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Gold '78 Elite 503


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Looking sweeeeeeet! Wish mine had leather instead of the cheese cloth.

'89 Esprit, '77 Elite 503, '72 MGB, '95 XJ12, '10 Mini Cooper, '67 Imperial, '78 New Yorker, '76 Town & Country '73 Cessna 150

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 4 weeks later...

At my wits end with the engine, so I have taken the car to Kelveden Motorsport, a lotus specialist very close to me to try and set up the engine and set up the suspension as I do not want to get too much further if an engine rebuild is required.

I had an email today to tell me the cam pulleys were on backwards and so the timing was wrong! Good news really and as the last person I suspect to touch the cam pulleys was the garage who rebuilt the engine after the timing belt snapped in the 90's, no wonder it was garaged 20 years ago!

Unfortunately, due to an accident with some water and a hydrauliced engine I now have a new project and the Lotus will have to sit on the burner for a few months.

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Tractors do require a completely different set of tools to small cars and I running short of shed space!

 

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Thats bad news but as you have gone so far an engine rebuild will make the car good for 100,000 miles with good oil and and regular changes. My engine is out at the moment to sort out oil leaks etc. I think in the next  few years the Elite show is possible. LOL

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  • Gold FFM

Dunc, I heard someone say that was what you were still driving.I disagreed of course and said it was just a noisy V8.

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Actually, it said Ford 5000 on the side, but in reality it was a Ford 7000 with the turbo unit.

I've always been into modifed vehicles with extra power....

Q tractor.....thats how I roll....:respect:

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12 hours ago, Dunc said:

a Ford 5000?

I spent hundreds of hours in one of them as a kid. :respect:

No, a Leyland of all things

I dragged the engine out today and found this.

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The difference between a 70's tractor and 70's car is, I have bought pistons, liners, main and big end bearings, oil pump, water pump, valves and guides, new con rods and all gaskets for less than £300 + vat.

If only it was the same for Lotus parts!

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  • 2 months later...
  • 1 year later...

Hello Rob. Hope you’re well. I have great respect for your achievement with this restoration. Has there been any progress since? 

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  • Gold FFM

How rare to see two of these on a drive at the same time, pretty rare now I would think.

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  • Gold FFM
1 hour ago, phoenix said:

Blessed is thee who is able to accumulate more than one elite/éclat.

Blessed in deed those who also have three Excels. And a Lotus Ekup.

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  • 3 weeks later...
  • 2 months later...

Well, back again! after waiting 4 months for a rebuit power steering pump from LB, I found one on ebay for £70, fitted it this weekend (after a while) and all is well. I have to say that I cannot imagine how I could have fiitted the pump without the car in the air on a set of ramps, it is a trrible job and one that would want you to turn your car into one with manual steeering!!

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Despite warnings I lifted the car from the fibreglass body as it is not possible to lift from the chassis and all was well. I chose points that I thought would accept some load and wish I had the availability of a ramp when I started the project.

 

Also sprayed some underseal to the inner wings this weekend. I bought some Tetra shultz tins with a spray gun and i have to say it has transformed the underneath of the car. I bought a 6 tin kit with a gun but only required 2 to do the 4 inner wings. It is a good way of sealing any holes or cracks that look like they might let water into the car!

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From looking fairly tatty 5 minutes with a spray gun and the inner wings were transformed!!

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All that was required to finish the job was a new set of boots!

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Still waiting for the new front seats, one light does not open or close, the speedometer does not function, radio does not work and I am not sure what to fit (or know how to fit it without removing the dashboard!!!), I have no switch for the electric mirrors and no carpets for the boot. I a sure there is other stuff but it does liik good and I have driven it down the driveway!!!

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