks to Geoff's great write up. The only pic I remembered to take was the RH front harness plug.

I won't be using the car until the brake upgrade is finished. (Also not a good idea with the lower radiator mount removed)

Samco's progressed. Not difficult but found it better to take the old hoses out together rather than try to split them on the car. Also removed the thermostat housing to clean it. Radiator & turbo were all ready out so that made life better as well.

Those intake pipes have got to go. As soon as I get my spare set, they are going to Amber Performance to see what Samco can do with them.

Manifold & heatshields refitted, new studs, nuts & gasket from SJ's. I wanted some POR 15 Manifold Gray but no stock in the UK or Germany so used another high temp paint, not sure how long it will last but better than the rusty look it had before.

Word of advice, if you want to bake the smaller parts in the oven as recommended on the can (being single my kitchen has none of that underlying drone that seems to be a feature of married life), make sure you clean all of the old oil out of the dripstick tube. Not nice! Not a recommended way of testing the smoke alarm either.

New turbo, freshly ported. They come apart really easy when new.

[cliff]

Some stuff was waiting for me when I got back from work.

The radiator & Y brackets plus the towing bracket were powder coated by Mercury Electroplating.

I had the down pipe ceramic coated in satin black. I havn't seen any evidence of heat damage running the car without the lower heatshields but thought while it was apart, I might as well have it done anyway. The upper heatshield was done in cermachrome just for a bit of bling. Both done by Camcoat.



Just waiting for a few bits to arrive from SJ's, then it's going back together.

[hatters]

Its a good job you are single because you would have an awful lot to answer for if you were married and your wife got hold of the receipts for all this NEW STUFF you have put on the car !!
Joking apart I think you are doing a grand job and thanks for posting all the photos and work descriptions its a great help to the rest of us on here
If you haven't yet changed the steering wheel beware ,I changed mine on my first M100 and used a puller to remove the old one but I only just managed it I was using so much torque on the puller I thought the steering column was going to come of its mountings before the wheel came off .It was extremely tight

[Rice crispy]

Looks very nice

[cliff]

Its a good job you are single because you would have an awful lot to answer for if you were married and your wife got hold of the receipts for all this NEW STUFF you have put on the car !!
Joking apart I think you are doing a grand job and thanks for posting all the photos and work descriptions its a great help to the rest of us on here
If you haven't yet changed the steering wheel beware ,I changed mine on my first M100 and used a puller to remove the old one but I only just managed it I was using so much torque on the puller I thought the steering column was going to come of its mountings before the wheel came off .It was extremely tight

Been there! Had my Scimitar resprayed without telling her, left it in the garage & went to work. The phone call wasn't pleasant, luckily I was in Amsterdam at the time.

Done the steering wheel, I was just about to give up, as the bracket was seriously distorting, when it finally let go!

[cliff]

Found some more evidence of a front end impact. I had decided not to take the front bumper off until my next trip to the UK, this justifies it. Germany has a lot of good things going for it but trying to do any kind of restoration or repair is a nightmare. Things you take for granted in the UK, like specialised workshops or a good motor factors, don't exist over here. Instead there is a disease called ATU, basically imagine Halfords run by people with an IQ of 10! Even getting an AC pipe repaired at an AC specialist was only possible because the Polish guy there could think laterally while the Meister had no clue! Knew how to charge though!

Condenser, radiator & Gordon's fans fitted.

The new recirc pump mounts about 2" more to the right (from the rear) to allow for the plug.

This means even more slack for the lower Samco hose, a couple of P clips later, sorted. I do prefer the original idea with the metal pipe which clamped on to the lower radiator bracket. Mine was too corroded to re-use though.

Turbo mounted, annoyingly the new studs that I ordered hadn't been delivered! Luckily, I found Specky's Turbo rebuild thread, the BSL-258952 studs did the job. Thanks Specky.

viewtopic.php?f=31&t=19190&hilit=turbo+rebuild&start=40

Downpipe fitted

Almost there

[cliff]

Filled up with distilled water, for leak checks & to clean out the old coolant. One slight problem though!

The gasket had come away from the front nut on the thermostat housing & I didn't notice when I fitted it. Happy I was only using distilled water, embarrassing though

CAS removed for access, makes life much easier.

Leak checks (now) OK, O2 sensor & heatshield fitted.

Found the time to clean up the black trim. Best thing I have found for this is silicon grease.

[tigerdog]

Looking good!