Elan-specific bolt package

[nitroman]

There is no fooling you when it comes to screwing, herr doctor!  Technically & practically there can be both a #8 sheet metal screw and a #8 machine screw.  In this case they are sheet metal screws so Lotus really screwed the pooch in specifying M4 x 25; the closest in diameter & length for a metric machine screw to the actually used #8 x 1" sheet metal screw.

[Matt RI]

Nice, Grahame-<br><br>Shiny...<br><br>Could keep me occupied for days staring at those pictures!<br>

[grahamec]

[quote author=nitroman link=board=upgrades;num=1081810058;start=195#198 date=03/26/05 at 13:30:59]  Wait until you see pictures of what I am now doing to my car![/quote]<br>I can hardly wait, another kit ? yes please  ;D

[nitroman]

I am currently installing my "wheels-off" bolt-package.  It is a looker too but is taking a lot of work as I am doing it right; completely cleaning and de-greasing all components so I can clear-coat everything, A-arms etc. and avoid future rust issues.  It is so weird that 2 bolts side by side, even holding the same bracket to the chassis will use the same bolt size but a different thread-pitch.  It makes me want to shell out the $7.00 to order the entire "odd" bolt in a polished SS with a standard thread pitch.  For now though I will just remove these oddities & give them a good buffing & polishing myself.  My daughter was here all last week so I didn't lift a finger on this and today I could not paint as it literally poured-down all day long.  Tomorrow will be too cold to paint so that puts it off until Weds or Thurs.<br><br>This kit, although it will look the dogs, is fiscally not for the faint of heart.  The huge bolts do not come cheap, but my God when you take the wheel off it looks like a show-car!  I wanted to have this done B4 fitting the brakes so as to not get any overspray on new components.  In truth that is unlikely to happen as I am Zorro, the "masking man"!<br><br>Ah well, after the brakes & window repair I will be installing the nitrous purge kit, and changing undercarriage & tranny bolts for stainless ones... in that order.  Looks like a busy summer for me, which also holds the possibility of buying a 2nd Elan as my daily-driver.<br><br>Grahame was right, I am a glutton for punishment.  Ah well, I no longer have a wife to make me feel bad about myself, so I have accepted that challenge as my own!  Truth be told, I am rarely as happy, focussed, and relaxed as when working on my Elan.  Is that not the very definition of a great hobby?<br><br>p.s. - Ordered my daughter a top-o-the-line 500w electric scooter yesterday.  http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7144576324&ssPageName=ADME:B:EOAB:MT:6 Stands to reason she wanted the cool bodywork, aero-headlight, a trunk for her goodies... makes my scooter look like a Yugo.  All I wanted for mine was a big honkin motor & disk brakes front & rear.

[stevieshag]

Hi Matt,<br><br>my elan is currently up on axle stands as iam fitting all new front suspension bushes & hi-spec brakes, just wondered if there was any way i could assist you on your latest project, most of my bolts are off & i have taken a few pics on the way. If i can help in anyway just shout....<br><br>stevie

[nitroman]

Steve, you being in the UK places you nearer the Prime Meridian of the Metric Universe.  If I were to task you with finding stainless fine-thread Acorn Nuts & Nylocs with the precise thread-pitch needed for the Elan's front-suspension could you find them?  If this is so you could send them to SCS for polishing and we would have not just a great job, but work well & truely fit for a king.  <br><br>In reality this is only imperative for the Acorn nut atop the tie-rod-end, as like I said in my prior message I can change out entire bolts to use instead a fastener with a standard-size-thread-pitch, except in this one case, as it has to accomodate the thread of the tie-rod-end.<br><br>This is your mission.  Should you choose to accept it I will measure the TPI tonight so you will know exactly which stainless nut you need a-corn for!   This, Stevie-shag, is your nuttiest mission. [smiley=helpsign.gif]

[stevieshag]

Well i think i am officialy a NUTTER  [smiley=fruit.gif]<br>i have been doing some homework, found a few suppliers, so will check them out in next couple of days..<br>

[nitroman]

Lotus Elan Front Suspension nuts in non-standard thread pitches<br><br>OK here are the weird nut thread pitch's needed to do a front suspension job.  You/me/anybody will need 2 of each.  The 2nd number in each listing is the thread pitch.  1)  M12 x 1.5 Acorn Nut.  This is part # 24 on page 32.03A in the parts manual.  Of all 3 parts being discussed here...  this will have the greatest visual impact and immediately informs a mechanic "someone takes very special care of me."<br><br>The other 2 are Nyloc nuts found on page 31.01A.   One is size M10 x 1.25 and the other is size M12 x 1.5<br><br>It is imperative to find these in stainless as that type of metal can be polished to a "mirror-mirror on the wall" clarity; which is the entire point now isn't it?<br><br>These guys seem to have EVERYTHING WE ARE LOOKING FOR and are located in the UK http://www.beedspeed.com/fasteners.html

[stevieshag]

Hi Matt, <br><br>do you want me to get you a set of the nuts, i am going to get myself a set. So will order yours at the same time if you do...<br><br>M10 x1.25     x2  nyloc<br>M12 x1.5       x2  nyloc<br>M12 x1.5       x2  Acorn/Dome<br><br><br>stevie..

[nitroman]

Hi Stevie, a most generous offer,  You are spot-on in the parts needed.  I have taken the liberty of snapping a few shots of my work-in-progress to help you decide what to  do.  Here are the 3 pieces in question from this supplier:  One is a std-thread and polished by SCS.  The other 3 are cleaned by me and tripple gloss-clear painted by myself; although it can be told far more easily with the naked eye and with direct sunlight; the average person will no doubt have a hard time discerning for himself.  See what you think?  Remember, one is by SCS & the other 3 are 14-year-old-bolts "spit-polished" by me.<br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br>

[Monty]

Matt,<br><br>I`m only seeing the one photo  :-/<br>Since i`ve gone a bit bling under the Hood, will u let us know when u put u`r bolt package on ebay? (i`m just after the engine bay bits) other wise i`ll end up stealing Dico bits  ;D

[stevieshag]

Thats very impressive. [smiley=happyclap.gif]<br><br>hard to tell which is the scs, i need to get new dome nuts as mine are u/s.  think i will have a go at polishing myself,as my bolts are all ok.  could save myself a few quid..<br><br><br>just not very good with my right hand... [smiley=bonk.gif]<br>

[nitroman]

Here is your clue:  the last pic at the bottom of the page, the 2 lower nuts & bolts are 10mm, and all 3 nuts are nylocs.  The one closest to you is the brand-new SCS polished stainless nut (size M10 x 1.5 nylock).  The other is the oldie-but-goodie size M10 x 1.25 nylock.  I removed a massive amount of corrossion from it to get it to its present state, polished it, sprayed it 3-times & let it dry 36-hours with Eastwood Diamond Clear Gloss for bare metal surfaces (part #10200Z)... so I will never have to do this again.  Any other product I have tried over the years flakes off leaving your handiwork exposed to the elements again.  The top nut is an M12 x 1.5, another original piece which I restored.<br><br>If you have the money or lack the expertise or just don't have the patience then purchase new stainless bolts.  Obviously I could never offer a resto kit using your old bolts as how would I ever obtain them to restore them?  That is one reason I pointed you to http://www.beedspeed.com/fasteners.html.<br><br>If the weather cooperates I will finish the front suspension in totality this weekend.  It has been alternativaly too cold & then too rainy/humid to paint anything outside in my heated garage for the last 2 weeks.  How you people in the Isles ever manage to battle Mother-nature and get your work done is beyond me.  Give me back my good old 90% workdays in Florida anytime as opposed to this!  Besides my joints love the heat, even 95 & 100 -degrees, and my skin can't possibly dry/crack in that glorious humidity.  It may be a bug's weather, but maybe that is why they have survived so long as a species! [smiley=kicking.gif]<br><br>Have patience and when you do see this entire glorious suspension complete you will be in awe of what a simple-man using 42-years of experience and plain hand-tools can accomplish all on his own!  'Tis this I promise thee.   [smiley=dizzy.gif] with [smiley=disbelief.gif] (dumbfounded with disbelief) I tell you!  :-)  My garage is a time machine for Elan's:  old one's go in, and new one's come out!

[stevieshag]

My thoughts on the suspension nuts & bolts is that, only the 2 ends will be seen, so why purchase brand new bolts when the ones i have are perfectly ok, i will endeavour to get them polished as beautifully as yours, & i will let you be the judge of that. <br><br>Not sure about your joints, ours are normally best when shared by a few close friends...... [smiley=smokin.gif]<br><br> ;D ;D ;D ;D

[grahamec]

[quote author=stevieshag link=board=upgrades;num=1081810058;start=210#213 date=04/02/05 at 11:44:42]not sure about your joints, ours are normally best when shared by a few close friends...... [smiley=smokin.gif]<br><br> ;D ;D ;D ;D[/quote]<br><br>Shagman !!!    Behave ::)

[nitroman]

My thoughts on this project are that at 42-years of-age my paint & prep skills have finally reached or surpassed those of a professional, but my carbon-based-life-form-self is only good for a one-day-job (14-hours-nonstop) of parts-off-frame restoration!  You guys ain't seen nuthin' yet!  I have the R/H side completely done and I don't think I'll ever put the wheel back on again, as that would just block the view!  I'll give it a day or 2 more to dry B4 cleaning the fender-well then post shots.  My dumb-ass neighbor disconnected my 500w light shining straight-up at the suspension bits which was keeping them warm & the paint curing.  Oh how I miss the warmth of Florida!  When things are always 70-degress or more you never realize what a needfull thing paint is.<br><br>After that I still have the entire L/H side to do, by which time I will be dead and one of you will inherit the car!<br><br>BTW, while I am very proud of the job I have done polishing the ancient Lotus bolts SCS will remove all the small crevaces which hold dirt & eventually lead to corrosion..  I know me, and while I am more than pleased with what I have I will eventually get the best available, as I have come to accept that is how I am.  This will of course require the services of 2-companies, the one in the UK which supplies the parts and SCS which does the polishing.  If anyone else is interested in doing this give me a ring & we will work something out.  It is just 6 lousy parts/person, fer 'chis sake!<br><br>Isn't there anyone else out there as fanatically insane as I am?<br><br>=======================================<br>QUESTION/TOPIC #2<br>(unrelated to the above posting)<br>=======================================<br>p.s. - For those of you who earlier expressed an interest in a "wheels-off" kit it proves you are totally, completely insane, but still I am willing to keep my word and supply you a price if that is in fact your wish.  Cheers, Matt

[Monty]

Isn't there anyone else out there as fanatically insane as I am?

<br><br> ;D  [smiley=rofl.gif]<br><br>U going to start on the rear  :P

[nitroman]

Hell no.  I am a boob man remember?  I ALWAYS start at the front!

[nitroman]

Hey nut men, Sy, Doug, Grahame... your nuts & bolts arrived today;  your shipping might be delayed as I am suffering from a staff shortage.  Dave M., how hard is it & what do I have to do to file for an April 15th extension deadline.  Have never filed this late before.  Please, the pros & cons, I need your advice ASAP!!!!!!!!!!

[Doug]

Matt, just becuause I welcome your siny nuts does not make me a 'nut man' -- I too am a 'boob man' and am in your club . . .  ;D