Purchase of an Elite....

[hopo]

If by chance anyone was stupid enough to be looking to purchase an Elite what key questions would one ask the vendor?

I have always loved the Elite and since the sale of my Na Esprit have thought to myself that I should just bloody do it... life is too short

(could be shorter when the Mrs find out!)

Jon

[hopo]

ah no.. this one has the "proper" engine in it..... rest assured. Galvanised Chassis too

[PhilW]

Ive been having bad thoughts like this too after seeing a beautiful one at a show last weekend.  Even rung one last night although no answer. 

Would love to read answers to Hopos question

[Herc]

I think if you search this forum you can find a number of previous posts on this subject.  

 

I think overall conditional is everything.  You can buy a non-MOT car for a few hundred quid, but you need to be able to do all the work yourself, and new parts are expensive.  Second hand parts are plentiful and cheap, however.

 

My guidelines would be:

 

a) Get the best car you can afford.  A decent £3K-5K car will be cheaper in the long run than a £1,200 no-MOT car.  I'd say always get one with an MOT, since it establishes a base line.

 

b) Decide on S1 or S2. S1 arguably looks more 'period' but has weak 5 speed gearbox, non-galvanised chassis, and less torquey 2.0L engine.   There were lots an lots of improvements made from  1974 to 1979, so the later ones have real world benefits.  S2 fixed all of the key S1 problems, but lost a little in style.

 

c) If buying an S1, the chassis can rot in an invisible spot between the rear wheels.  Many have been swapped to a galvanised chassis as a result.  A long-term garaged car can be fine, however

 

d) Fibreglass bodies always look great, even if the car has been left in a wet field for years.  Do not touch such cars.  You can get a good idea by checking the state of the steel door beams, or even just the steel pivot rod at the front of the bonnet.

 

e) Has the car has prang at some time?  Chassis may be bent, and body may be wonky as a result.

 

f) Check all the electrics are working - or at least most are.

 

g) Check the car is not overheating, and is pulling well through the rev range.  Small problems like flat spots and the engine cutting out can be hard to resolve.

 

h) Cambelts need to be changed every couple of years for safety.   But this is not a crucial buying factor.

 

i) Rear brakes are hard to work on, so check these are in good condition.

 

j) The driveshaft UJs have a hard life, since there is no separate upper link on the suspension.  If the rear wheels point in at the top, it might mean worn UJs.  Not that hard or expensive to fix though. 

 

k) The S1 5 speed box is expensive to overhaul, because parts are rare.  Make sure it holds all gears OK,  is not noisy in the lower gears, and synchros OK.

 

l) Windscreen is mighty expensive to replace, since it is arguably not  an amateur DIY job. Make sure yours is OK.

 

j) The cars were  built around the wiper motor. Make sure it is working :-) 

 

If you can wield a spanner, they are really simply constructed cars, and easy to understand.   Many jobs are time consuming though, and require more dismantling than you'd expect.

 

I've had tremendous fun with my S1 to date.  Mainly in the garage, but that is my choice.  I would recommend them as a 'play car'. Fantastic value, looks and handling.

 

But don't get a cheap heap of junk - there are a lot on eBay.  Good cars are harder to find.  Keep and eye on http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/ for better ones.

Edited May 22, 2014 by Herc

[PhilW]

Excellent Herc. Thanks.  Wouldn't you agree Hopo

 

Ive always loved them. About 1980 or so the owner of my local village shop had one in yellow with a black roof.  I remember knocking on his door to ask if I could take a picture of it after school.

Still got those pictures.

 

Would really like one but time and another garage are the problem.

[ChrisJ]

Still got those pictures.

 

 

Can you post them up 

 

Chris

[the83man]

I've had a S2.2 for some 25 years. It is one of Hethel's most under-rated products because of early reliability problems and a consequent spiral into cowboy ownership territory. All of Herc's comments are valid and acccurate. The only thing I would say is that you should opt for a S2.2 model. They have the galvanised chassis (add the box section radius arms on the rear to the galvanised bits - if they are not galvanised they will rot out) a more developed motor, a gearbox that doesn't break, stronger electrics (and motorised headlamps that stay down) and they tend not to leak. 

 

Here's mine

 

 

By the way, I've just bought a used Evora and I'm currently reading avidly through this forum before I pick it up.

Edited May 23, 2014 by the83man

[Herc]

For the new guys, the very nice car in the picture shows:

 

- the S1-style wheels, which are an easy retro fit, and lots are for sale on eBay.

- the S2-type spoiler, which is often retro-fitted to S1s since it improves the cooling.

 

Otherwise it is hard to tell whether it is an S1 or S2.  It looks a lot like my late S1.  

 

The S2 also has a better rear wiper arrangement (mounted from the top not bottom), and a way to open the rear hatch from the outside (yes, really!?).

 

The interior of the S2s is slightly different - different fabrics in particular.  Most coveted, on both models, are the optional leather seats though.  These include a lot of plastic leatherette panels too.   A lot of S1s have had retrims of varying quality.

[ramjet]

I've grown to really like these as well, but there is not one for sale in Australia at the moment. Well, not that I can find anyway.

[Loose Cannon]

I've had a S2.2 for some 25 years.

 

 

 

Mike your S2 is lovely, but we need some new pictures Bud! That one and Octane magazines are all we have...get out and get snapping!

[the83man]

"Otherwise it is hard to tell whether it is an S1 or S2.  It looks a lot like my late S1. " 

 

 

 

 

This is definitely an S2 - No 13 (out of only 132 built) of that run and with the very early 2.2 litre engine with the new bottom end and the re-cammed top end. Later engines had a redesigned top end as well. There were many detailed improvements, not least proper instrument lihjting the Getrag gearbox which baulks heavily when cold but is a joy when warm. As hinted, this particuar car was used in the Octane Lotus feature a few years back. Colour (Onyx Green, A12) bib spoiler and wheels are all factory fit and all of the early S2s had S1 wheels.

 

The car is off the road currently awaiting the fitment of a new steering rack which is leaking all over the place. I need to give it some TLC.

Edited May 23, 2014 by the83man

[Herc]

Mike, sorry, I wasn't doubting it was an S2.  On re-reading my post I can understand the confusion.

 

The point I was trying to make was that your photo demonstrates there isn't so much difference in appearance between the S1 and S2.  If you have the S1-style wheels, an S2 looks pretty similar to an S1.    I think the S2 spoiler looks better on all the cars than the S1 chin spoiler.

 

I was aware that early ones had S1-style wheels.  In general there seem to be a number of cars built around 1980 that have a blend of S1 / S2 features.  Some very late S1s are rumoured to have a galvanised chassis.  I have a replacement galvanised chassis from early Eclat S2 chassis that was painted from new, when later ones weren't, and so on.

 

Love the colour of yours, although I do love my chestnut brown :-)

 

 

A final comment for the new guys:  the aluminium trim is fragile and new-old-stock replacements are hen's teeth.  Make sure what you buy is in good nick.  The horizontal strips top and bottom of the windscreen are particularly rare.

 

 

Herc

Edited May 23, 2014 by Herc

[ChrisJ]

 

 

 

That looks great - what colour is it?

 

More pics please

[the83man]

It's Onyx Green (Lotus colour ref A12) - (see post 12 above)

[Clive59]

Ramjet, I think I got the last one for sale in OZ, and it is still not back on the road. Soon I hope. I have been looking at them for a few years, and it was only the second one I saw, the other one was in pieces after some restoration, but I wasn't ready for that then. As for the S2.2, are there any in OZ at all??

[Emmerg]

wow that looks lovely Mike !  As Mark says, more pictures please !  A s1 pulled up behind me in traffic near Bisley today.  Looked great in the rear view mirror.  Unusual burgundy colour.