Lotus Elan Central

This is my first Lotus but I believe the car is well known around these parts having belonged to Scott J, creating this thread to keep a record of my progress and help explain why my bank account is so low.

Just picked up from the gargae today and decided it needed a good clean with magifoam:-






Doesnt look too bad for 24 years old:-






It has been sitting around the dealers yard and warehouse for over 6 months so the inside was a bit dusty and grimy so it needed a good hoover, all the plastics cleaned, leather seats cleaned and conditioned:-






Gave the steering wheel a clean with a magic sponge and was amazed at the dirt/oil it took out and then applied some leather conditioner:-


Tucked up for the night alongside my other long term project, a B18 CRX:-

Looking good and much shinier than when Scott had it.











PS Look out though Par - he'll be knocking on your door to trade in his latest pimp my ride mobile hairdressing salon when he sees what you have done

Welcome to LEC. That Elan looks lovely in evocative black & gold. Your Magifoam pics are fantastic too. It looks like, once you have created the foam, you can't destroy it, only move it onto something else, like your drive. It reminds me of the cat rings in 'The Cat in the Hat Comes Back'!

eff off Rambo.

Looking good Steven!, I know first hand how much effort and attention to detail went into the CRX, if you get the Elan anywhere close to that standard it will be awesome!.

It was a real bugger keeping that black car shin, looks great when its valeted but attracts dirt quickly.

Scott J wrote:It was a real bugger keeping that black car shin, looks great when its valeted but attracts dirt quickly.

Meant to say Steven, when I fitted the roof seals on Blacky it was a bitter evening and Scott's missus was desperate to get back in the car and away home to the warmth (and rightly so), I think we all were!, therefore they didn't get the full on attention to detail I would normally give, it was a bit of a rush at the end if I remember correctly , so anytime you want you are welcome to pop down and we can perfect them.

That would be great Jamie, I noticed a bit of wind noise with the roof up and think it was coming from the roof seal area.

Will be looking to place an order for your windscreen wiper mod kit and S2000 seat bracket kit if you still do them.

Looking great par - of course, black is the best colour

I feel your bank account pain...

Didnt get a lot of time to work on the Elan today but managed to get a few things done.

The electric window switches were loose and popping out of the console so I removed them and refitted the metal locating plates so they are now nice and snug - at least until I hit the next pothole

The drivers side mirror was floppy in the up and down direction and the electric adjustment didnt work, removed the mirror glass and found a couple of locations where it wasnt clipped in properly. It took a lot of fiddling but managed to get it all back together, the mirror is now rock solid in position and can now be adjusted in all directions with the electric switch.

Nothing major but very satisfying all the same

Good work on the door mirror, I had forgotten about, i'd had a semi manual mirror for more years than I care to remember.

Jamie started fitting the seals in the sun, but as it went down the temperature plummeted and we all wanted to get indoors.

Had the afternoon off work to day so made a bit of progress.

Replaced nasty old worn and rusty brake disc and fitted the new redstuff pads I picked up from Scott, so both sides now have new discs & pads.







Think I have fitted the spring clip the wrong way round, thought I had removed it from the bottom but when I went to the other side to fit the pads that one was on the top!



Also decided to remove the gold pinstripe as it was peeling in a couple of areas, Scott also supplied me with a roll of new pinstripe but I think it looks cleaner without:-

Looking good Steven, definitely better with the stripe off, pinstripes are for suits .

I was in Kenny Browns motorsports today and he mentioned my car had been mentioned. He had a Calypso Red in for service (no name) and he hauled a silver one on a low loader from a shed in East KiLbride totally seized and somebody in Kent paid £2650 for it! KB was mightily surprised a shed collected that, so was I.... time to cry into my red wine beaker.

oh BTW a few wee mods on the MX after he has finished the Ferrari GT$ Dino he is building ............ Rambo.......... where are U ............. ????????

What did you wash the car with? Looks so shiny !

Never saw it that shiny in 10 years Scott Almost as shiny as my Collapso red

PS Pity Kenny Broon wasn't closer to me. For years he did an excellent job on Rambo and I reckon he must be one of the best, and most honest, mechanics currently working in Scotland. Your MX-5 is in good hands

Bawbag empty Scott