Trunnion 74 Posted March 7, 2017 Report Share Posted March 7, 2017 On 06/03/2017 at 07:57, ChrisJ said: Doesn't the number plate in that position restrict the air flow? Or maybe the Elan style individual letters on the grill? isn't the number plate supposed to there anyway? Lotus produced a mounting bracket for it, available from SJ A075U0487Z. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farmer Bob Posted March 7, 2017 Author Report Share Posted March 7, 2017 10 hours ago, soldave said: Did you get anywhere with the penlight? Might have a spare I can send you if you're still looking for one. Just as long as you report to me on how bright it is No, that would be really good if you have, send me a message. Robert 35 minutes ago, Trunnion 74 said: isn't the number plate supposed to there anyway? Lotus produced a mounting bracket for it, available from SJ A075U0487Z. It is supposed to be hung on a bracket but I do not have one and thought it looked fine set further back. I suspect it must reduce the air flow, but no more than with the original bracket and I think the majority of air comes through the much larger hole underneath the bumper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisJ Posted March 7, 2017 Report Share Posted March 7, 2017 Just wondering as I'd been looking at the photo in the thread I linked to, and the difference stood out - and I quite liked the look of having it on the bonnet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeeech Posted March 8, 2017 Report Share Posted March 8, 2017 Mines on the bonnet so as not to restrict air flow... the lower opening (near the front air dam) also shows a grill in the manual... has anyone seen this fitted? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farmer Bob Posted March 8, 2017 Author Report Share Posted March 8, 2017 2 hours ago, mikeeech said: Mines on the bonnet so as not to restrict air flow... the lower opening (near the front air dam) also shows a grill in the manual... has anyone seen this fitted? I have a 2nd hand unit from LB but cannot work out how it was fitted as it is a different size to the lower orifice ( I expect the cars were quite individual at he time!) However I have looked at all of my other cars and decided a 5mm square grill is OTT and it would be better to let as much air through the orifice as possible, hence no grill. The the grill on the front bumper I suspect serves no purpose but to make it look better aesthetically, other than deflecting rabbits (and to hang my number plate from) so that is where I am at present! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farmer Bob Posted March 12, 2017 Author Report Share Posted March 12, 2017 I have been avoiding the doors but in the absence of other jobs that is where I headed today. To be fair I rebuilt the door beams a year ago now, I had to cut out some significant rottern sections and weld in fresh steel. I think I did a fair job and as you can see from the photos you would struggle to see the new section. Also replaced the pins an bushes of course. I have been dreading the job due to all the shims, washers etc but in fairness it was not as tricky as I expected. The door skin does not take much slipping on and off and so it did not take long to get the hinge in the correct place. I forgot to insert the wiring for mirrors and electric windows, so had to strip it all apart to put them in place. I also had to remove the vaccuum tanks in the footwells bonnet release etc to get the wiring through the back of the wing. I do seem to take things apart as quickly as I put them together! Getting nearer to needing window frames......they looked OK on the new Eclat!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Testdriver Posted March 13, 2017 Report Share Posted March 13, 2017 I simply love it, good job!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trunnion 74 Posted March 13, 2017 Report Share Posted March 13, 2017 Excellant work Bob! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverfrost Posted March 13, 2017 Report Share Posted March 13, 2017 Awesome job, great work on the door beam welding, as you say you cant see the repairs in the photo Quote A Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sternwhale Posted March 18, 2017 Report Share Posted March 18, 2017 Hi Robert, your car coming along and looking great! Out of interest what was the part number for the edging for the bumpers that you used? Following your progress with interest as you seem to be tackling all the jobs that are facing me and great learning opportunity!! So big thanks for the detail and info that you provide. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farmer Bob Posted March 26, 2017 Author Report Share Posted March 26, 2017 On 3/18/2017 at 12:36, Sternwhale said: Hi Robert, your car coming along and looking great! Out of interest what was the part number for the edging for the bumpers that you used? Following your progress with interest as you seem to be tackling all the jobs that are facing me and great learning opportunity!! So big thanks for the detail and info that you provide. It is abit tricky as you can just pop into the shop in Market Deeping and match trim up to their stock. However I think tis is the trim http://www.woolies-trim.co.uk/p-1760-rubber-extrusion.aspx It is onlt £1.50 per meter so nothing to loose really. I have just been in to buy some door window runner seal and the felt trim that clips on to the chrome door trim. really handy place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farmer Bob Posted March 26, 2017 Author Report Share Posted March 26, 2017 Another couple of busy weekends. I have replaced the dashboard, testing all of the switches etc as it went together. New, second hand rev counter from LB, a couple of fresh bulbs and a new clock and a new electric window switch from the eclat was all that was required to make everything good. Also finished the wiring in the engine bay. I do not have the original air onditioning so have removed the relay, which leaves a single relay for the electric fan. I ave remaining a Black/white, a thick Brown/pink and a Green/blue wire that arrrive in the engine bay, all are 12v on ignition and none seem to have a purpose. Black white is rear screen and that works without the wire in the engine bay and I cannot place the other 2 from my wiring diagram? I have finished plumbing the engine in including a air defector and fitting a revtec electronic fan control. It hold antifreeze currently, another milestone! I have also had the engine started, unfortunatly it will only run on a single cylinder. I am fairly confident I have the firing order right, have good spark compression etc but must have something wrong. However, I think I should order a fire extinguisher this week, it does spit a bit and I am too far in now to loose it to a fire!!!! I ordered a pair of new window frames this week from the Lotus Exel Club, a belated bithday present to myself. Looking forward to delivery, I will report on delivery! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oilmagnet477 Posted March 26, 2017 Report Share Posted March 26, 2017 Robert - truly blown away by your efforts - don't lose heart. Have you put electronic ignition on or kept to original contact breaker? Sorry if this seems dumb but have you got the dizzy rotation correct - not put the HT leads on in reverse? (Not doubting your capabilities, just checking the bleedin obvious ) When I'm around tomorrow I'll check out the wiring diagrams I have to see if anything stands out. Well done Quote Is the price for that bit in Yen or £? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverfrost Posted March 27, 2017 Report Share Posted March 27, 2017 Great work Robert, sadly its all these little things at the end of the long slog that seem to take to take the most time Light at the end of your tunnel will be one amazing lotus elite for to you own Quote A Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oilmagnet477 Posted March 27, 2017 Report Share Posted March 27, 2017 Robert, I've looked through ALL the Non Federal RHD wiring diagrams from my (very early) Workshop manual (Elite only - not the combined Elite/Éclat) The only G/U (Green/Blue) wire I can see is for the Water Temperature sender. I cannot see a Brown/Pink wire anywhere. There is a Brown/Purple wire (on the Non AC diagram) which is a broken line with "AC Delco only" written against it - I wonder if the purple has faded to blue? Alternatively a PO used a bit of non standard wire for something. If everything else works, just tape it up and leave in case you do eventually track something down? Hope that helps Ant Quote Is the price for that bit in Yen or £? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farmer Bob Posted March 27, 2017 Author Report Share Posted March 27, 2017 11 hours ago, oilmagnet477 said: Robert, I've looked through ALL the Non Federal RHD wiring diagrams from my (very early) Workshop manual (Elite only - not the combined Elite/Éclat) The only G/U (Green/Blue) wire I can see is for the Water Temperature sender. I cannot see a Brown/Pink wire anywhere. There is a Brown/Purple wire (on the Non AC diagram) which is a broken line with "AC Delco only" written against it - I wonder if the purple has faded to blue? Alternatively a PO used a bit of non standard wire for something. If everything else works, just tape it up and leave in case you do eventually track something down? Hope that helps Ant Ant, brilliant blue green is the temp sender, I did not see it on the wiring diagram. Brown pink def. there, originates from the starter and is in the main loom. However, good advice I will tape it up and it will be there for a rainy day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oilmagnet477 Posted March 27, 2017 Report Share Posted March 27, 2017 Robert, From the starter solenoid there is a Brown/Red (NR) wire that goes to the ignition switch and on to the radio (via a 2 amp fuse (in line I'm guessing). Cannot for the life of me see any pink - federal (US) has a black and pink wire for a door buzzer (?) but that's about all I can find. Basically it is a question of finding everything else and seeing what's left. Does yours have a Brown/red wire as well or is this the culprit??? Quote Is the price for that bit in Yen or £? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farmer Bob Posted March 28, 2017 Author Report Share Posted March 28, 2017 21 hours ago, oilmagnet477 said: Robert, From the starter solenoid there is a Brown/Red (NR) wire that goes to the ignition switch and on to the radio (via a 2 amp fuse (in line I'm guessing). Cannot for the life of me see any pink - federal (US) has a black and pink wire for a door buzzer (?) but that's about all I can find. Basically it is a question of finding everything else and seeing what's left. Does yours have a Brown/red wire as well or is this the culprit??? I am short of a wire for the radio, ( there begs another question, I have a lovely poioneer radio/cassette and presume it is original, not sure what to do with the radio yet. Is one required or will it sound like as good as my v8mgb?), however it is brown pink, a thick wire for higher current, terminates by the solenoids on the right wing and definitely original. Anyway still taped up! However look what arrived today! A pair of new window frames courtesey of the Lotus Excel Club. They look perfect, but flimsy like the originals and I suspect much care will have to be taken when refitting. I should be getting a door beam back from LB this week with fresh pin and bushes ( I bought a pin and bushes from SJ for the drivers side, pushed the bushes into the beam and the pin fitted perfectly. However the pin and bushes I bought from LB for the passenger side required reaming to fit meaning I had to send the door beam to them to have the bushes fitted). Anyway hopefully another busy weekend ahead! Another question, I have repaired the sills a little as they were cracked in places and they need some paint - any ideas? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverfrost Posted March 29, 2017 Report Share Posted March 29, 2017 Great news on the new window frames Robert, I can bet they were not cheap also Quote A Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeeech Posted March 29, 2017 Report Share Posted March 29, 2017 Interesting point on your door beam bushes. I brought mine from SJ sportscars and a replacement door beam from Lotusbits where mike told me I had to ream the bush in - maybe i don't after all. For the sills - satin black is the colour. they take a beating over speed bumps so mine were in a bad way and needed alot of glass fibre to straighten them out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farmer Bob Posted April 3, 2017 Author Report Share Posted April 3, 2017 On 3/29/2017 at 19:08, mikeeech said: Interesting point on your door beam bushes. I brought mine from SJ sportscars and a replacement door beam from Lotusbits where mike told me I had to ream the bush in - maybe i don't after all. For the sills - satin black is the colour. they take a beating over speed bumps so mine were in a bad way and needed alot of glass fibre to straighten them out. I have fitted the beam this weekend, It would seem the SJ pins and bushes were the better bet as it cost £70 to get the ones from LB reamed out and have the beam posted back to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farmer Bob Posted April 3, 2017 Author Report Share Posted April 3, 2017 I fitted the passenger door this weekend. For all the chat about how easily the drivers door fell into place I paid my price. I had to re-shim the hinges, alter the washers on the hinges to get the right height,had the door off 2 or 3 times and in the end had to pack the closing latch on the door pillar off with a couple of washers to get the door to fit and close! I have got the shut lines as good as I think possible but it was at this point I realised I am not dealing with a mass produced car. (Still having owned old land rovers I realise shut lines are not everything) Next job was to fit one of the new window frames. If I am honest, getting the old window frames out of the doors was a terrible job that seemed impossible. I had to cut the fiber-glass at the front and back of the door to pull them out, due to a lug on the frame I have seen on a different thread. Getting the new frames in was better, but not much. The original cuts in the fibre-glass were required and I hav no idea how they were ever fitted at teh factory! The window frame is now in place and just requires a bit of sticking with black sealant. I will show the shut lines of the new window frame later, it is not perfect but I cannot bring myself to completely strip the door and re-shim the hinges. The good news is the electric window works, up and down! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Testdriver Posted April 4, 2017 Report Share Posted April 4, 2017 quite a nail-biter your story, reading like a thriller Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeeech Posted April 4, 2017 Report Share Posted April 4, 2017 I spoke with Mike at lotus bits about getting the window frames out and there is a technique since I had to do the same with my doors... Apparently you take the glass out of the frame and leave it in the bottom of the door... the frame can then be compressed enough for the lug to pass through a wider section of the door. i've not tried it yet but I have new doors with my new body so I will let you know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farmer Bob Posted April 4, 2017 Author Report Share Posted April 4, 2017 8 hours ago, mikeeech said: I spoke with Mike at lotus bits about getting the window frames out and there is a technique since I had to do the same with my doors... Apparently you take the glass out of the frame and leave it in the bottom of the door... the frame can then be compressed enough for the lug to pass through a wider section of the door. i've not tried it yet but I have new doors with my new body so I will let you know. I think you are right, I thought about it last night! The instructions I had was to stick the glass in place with tape before putting the frames in. I suspect you need to remove the front quarter light too to get some flex at the front of the frame. They are very expensive things to bend though. However will try without glass for the drivers side at the wekend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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