How rusty is too rusty? Meet our Lotus Elan.

Is it possible for a car to be too rusty, too smashed and too rough to save? Meet the Lotus Elan that Tim just dragged home: https://youtu.be/4PnD7j1a8EQ

Yes, he intends to save it.

I think Margie needs to schedule an intervention.

Wow.

Auto restoration...in Expert Mode!

nice trailer.

Seen it at the concourse d'LeMons last weekend. Appears to be an ultra-lightweight Colin Chapman special edition.

This got a lot easier since I see the rear DS quarter missing. Since the back-half is essentially non-repairable (unless you consider taking a splash off of another car as a "repair") it becomes a simple matter of buying and installing a back-half clip.

Seeing the condition of the suspension, I am having a hard time imagining the frame being salvageable despite the early report; Colins stuff was never built for durability in the best of conditions. But once again, its a single part-number repair, so not a big deal.

From there on, its the standard restoration process of weld whats rotted and buy whats wore-out. As far as I know everything is available for these cars.

Still think its going to be a George Washington axe.

I have a thing for S1 Elans and I probably would have bought that car. Of course, I'm assuming that it was pretty cheap, somewhere around the price of a rebuildable Lotus twin cam core.

I failed at the "intervention" part, since I was there. But to be fair, the price was $2500--and it came with an engine as well as a spare car: A Lotus Cortina.

I'm in it for the long game... you know, the one that ends with me owning a restored Cortina. We shall see, though, since it has its own rust issues (and then some).

[edit: Note to self, get those horrible red shorts Tim is wearing in the video and put them in the trash. He keeps hiding them from me because he knows they're on the list.]

Margie

This is too cool.

Tell/show us more about the Cortina!

Keep in mind that the frame for the Elan was made on a 4' brake. Do you have a 4' brake? You, too, can make a frame. Know why it was made on a 4' brake? Well, it was going to not have any frame at all. It was going to be all fiberglass, like the original Elite. But they had problems getting the tub strong enough for the suspension. The engineer was telling CBAC this, and CBAC wipped out an envelope or napkin (I forget), started drawing a frame and said "Here, make this on the shop brake," which was a 4' brake.

Marjorie Suddard wrote: I failed at the "intervention" part, since I was there. But to be fair, the price was $2500--and it came with an engine as well as a spare car: A Lotus Cortina.

Wait, you got both of those cars for $2500?!

Looks like some of my projects. Looks like fun. Was that grass growing on the floorboard?

Also interested in the story on the cortina

Marjorie Suddard wrote: [edit: Note to self, get those horrible red shorts Tim is wearing in the video and put them in the trash. He keeps hiding them from me because he knows they're on the list.] Margie

His shorts were OK, but I love the shirt, I have one just like it. But smaller.

Woody wrote:

Marjorie Suddard wrote: I failed at the "intervention" part, since I was there. But to be fair, the price was $2500--and it came with an engine as well as a spare car: A Lotus Cortina.

Wait, you got *both* of those cars for $2500?!

Yea, as a sum, you have two challenge cars, with a lot of budget room. Holy crap.

Marjorie Suddard wrote: I failed at the "intervention" part, since I was there. But to be fair, the price was $2500--and it came with an engine as well as a spare car: A Lotus Cortina. I'm in it for the long game... you know, the one that ends with me owning a restored Cortina. We shall see, though, since it has its own rust issues (and then some). [edit: Note to self, get those horrible red shorts Tim is wearing in the video and put them in the trash. He keeps hiding them from me because he knows they're on the list.] Margie

Just to be clear, there's intervention and enabling. They are very different.

Good lord, what a project.

If you bring this car back, you really, really, really need to have a long series of articles. It would seriously be a cornerstone project for CM. If this can be done, virtually anything can be done.

I'll be watching this with much interest. My biggest car regret is an elan coupe that had been used in prodsports racing get away from me. It was missing the front clip and engine and was of course stripped out for racing but it was ultra cool with big flares and bigger panasport knockoffs. I could have had that car for less than 2500 but it was far away and I had no idea at the time if a new front clip could even be sourced.

Restoring this car automatically makes you guys Kings Of... Well, I'm not sure of what but it's AWESOME I know that!

There's a series of pictures I saw on Cardomain a while back of an MG restoration that was half as bad as this car and THAT amazed me.

Bit of Elan trivia: the engineer who actually designed the Elan chassis at Lotus also designed the Black and Decker Workmate. He never made much money from the Elan, but made a bunch from the workmate. forget his name right now, but I can find it if necessary.

Jim Pettengill wrote: Bit of Elan trivia: the engineer who actually designed the Elan chassis at Lotus also designed the Black and Decker Workmate. He never made much money from the Elan, but made a bunch from the workmate. forget his name right now, but I can find it if necessary.

I have three Black and Decker Workmates. One is almost thirty five years old. I use them all the time and they are indispensable. But I would trade all three for a Lotus Elan...

So, the Mini restoration seems like it has taken about two years (at least in magazine article time). This one may take 10 years if the pace is the same. Good lord. I wish you luck and am interested to watch and learn.

Just remembered the man's name - Ron Hickman. Check out the listing for him on Wikipedia - he also designed the Europa chassis.

I would just rivet the VIN to a new body/chassis and call it good.

In all seriousness, that thing will take a LOT of glass work if you can find the molds. The frame will most likely have more holes than swiss cheese and might need to have a new one made.

Good luck and Gods speed.