Our workshop projects, Jaguar, lotus, pics RW774
Discussion
Hi all, I thought you fellow pistonheads would enjoy these pics of our workshop loading, as much as we enjoy our work. There are more staff and cars that will appear later on. I hope to keep this up if you appreciate it.
1958, Mk 1 2.4 under 15k miles from new, in for service and carb rebuild.
Drives like new. Rarely seen in public and a fanatastic original car
1958 Mk9 manual overdive, with diff/ brake problems.Bronze Sun gear shims worn out.( snatches on pull away )Master cylinder and servo from V12 E about to be fitted also. 4 pots on the front,4.09 diff and goes like a big XK 150.
1961 Mk2, caught fire , thermal carb spitback on startup, kerboom. Common problem with Mk2s.
1958, Mk 1 2.4 under 15k miles from new, in for service and carb rebuild.
Drives like new. Rarely seen in public and a fanatastic original car
1958 Mk9 manual overdive, with diff/ brake problems.Bronze Sun gear shims worn out.( snatches on pull away )Master cylinder and servo from V12 E about to be fitted also. 4 pots on the front,4.09 diff and goes like a big XK 150.
1961 Mk2, caught fire , thermal carb spitback on startup, kerboom. Common problem with Mk2s.
Edited by RW774 on Friday 22 May 16:59
1966 S type with 4 speed auto just fitted by ourselves(4 hp 22 ZF)
SS copy for ww2 bomber pilot, " Please finish it before I peg out" 89 years old and a DFC holder.
1972 Lotus elan sprint S4,for Singapore client. Full 150 bhp 26R spec engine with lightweight flywheel and dual plate clutch and central hydraulic release bearing, RS 2000 diff, 3D ignition system with coil over plug
Same lotus, with Vince the builder,built from scratch received in boxes.
eat you heart out Martin!
Edited by RW774 on Friday 22 May 16:53
Total rewire and a special burr walnut dash and modern semi period nothing like it radio. We run blade fuses and relays so the electrics actually work.
Span shot of the workshop . as you can see the other projects underway.XK120 just left the building , bound for an Italian rally.
Edited by RW774 on Friday 22 May 17:11
E type fhc,with computer controlled injection and ignition, full engine management,designed and fitted in house, with high pressure submerged fuel pump and hand made alloy plenium.
Best of the best and my favorite. A black badge memorial Lotus S4 elan FHC on strombergs!.Clients` wife had never been in the car( after 30 years of marriage!) Off the road and in old rank zerox boxes since 1976. Fully restored by ourselves and returned for minor shakedown issues. Handles like a go-kart.
Absolutely to die for.One of the finest motorcars to ever grace the roads. A Chapman masterpiece and good enough for Jim Clarks everyday transport.
Edited by RW774 on Friday 22 May 18:13
I should explain.
The Elan had a habit of cracking its frontal chassis. Both these cars were built as kits originally by their owners and used regularly, with 69k and 50K miles before being stripped by their owners for work way back in the 70s, mainly for work on the bodies and chassis. They were never put back on the road till were asked to rebuild them.
The FHC is a 1969 car, the sprint a 72
The Elan had a habit of cracking its frontal chassis. Both these cars were built as kits originally by their owners and used regularly, with 69k and 50K miles before being stripped by their owners for work way back in the 70s, mainly for work on the bodies and chassis. They were never put back on the road till were asked to rebuild them.
The FHC is a 1969 car, the sprint a 72
William, an Elan (or Europa) kit wasn't a kit as most people would expect them. Paul could turn either of those two back to their original kit form in less than half a day.
Namely: wheels off, front calipers and uprights off, engine and gearbox, exhaust, rad and seats out. And that's it, that is what you got as a "kit" from Lotus, a fully built body/chassis, painted, trimmed and wired, most of the suspension fitted.
They weren't supplied as a large heap of bits you had to put together like modern kits - which shows what rubbish the frequent comment in car mags to "avoid the kit built ones" is!
Jay.
Namely: wheels off, front calipers and uprights off, engine and gearbox, exhaust, rad and seats out. And that's it, that is what you got as a "kit" from Lotus, a fully built body/chassis, painted, trimmed and wired, most of the suspension fitted.
They weren't supplied as a large heap of bits you had to put together like modern kits - which shows what rubbish the frequent comment in car mags to "avoid the kit built ones" is!
Jay.
Thanks for your appreciative comments. I really love my work and I feel the enthusiam rubs off on the staff too.
We have a clients` Espirit Turbo,which I will cover soon.Having suffered two very poor engine rebuilds in the past is now on it`s third.( head gasket failure). We have been trusted with the job so , plenty of contact with the client and photos of the horrors. Unbelieveably after 500 miles since the last build we dismantled the motor and found 2 middle liners 4 thou under minimum height, scored journals and stripped threads everywhere. Even the cam boxes , which should be torqued up to 15lbs ft torque , had been tightened so much as to crack the head lugs.Even the turbo waste gate was jammed open and had not worked for years.The owner had complianed it was not as fast as it should be!
We have a clients` Espirit Turbo,which I will cover soon.Having suffered two very poor engine rebuilds in the past is now on it`s third.( head gasket failure). We have been trusted with the job so , plenty of contact with the client and photos of the horrors. Unbelieveably after 500 miles since the last build we dismantled the motor and found 2 middle liners 4 thou under minimum height, scored journals and stripped threads everywhere. Even the cam boxes , which should be torqued up to 15lbs ft torque , had been tightened so much as to crack the head lugs.Even the turbo waste gate was jammed open and had not worked for years.The owner had complianed it was not as fast as it should be!
Shall we add a few more photos Paul? In this bunch is the homage to Mike Hawthorn, the Mk 1 that Paul built over a number of years plus an underneath photo of the S type with the ZF gearbox.
The engineering department was spotless (as it should be) and I certainly would advise a visit. The tea is well worth it too!
The engineering department was spotless (as it should be) and I certainly would advise a visit. The tea is well worth it too!
Edited by lowdrag on Tuesday 26th May 09:18
Tony, thankyou so very much for the praise, very much appreciated and I`m glad you enjoyed the visit. The open day idea seems a good one, so I will have to get my head around it sooner than later. we do have a cafe on site, so a good quality artery blocking english breakfast , with a pint of tea will be available to all.
Gassing Station | Classic Cars and Yesterday's Heroes | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff