New member on a rescue mission

[virgiltracey]

Hi all, very pleased to have found this forum!

I've been tasked with rescuing my stepfathers car, it is a 51 Elise S2 (1.8 k series).

The car used to be his daily as he previously also owned an Excel SE and still has a garaged Elan Sprint (needs a new chassis though 😩) however, as he's got older his back and knees aren't up to the job of getting in and out easily so he slowly stopped using it and subsequently he has left it undriven on the drive for the last three years.

The deal i've been given is that I get it back on the road and it will be insured for me to drive and eventually passed down to me, i've adored this particular car for years, in fact I was just a kid when he first took me out in it!

long story short: what steps would members reccomend to start the ball rolling? I was going to change oil, filters and plugs. change brake fluid, discs and pads. new tires and get the cam belt changed. What order should i start with? anything in particular i need to look at that i haven't mentioned?

 

thanks for reading!

 

[DeanB]

Do oil, filters, plugs, cam belt (and probably water pump while the belt is off) and brake and clutch fluid first.

What state are the brakes in?  Discs might be ok with just a skim, if not ask Gav at Unit 4 in Burton to source you discs as he can get good ones cheaper than most.  

Tyres - depends on how much tread and how hard they are of course.  

If it were me i would trailer it to Gav's and get him to do it. He will then look over it and tell you if there's anything else amiss.  He's very reasonably priced and as honest as the day is long. 

[John FISH Curtis]

As Dean has said, oil, filter, plugs, cambelt, water pump, brake fluid. Additionally, I personally would fit a new battery, if stored outside I'd change the radiator (and tow post). Fuel will have gone off, so drain and change fuel filter. Check how old the tyres are and for flat spots.

[DeanB]

Fuel and fuel filter is a good shout.

I wouldn't bother changing the radiator and tow post until they fail but I'm not made of money like Fish!

Where is the car?  If it's not a million miles away from Mansfield I don't mind having a look at it and offering some advice

[virgiltracey]

Thanks for the replies all, I had thought of all that so that gives me a bit of confidence!

the car is based on Stratford-upon-Avon, so not ideal for taking to burton, but happy to head there in the daily to collect parts.

first job will be engine I think, drain fuel change filter, oil and filter change, plugs and belts/pump.

looking online the cambelt doesn’t seem too difficult, although I’ve yet to change a belt personally. Reckon it’s doable for a mechanically minded lotus newbie?

[Lithopsian]

Cambelt is doable by a competent DIY-er, but like many Elise jobs you'll need a few special tools, very long flexible arms, and a liking for swearing at seized bolts.  Remember the car is nearly 20 years old, so everything steel is going to be thoroughly corroded.  Take your time and it shouldn't be a problem.  Trouble starts when you start shearing off bolts or stripping threads in the engine block.  Tell you what, if you can get the wheel arch liner off without a dremel, then you should be good to go!

[virgiltracey]

13 minutes ago, Lithopsian said:

Cambelt is doable by a competent DIY-er, but like many Elise jobs you'll need a few special tools, very long flexible arms, and a liking for swearing at seized bolts.  Remember the car is nearly 20 years old, so everything steel is going to be thoroughly corroded.  Take your time and it shouldn't be a problem.  Trouble starts when you start shearing off bolts or stripping threads in the engine block.  Tell you what, if you can get the wheel arch liner off without a dremel, then you should be good to go!

cheers litho, if there's one thing we have on this project it's time! 

I've spent the last few years working on what was my daily, so i'm pretty familiar with steel and rust!