How much trouble am I looking at?

[cornbeef]

So I just joined and even introduced myself in the new member section. I looked at a federal m100 today that needs some TLC. It's great looking from 20ft but any closer its shine fades....

It kinda fits what I'm after but buying it comes down to price and in particular how much those big items are to right and hence why I'm here. The three things that are of concern

1 finding a federal rear taillight as I know they are like hens teeth

2 the power steering has a leak - looks like the rack, how much of a headache is it to replace and will non US racks work? Or can they be rebuilt?

3 finally the brakes. The pedal is very soft at the top and then once it firms up it needs a massive shove to stop it (fells like a cable operated brake), so any suggestions on what might be going on there would be welcome.

Other than that it has a few of the little m100 items that youd expect to see and on the plus side it has had a number of m100 issues sorted but I want to get a grasp on 2 and 3 before making a fair offer

[ashm]

So I just joined and even introduced myself in the new member section. I looked at a federal m100 today that needs some TLC. It's great looking from 20ft but any closer its shine fades....

It kinda fits what I'm after but buying it comes down to price and in particular how much those big items are to right and hence why I'm here. The three things that are of concern

Welcome! I'm sure loads of helpful people will be along shortly...

1 finding a federal rear taillight as I know they are like hens teeth

There have been a couple of cars bite the dust in recent history, someone here may be able to help. I seem to recall there was a red one with the front crushed by a truck? Also a yellow (in Canada?) which took a large deer/moose to the bonnet... my point is, they might be rare but this is probably the best place to find one. Also keep an eye out for parted out or knackered Renault Alpines.

2 the power steering has a leak - looks like the rack, how much of a headache is it to replace and will non US racks work? Or can they be rebuilt?

I believe LHD racks are still available (or were recently) from the Lotus aftersales list for a very good price. Even if not, there are plenty of places that'll refurb a rack and return it good as new for a reasonable fee, even in post-industrial Britain so you shouldn't have too much trouble in a good practical country like the US. I assume you're in the US?

3 finally the brakes. The pedal is very soft at the top and then once it firms up it needs a massive shove to stop it (fells like a cable operated brake), so any suggestions on what might be going on there would be welcome.

Welcome to the Elan dodgy braking club! If the rest of the car's in need of TLC, I'm surprised the brakes work at all... There are several options.
The rear brakes will seize up over time. The sliding pins can be refurbed given a little time and some cheap parts, and will probably improve matters quite a bit, particularly with respect to the parking brake. The rear discs can be tricky as they're of one piece with the hubs. They don't wear much, but you may have to have them skimmed if they're rusty. When they get too thin, you'll either have to get new (fairly expensive) parts from Lotus, or find a kit to convert to a normal hub and disc arrangement - this might also be expensive, but at least you can expect replacement discs to be cheap in future. There have been projects to manufacture such kits, but you may have to find a friendly machine shop.
The fronts are more serious, and influential as they do most of the braking. These calipers can also get sticky, and a refurb will often do wonders, but that'll only really get you to just about adequate. Good pads will improve matters noticeably but many people find that the only way to get confidence-inspiring braking performance is to upgrade to four-pot calipers and bigger discs. I believe the best options vary depending on your country, but Hi-Spec, AP and Wilwood potentially give routes to good Elan braking. You'll find loads of information in the "Suspension and Brakes" forum.

Other than that it has a few of the little m100 items that youd expect to see and on the plus side it has had a number of m100 issues sorted but I want to get a grasp on 2 and 3 before making a fair offer

What are the other niggles? Some seemingly minor things can be quite tricky to resolve, whilst some seemingly major things are really very straightforward.
Enjoy!
Adam

[Brit-Car-Nut]

So I just joined and even introduced myself in the new member section. I looked at a federal m100 today that needs some TLC. It's great looking from 20ft but any closer its shine fades....

It kinda fits what I'm after but buying it comes down to price and in particular how much those big items are to right and hence why I'm here. The three things that are of concern

1 finding a federal rear taillight as I know they are like hens teeth

In the US, they are very rare and even though a few have replaced their lights with valances and round lights, they (intelligently) won't part company with the originals.

2 the power steering has a leak - looks like the rack, how much of a headache is it to replace and will non US racks work? Or can they be rebuilt?

The Fed rack is unique. The ROW/LHS rack will not fit. Rebuilding might be possible in the UK, but I don't know anywhere in the US that has access to the parts. Aftersales used to list a repair kit but I don't know anyone that has used one.

3 finally the brakes. The pedal is very soft at the top and then once it firms up it needs a massive shove to stop it (fells like a cable operated brake), so any suggestions on what might be going on there would be welcome.

Most often frozen sliders (single piston, sliding calipers) and possible bad BMCyl. Stock brakes are marginal but usable if you don't want to drive over it's capabilities.

Other than that it has a few of the little m100 items that youd expect to see and on the plus side it has had a number of m100 issues sorted but I want to get a grasp on 2 and 3 before making a fair offer

Where are you located?

[cornbeef]

Hi guys

thanks for the replies.

I'm outside Philly. I'm not too worried about the tail light, i know it'll just take time to find one when the planets align or one gets hit....

I knew about the dodgy breaking, but this is beyond that..... I know it could be a multitude of things but the only way to know for sure is to get the car, take it apart and go from there, I just don't want to overpay for a car that needs work and it can be used as a bargaining tool so am trying to work backwards..... I keep coming up with the same answers to what it could be from multiple sources, so am getting a clearer picture on where I need to be on the buying price. The good news is the stock brakes (once they work normally ) are fine for what I want it for, my Elise will take care of the real spirited driving

I found some lhd racks on ebay uk so it's good to know they won't work on a fed car, (why?) so that could become a headache to get rebuilt. It looks like it has been leaking for some time but again until I can take it apart and see for sure, maybe it is as simple as a seal..... It's not pissing out but it's wet enough that it definitely would be something that would have to be addressed right away. How big a job is removing the rack?

The niggles are basically missing small trim pieces (like the windshield corners, inside antenna cover etc), the front rubber spoiler, a few marks/scratches in the paint etc and general stuff you'd expect on a 22 yr old car. Nothing major to the working of the car but just items I'd like to potter at righting. All the electrics etc work and it has had some bigger jobs done like new shifter cables, a new roof, window motors etc so it's not all bad. When describing it to a friend I said it was a Wheeler Dealer car, not horrible, but one that needs some TLC and a loving owner to be right again. It'll never be a concours car but it has the potential to be a decent usable example of the model.

It's good to know I have a resource here to rely on so I'll probably make an offer on it and see how it pans out......

[cliff]

My power steering leak was coming from the union on the pipe from the reservoir to the rack, so worth checking the pipes first. They can be fabricated by a good hydraulic shop. I am really surprised that no one in the US can repair the racks though, most are generic and a power steering specialist will carry most of the seals and parts.

The rubber for the lower bumper is available from SJ sportscars or other sources, do a search on the forum.

Other trim parts can be had from members breaking cars - check out Stef's threads for example.

The brakes are poor but there are companies selling a Hi-Spec front upgrade and PNM engineering have developed a rear upgrade, so depending on the depth of your pockets, things can be improved.

Good luck with whatever you decide

[Brit-Car-Nut]

Hi guys

thanks for the replies.

I found some lhd racks on ebay uk so it's good to know they won't work on a fed car, (why?) ......

The Fed car has the SIR airbag system (and no adjustable steering wheel height) and the rack is different because of that. The front end is different from the engine forward. Even the longerons are different - they mount to the chassis differently with more bolts and I believe they are longer than the others. The front cross member is different as is the mounting system for the radiator. Hoses, fittings and lots of bits are unique to the Fed model. I would be happy to answer any specific questions regarding parts you might need. I can tell you what is Fed or generic. I am rebuilding two cars right now and up to my neck in parts searching.

[cornbeef]

Hi guys

thanks for the replies.

I found some lhd racks on ebay uk so it's good to know they won't work on a fed car, (why?) ......

The Fed car has the SIR airbag system (and no adjustable steering wheel height) and the rack is different because of that. The front end is different from the engine forward. Even the longerons are different - they mount to the chassis differently with more bolts and I believe they are longer than the others. The front cross member is different as is the mounting system for the radiator. Hoses, fittings and lots of bits are unique to the Fed model. I would be happy to answer any specific questions regarding parts you might need. I can tell you what is Fed or generic. I am rebuilding two cars right now and up to my neck in parts searching.

Ahhhh thanks I didn't think about the airbag wheel and lack of tilt over the ROW one.