markgenesis

Hi guys, well my Elite is gone , off to a new life in Southampton, was sad to see it going off on a trailer but really had to go as it was sitting about on the drive for long periods which was a shame as it runs and drives great, it's off to a super keen owner who i'm sure will look after it and carry on where i left off. Thank's for all the help and advice over the last two years, this is a great friendly forum, i'll still look in now and again and may even be back with a Lotus some day

That looks stunning

Hi Bernard, i just fitted a universal breather filter (K&N style) straight to the cam cover, from memory the stub on the cover is 15mm, did the same with the crank breather, just means the engine is venting to fresh air rather than back into the engine. An alternative to this would be an oil catch tank (as used on race engines), breather hoses are fed to the tank and the tank is vented.

I've started a thread on here for anyone interested http://www.rodsnsods.co.uk/forum/garage/my-little-firebird-formula-400-project-454913

Cheers Dunc, got to the bottom of it thismorning, found the headlight switch is falling apart

Ok, my car sat about for a few weeks, started it up and found the alternator not charging and the headlight pods not raising off the switch, thought maybe the two were related (electro valves not getting 12V), replaced the alternator but pods still not working, relay under dash is clicking and sometimes right pod will rise once then not again so guessing switch is ok ?, the pods are doing the usual stunt of raising by themselfs after a week or so.

Hi Guy's. just a small update to say i still have the Elite, only had it on Gumtree and E-bay, all i seemed to get was time wasters, super keen buyers, a million text messages (i hate texting too) only for it to fall through, so keeping it for now, had to fit a new alternator last week, i think the front brakes are binding a bit (lack of use over the last few weeks) also have the cam cover gaskets to do (going to try the rubber ones this time to finally cure the lower cam cover leak), also the headlight pods have stopped working so those will need looked at, going to tax it anyway and start using it daily next week.

Not sure yet, maybe Retrorides or Pistonheads, will wait till i'm a bit further on with it though. Sorry, just read the question again, not started a thread yet but will be one of the above forums.

Hi Guys, my Elite is now on E-bay if anyone is interested, sad to see it go but needs must. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Lotus-Elite-S1-1980/282052657934?_trksid=p2045573.c100033.m2042&_trkparms=aid%3D111001%26algo%3DREC.SEED%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20131017132637%26meid%3D5f27311242e64f5db3b41350d1133411%26pid%3D100033%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D4%26sd%3D282052657934

Aye Mike, i was hoping about 2.5K for a respray if i did most of the prep myself, paint will be a long way off though, will need to be mechanically 100% before paint and that could take a couple of years.. Cheers for thinking about me regarding the roof section, tbh that repair hasn't bothered me much so i'd just be giving the section to the new owner. Cheers for the advice LC, will keep that place in mind, also didn't know all the box's were the same, handy to know.

Maybe i have valued it a bit low but i think the car does look a lot better in the pics than in the flesh (so to speak), the paint is really microblistered in a lot of places and has the ugly repair at the tailgate hinge, also the car has no carpets or soundproofing (it was all rotten and i threw it in the bin), these are things i can live with but need to consider if a buyer has to budget for new paint and trim. It does run and drive very well though, has no major or foreseeable issues, has a full MOT, from what i've seen running, driving, MOT'd Type 75 Elites rarely come up for sale. Great to hear you own a Firebird Ronnie, the interior was shocking in my car, have already priced most stuff i need (mostly on firebirdcentral.com), i got the car for 7K recon it'll cost me about 4-5K to get the car on the road (not counting a respray), most of that is in the interior, the engine will be fine but i still dont know what the gearbox is like, i will probably need a steering box (leaking) which will be about 500 quid. Got experience with Yank muscle though, had a 68 Charger and a 70 Mach 1 Mustang years ago so kind of knew what i was getting into. Trouble with keeping the Elite is (apart from funds) it's now sitting in the drive which i dont like, would much prefer the car to be garaged also most weekends i'm working on the Firebird so the Lotus is sitting unused which is a shame.

Cheers Charlie, i may start a thread on Pistonheads or Retrorides, will see how it goes. Lotus passed the MOT yesterday with no advisories , will need to decide whether to sell it now to fund bits for the Pontiac or keep it for a wee while and get some use out of it first ?, it's running and driving great though and it's a great time to sell (shows starting), trouble is i love it. Took some pics to celebrate I recon the car is worth around 3K, what do you'se think ?

Got the manifold sorted on the Elite, running and driving fine now, hopefully MOT on Saturday. Heres the Pontiac in my garage, needs a lot of work but it's all straightforward, hope to have it on the road next spring . It is really solid, will need a boot floor and a repair to the O/S lower 1/4 but no big deal (boot floor repair section is 80 Dollars) This is how it looks at the moment, looks drastic but it's all nuts and bolts, every bush and seal will need replaced (dry rotted in the desert heat), found the right hand exhaust silencer full of coolant so stripping the heads off to replace the head gaskets, found a good used dash on E-bay UK, bought a good used steering wheel (even that was melted) and a pair of nice M/T valve covers on U/S E-bay. Shame i cant keep this cool plate. Checked the codes on the engine, the block is dated 71 and the heads are big valve D port 72 heads so pretty sure the engine is original which is a bonus.

Yeah Dan, paid for it last Saturday, being delivered Monday night, it is a big project, runs and drives and is apparently solid but interior is ruined (it sat in a desert in Texas for years) and obviously will need paint. Good thing is everything is available for them. Got the exhaust manifold off the Lotus , will get it to the engineers during the week and get new studs fitted.