Hi there everybody!

[hhisiii]

New, very happy, Élan owner here

She joins the stable alongside my 81 Landy Series III 88 and my boring daily beater Disco II

This forum is awesome and really helped me out with this purchase! Thanks y'all !

[Peter_W]

Fantastic! Congratulations and welcome to LEC! One of my most memorable drives was the 1,000 mile drive home after buying mine.

[hhisiii]

The nearly 300 miles driving it home was a blast! The handling on this car is insane! I drove a bunch of boxsters before I decided to look for an Elan and, honestly the Elan handles better!

[tigerdog]

Welcome from the bottom leftest corner of the continental US! Looks like a lovely car. Would appreciate some detailed photos of the interior. Yours may be the only striped-seat Elan in North America. Very cool!

[Rice crispy]

congratulations enjoy the car

[HJ2]

Welcome aboard!

[rip]

I drove a bunch of boxsters before I decided to look for an Elan and, honestly the Elan handles better!

What do you expect?
With Lotus, handling is everything...then the development budget runs out.

Glad you like it & welcome.
How did TG know it has striped seats?? I trust from his comment, your wheels & the fact it is a LHD, you are in North America somewhere?

[hhisiii]

This car has been discussed on the forum a few times, with a few postings in the for sale section.

Yup, I'm in the states!

[Brit-Car-Nut]

The car is listed under North American Cars for sale and has a lot of pictures available. Since it used to live close to me I have seen it and it does have striped seats like those in the UK.

Was supposedly special ordered by the dealer for his own ownership.

[steve matthews]

Welcome hhisiii, good job on the car Calypso is the best color for the Elan
I also have striped seats however I do not have red carpets.
More pictures as things develop.
Beware of project creep.
See you at Log 34.

Steve

[hhisiii]

Yeah, the carpet option seems to be pretty rare. I need new floor mats, the ones in there are just generic rubber. Fortunately, there are some nice looking embroidered ones on ebay in red/black.

If the weather holds out, I'm detailing her tomorrow!

[hhisiii]

The weather did not hold out.
But I did get the garage cleaned up enough to pull her in and out of the elements

[hhisiii]

And I have my first oil change under my belt.....that was truly obscene.....easily the biggest PITA oil change I've ever done!

[tigerdog]

Yeah, the RHD guys don't know how good they have it. The oil filter on the North American Elan is like my toes. If I bend my head at just the right angle, I might catch a glimpse of it. Actually have on one or two occasions.

[hhisiii]

I must have been a heck of a sight....hunched over, head jammed in the wheel well, flashlight in my mouth, one arm over the axle, one under and cursing like a sailor.

[rip]

Yeah, the RHD guys don't know how good they have it.

Mine is a PITA too. Some get at it via the wheel arch, but there is no chance on mine. I have to access it from above the plenum, which is what I assume you have to do.
I can't see it & the surrounding pipework makes it impossible for me to get my have & a removal tool at it.
My recommendation is to pay a little extra for a K & N filter. These have a 1" hex fitment on the casing to which you can attach a spanner.

[dapinky]

Or 'just' remove the prongeron - plenty of access that way!

[hhisiii]

Actually, I got it from the wheel well/underneath and managed to get a filter wrench on it....I had to get a filter wrench on it because it was not going to budge by hand.

[tigerdog]

I have to access it from above the plenum, which is what I assume you have to do.

Nope. Because of different layout, you cannot even see the filter from above the plenum, let alone touch it. It's just a PITA. Welcome to the club!

[HJ2]

It get's easier when you have done it a lot
I would say: Park on ramps and go from below. You can put a belt on it & undo it 1/16 of a turn each time till it goes by hand.
I got quite handy at it now!