newbie with new project....

[jezf]

hello to all,
having recently acquired an elan, i now want to restore it to its former glory. ( no major issues, just niggles).
i was wondering if there was a meet near me (leicester area) or whether anyone here is attending cholmondeley for me to pick their brains?
i would also love to see how the hood is supposed to work as mine has a mind of its own and cant find any literature on it!!

cheers
jez

[epipete]

Welcome Jez,

I'm nowhere near your neck of the woods so can't help on the first issue, and re your hood, there are folkes on here who can do magic but even they might need a tad more detail.

[Enright]

Welcome. Go on then, let's see pics of it and the list of what needs doing - we always like to see a project!
It would be worth putting your location in your profile for when you come to tackle some of those issues and have to ask questions about them - people will inevitably ask.

There's a West Mids meet coming up next week, see here:
viewtopic.php?f=75&t=23456
Re the roof: If you download the manuals I'm sure there'll be a section in there about how it's all supposed to work, then you can see if it does or not. I was shown by the previous owner before I bought mine and have never really had a problem with it (other than the odd careless trapped finger)!

[theelanman]

Welcome
hope youre enjoying the car......
I am near Cholmondely....ish but not going to CPOP......
as mentioned if you could give a little more detail as to your location local help may be at hand...
cheers
G

[cliff]

Hi Jez, welcome to LEC.

Here are the pages from the owners handbook.

As Neil said, download the manuals when you can, also try a search on here, there is lots of useful information.

[epipete]

I don't have a 'retaining strap', does anyone have a retaining strap? Never heard of such a thing

[theelanman]

I think it went with the opera headlights...........

[jezf]

hi
thanks for the replies.
cant make the midlands meet next week as on hols but when and where is the next one. think it would be better to view other hoods to see how bad mine is in comparison?

would you guys on here advise against trying to fit a new hood myself?
(fairly practical with workshop and weekend car only so no need to rush).
as i wanted to give the frame a spruce up as well with the hood off.

[tigerdog]

Retaining strap??? Never seen one, so I expect it was an early production thing. I have a colour-coordinated BRG bath towel, strategically folded in a triangle to press down on the top when the hard cover is closed, eliminating rattles. I roll a second towel into a cylinder and drop into the plastic window to keep it from creasing and scratching while folded. If it ever rained around here, I'd use the towels to keep water off my knees.

[Ian T]

My car has the retaining strap.

It's one of the early ones with the opera glass headlamps, so that indeed seems to explain it.

For those now feeling hard done by that Lotus deleted a vital part that you really needed, I found that it was a pain to use and just got in the way if you didn't. Mine is in the boot awaiting refitment after having the whole scuttle lining out to renew the fuel filter last summer. I won't bin it, but am getting on just fine without it.

Ian.