Skizzer’s Elite: Lotushite

[TripleRich]

Interestingly you'll find many bangers get a pinto in straight away.  The smaller engine allows for greater body deformation before damage occurs. 

[danthecapriman]

You're thinking of the Essex V6, a very different kettle of camshafts.

Bangers generally use the cologne. Mostly the 2.9 version these days though.

[danthecapriman]

Interestingly you'll find many bangers get a pinto in straight away. The smaller engine allows for greater body deformation before damage occurs.

 

This!

The guy I used to work with did it. A P4 with a 2.0 Pinto in it looked a bit odd! He ran an Oldsmobile Delta 88 with a 2.8 Cologne at Firecracker (arena Essex) which went well, briefly.

The following year the same engine went into DS420 hearse.

 

Edit!

 

united downs raceway 7/8/16. by rustdreamer, on Flickr

 

Cologne. Modified a bit to take the water tank mounted under the front scuttle and the front end clear of anything that can get damaged.

 

If you want to race and win races or points most drivers use a race engine, prepped with hot cams etc etc.

[Skizzer]

In the last exciting* episode, I left the Elite at LotusBits for a look over and maybe a quick service.

 

They did the look over and pronounced it a decent sound car, just in need of some recommissioning. It’s had some money spent in the past but sat a long time since, which fits with what the chap I bought it from told me. They also confirmed it does indeed have a rust-free galvanised chassis, which is vital and one of the main reasons I bought this one.

 

The list of things that need doing is quite lengthy but none of them individually is very scary. Highlights:

- Worn driveshafts (TADTS, because they double as suspension arms)

- The nonstandard alternator is fine at alternating but it’s heavy and hangs off the water pump bearing, which isn’t up to carrying large weights multiplied by a long lever

- Water pump is shagged anyway

- Expansion tank is partly made of chewing gum and/or bat guano

- Something has escaped from inside the clutch (clutch plate itself is quite new)

- The oil filter is of a type last seen at the Battle of Agincourt

- The cam belt train is original and of the square tooth type. This means the pulleys are aluminium - so the teeth aren’t square any more. Good old Chapman. All to be replaced by later round toothed kit

- The inboard rear drums... I’m not even going to bother finishing that sentence, you can imagine

- Sundry ARB bushes and stuff are foobarred (actually there’s much less of that than I feared)

- A gearbox mount is upside down or something, so the box is resting on the chassis

 

The good news is, a gap opened up in their work schedule between two big restoration projects, so they re cracking on with mine sooner than expected - meaning now.

 

 

On closer inspection, there’s a bit of corrosion on the cam followers, probably because it’s been sitting outdoors. Bores look ok on a borescope though. Compression is alright, if not blindingly good.

 

Carbs are a mess, but serviceable. Here’s a box of Dellortos:

 

The exhaust manifold looks like an extra in Night of the Living Dead, so that is being swapped for a nearly new one off a donor car:

 

Very excited at the progress. The bill won’t be small (this is unashamedly a cheque book resto, I have little skill and zero time at present) but the car should be mechanically very well sorted pretty soon and ready for enjoyment.

 

Fear not though, it’ll still look like a shitheap.

[3VOM]

Can you go with an electric water pump?

[Skizzer]

Can you go with an electric water pump?

Good question. Probably, but this car has already shown the classic GRP-bodied fondness for bad earths and electrics so I’m not sure the usual logic about electric being more reliable applies.

 

Also, they can sort out the original fairly cheaply using bits from a scrap car. LotusBits was originally (and still is) a specialist breaker and parts supplier for Elites, Eclats and Excels, so a fair amount of the work will be with (good) recycled parts.

[320touring]

Excellent to see progress on this- it should be stunning when done, with the right balance of shabby chic/mechanical fortitude and GLFery:)

 

Lovely!

[trigger]

It's been a while since I clicked on this thread but that was a enjoyable catch up, pleased to read about all the progress on the cars, I'd love a set of those Lotus alloys though, they could be my most favorurest wheels of all time.

[Guest Hooli]

Hurrah for lotususses repairerists

[Skizzer]

I can haz new belts, pulleys and exhaust manifold. There are some new cam followers in there too, and plugs’n’leads. Also the cam covers are no longer cheesy disco metallic blue.

 

 

Getting there. V excited.

[danthecapriman]

My word that's a good looking engine! Those cam covers do look much better.

[Guest Hooli]

Hmmm good enough to lick

[Skizzer]

It’s home!

 

Collection trip started with a pleasant train journey to Bristol then two hideous ones to Rugby via Brum. Don’t ask, I’m trying to put it behind me - suffice to say, I see now why it’s called Cross Country cos I was fucking Cross.

 

Dave from LotusBits had come to pick me up from the station in the blue wedge as he still wanted to give it a bit of a shakedown, bearing in mind it’s done about 20 miles in the last 10 years. Which was handy, as the speedo cable snapped on the trip out. Back to base to see if there was a spare one knocking around.

 

 

They’ve done a long list of jobs. Lotus = Lots Of Trouble, Usually Serious? Well, not really, mostly just servicing, recommissioning after years of little or no use and sorting out half a lifetime of, er, non-standard engineering solutions.

 

 

While it was back up on the ramp getting a new speedo cable (a surprisingly quick job when you know how), I had a peek at the underneath.

 

Behold non-rusty (galvanised) chassis.

 

 

And speaking of creative engineering solutions, here’s one that is pure Chapman - (new) driveshafts doubling as the upper suspension links:

 

 

Anyway, job done, tea drunk, workshop manual downloaded, other cars admired (including a rolling Excel shell fresh from respraying - with an absolutely superb finish - hmm). Plans pencilled in for a return visit in the spring, for a reconditioned diff and a few other non-critical jobs.

 

To drive, the car is transformed. It showed a lot of promise when Breadvan and I drove it round the block after I first bought it, but the engine is smooth now following the carb rebuild and it pulls strongly. The steering is very light but still accurate, the handling outstanding - it’s very easy to throw around and steer on the throttle, yet forgiving if you back off slightly mid bend as I had to once. The ride is very comfortable but the rear can get a bit tetchy with coarse high-frequency transverse ridges.

 

Overall it feels more sports car than GT, but a comfortable one. It’s noisier than a modern, although some of that is the grumbling differential and a couple of fixable rattles from under-dash ‘engineering solutions’. It’s mostly the drivetrain and road roar; there’s barely any wind noise.

 

I travelled home via a mix of country A roads, town centres, motorway and the Forest of Dean road down to Monmouth. This has some natty little bends and I managed to have a clear run as the traffic ahead all turned off - it’s a perfect Lotus road and was a real hoot even in the dark with hopeless 1970s Lucas (?) headlights.

 

It still looks scruffy as hell though. Photos flatter it massively.

 

[dollywobbler]

Grand stuff. I hope sorting a rear wiper is high on the priority list now. #wipergeek

[danthecapriman]

Looks great. And after should be running and driving great too. Nice job.

[MikeR]

Dont the front wishbones crack ? , chap at work years ago had this issue

[Skizzer]

Grand stuff. I hope sorting a rear wiper is high on the priority list now. #wipergeek

I have one! It's in the shed. Car and shed should be united tomorrow, so I shall fit it in your honour and post a picture.

 

The list of non-critical jobs:

Heater is missing some ducting so I had very cold feet (but a clear windscreen)

There is some sort of heater valve affair rigged up to what is labelled as a bonnet release cable

There's a vacuum leak - probably also heater-related, as it runs off the vacuum somehow - so the headlights resurrect themselves after a minute instead of the factory-standard day or so (though they do stay down when the engine is running)

Those aftermarket door mirrors are useless as well as hideous

The back half of the headlining has gone AWOL

The speedometer backlight has packed in

The funky spotlight that magically illuminates the switch panel is missing

It needs a bit of de-mossing in places, and I may even give it a go with a polishing mop.

[dollywobbler]

A picture?! I was hoping for a sexy slow-mo video, preferably with French music. 

[Skizzer]

Dont the front wishbones crack ? , chap at work years ago had this issue

New one on me, but maybe so. Knowing Colin Chapman they probably double as engine mounts and door hinges or something. Luckily mine isn't so afflicted.

[skattrd]

Nice one Skizzer, it sounds like the important work has been done and it can be enjoyed for a bit as it is whilst dealing with the minor stuff at leisure.

[320touring]

Looks spot on Skizz,

 

Top bombing:)

[cort16]

Looks great. How fast does it go mr?

[Magnificent Rustbucket]

And speaking of creative engineering solutions, here’s one that is pure Chapman - (new) driveshafts doubling as the upper suspension links:

 

8680C5D8-6D78-498D-A2F6-A50C8C2E1713.jpeg

 

 

 

Did Lotus do this before Jaguar?

[drum]

Lovin your Lotus Skizzer.

 

What's all this though?

 

The ride is very comfortable but the rear can get a bit tetchy with coarse high-frequency transverse ridges.

 

High-frequency transverse ridges? Have you been driving across ploughed fields or summat?

[RobT]

Wonderful. If you ever use if for your commute up to London please let me know, I'd love to see it!

 

Metro and Lotus together for a photo opp. I think they both share the same wiper and indicator stalks (that's where the similarity ends of course...)

[Royale80]

Lovely Skizz!

 

How about an update on the rest of your fleet-always excellent reading!

 

Steve

[garethj]

Excellent work!  A mate had an Eclat years ago which was an awesome car when it worked, however his was at the stage yours was a few years ago with neglect and bodging which they really don't take to.  He had the same comment as you with the headlights - putting headlights from a 75mph Mini onto a 120mph Lotus wasn't great.

[stillOrange]

Legend!

[TagoraSX]

Excellent as always Mr Skizz.

[dollywobbler]

Did Lotus do this before Jaguar?

 

Yes, in racers, though with the driveshaft acting as the lower link.