Ellen II (or Sis)

[Specky]

Advice required please....

Did all cars have Tq dampers fitted which links to the Pongo thingy...

The N/A doesn't have one.... or any mounts or any indication it's ever had one...

A big thankyou to Oliver... (I took a few photo of the old girl this weekend)

TTFN

[Specky]

Still trying to verify the orgins of the old girl....

Dear Mr SpeckYour car was known as I.B.3 which is why I couldn't relate it to yours. It was only after spending a few hours reading and sorting out these documents that I found one that links your chassis number to I.B.3. The interesting part is that the chassis number assigned is SCC100ZN1LHD16102, which correctly identifies a N/A engine, and the build records indicate that this was not a Turbo engine. Is it the V5 log book that says ZT1?, what does the vehicle chassis (stamped into the chassis above right hand rear wheel) and VIN plate (under the bonnet near the left hand headlamp) say ZT1 or ZN1? Considering how rare this model is, it would be good for you to have a certificate to verify its status, but that is entirely up to you.Look forward to hearing back from you,Regards,Lotus Archives

Bare in mind... Preproduction... IB3...Car 3

So today I had a look at the writting undearneath the clam

and guess what I saw

The initials O.D. as well



TTFN

[Nige]

You've certainly got a rarity there, probably the oldest Elan we have here. Following with interest.

[Specky]

You've certainly got a rarity there, probably the oldest Elan we have here. Following with interest.

And now with an N/A steering wheel fitted...

I can move her again....

Tomorrow Scouse and myself can comence day three and strip the back end and may be the Roof 'N' doors...

I have noticed another big ass crack in the tub..(and not mine)... it's near the battery compartment...

TTFN

[Nige]

My pleasure!

[tigerdog]

Hey Dave, looks like she's every bit as rare as you thought - maybe more so. You've been very busy in the last week. I thought I was doing well to have installed the plastic bits and indicator lens I brought back. Keep the story coming - it's a fascinating read!

[Specky]

The car reavelled some more today...

Archives say the car was Known as 1B3...

Not 1.B.4 that is on the clam...

But the side sills reveal a tale...

TTFN

[Specky]

So today DAY 3 We removed:-

The boot and seal
The Rear bumper...One seized nut/bolt
The Boot carpets
The washer bottle
The boot hinges and mechanism
The Hood cover
The hood cover hinges and mechanism
The Hood
The Battery Bay Plastic Trim
B-Post trim
seat belts
Speaker boxes
Rear lights
Number plate and Mount
Number plate lights


What I broke

Numerous Studs,bolts, nusts and receptacles
Stripped the threads on the seat mounting bolts....
How am I gonna remove them....

What I hurt

Now't today

What I learnt

These cars do corrode like fcuk

The bad news

The Metal work in the Side sills the bits with lightening holes are shot, corroded to hell, I put my thumb straight trough...

This will kill so many Elans, a bad pair of wishbones is nothing in comparrison....

The battery tray has corroded away...

The Good news

It's an Elan...

Cost:- £006:45

[GeoffSmith]

Specksaver!

I've only just got round to reading what you're up to and ............ for crying out loud, it ain't a minor project is it? I suggest it's moved to major projects - do you agree?

I think it's one of the most interesting projects ever. Not only are you finding out first hand about the final stages of development, but you're probably going to identify what could be killer problems for the rest of is later in our cars' lives. Keep up the commentary and take as many photographs as you can (oh, yo already do don't you, even of unfortunate souls removing wheels when they should be in the convoy!)

[Jackonicko]

According to the production list at:

http://www.gglotus.org/ggtech/m100-prod ... 00prod.htm

6102 was the second production Elan

According to the Hughes book, the 610* cars followed 101-105 (103 was the prototype, 101-2 being crash test cars), 251, 253, 254, 256 and 260, 12 (13?) 400 series cars (nine runners plus US crash cars), four 500 series, eleven 600 series and four 'on line' pre production cars with 6001-6004 chassis numbers.

That would make yours about the 50th running, driving Elan.....

Historic beast.

I wonder whether any of the older ones survive as runners?

[Specky]

Specksaver!

I've only just got round to reading what you're up to and ............ for crying out loud, it ain't a minor project is it? I suggest it's moved to major projects - do you agree?

Some one put here with the new LEC Format When they split the projects into minor and major...

I'm easy....but it would be nice

TTFN

[Specky]

According to the production list at:

http://www.gglotus.org/ggtech/m100-prod ... 00prod.htm

6102 was the second production Elan

According to the Hughes book, the 610* cars followed 101-105 (103 was the prototype, 101-2 being crash test cars), 251, 253, 254, 256 and 260, 12 (13?) 400 series cars (nine runners plus US crash cars), four 500 series, eleven 600 series and four 'on line' pre production cars with 6001-6004 chassis numbers.

That would make yours about the 50th running, driving Elan.....

Historic beast.

I wonder whether any of the older ones survive as runners?

Cheers...

That's cool.. I had read that years ago, but forgot all about it...

6103 is Known to me...(I bet he doesn't know I have his clam on my car.....From production )

There was a silver one on Ebay claiming to be the earls court car, but when you put the reg in the DVLA it says Not Known... None of the broucher cars work neither...

TTFN

[mnemonix]

The Metal work in the Side sills the bits with lightening holes are shot, corroded to hell, I put my thumb straight trough...

This will kill so many Elans, a bad pair of wishbones is nothing in comparrison....

Do we know how and where water gets at them ?
How can we check them on an un-dismantled car ?
What can we do to protect them for the future ?


Nice work anyway, makes me want another one now just to have a go at the lotus jigsaw puzzle.

[Specky]

The Metal work in the Side sills the bits with lightening holes are shot, corroded to hell, I put my thumb straight trough...

This will kill so many Elans, a bad pair of wishbones is nothing in comparrison....

Do we know how and where water gets at them ?
How can we check them on an un-dismantled car ?
What can we do to protect them for the future ?

Nice work anyway, makes me want another one now just to have a go at the lotus jigsaw puzzle.

Numerous ways...

The roofs leaks...
The door windows leak.... (into the doors...and then onto the sills.... and then into the car...)
Bulk head seals/gromets fall out...
There are under floor gromets that pop too
cracks in the tub...(if there are any)

and mines been in a river for short while... (I think this is not the reason as the rear lightning holes are fine...)

if you need to get in to the sills it's a job and a half and you'll break bits...

remove B-post cover...remove seat belt...remove plastic sill...peal back carpet and sound proofing

TTFN

[Specky]

A bit more admin investigation...

the hyper link mentioned later is the G.G. V.I.N. production link...

Dear Mr Speck

Sorry for the delay in replying. Due to the complexity of this, my colleague left it for my return.

As stated in the Lotus Service Notes manual, part number A100T0327J, "1990 Model Year Elan production commenced at VIN serial number 6100". This shows that the website you linked is not 100% correct.

As previously stated your car is Initial Build 3. You finding markings of "IB3" & "car 3" backs this up. As we have previously found out with the VIN label, the initial build cars are not 100% perfect, so there will be discrepancies in your car, like you finding parts labelled IB4 and you may well find other variations too. Please don't be put off that things don't match perfectly, I would say it adds to the cars interest.

You mention that a friend of yours has a similar car ending 6103, his car (which makes sense) is IB4. It goes up to IB9 (6108), after that they become production build cars.

Regards

The top Lotus lads



TTFN

[tigerdog]

The most amazing thing (to me) is these pre-production cars making it onto the street as regularly-registered drivers! I can't imagine many car companies putting such early products into the hands of paying customers, let alone their running along just fine for 18+ years. Great work on this very special car, Dave!

[Specky]

Just doing some planing for the next day of stripping..

I've got two questions...

Is there an easy way to disconect the electrics for the doors ?

I want to take the doors off in a oner, with no disassembly,

I've disconected the A-Post light switches, just leaving the main loom...

and the second...

Is there an easy way to remove the inboard seat mouting bolts...when you've stripped the threads/ just spinning

can you remove the seat just leaving the rails to allow more access...

TTFN

TTFN

[Specky]

So today DAY 4 We removed:-

The Seats
The doors
The Carpets
The facia
The dash


What I broke

A few dash brackets had disbonded

What I hurt

my head on the brake pedal...

What I learnt

The car has had a massive floor repair...

The bad news

The Metal work in the Side sills the bits with lightening holes are shot, corroded to hell, I put my thumb straight trough again...

This time forward left



The Good news

Hull city need about 17 more points for really good news

I've bought a few bitz

Engine hoist
Dizzy cap and arm

Cost:- £00131:00

TTFN

[Specky]

So today DAY 5 We aimed to remove the engine and gearbox, but something’s don’t always happen as you plan… we had planned to work outside, but with the wind, hail and freezing temperatures the work took place in a rather narrow carport…


So today we Jacked and lowered the car numerous times……

and went onto remove:-

The Ignition coil and mount + electrics
Vacuum pipes all over the place
Complete Air filter mount, pipe etc
The remaining charge cooler ducting, (smashed off in one off cars previous accidents)
The oil cooler duct complete with oil cooler and associated pipe work and car horn assy
PAS reservoir and pipe work
Disconnected the brake servo vacuum pipe
Gear gables disconnected from their mounts
Fuel lines disconnected from the carb
Exhaust disconnect from the manifold
Most of the coolant pipes removed in addition with the coolant bottle and mount
Speedo cable removed from the bulkhead
All the electrics of the engine
Starter motor electrics
Alternator electrics
Cracked the L/H axle nut
Cracked the front and side engine mount nuts



What I broke

Sheared one exhaust manifold stud
Extracted one exhaust manifold stud
Snapped a ½” drive off a 4” extension bar
Badly bent a ½” drive T-Bar, because I had a five foot hernia bar on the end...

What I hurt

Just my pride...

What I learnt

Don’t spray WD40 from under the car because it gets Scouse square in the face who’s working above you...

The bad news

I can’t crack the O/S axle nut at the moment… The tools to do the job are 50 miles away.... Hence what I broke



The Good news

Scouse disconnected the Alternator and starter motor…(Anyone who’s done this will know how hard this is and to think most people don’t even know where they are..)

It’s the Lotus part sale soon…

Received the certificate of provenance from Lotus archives…

I've bought a few more bitz

L/H Charge cooler duct
R/H Oil cooler duct
32mm impact socket
30mm impact socted


Sorry no pics today as the car looks the same….

Cost:- £00193:00

TTFN

[Jackonicko]

"I've bought a few more bitz
L/H Charge cooler duct
R/H Oil cooler duct...."

But by god, Specky, you did well with your personal courier service!

What's the difference between an NA wheel and an SE wheel? Or do you just mean that you got rid of that bizarre thing that was on the car already?