cort16 Posted May 30, 2011 Posted May 30, 2011 Does anyone know anything about Lotus Elites? It's really the last thing i need given the state of my SD1 but there's one for sale near me for not much money, which would fill a perfectly shaped hole in my lockup. No T&T obviously and with the infamous phrase "Very little work needing done to put this classic lotus back on the road" in the advert description. I know the engines are in the front in these, that the chassis can rot and it's made up of numerous random components from various manufacturers most of, which have now gone out of business. Are they twin cam? Anyone know what it's like to get bits for them?
autofive Posted May 30, 2011 Posted May 30, 2011 chassis rot and twincam problems (turbo version 2.2litre is the prefered engine, non-turbo version seems to last longer without problems), BL products for switch gear, cheap plastic interiors, expensive to paint
25v6turbo Posted May 30, 2011 Posted May 30, 2011 I know loads about these,my dad bought one in 1996 and still has it!!Its a famous one which is very early and was owned by a Team Lotus formula 1 driver,nice history...The chassis can rot,electric play up,bodges,poor bodywork repairs,some stuff easy to do,others a right pig,but i,ve done nearly everything on my dads with just handtools,parts not bad as so many get broken up for spares,making a nice example rare to find...2.0 or 2.2(series 2 all N/A no Turbos fited)Auto a bit of a donkey,what year,colour etc is it,i,il list the good and bad jobs shortly!!!!
25v6turbo Posted May 30, 2011 Posted May 30, 2011 The 70s wedge!!http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/1976-LOTUS-ELITE- ... 2311295390
cort16 Posted May 30, 2011 Author Posted May 30, 2011 Yes this is the one ^. I didn't realise it's on ebay, I spotted it in adtrader. So it's a 1976 2 litre.I'm not bothered about paint or any of that. I just want to run about in a scruffy genuine shite 70's super car for a bit so I'd need to get it through an mot. It's stuff like getting parts for brakes, service parts and that kind of thing.
M'coli Posted May 30, 2011 Posted May 30, 2011 It's a very expensive way to get a Maxi gearbox, IIRC. Are you sure this perfectly-shaped-hole in your garage is not a money pit in disguise?
cort16 Posted May 30, 2011 Author Posted May 30, 2011 It's a very expensive way to get a Maxi gearbox, IIRC. Are you sure this perfectly-shaped-hole in your garage is not a money pit in disguise? I never said it was a good idea
25v6turbo Posted May 30, 2011 Posted May 30, 2011 Service bits are fine,so are brakes etc,there are plenty of Lotus specialists around or keep on e-bay,parts turn up.Let us know if you get it??How much is it advertised for??
cort16 Posted May 30, 2011 Author Posted May 30, 2011 He wants £600 for it. It was up for £1000 but he dropped the price last week. I really should be concentrating on sorting my Rover but it's bloody tempting.
Pete-M Posted May 30, 2011 Posted May 30, 2011 It'll be a disaster, but you only live once. I'd hit that like a red-headed stepchild. Dell'orto 40 carbs (I think, could be Weber) so easy enough to clean and set up. The Lotus engine bits aren't cheap, but there will be ways around some of them - stuff like valve stem oil seals and the like. I wonder if he's dropped the price because someone has spotted something a bit seriously wrong. Beware of bodges. I always liked the shape of these, kind of wrong with a hint of 'just about right' about them. That may just be because I had a Corgi one as a kid.
autofive Posted May 30, 2011 Posted May 30, 2011 almost at breaking money at 500 ebay start price i'd want to pour over the chassis and drive it before buying
25v6turbo Posted May 30, 2011 Posted May 30, 2011 £600 is good,but if its close enough get looking at the chassis and how it runs etc,but worth £600 if good enoughI,am after a breaker myself but this is way to far from me in Surrey.
Station Posted May 30, 2011 Posted May 30, 2011 If it runs and the chassis isn't rotten, I'd do it, I think they're really nice looking cars and like owning a Porsche 924, 600 quid for a Lotus car isn't much.
gtd2000 Posted May 30, 2011 Posted May 30, 2011 LotsOfTroubleUsuallySerious Being serious - I'm sure if you could transplant a decent drivetrain and electrics into one of these things - it could be very interesting
gtd2000 Posted May 30, 2011 Posted May 30, 2011 I've been watching some downloaded episodes of Wheeler Dealers and salivating at the price of UK shite while trying to keep cool here in Sarasota! Prices of old crap are seriously out of whack in the USA these days!
cort16 Posted May 30, 2011 Author Posted May 30, 2011 Obviously it'll be a flippin disaster but I can always weigh it in :). I just need to check it'll fit into my junior sized garage.Apparantly wheeler dealers are filming in the USA just now. Brewer's buying ameritat and shippin it back to the UK for fettling apparantly.
25v6turbo Posted May 30, 2011 Posted May 30, 2011 Belive me,if its crap i would be interested in lots of bits,but you would need to ship them to me!!Right crap jobs to do....Rear cylinders,these have inboard rear drums,cylinders at top,quickest way is to remove diff,which isn,t a bad job,but its heavy.Rear gearbox oil seal can piss out,nightmare to do as its a box chassis,really engine/box out to do,but again not to bad.Prop replacement,again diff out as its a box chassisExhaust manifold,tricky and again best of engine out,but not 100% def, but most of the time the nuts/studs are knackered anyway.Wiper motor involves complete dash removal,not easy.Clutch,engine out.There are more jobs but i can,t remember.The easy jobs areSteering rack(if manual)front brakes etcCambeltRad changeServicing(except g/box oil level is tricky)Carbs etc are all there,not buried,dizzy a bit hidden,but not terribleMost trim parts are easy removed aswell.
Mr_Bo11ox Posted May 30, 2011 Posted May 30, 2011 These are on the ascent for defo, I reckon 600 is a very good price
CreepingJesus Posted May 30, 2011 Posted May 30, 2011 If it's of any help to Elite enthusiasts, there is/was a complete early one for sale in U-Pull-It at Inverkeithing. £750, chalked on the window: untidy (very), with the passenger door window frame badly mangled, and Supra (the early 4 pairs of spokes kind) alloys on. I might be back across there in the next day or two if anyone wants info.
cort16 Posted May 31, 2011 Author Posted May 31, 2011 I haz bean 2 sea LOTUS.It looks good. It's not been on the road since for a very long time but had a 2k engine rebuild in 2001 and has done no miles since then.The current owner has got it running by boshing a new fuel pump and battery in it and doing the brakes. Good:Sounds ace, chassis's good, recent exhaust, interior is brown velour, good tyres, all electrics work! Bad:I need to finish the SD1 as it ain;t getting any less rusty, I can't really afford it, it's running lumpy and won't idle, drivers door drooping, interiors bogging, no carpet and the big one it's 10 CM too big to get into my lockup but I might fit it in if I take the front bumper off. I'd be in for a right shit storm if it didn't fit.
25v6turbo Posted May 31, 2011 Posted May 31, 2011 The rear bumper is quicker to remove...Go on you know you want to!!!
darkfour Posted June 1, 2011 Posted June 1, 2011 On this side of the pond there's this thing of beauty up for grabs .... Reserve is $1200. That is about 1/4 of what I have into the car It will not take many parts to make it worth the $1,200 The windshield is available for $1100 title which has been misplaced Without a title you can't legally prove the car is yours to sell and without one you can't register it. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1976-Lotus-Elite-504-/150612560068?pt=US_Cars_Trucks&hash=item23113548c4
gtd2000 Posted June 1, 2011 Posted June 1, 2011 Hmm... just up the road from me - good morning from Sarasota
Barry Cade Posted June 1, 2011 Posted June 1, 2011 If it's of any help to Elite enthusiasts, there is/was a complete early one for sale in U-Pull-It at Inverkeithing. £750, chalked on the window: untidy (very), with the passenger door window frame badly mangled, and Supra (the early 4 pairs of spokes kind) alloys on. I might be back across there in the next day or two if anyone wants info.One lying under a piss tarp in Crossford too, been there a long time.
cort16 Posted June 2, 2011 Author Posted June 2, 2011 It's probably gonna be no dice even though it looks like a decent buy and I really want it my garage is now filled with this rusty big bastard that needs sorted.My landlord and local garage owner declared the lotus "fucking shite" and the worst car he's ever driven when I told him of my plans last night. It doesn't put me off much though.
messerschmitt owner Posted June 2, 2011 Posted June 2, 2011 One lying under a piss tarp in Crossford too, been there a long time.I used to know someone in Crossford who had a Europa - I wonder if it is the same person?He had a blue Isetta at one point too.
Barry Cade Posted June 2, 2011 Posted June 2, 2011 One lying under a piss tarp in Crossford too, been there a long time.I used to know someone in Crossford who had a Europa - I wonder if it is the same person?He had a blue Isetta at one point too. No idea, but I know someone had a Europa in Kirkcaldy- used to pass it every morning on my paper round- sat on the street. JPS twin cam one too
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