[Wolfies Airbrush]

What do you do with an old Lotus Elite you've been given. Well firstly you leave it where it is for a year! Then when you have a bug to do someting that isn't 2 or 3 wheeled (I custom paint Bikes etc see www.wolfiesworkshop.co.uk ) you collect it. strip it and get the thinking cap on:beuj:.
What I was left with was a rolling chassis with reg and engine and box. An a section of the floorpan.

There are may reasons why this doesn't suit a rod body. 1. being the wheelbase 98.5" 2. the engine sits too far forward and the chassis design doesnt allow for it to move back. 3. the ugly extensions at the front end holding the anti roll bar. I like a challenge.

 

[Wolfies Airbrush]

We'd get to the wheel base bit later . but 2. the engine had to go - sold on ebay. replacement engine - 2ltr pinto (cheaper to run) with mk1 cortina gearbox (top loading gear stick) enabled me to move the engine back 10"
Same combination that I used on a model y roadster I built 12 years ago featured CC Sept2000

Also shown is a grill shell courtesy of Ifan Miller
Found a hidden bit of history behind the grill shell where it had been widened

 

[Wolfies Airbrush]

Next challenge was to find a body. Missed out on one sold through Rods n Sods. But later found a project for sale on Ebay which the guy decided to split . Nabbed the body quick. Think its a Dooster 32 ??
Got it home and attempetd a trial fit!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Looks like a bad accident!!
Ugly frame sections at the front will need some attention once registered as I cannot alter the chassis in any way. I can always move the antiroll to the back once regd

Bit of cutting etc we got it down.

 

[Wolfies Airbrush]

Wheel base alterations took the form of shortening the body behind the cab area by 6" and allowing the grill shell to sit 2" further forward than normal

Body cut and slid back

decided not to shift the cab area back by all the 6" but resectioned it to halve the distance. and started glassing it up

 

[Wolfies Airbrush]

Decided that I needed to get a picture of the whole car so having looked into getting a screen etc and encountered the cost!!!!! I reverted to an old skill of patternmaking for Aluminium casting

laminated up some mdf and mounted it with a screen template.

Bit of fettling and were getting there

The patterns are going to my mates foundry on Monday and I will get an idea of cost for casting them.

They can be fitted with the glass bonded in or wirh a seal around the glass and a bar across the top.

 

[Flamed Cortina]

Looking Good.

 

[mygasser]

you could advertise screen posts once you have some made. help recoup some of the cost.

 

[kapri]

Looking good Wolfie :tup: . My old POS had a shortened B body on a 98" wheelbase before I cut off the rear and turned it into a modified.

 

[crumble]

nice work their mate.

 

[digger]

like the thinking with this build....looking forward to seeing the rest.

 

[Wolfies Airbrush]

Thanks for the support guys . I like challenges and to my knowledge no one has rodded an Elite in this way .

 

[Wolfies Airbrush]

Had a little time between coats of paint today and tackled the pedal box and steering.

Had to alter the pedal box as the column needed to run where the throttle pedal went. Moved the pedal to the side of the box and shifted the column bracket over and forward slightly.

Still need to fabricate structural supports for the column and pedal box but they are in the right place.

Then removed the enormous old power steering rack and bracketed on a Cortina rack to the mounts where manual racks are fitted in elites (they have 2 sets of brackets!!)

Extended the steering link rod. Had to obtain some rack extenders off Ebay as the cortina rack is 100mm too short. These screw into the rod ends - easy

The grill shell previously sat on the Power rack which was much higher had to support it with something else - I wont loose my tape measures for a while!!!

Have a plan to mount the Indicators or a bumper on the front brackets to give them some purpose whilst its getting registered.:tup:

 

[Wolfies Airbrush]

Have ordered replacement springs from the Yorkshire Spring co. 300lb for the front and 200lb for the rears . Made for me @ about £20 a corner with tapers and ground ends :happy:. The current springs sit at full height . I was surprised at how heavy the lotus body was!!!

 

[Jonny 5]

:tup: Nice work Wolfie!

 

[ROCKIN WOLEY]

This is brilliant and very inavative, good thread :tup:

Jeff

 

[ROCKIN WOLEY]

Just had a breeze through ya web, Ya very talented and the climbing centre looks the nuts.

Jeff

 

[Wolfies Airbrush]

Thanks. More up to date work on my facebook page. Look for Alan Wolfie Hughes .

Yes Climbing centre was great fun. got more work coming up in their 50ft pit - more hanging in a harness with a portable compressor hanging next to me!!! daughter is a climber and wants to help :bigsmile:

 

[issigone]

liking the look of this, thinking outside the box is good.

cheers chris.

 

[Wolfies Airbrush]

Mate . I fell out the of the box years ago!!!:wacky:

 

[pompeypaul]

great work wolfie :tup: