Elan Sprint

[Toomanyloti]

Restoring them is a lot of work and yours looks really nice @Toomanyloti - how well does the right door fit on yours?

Stunning in white.
You know how to hit a nerve!!!! Before the resto my doors were absolutely perfect.. mainly because the old door seals were completely collapsed and shot to sh!t. I don't think original profile is available so got all sorts of samples until we found the best one. The thickness of the GRP sill/door opening surround is massive so narrows options right down as most only need a 2 to 3mm gripper.
The doors have been on about a year so have settled down a bit but still stick out where they didnt before.
I don't fancy having them slit, rejoined and painted again just to get rid of it. I used to gloat when i saw sticky out door bottoms now i feel I'm being justifiably punished...
Yours is a rare beast with a 5 speed box.
I talked to my local guy about fitting an aftermarket box but he said nah just rev it!
I have been all over western europe in it and round the 'ring' with camping gear and two POB I never felt like it needed a 5th gear but I bet its handy to have.

 

[hml_xy]

@Toomanyloti don't slit it open!! You know the story that Lotus had only 3 molds for the Elan body and that having a not-perfect fitting right door is a sign of authenticity? Because the last surviving mold was deformed on the way back to the factory after Lotus pulled the fibre glass manufacturing back in house... at least that's how I remember the story. Don't quote me on it. The later Spyder bodies had the obvious door issue fixed to my knowledge and "real Elan connoisseurs" () appreciate the massive gaps on the doors.

For the size reference conversation - I still have this photo on my phone from when we had to cool the engine in July or August last year on the way back from Spain... I think it shows the size of the Elan really well.

 

[Toomanyloti]

I nipped down to get some interior shots but they are poor.

For info the original 'chapman' steering wheel didnt come with the car and are as rare as hens teeth. Its a period motalita which I have had recovered in Bentley leather (under the cling film).
As already mentioned its just a big GRP canoe with an engine so i thought it best to get a roll bar in there and went for the side impact bars which run down the sill and brace across the bottom of the footwell to the chassis.
I had a guy cut out the re bar in the sill and install the bars and weld everything back with a bit of extra steel.
I opted to try a bluetooth amp module thing which sits neatly behind the radio hole. I will fit the blanking plate with magnets in case we need to get in and adjust it. Simply powers up with the ignition and plays via ones phone. Nothing fancy just some sound for longer journeys.
When i get chance I will do a full list of whats gone into it when i can find the paper its written on as i cant remember everything off the top of my head

 

[Toomanyloti]

@Toomanyloti don't slit it open!! You know the story that Lotus had only 3 molds for the Elan body and that having a not-perfect fitting right door is a sign of authenticity? Because the last surviving mold was deformed on the way back to the factory after Lotus pulled the fibre glass manufacturing back in house... at least that's how I remember the story. Don't quote me on it. The later Spyder bodies had the obvious door issue fixed to my knowledge and "real Elan connoisseurs" () appreciate the massive gaps on the doors.

For the size reference conversation - I still have this photo on my phone from when we had to cool the engine in July or August last year on the way back from Spain... I think it shows the size of the Elan really well.

View attachment 23561

I didnt know that about the bodies. I just thought that it was related to the doors being stripped from the moulds while still a bit 'green' and that deformed them.
I'm going to look for a different seal. To be fair I have been that busy with kids and work the Elan has taken a big back seat. I'm not on any Elan forums so all I know comes from my long term Lotus specialist near by.
I cant see me ever splitting them the paint is lovely. At this point I cant see me driving it either its way too nice to spoil

 

[Pugwash]

My doors are appropriately flared at the bottom. It’s a period thing. When I see one with perfect doors I know it’s had plastic surgery!
I have a full set of original wheels but was worried about the thickness of the steel (originals were made of thin steel apparently) and I heard of wheels cracking so I opted for a set of minilites which would have been period.
The revolutions do look good though.