My Lotus dream has suddenly turned into my Lotus nightmare

Camm Back it like a Daytona Coupe perhaps, cutting's done .....

Good news Everyone...

Looks like the rear cut is available as a repair panel.

See item #4. However, I would buy Item #1 and save the work

Or just break the bank: Elan Body & Chassis

Amazing finds. Looking foreward to this. I have an elan frame sitting at my shop if you need it.

In reply to Tim Suddard:

The more I think about this Tim, I'm pretty sure everyone's Lotus dream turns into a Lotus nightmare eventually, should they choose to chase the dream. Not that it would ever stop any of us though.

Well nothing that copies amounts of super glue, duck tape, rubbing compound, and wax won't cure! ......oh, and copious amounts of parts, time, labor, and money, lol.

I was just thinking we type lol for "laugh out loud" , is there a "COL" for "cry out loud"? or maybe a "CSA" for "cry silently alone"?...just for the dark days ahead on fun projects like this.

Okay, I have everything loaded up. Ed will post pics of the Elan, as it is now on a utility trailer and heading back to FL. The Cortina is real, and very rusty and with Carl Heideman and heading to Holland, MI for a better inspection. To make this whole nightmare worse, or better, depending on how you view things, the Lotus guy's buddy, had an early Mk 1 Tiger and an early MG TD, that I picked up too. I couldn't resist the last cheap Tiger on earth and have always wanted a TD. Need to figure that mess out next.

In reply to Tim Suddard:

Tim All I can do here at my desk is laugh. Ines would, well, lecture me after just wanting the two. If Margie is ok, the two of them need to have lunch someday.

In reply to Tim Suddard:

Well... at least this should keep you in CMS project cars for a year or two.

Car trailer? Who needs a car trailer?

In reply to Marjorie Suddard:

Termites? Srsly, you'd think it would have been noticeable when that much car went missing.

That shot of the Elan "in" the trailer is hilarious. It looks like it's in a wastebasket. Good luck with the rescues.

Looks like someone tossed a dead Lotus into a dumpster! I mean, it happens

The Elan has a clear title, four wheels (one badly bent) and the original (supposedly newly rebuilt) matching engine and correct transmission. Apparently the previous owner got in an accident and wiped the back end out of the car. The left rear shock tower seems to be bent, but I don't know how bad. Upon initial inspection, the chassis is shockingly not rusty and all suspension seems to be there and except for the aforementioned shock tower, in good shape. The car is very original except for the awesome shag carpeting. It is missing the body and trunk behind the rear wheels, the driveshaft, radiator and very little else. The car sat outside in Michigan, presumably since 1976, and the interior is completely shot.

My plan is to drag the car home, empty it out, steam clean the moss (yes, moss) out and develop a plan. At this point, I feel we can do our own fiberglass work well enough to graft repair panels on. I see panels are readily available (thanks to you guys) and if I can't find the panels, I have molded my own glass panels before. At this point, I do not plan to build a race car or 26R replica, but want a nice stock Elan. I know this is not the correct, or easiest starting point, but I am getting kind of excited by the idea (at least) of the challenge and don't want to build the proverbial George Washington's axe, with a new body and frame. Now, of course, after a deep cleaning and through examination, the plan may change, but that is where my head is today.

I have been looking at Elans, and am frankly too cheap to pay the current $25,000 asking price of a beater. And call it ego, desire for a higher challenge, publicity for the magazine, desire to save a rare and very cool car or my own personal insecurity,(or some combination of these reasons) I want to be known as the guy who brought back the unrestorable Elan. Again, I could quickly come to my senses, when I do a more complete inspection.

As for the Cortina, it is a real, 1966 Mk1 Lotus. I got the title and key with it, as well. Our expert, Carl Heideman, looked it over and said, that despite the extensive rust in the lower regions, it is a very authentic, unmolested car. It does not have the twin cam head, though. Once we inspect it better, we will determine the originality the rest of the engine and transmission and determine if it is original to the car. Even the owner's manual is in the car. We got the trunk open and found the other original wheels and hubcaps. My wife and partner Margie, thinks the Cortina is especially cool and wants me to restore it.

Again, we will make a better plan once we get a chance to really look everything over.

Tim,

Congratulations on your additions to the herd.

Your purchase of the Cortina will help everyone find additional sources for NOS/reman parts that have started to completely disappear. If the motor turns out to be a non-crossflow 1500 GT and you decide to not use it in the car please save it for the Turner you might end up with.

Yes, keep your Elan on the stock springs and narrow tires. The rear spring rates are very compliant. Long drives in the car will not work you like the raft of Miata's parked at you office. The Roto-flex half shafts are a known issue. The three piece roof bow system is a study in Chapman/Lotus brilliance, I hope they were included.

This is really going to be enjoyable to watch. You might as well start looking of a place in Carmel Valley to leave the cars so you can drive them to Big Sur and have lunch at Nepenthe's.

Tim Suddard wrote: At this point, I do not plan to build a race car or 26R replica, but want a nice stock Elan.

Good! Thank you!

Tim Suddard wrote: My wife and partner Margie, thinks the Cortina is especially cool and wants me to restore it.

Good!

When in Big Sur, I always stop at the River Inn. Of course after this latest round of car purchases I will be reduced the Golden Arches for a long while!

In reply to Tim Suddard:

I sent my brother, a 1972 Lotus Europa twin cam owner, the photo of the Elan in the U-Haul. I think he was ready to cry

I think he has a spare twin cam head from when he converted to the Webers and Euro head, but I'm not sure if he'd want to sell it.

TR8 owner, I am looking for Lotus parts, including the Weber head. That said, the Elan actually came with the original engine and trans and was rebuilt already.

We took our first major concours win with the Elan, as we swept a class of one to take worst British car award at the Detroit, Concours de'Lemon. From here I am certain this victory will get invited to Amelia or Pebble next.

Marjorie Suddard wrote: What I can't get over is that the p.o. doesn't know what happened to the last couple feet or so of the Elan. Drive-by sawzall? Ass snatchers? I mean, how do you lose a chunk of a car? Margie

Why do I think this is a poker hand gone bad? "I'll raise you a rear Elan clip against your Jolly front."

The previous owner admitted that he got hammered and side swiped something back in the day. Drugs are bad!

We got a "free" Elan a couple of years ago. It'd been sitting behind a shed since 1975. The owner had put an extension on the side of their house after it was parked. This trapped it in the backyard. The picture below is us extracting it through the neighbour's yard. We had to take down a fence and part of a retaining wall. The Elan body is hanging from the ceiling of my shop and the frame is in the loft. It's on my list to get to this winter. The original owner misplaced the engine. How do you manage to do that?

Tim,

My brother-in-law is an EMT in Northport, MI not far from were you collected the cars. Not that the roads in that area and consumption of controlled substances contribute to broken cars, but driving over ones capabilities is a daily occurrence.

That and anyone that found the left overs from the "off" probably wanted to know what kind of boat the parts had come from. That had a trunk.