pptom
Part of things
Posts: 475 
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Jun 28, 2018 19:00:10 GMT
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Hello all, been reading some fantastic build threads over the years and thought I'd have a go myself.
Been building bikes for the last 8 or so years from a '62 ducati 250 Road racer to a 90's Dakar inspired Super Tenere.
I decided there wasn't really any other bikes which took my fancy and was always a bit wary of getting a car, mainly because of the dreaded rust and bodywork issues. I've recently started painting, done a couple of bikes now and while I still have plenty to learn, I've got a bit more confidence to try a car.
The ultimate dream cars (60's Porsch or an elan) are out of budget, but the +2's seem to have fallen slightly under the radar.
I put the feelers out and this one came my way. One previous owner on the logbook, but I'm sure it's had 3, 87k miles, had a new galvanised chassis in 1993 and not driven since.
The last owner brought it as a project and made a start on the bodywork, getting the doors and windows removed and putting it into primer but unfortunately had some health problems so couldn't finish it.
Came home 10 days ago and I've been busy blocking and making some fibreglass repairs to the rear where it's had a little shunt in the past which was only repaired with filler.
Hopefully the pics will work, I've not bothered since the photobucket fiasco
t
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Last Edit: Oct 4, 2020 13:11:20 GMT by pptom
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pptom
Part of things
Posts: 475
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Jun 28, 2018 19:04:04 GMT
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pptom
Part of things
Posts: 475
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Jun 28, 2018 19:12:41 GMT
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Don't think I'm missing too much, rear bumper is probably the main thing as it came to me with a black plastic one. I've got to finish the body and them am planning a complete overhaul of the chassis / drivetrain and an Engine rebuild, I'll ship out some of the engine machining work, but will try everything else myself, not aiming for big power as that needs a big wallet, but I think around 130bhp would be fairly reasonable, bearing in mind they are sub 900kg cars. I've already stripped, ultrasonic cleaned and rebuilt the carbs with new kits, some or the bits are away with a mate for plating, but these will be built into the airbox and go on display in the lounge as a constant reminder.   |
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Last Edit: Jun 28, 2018 19:14:37 GMT by pptom
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pptom
Part of things
Posts: 475
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Jun 28, 2018 19:19:40 GMT
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Unusually, from the previous photo, as an early car it has a transverse silencer and the exit at the rh corner of the car. At some point, someone has made a new tunnel in the boot and put a standard but later, front to back silencer in, hence the bigger cut out nearer the centre.
I did think about returning it to factory, but it's a fairly decent job and is a bit of history, so they'll both stay.
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keyring
Part of things
Posts: 913
Club RR Member Number: 47
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Lotus Elan +2 + mk2 Swidget keyring
@keyring
Club Retro Rides Member 47
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Jun 28, 2018 20:54:35 GMT
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Bookmarked. Look forward to seeing this progress  |
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Jun 29, 2018 11:31:45 GMT
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I'll be interested to follow this, I've had mine for 24 years, and have had most of it apart (including replacing the body from the doors backwards, if you need any help let me know. 130ps should not be a problem the later ones like mine were claimed to make that from the factory (generally reckoned to actually be nearer 125ps)  |
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jpr1977
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 658
Club RR Member Number: 18
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Lotus Elan +2 + mk2 Swidget jpr1977
@jpr1977
Club Retro Rides Member 18
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Jun 29, 2018 11:56:56 GMT
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Bookmarked, I do love a nice +2. Just in case your 'feelers' bring up anything else keep an eye out for a late elan+2 shell/bodywork (130/5 era)... Said i'd keep an eye out for a family friend who has everything else but the body thanks to a dodgy fly by night resto company many years ago...  |
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Jun 29, 2018 17:44:38 GMT
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If he's paying for a pro paint job the cost of getting a new shell is not going to be that different to stripping and repairing a rough second hand one.
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jpr1977
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 658
Club RR Member Number: 18
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Lotus Elan +2 + mk2 Swidget jpr1977
@jpr1977
Club Retro Rides Member 18
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Jun 29, 2018 18:06:15 GMT
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Oh i know, but fortunately I work for a glass fab co now and then so repairs can be sorted fairly reasonably  |
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Last Edit: Jun 29, 2018 18:07:15 GMT by jpr1977
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pptom
Part of things
Posts: 475
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Jul 13, 2018 21:58:09 GMT
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Been a bit slack with the car recently, been concentrating on getting this built so I could create a bit more space to work in the garage  Then I went on holiday for a week, back on it now though, picked up 5 steel wheels at a bargain price from eBay, mine all needed repair, some may be past it, the replacements look good, though need spinning up and checking, also got a replacement rear seat from the same seller for less than it would cost to Retrim mine, and had a look through his spares and came away with a box of bits, so we'll worth the 5Hr round trip. |
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pptom
Part of things
Posts: 475
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Jul 13, 2018 22:10:20 GMT
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Slowly getting the boot lid sorted, looks like it had been forced open, sadly didn't take a before pic, but I had to grind back some stress cracks and a whole section was broken through. The stress cracks are straightforward, I use glass fibre tissue to build the ground out section back up.  The broken section was a pain, it can't be accessed from the back, so I used epoxy to glue an Ally mesh to the rear. This served as a scaffold to build and bond a proper chopped mat section over the top. Just laid on the final coats of tissue tonight, hope to get it sanded and in epoxy primer tomorrow. I'll probably dress it with a bit of dolphin glaze after that to get it perfect (I hope)  |
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Last Edit: Jul 13, 2018 22:12:49 GMT by pptom
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pptom
Part of things
Posts: 475
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Jul 13, 2018 22:17:00 GMT
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Bookmarked, I do love a nice +2. Just in case your 'feelers' bring up anything else keep an eye out for a late elan+2 shell/bodywork (130/5 era)... Said i'd keep an eye out for a family friend who has everything else but the body thanks to a dodgy fly by night resto company many years ago... There is a guy with a post on the lotus elan / +2 Facebook group with a shell for sale,, not sure if this link will work: m.facebook.com/groups/101913166516853?view=permalink&id=2122756551099161 |
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Last Edit: Jul 13, 2018 22:20:47 GMT by pptom
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jpr1977
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 658
Club RR Member Number: 18
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Lotus Elan +2 + mk2 Swidget jpr1977
@jpr1977
Club Retro Rides Member 18
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Jul 14, 2018 10:36:41 GMT
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pptomThank you I have passed the link across and we'll see from there... Very much appreciated Jp ps. If you ever have a random query I have another contact who has rebuilt several elans & plus 2's and is a font of knowledge..
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pptom
Part of things
Posts: 475
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Jul 14, 2018 16:11:08 GMT
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Well, that's the fibreglass finished on the boot and epoxy primed, still got a little filling to do. It's amazing how something looks decent until you put some paint on it.   After that I decided to start stripping the engine bay, hoping to borrow a hoist in the week and have the engine out by next weekend. Didn't go too badly, had to cut a couple if bolts out, but they'll all be replaced with stainless anyway.  I also have some fibreglass repairs to do in the engine bay, no idea how it happened other than a guess at when the chassis was replaced. The original bay colour is black, but I'm pretty sure I'm going final body colour in there.  |
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jpr1977
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 658
Club RR Member Number: 18
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Lotus Elan +2 + mk2 Swidget jpr1977
@jpr1977
Club Retro Rides Member 18
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Jul 15, 2018 14:01:37 GMT
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pptomThank you I have passed the link across and we'll see from there... Very much appreciated Jp ps. If you ever have a random query I have another contact who has rebuilt several elans & plus 2's and is a font of knowledge.. Just been informed its just been viewed, deal done, trailered home and safely stashed in my friends storage. I think you need to name your finders fee I'm off to go and look through all the parts tomorrow to see whats missing... |
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Last Edit: Jul 15, 2018 14:15:10 GMT by jpr1977
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pptom
Part of things
Posts: 475
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Jul 15, 2018 14:15:38 GMT
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That's a result! Glad it worked out, Facebook does occasionally have its good points. My car came from the same group after a tentative wanted shout.
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Jul 15, 2018 18:06:51 GMT
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This is a fascinating project which i've Bookmarked, i've been a Lotus enthusiast since being a kid and though having not owned one i have a lot of interest in them.
Glass fibre repairs are very interesting having helped a mate with his Bond Bug restoration last year.
I know this might be a way off but what is the original colour scheme and is that being returned?
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1980 Vauxhall Cavalier MK1
1970 Mobyleete 40T custom
1978 Mobylette 50V
1965 Moulton Standard
1979 Raleigh Grifter custom
1980 Raleigh Grifter
1982 Raleigh Grifter BMX custom
1982 Raleigh Bomber
1987 Strida
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pptom
Part of things
Posts: 475
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Jul 15, 2018 18:19:25 GMT
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Originally the blue you can see in some of the pics, was resprayed red at some point. Pretty sure I'm going a shade of green, non standard though. Absolutely love the look of this car in Aus  |
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