Found first S1

[Lotusfab]

3 hours ago, LOTUSMAN33 said:

I gave him a call when buying the car to discuss keeping it in turbo form or converting back to S1 spec.

Steve agreed to make all the S1 body panels and the dash, the only thing he never had was the centre console, I managed to find a 1976 one in the end which was a bonus.

I converted the turbo door panels which was a bit of work but happy now.

I bought a pair of S1 seats a while back along with a set of 1976 dated wheels in readiness so pretty much good to go.

I even found an original mirror.

Thankfully it retained the original clocks as that would have been a headache too many 😬

Will be great when its done. Are you going to return it to Blue?

[LOTUSMAN33]

No not a big fan of Lagoon blue really, it was white when I owned it for all those years so I’m leaning back to that colour (Sigh not another white S1….😂), mind I have always liked yellow (not the pastel shade it’s in now) so that remains on the table. I think it will be decided much later in fairness as can’t see me getting that far this year.

I will get the GRP work done and mechanics completed though.

Pretty sure I’m going to replace the loom as it has had several immobilisers, two alarms and a pager system fitted, being thatcham it’s meant sections of the original loom have been chopped out. (I was guilty of getting one system fitted and the removable steering wheel as owned when car crime was at its peak along with joyriding….. the max power years 😁).

[LOTUSMAN33]

Well I came close to bailing out as discovered the chassis is really thin on the front, after some wire brushing the true extent of the corrosion became apparent…

I know people repair these but for me the whole thing is thin and not something I think would survive a blasting very well let alone a collision 😬

I really didn’t want to get into another full body off restoration but have decided if I can secure a replacement chassis at sensible money then that’s what the cars going to get.

Anyone got a chassis they want to part with 😉

[Fridge]

Can't you repair?

Body comes off easily. Worth the effort IMO. Cheaper than a replacement chassis.

[drdoom]

Quite inclined to agree that blasting would reveal a greater extent of deterioration. Still, these all are worth saving,

[LOTUSMAN33]

Done the body off thing before so no drama there but the chassis is toast as thin all over and even blasted the rust will be lurking inside sections rotting it further.

I have decided to buy a new one now and give the car another 45 years of life, it will out live me that’s for sure 😁

[Fridge]

This was the one stored in a garden for years? Interesting.

[LOTUSMAN33]

That’ll be the one, I jacked the car up before buying it and gave everything a quick wire brush but since sitting in my dry garage working on the rear end its literally exploded like a teenagers face 😁

In fairness the chassis bars at the back were pitted but not holed so been on my mind a while. I jacked the front up higher to run the new clutch hose in which is where the true condition showed after a good wire brush attack. 
A new chassis will be the way forward to match everything else which has been refurbished now.

Brand new input shaft and perfect CWP should see this last as well now.

Dave  

 

[Fridge]

I know a few folks up here that had new chassis's for their S1 and 2's when Lotus were selling them off. I only know of a S3/Turbo chassis going spare.

Edited May 5, 2022 by Fridge

[Lotusfab]

1 hour ago, LOTUSMAN33 said:

That’ll be the one, I jacked the car up before buying it and gave everything a quick wire brush but since sitting in my dry garage working on the rear end its literally exploded like a teenagers face 😁

In fairness the chassis bars at the back were pitted but not holed so been on my mind a while. I jacked the front up higher to run the new clutch hose in which is where the true condition showed after a good wire brush attack. 
A new chassis will be the way forward to match everything else which has been refurbished now.

Brand new input shaft and perfect CWP should see this last as well now.

Dave  

 

That looks great. Whats the cleaning process?

[LOTUSMAN33]

26 minutes ago, Lotusfab said:

That looks great. Whats the cleaning process?

Days of scrubbing as it was pretty grubby. I used gunk then carb cleaner with brass wire brushes followed by more carb cleaner.

This one was easy compared to the white cars one. Mind the bell housing did get a coat of silver enamel engine paint as casting doesn’t clean so well unless soda blasted.

[Fridge]

You can't beat carb cleaner. I use it on lots of things. Mine's made locally too.

[Lotusfab]

54 minutes ago, LOTUSMAN33 said:

Days of scrubbing as it was pretty grubby. I used gunk then carb cleaner with brass wire brushes followed by more carb cleaner.

This one was easy compared to the white cars one. Mind the bell housing did get a coat of silver enamel engine paint as casting doesn’t clean so well unless soda blasted.

Well done Dave, a great job as always. I use brake cleaner I haven’t  tried carb cleaner. I will give it a try.

[LOTUSMAN33]

Time to get back onto my old car after spending most of the summer on the LHD car.

I thought it would be worth spending time on the bodywork before the colder months set in and give the car back it’s S1 guise..

Time to cut off this turbo tail to see what lie’s beneath 🫣

No going back now 🫣

The tail will create a nice bit of garage wall art 🙂

A flanged area had been added for the turbo valance to mount on which needed to go.

Next was taking a mould from a repair panel 

Body area taken down to a knife edge ready for the mould.

Mould tightly in place

Area masked and gel coat applied 

Matting fully applied

First repair done, it will need some final prep in the spring giving time for the repair to fully cure and settle but very happy with result and as good as new. 😁

Now onto the next corner before doing the rear, access to these areas is very good with the rear cut off, doing the rear is much tougher.

Dave  

 

 

[Djs44]

Dave 

 

Looks great - I admire your skills sir ! 

[LOTUSMAN33]

The car is morphing back to it’s origins slowly but surely, I think that’s probably it on the body now until spring as the inclement weather sets in but pleased to have got this far. Still loads to do and holes to fix but being gel crack free the body is now strong again. 
I was hoping to get the sills, spoilers, bumpers and wolfrace wheels on it to complete the transformation but that’ll have to wait.

Lights back in position, this was a tough repair to do but solid now and dimensionally correct (Handy having the white car here to measure from)

I ended up making two moulds for the front as the cut was awkward with terrible access, I didn’t want a poorly wetted out repair so extra work but worth the hassle.

At least the repairs will have months to fully cure before further prep, I hope to get time to grind out the join line and add a closing strip in the front to prevent any future show through once prepped, I take it down to a knife edge for the layup but find that it makes a 100% join that way. 
I’ll do the car in reface before painting after rubbed down to allow a full guide coating prep job.

Back on the mechanics over the winter to get it running again.

Dave  

[obi-nu]

Incredible work Dave, is there anything you can't do?!😄

[Fridge]

Just now, obi-nu said:

Incredible work Dave, is there anything you can't do?!😄

Everybody knows Dave can't swim, but Mike swims like a fish.

#1970s #PublicInfomercial 

[LOTUSMAN33]

😂 You are right I sink like a stone with no body buoyancy at all, I can lay on the bottom of a pool and not move at all!

In other words just plain solid 😁

[obi-nu]

56 minutes ago, Fridge said:

Everybody knows Dave can't swim, but Mike swims like a fish.

#1970s #PublicInfomercial 

It's lucky he owns two S1's then... I'm convinced he has the necessary skills to convert one into a real Wet Nellie!😄

 

 

 

[LOTUSMAN33]

I’ve been tempted to do that for years Nu!

A Guy did one years ago but it was bought by James Strickland in the US who uses it on the lake at his property.

Finding a suitable shell is the problem but what fun 😁

[obi-nu]

10 minutes ago, LOTUSMAN33 said:

I’ve been tempted to do that for years Nu!

A Guy did one years ago but it was bought by James Strickland in the US who uses it on the lake at his property.

Finding a suitable shell is the problem but what fun 😁

Brilliant, though it should be in the lake not not it!😂 I wonder why he used later rear lights and bumper after all that effort? I'm sure you could muster something up shell wise...😉

[LOTUSMAN33]

Yes I did have better pics somewhere, it was a bit of a mishmash but still a good laugh, these days most younger people would look bemused having no idea what it was all about 🙄

I live near the water so worth doing when retired I think 🙂

[LOTUSMAN33]

Mind this looked like more fun when hamster drove the submarine excel using positive pressure in the cabin to hold the water out..

https://youtu.be/xfOwSTXP-3o

 

[obi-nu]

39 minutes ago, LOTUSMAN33 said:

Yes I did have better pics somewhere, it was a bit of a mishmash but still a good laugh, these days most younger people would look bemused having no idea what it was all about 🙄

I live near the water so worth doing when retired I think 🙂

Yes, 20 years ago it was voted best movie car by the British public, I bet today it would be somewhat down the list!

39 minutes ago, LOTUSMAN33 said:

Mind this looked like more fun when hamster drove the submarine excel using positive pressure in the cabin to hold the water out..

https://youtu.be/xfOwSTXP-3o

 

I remember this, I think it worked fairly well.