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Trunnion 74

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  • Gold FFM

Bets of luck with that - should be a challenge!!!

@CharlieCroker has a brilliant thread on here about his car - maybe some tips buried in there.

enjoy - and look forward to seeing another brought back to life

Only here once

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Just remember - an angle grinder with a thin disc preferably battery will become your best friend. All the nuts and bolts will be rusted solid...

Only here once

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Roland mate - great rescue - S1 with a galv chassis (like mine) hopefully makes this well worth saving - especially if it has a HC 2.2 engine.

Good luck and keep info coming. Happy to help if I can but equally your info will help me as well.

Cheers

Ant

Is the price for that bit in Yen or £?

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Welcome Roland!

I've checked the old register and yours not a known car. Whilst there are other 1974 elite's, yours would be the earliest survivor I am aware of.

I think it looks like a great project. With a galvanised chassis and a half decent looking interior you are well on your way.

In case you are wondering, that is a steering wheel pad from an S1/S2 esprit on your car. Probably worth a few quid on ebay if you wanted to get a correct one for an early elite (readily available).

Get it going in a weekend! (joke).

In all seriousness, it looks a a very worthwhile project and all the fundamentals look to be there.


Dunc

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Thanks Ant, I'm not sure it will be the HC 2.2 as they weren't produced when this engine was made.  It may have been upgraded at some point but i won't know till i have a good fettle with it.  Think you are a bit ahead of me with your restoration.

 

Duncan you are a legend, I was wondering why I couldn't find any pictures of Elites with the same steering pad.  :lol:  Thanks for checking the register, it's amazing that she has lasted so long in what appears to be (hopefully) near original condition.

 

Roland

 

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Great save. it will be good to see another restoration thread develop. Be sure to post regular updates so that you can keep my spirits up! most parts are available. The trim (particularly around the windscreen) can be tough to get so make sure you keep this safe. So what are your plans for the colour... Red or white?:P

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Great project, definitely a car worth saving! Just like you, my first love is the Esprit and I enjoy my SE very much. But the Elite, and to a slightly lesser extent Eclat/Excel, grew on me, after seeing a few at shows. They're a much rarer sight than the Esprit even, and I love to own/use one someday. So I've been looking for a rolling restoration. I'm not up to a full project like yours, but I'm sure it will be extremely satisfying once you see it evolving back to it's former glory.

Hats off and best of luck!

Filip

I have made many mistakes in my life. Buying a multiple Lotus is not one of them.

 

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13 hours ago, CharlieCroker said:

Very original looking car, great base for a full resto, get stuck in son, it's the way to go. All the best, Charlie :-) 

Thanks Charlie, You did a great job with yours, very inspiring. :)

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2 hours ago, mikeeech said:

Great save. it will be good to see another restoration thread develop. Be sure to post regular updates so that you can keep my spirits up! most parts are available. The trim (particularly around the windscreen) can be tough to get so make sure you keep this safe. So what are your plans for the colour... Red or white?:P

Will do Mike.  The colour?  Think that decision may have been made for me.  Just recieved this from Lotus

Quote

Dear Roland,

 

Thank you.

The paint code (bottom right) appears to read LO4, which was Cirrus White.

The engine number G74015632 would indicate domestic specification Type 907 2.0 engine with A/C, without PAS.

You are lucky, next month the parts manager retires, but he remembers these cars, the A/C control knob was the same as the heater fan (which I see is missing on your car).

The parts manual A075T0325J (See attached as it looks like we no longer offer this part) also shows a radio cassette recorder with microphone so that they could do the dictating on the move.

It would appear your car would be the 502 model with 5 speed gearbox.

 

Attached is a picture of the press car interior to help you.

Looks like it might be Cirrus white.  Nice to see my suspicions confirmed that it was/is a 502 with A/C.  Problem is do I re-instate and start looking for 42 year old A/C parts:lol: or get new kit installed. Decision, decicions.  I was wondering how the A/C was switched on, another questuion answered!

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1 hour ago, Escape said:

Great project, definitely a car worth saving! Just like you, my first love is the Esprit and I enjoy my SE very much. But the Elite, and to a slightly lesser extent Eclat/Excel, grew on me, after seeing a few at shows. They're a much rarer sight than the Esprit even, and I love to own/use one someday. So I've been looking for a rolling restoration. I'm not up to a full project like yours, but I'm sure it will be extremely satisfying once you see it evolving back to it's former glory.

Hats off and best of luck!

Filip

 

Thanks Filip, I think with these types of cars patience is the key, both in finding one and restoring it, I'm sure you will get one. 

 

Practical Classics 4.jpg One thing building my 7 "replica"  taught me was that, you are capable of more than you think!

P.S. I will get my Esprit, sometime..eventually.:lol:

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3 hours ago, mikeeech said:

Great save. it will be good to see another restoration thread develop. Be sure to post regular updates so that you can keep my spirits up! most parts are available. The trim (particularly around the windscreen) can be tough to get so make sure you keep this safe. So what are your plans for the colour... Red or white?:P

Will do Mike.  The colour?  Think that decision may have been made for me.  Just recieved this from Lotus

Looks like it might be Cirrus white.  Nice to see my suspicions confirmed that it was/is a 502 with A/C.  Problem is do I re-instate and start looking for 42 year old A/C parts:lol: or get new kit installed. Decision, decicions.  I was wondering how the A/C was switched on, another questuion answered!

I am sure I have a compressor and brackets somewhere for the AC. I also noticed you have a rare brown leather steering wheel and the original gear knob showing the shift pattern. The radio is not the original, but sometimes you can find an age related one on flebay, I doubt you will ever find a dictaphone one. Good luck wit the restoration.

 

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13 minutes ago, johnpwalsh said:

I am sure I have a compressor and brackets somewhere for the AC. I also noticed you have a rare brown leather steering wheel and the original gear knob showing the shift pattern. The radio is not the original, but sometimes you can find an age related one on flebay, I doubt you will ever find a dictaphone one. Good luck wit the restoration.

Hi John, that's handy to know.  Rare brown leather steering wheel???  I thought it was supposed to be black and that it had faded badly, very badly:lol::lol: guess I won't be needing any black leather dye then.  Do you know what make/model the original radio would have been?  Thanks

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Hi Roland there  were several variations of radio fitted, one was a Murphy and I think Radiomobile I think I have one in the garage somewhere and will check and let you know. It could easily be that your steering wheel is just faded, I previously used black shoe polish and just kept rubbing it in to bring back it's color.

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BIllions!!!!  

  This is some of the paperwork that came with the car.  It details what was done to the car when the chassis was changed back in '94.  An MOT is mentioned so I assume she was used up until Oct '95.  After that, was never on the road again :(

BSS Parts1054.jpg

 

BSS Parts2055.jpg

 

BSS Parts3056.jpg

 

BSS Parts4057.jpg

 

Want to make a start on extracting the interior this week.  How are the rear seats held in? How are the other bits in the back held in? Can the front seats be taken off their runners for removal?

 

 

 

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:o that's a long list. still it should be the basis of alot of the work that needs doing. if it hasn't run since then, then most of the parts will still be fine. at least you don't have a chassis change to do! or rear brake shoes to change for that matter!

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Regarding the aircon - given your previous experience - your probably aware of car builders solutions catalogue?

I wouldn't bother restoring an original aircon system - I would fit one of the kits. I intend to do this on my eclat S2 at some point.

if it is of interest, the original aircon pump was a Harrison V5.

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