New member from Carlisle

[peter123]

Hello everyone,i have been reading a few posts as a guest for a few days now since purchasing my first Elan a week ago,so i thought i better join as it is a project car with quite a few jobs to do on it,and i will probably need lots of advice on various problems that will no doubt crop up.
It is a 1992 se,it had been stored for a few years before i bought it,so it is in need of a good going over,i have got it running and the motor sounds fine,although there is no alternator belt on it and the alternator seems to be siezed!!and theres an oil leak coming from in front of the front drivers side wheel,probably from the oil cooler.
The brakes also don't work as the rear caliper has been removed.
So i look forward to getting another Elan back on the road.......eventually,

[Paul Alexander]

Hello Peter, and welcome to the forum. post a couple of pictures of your elan, so we can see the 'state' of your car, before you start pulling your hair out......er, i mean before you spend time and money in lovingly rejuvinating your elan.

there are many experts here who will help you out if you get stuck (i've been helped a few times), so good luck.

[Fredjohn]

Hello Peter and welcome to what I find to be a very helpful and informative site. There will almost certainly be someone here who has already had any problem you may encounter.

The oil leak is as you say almost certainly form the oil cooler or its pipes, and the alternator can be replaced, if you can get your hands in and remove it!!

Many people give up on the rear calipers and fit the PNM conversion kit. It means you get a decent handbrake with an easier to maintain, more modern caliper.

Good luck with your repairs and do not hesitate to ask, although a good search of the site and WikiLEC first may well supply the answer.

[petezipp]

hi peter this is another peter who fell for the elan several years ago.
Mine was a bit umpty as well and without the cat on roller skates it would not be much better now.
Good luck with the Alternator its a pig to get at and not that cheap.
I wonder if anyone has found an alternative supply?
Welcome to the mad House
pete

[peter123]

Thank you for the comments,
I havn't been able to do anything to the car yet,apart from start it,it is reving at about 2000rpm at tickover,the CEL light is also on,although occasionally it idles at about 1000rpm with no CEL,so i guess a sensor or something is a bit temperamental.
I am busy emptying the garage to make room for it,and altering the door so the elan will fit in it.As soon as i get this sorted and the car in the garage i will be able to start a full examination of it to see all the other problems that are waiting to be discovered!

[Rambo]

Hello Peter and welcome to what I find to be a very helpful and informative site. There will almost certainly be someone here who has already had any problem you may encounter.

The oil leak is as you say almost certainly form the oil cooler or its pipes, and the alternator can be replaced, if you can get your hands in and remove it!!

Many people give up on the rear calipers and fit the PNM conversion kit. It means you get a decent handbrake with an easier to maintain, more modern caliper.

Good luck with your repairs and do not hesitate to ask, although a good search of the site and WikiLEC first may well supply the answer.

Agree with Fredjohn comments above

PS Love your bootlock Looks like someone might have locked keys in it in the past and removed the barrel and mechanism ? New locks (both boot and doors) are readily available for Steve at SJ Sportscars but that looks like the very least of your problems. Always amazes me how people can let their cars get to this state but their loss, your gain

[HJ2]

welcome aboard!

[peter123]

Well thats the elan in the garage,so at last i have been able to make a start on it,i thought i would start at the front and work to the back.
Theres a few jobs need doing at the front,i am going to strip the suspension and get it all de rusted and maybe go down the powder coating route for the suspension arms etc.Theres a few jobs to do on the engine,alternator,timing belt, although the belt thats on now was done 10000 miles ago,but that was 10 years ago
The chassis is solid but rusty in places so a wire brush,some phosphoric acid and some paint should sort that out hopefully.So thats me busy for a few weeks.I also need a new oil cooler,unfortunately the leak wasn't coming from the banjo bolts,but from about half way up the cooler,so any recommendations of where to get one will be greatfully received.

[simonbuk]

Well you've certainly got stuck into that !!

[Rob P]

Looks like good progress. soon be another one back in fine fettle

[petezipp]

yep looks like a quick brush up an "JoBS A GOOD UN"
wish u well
I'm just jealous of your big garage
pete

[Sport Paolo]

I've seen worse hoods.
I've seen better boot locks.
Welcome, good luck.

[peter123]

I think it's about time i updated what has being happening with my Elan as it's been a while.so i will give a rundown as to what has been done with it.As you can see from the photos from last year i managed to strip the front end down pretty quickly,then the summer came so it was out on the motorbike,fishing, holidays etc,then winter came so it was too cold in the barn to get on with the car plus the mrs decided it was about time i got on with replacing the bathroom that i had started pulling to pieces when i first got the car.So bathroom and downstairs toilet all replaced re tiled etc i have been able to get back on with the Elan.
It was never going to be a fast turn around with it as i knew there was going to be alot to do,and with every project you always find there's more than you initially thought needed doing,so upto now i have replaced the following:-
New Cambelt ,tensioners, waterpump from Rock Auto.
Four new injectors
New 20MM master cylinder
New Alternator
New Belts
New Setrab oil cooler
New Cooling fans
New auxillary water pump
New oil filter
New spark plugs.
I have also removed the sump and checked the strainer which was clean and resprayed the sump.
Prongeron replated bottom front section due to corrosion and dents.and painted with POR15
Bottom front suspension arms replated due to corrosion.
Longerons given a coat of POR15
Exhaust and turbo heat sheilds repaired and sprayed with hight temp silver spray
Next job is refurbishing the drive shafts and the rest of the front suspension arms etc.

[rip]

Looks like its going to be nice when done.