Lotus Elan Central

by **nitroman** » Mon 10.04.2006, 01:52

Someone else used that word today & I have not thought of a better one. Too bad it comes with negative connotations. If someone else can think of a better one or is offended by this pray, let me know. I suppose no name could top "Smokey the Renault." Kind of says it all, don't it?

I feel like crap cuz I overdid it and just worked 5 hours straight on the car. Found & fixed the coolant leak plus cleaned the car both topside and underneath. Everything is great & original & undamaged, really nice... I forgot to reward myself with alcohol and have just opened a beer. It's not that I like the stuff but apparently my current "hard work" limit is 5-hours, following 2 back surgeries last year. It's weird how your leg can feel fine then hurt like Hell the next minute.

One big question: The "drain" inside the petrol-door is clogged. I know that with compressed-air this would be an easy fix, but I don't have that. Has anyone cleared this drain using any other technique?

I have a long road ahead moving 5-years of parts, stainless bolts, etc. over. But I have to admit that when squeaky-clean, white looks great; regal almost. Plus the car (if you're looking for a bone-stock Elan) is completely reliable and ready for a long road trip. Enough crap for now, Matt.

by **Doug** » Mon 10.04.2006, 03:31

Congrats on getting another Elan, Matt!

try some draino on the tube

"Whitey" just makes me laugh -- so many funny pictures you can take about that. How about "Vanilla Ice" :-D

by **nitroman** » Mon 10.04.2006, 03:55

BTW I'm keeping the 3rd (middle) brake-light on this car instead of removing it this time. Before I washed it I removed 2 opposing screws, and loosened but re-tightened the other 2 opposing screws just to make sure they were not rusted in position. You need a 3mm-hex-key to do this. The bolts are (two-each) M5 x 40 & M5 x 16, both button-head. I am getting stainless replacements & to doubly assure against "rust-stick" am switching to a normal hex-head & washer which can handle much more of a torque-load. Also you can get to them easier by using your socket-wrench along with a normal socket.

Someone posted a few months ago a cheap place to buy the bulbs for this & where to get them. Does anyone remember or have that posting? Also I am not getting these polished as you cannot see them. Is there any group-buy sentiment (USA only, obviously) for these bolts?

by **Fubar1764** » Mon 10.04.2006, 04:54

You Nitro, trade ya! I've got an extra set of 3 halogens. I bought 6 just in case. Never installed them because, oops, the bolts are all rusted! Why bother removing when I don't have stainless replacements, right?
So, get me the bolts, I'll send you the bulbs and a cheque for the bolts. Deal?

by **nitroman** » Mon 10.04.2006, 05:33

Just the bulbs for bolts will do nicely, I don't need a check. Thanks, Matt

by **Paul.P** » Mon 10.04.2006, 06:58

Matt, with regards to the petrol drain pipe, i took out the rear covers ( above battery & fuel tank, then you can get at this pipe, which has a 90degree bend just as it comes from behind the filler cap. Mine was held on with a clip, which i removed, removed the pipe, cleaned & re-installed. Its a bit fiddly, but easy really.

by **Doc Fizzix** » Mon 10.04.2006, 07:12

So the fun begins

(again)

by **Sy V** » Mon 10.04.2006, 08:47

Congratulations Matt - now get polishing! :wink:

by **Nige** » Mon 10.04.2006, 09:25

Matt,

Welcome back to Elan ownership, shiny, shiny!

by **Costas** » Mon 10.04.2006, 11:25

Mat anything you may need let me know,

Very happy that you are back active upgrading!

Costas

by **TheBard** » Mon 10.04.2006, 22:20

Matt,

After a year (one year, three months and 25 days) of ownership I can see why so many people return to Elan-dom after parting with (in any manner) an earlier car. Even found myself lazily wondering what colour to get if/when I return to the UK (got to swap the left footer for a proper car when I have Cotswold lanes to drive again)...

Can't wait to hear how Project Whitey develops!

Ian

by **Doug** » Tue 11.04.2006, 00:27

Matt, I've found your new car project logo. No need to send money for thanks. :-D

by **nitroman** » Tue 11.04.2006, 04:50

Thanks for all that help getting things off on the right foot, D-o-u-g.

Swapped over the fuel-filler mechanism from the red car as the one on the white car (not whitey, just the white car, D-o-u-g) stuck and had to be pulled open. Great Lotus quality-control there. Included all (new!) polished stainless bolts & washers too. Now it pops right open & looks sharp. The polished stainless on white looks even better than it does on red.

Putting the old sticky one on the red car allowed me to remove the plastic-catch, since it is no longer needed to keep the fuel-door shut. This part already broke on me once in the past, so it's a good spare to have.

I was going to remove the cable too, and I think you have to remove the interior-side panel to do so. Can anyone who has done this job tell me where all the fasteners are? I got 3 of them off then called it a night.

Oh yeah, if you've a spare spinal-column please send it FEDEX next-day-air, COD.

by **F1 LOTUS** » Tue 11.04.2006, 20:01

Congrat's on your latest aquisition (CHALKY?), I look forward to following the transformation into Mattmobile II

Best of luck with it

by **Paul.P** » Tue 11.04.2006, 20:23

Just love white Elans, i think its one of the few cars that white really suits, really brings out all the curves in the body, & quite rare as well !. Good luck with it Matt.

by **Specky** » Tue 11.04.2006, 20:24

There's no accounting for good taste :smt026

Best of luck and Good choice.

TTFN

by **Doc Fizzix** » Wed 12.04.2006, 18:14

The nice thing about white is that it makes for a good base coat so you can re-spray the car red :lol:

Just having some fun. Actually I almost bought a white Elan years ago in SC, the owner had moved to CA but left the car in SC. I think white Elans really look wider

by **Costas** » Wed 12.04.2006, 18:39

nitroman wrote:Oh yeah, if you've a spare spinal-column please send it FEDEX next-day-air, COD.

Whats that? may be able to help....

Costas

by **Doc Fizzix** » Wed 12.04.2006, 21:08

Costas wrote:
nitroman wrote:Oh yeah, if you've a spare spinal-column please send it FEDEX next-day-air, COD.

Whats that? may be able to help....

Costas

I guess something got lost in the translation :lol:

by **nitroman** » Thu 13.04.2006, 01:36

There are 31 segments of the spinal cord and 33 bones (vertebrae) that surround these segments. There are 7 cervical vertebrae, 12 thoracic, 5 lumbar, 5 sacral and 4 coccygeal vertebrae in the human body.

That's the one; need a loaner.

Two surgeries in the L3/4 area last year. Best advice I can give is that if you have part of a disc removed give it as long as you possibly can to heal, as it takes much longer than they tell you. When he says 8-weeks later "return to your normal activities", don't; or you'll injure it even worse as it's not had time to reform a fibrous outer containment structure yet.

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