New LEC member in the New York City area

[danbrown100]

So, where to start?!

I bought my "new" toy on August 29th from a guy in Bethlehem PA via the lovely eBay. Not a bad little car, 54,000 miles but rather scruffy inside and out. The clear coat is shot on the bonnet and boot (yes I am a Brit) and the A pillar seals obviously leak as the oatmeal carpet set stinks! Also the car overheated when the guy was trying to sell it and so took it to his local garage where they fitted a switch hanging off the dash to manually switch on the cooling fans when the temperature starts to creep up! No carpet inserts in the doors and the passenger window doesn't really go up or down.

But boy does it drive well - even my wife acknowledged, as if on rails!

Why an Elan? In short, I have been lusting after one for 25 years! I was working at Lotus Engineering for a 3 month industrial attachment in 1990 and already had my heart set on buying one. At the time, the airfield used by Lotus as a test track was parked up with 100 or so unsold Elans and I had a plan to nab one when Lotus announced they were stopping making them and they sold out in a week!

Fast forward a quarter century, and I am living in the US having married a lovely New Yorker. Feeling a mid life crisis coming on, I "invested" $8,000 into my dream car and am pouring over all the posts on LEC to find out what needs to be done and what is possible.

I am so pleased to be part of the outstanding Elan community and look forward to (a) many happy, trouble-free miles of motoring (!) and (b) meeting you on either side of the Atlantic at future social events.

I am drawing up my battle plan for the renovation and will post it, and some photos, shortly!

Thanks

Dan

[Brit-Car-Nut]

Greetings and welcome.

Pictures are always nice regardless of current conditions.

The cooling bypass switch doesn't seem to be a good solution. I suggest you consider replacing the thermostat and the cooling fan switch. There is a Pontiac Fiero switch available that will cut the fans on at a lower temperature but the stock switch should be fine for NY. Where in NY are you? The big apple or one of the more outlying areas?

The WikiLEC also has a lot of DIY postings of processes and solutions for most major issues.

[steve matthews]

Hello Dan, like John said pictures or you don't own one.
Honey Badger don't give a s**t about clear coats anyway.
Welcome and enjoy.

Steve

[robertverhey]

My fans stopped cutting in soon after I bought the car.....I meticulously traced that circuit from the battery feed right through...turns out I started at the wrong end, the problem was a loose earthing lead on the radiator housing. It's a pretty straightforward circuit....good luck!

[tb10]

Welcome and enjoy the car after your 25 year wait!

Regards


John

[HJ2]

welcome aboard and happy Elanning

[Jamie N]

Look forward to seeing the pics Dan. Whats the deal with the Honey Badger? , It looks like a mean beast!.

[steve matthews]

Whats the deal with the Honey Badger? , It looks like a mean beast!.

Google Honey Badger don't give a s**t

Steve

[danbrown100]

Pic of my Elan

Here you go - proof!

[steve matthews]

Dan, start the cleaning. A garage or enclosed area would work better for your cold winters.

Steve

[epipete]

That blue vacuum hose that 'powers' the DV can be fed from a spare nipple at the rear of the plenum - better routing and much neater!

[danbrown100]

These photos were by the previous owner when he was advertising it - the cleaning has started! I have a cover for day-to-day protection and I have a garage for the winter period. I am anticipating driving the car on those cold clear dry days we have here sometimes. I just have to get the heater blower working first (probably a fuse or a relay as it was working a couple of weeks ago!)

Thanks for the advice about the blue hose routing - I will look into that for sure.

I am off to visit family in the UK this weekend and will be picking up a delivery from SJ Sportcars, a UK spec non airbag steering wheel and a replacement mater brake cylinder upgrade from Rock Auto...

[DaveT]

Love the books Dan- keep them coming!!!!