theothersawyer
03-19-2015, 10:24 AM
So a couple of months ago my uncle informed me that I get his Lotus Elan in his will as well as all of his tools and tool boxes. He has had this car for many many years, and hasn't done much too it luckily that has all started to change!
Now all of these updates as of right now will be from the updates he has made from his facebook page, and I actually don't know too much about that car as of right now but that will change!
24 years ago it arrived at the house in the middle of winter the same way. 13 years ago, during a Christmas party, the brothers helped place the body on the cart you see here. Slowly, as time and laziness permitted, the engine, transmission, differential and brakes were rebuilt, and placed on a new, powder-coated Lotus replacement chassis. On August 29 the was placed on a tow truck and taken to 8 Mile Collision and Fiberglass to have some issues repaired, a high-build surfacer added, lots of blocking and sanding done, and a new topcoat sprayed on. And it won't be the current Porsche Guards Red!
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5476/14055956402_f8e942bf21_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/nq5s8U)
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5493/14055947591_a66a23c786_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/nq5pvZ)
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7093/14055947541_a399819abe_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/nq5pv8)
Right now the color coats are being applied to the Elan at 8 Mile Collision & 8 Mile Collision and Fiberglass by the incomparable Tony Nerone.
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5266/14059157485_de90cb3831_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/nqmRGZ)
Still at the body shop as the nose won't line up and drop into place, A bit of ill-advised gentle persuasion cracked the left-hand inner wheelwell, which may need to be cut out and modified if things don't improve. But it would allow replacing the hideous, large bobbins used to attach body to car with flush tapped steel plates...
https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2922/14055947691_35d44d4c19_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/nq5pxH)
And next, the body (which is fully painted, clear coated, and has sparkly silver bumpers) fits on top
https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2896/14055947451_aff6e1a01f_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/nq5ptz)
First the chassis with the next project (!) in the background.
Second, the rear suspension, aluminum differential housing (painted, of course) and brakes.
Third, the Lotus Twin Cam shorn of ancillaries that will get in the way when dropping the body in place.
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5522/14055956322_c030435964_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/nq5s7w)
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5444/14055956302_1e7b8b259e_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/nq5s7b)
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7421/14055947251_5ca32aa0f5_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/nq5pq8)
Look who came home yesterday... My hat is off to the incomparable Tony Nerone and the folks at 8 Mile Collision and Fiberglass (https://www.facebook.com/pages/8-Mile-Collision-and-Fiberglass/355117582565). I knew it would be beautiful, but the final result is beyond my most fevered imagination. I wish the photos were better, but it's a bit tough to move when there's no steering wheel attached!
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5484/13960562947_8a1c2e896c_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/ngDwZa)Untitled (https://flic.kr/p/ngDwZa) by theotherSawyer (https://www.flickr.com/people/50481382@N04/), on Flickr
https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2895/14143925661_339e6e2fcd_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/nxRjkg)Untitled (https://flic.kr/p/nxRjkg) by theotherSawyer (https://www.flickr.com/people/50481382@N04/), on Flickr
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7346/14167305643_e96c7b9aa1_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/nzV9op)Untitled (https://flic.kr/p/nzV9op) by theotherSawyer (https://www.flickr.com/people/50481382@N04/), on Flickr
He runs a car blog online and wrote a little article about the project: http://www.thevirtualdriver.com/drivers-seat/2014/5/30/restoration-realities-starting-over.html
Now all of these updates as of right now will be from the updates he has made from his facebook page, and I actually don't know too much about that car as of right now but that will change!
24 years ago it arrived at the house in the middle of winter the same way. 13 years ago, during a Christmas party, the brothers helped place the body on the cart you see here. Slowly, as time and laziness permitted, the engine, transmission, differential and brakes were rebuilt, and placed on a new, powder-coated Lotus replacement chassis. On August 29 the was placed on a tow truck and taken to 8 Mile Collision and Fiberglass to have some issues repaired, a high-build surfacer added, lots of blocking and sanding done, and a new topcoat sprayed on. And it won't be the current Porsche Guards Red!
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5476/14055956402_f8e942bf21_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/nq5s8U)
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5493/14055947591_a66a23c786_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/nq5pvZ)
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7093/14055947541_a399819abe_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/nq5pv8)
Right now the color coats are being applied to the Elan at 8 Mile Collision & 8 Mile Collision and Fiberglass by the incomparable Tony Nerone.
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5266/14059157485_de90cb3831_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/nqmRGZ)
Still at the body shop as the nose won't line up and drop into place, A bit of ill-advised gentle persuasion cracked the left-hand inner wheelwell, which may need to be cut out and modified if things don't improve. But it would allow replacing the hideous, large bobbins used to attach body to car with flush tapped steel plates...
https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2922/14055947691_35d44d4c19_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/nq5pxH)
And next, the body (which is fully painted, clear coated, and has sparkly silver bumpers) fits on top
https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2896/14055947451_aff6e1a01f_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/nq5ptz)
First the chassis with the next project (!) in the background.
Second, the rear suspension, aluminum differential housing (painted, of course) and brakes.
Third, the Lotus Twin Cam shorn of ancillaries that will get in the way when dropping the body in place.
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5522/14055956322_c030435964_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/nq5s7w)
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5444/14055956302_1e7b8b259e_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/nq5s7b)
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7421/14055947251_5ca32aa0f5_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/nq5pq8)
Look who came home yesterday... My hat is off to the incomparable Tony Nerone and the folks at 8 Mile Collision and Fiberglass (https://www.facebook.com/pages/8-Mile-Collision-and-Fiberglass/355117582565). I knew it would be beautiful, but the final result is beyond my most fevered imagination. I wish the photos were better, but it's a bit tough to move when there's no steering wheel attached!
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5484/13960562947_8a1c2e896c_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/ngDwZa)Untitled (https://flic.kr/p/ngDwZa) by theotherSawyer (https://www.flickr.com/people/50481382@N04/), on Flickr
https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2895/14143925661_339e6e2fcd_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/nxRjkg)Untitled (https://flic.kr/p/nxRjkg) by theotherSawyer (https://www.flickr.com/people/50481382@N04/), on Flickr
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7346/14167305643_e96c7b9aa1_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/nzV9op)Untitled (https://flic.kr/p/nzV9op) by theotherSawyer (https://www.flickr.com/people/50481382@N04/), on Flickr
He runs a car blog online and wrote a little article about the project: http://www.thevirtualdriver.com/drivers-seat/2014/5/30/restoration-realities-starting-over.html