Lotus Elan and Lotus Elan Plus 2 Forums

Id like to repost rather than edit my origonal response.

Im going for best mod was joining elan.net

100% FREE and probably saved more than ive spent..

John, i think that beats your 50p?

Thanks guys.

O.K.

You win

John

Rebuilt TC engine by Quicksilver Race Engines
TTR full 2" exhaust system (headers to muffler)
Coil over shocks
TTR spline drive shafts (no donuts)
This website which was immense help during my rebuild!

JJDraper wrote:So what has made other owners quietly satisfied over the years with something that has just worked?
Jeremy

The girlfriend






...well... I figured that as she loaned me the deposit for the Lotus [I left my cheque book at home] I would upgrade her to "Wife"

wotsisname wrote:

JJDraper wrote:So what has made other owners quietly satisfied over the years with something that has just worked?
Jeremy

The girlfriend

...well... I figured that as she loaned me the deposit for the Lotus [I left my cheque book at home] I would upgrade her to "Wife"

very good. When my girlfriend didn't complain about electric windows dropping into the door when it was raining, not panicking when oily smoke drifted from under the bonnet and not batting an eyelid at several roadside maintenance sessions I did the same !

Brian

Some more:
Drilling a hole in boot wall and fitting a rubber grommet for filling diff oil. Think it was 1.75 inch. Can get socket in and fill with ease.
Brazing a washer on the dizzy clamp bolt. Pinched idea from Mr Clegg's Tommy bar. Great, put hand under and acts just like a wing nut. No faffing with driver or spanner/socket.

Mike

wotsisname wrote:

JJDraper wrote:So what has made other owners quietly satisfied over the years with something that has just worked?
Jeremy

The girlfriend






...well... I figured that as she loaned me the deposit for the Lotus [I left my cheque book at home] I would upgrade her to "Wife"

When my girlfriend started referring to my elan as ' your little car' and was only happy when I swapped it (and my Excel) for an Esprit - she became my Ex and no, I'm not bitter about the lying, cheating b#!#h at all

Most satisfying is increasing the spacing of the pedals so that my size 10 wides only press one pedal at once and it cost nothing.
Modern starter motor is brilliant, and now looking forward, I should have the CV drive shafts fitted in a few days. I expect to be equally pleased with those.
Eric in Burnley
1967 S3SE DHC

Replacing headlights with halogen units and Rewiring with Relays. Made night driving both safe and a pleasure
Mick (Sue) Miller CV Driveshafts
Electronic ignition
TT Front Shocks & Springs (time to replace them now plenty of miles on them)
EBC Pads
Oil breather away from airbox....

Planning to put in an intermittent wiper mode....

Happy with more or less all else as 'original'.

Still in love with my +2 12+ years on

peterako wrote:
Oil breather away from airbox....

Hope you fitted a catch tank like mine. 500ml brake fluid container filled with pot scrubs

peterako wrote:Replacing headlights with halogen units and Rewiring with Relays. Made night driving both safe and a pleasure

On my list. Might even consider LED.

Mick (Sue) Miller CV Driveshafts

Installed by previous owner.

Electronic ignition

Also on my list.

TT Front Shocks & Springs (time to replace them now plenty of miles on them)

Got Konis thanks to previous owner but they won't last forever.

EBC Pads

Do you like them?

Oil breather away from airbox

Working on that, after seeing the oily mess in the intake system and all over the inside of the nose.

Planning to put in an intermittent wiper mode

Hadn't thought of that, but might be useful.

Still in love with my +2 12+ years on

I hope I love mine at least as long. Need to get it back together and on the road!

I had a diff case with a stripped drain plug hole thread. Fixed it with a Bergen spark plug insert. Worked a treat and the tool even cut a fresh seat. Using a cut down spark plug bottom I brazed the old brass plug nut together. Job done.
Mike

Great thread. Nice to see practical drivability mods in one place. When I was building my car I kind of had to hunt them down.

For those considering intermittent wipers, this is what I installed. Still really happy with the setup...

elan-mods-f31/smartscreen-intermittent-wipers-review-t25502.html

Rewiring the whole car and adding adding additional fuses & relays is top of my list. Have never had anything beyond a loose wire since. Veg, the Halogens are the way to go; completely adequate and period correct. Looked at LED?s for my Esprit, and the cost and hassles are a bit much.

For a cheap and easy Plus 2 mod, grind a bevel on the end of the two hex screws that form the bonnet hinges. Way easier to get the bolt started in the bobbin.

Stu

Stu
"For a cheap and easy Plus 2 mod, grind a bevel on the end of the two hex screws that form the bonnet hinges. Way easier to get the bolt started in the bobbin."

or even replace it with a longer screw , with the pointed end as suggested but also with wing nuts brazed on the ends , so much easier to fit/tighten with ones fingers rather than trying to get a spanner/socket in there...

John

Those have to be the two most frustrating bolts on the car.