| TIP'S WHEN BUYING A LOTUS ELAN PLUS 2. |
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A few tips when looking at one to buy would be firstly is it galvanised chassis ? If it is ,then it has been renewed since the car was new and you are probably safe from any problems there. Although I would always check around the front turrets and any welded joints for cracks . The next thing to concider would be the engine ,is it original spec and has it been rebuilt ever ? Does it run on unleaded or LRP ? I use LRP but have had to adjust the mixture a few times to get it running right,but i'm not 100% happy and might concider a head conversion (about £500 by the local lotus expert). The body is worth looking at as a respray is not cheap if you want it done properly i,e down to the gell coat. look out for cracks on the surface of the paint,this would suggest the gell is cracked underneath and although a spray over the top would look good it would only last for about 6 months before the crack reapears. Has the car been standing for a while ? As my brakes tend to cease up after a few weeks if not moved , but that may be I have some worn pistons in the calipers. The shocks should not bounce too much as they are supposed to be quite hard for the road holding on corners on these cars is superb with not much roll if in good shape. Another thing to check is the water pump.Check for white spray on the underside of the bonnet and engine bay from the fan belt as this might be antifreeze from a leaky pump . NOT A GOOD SIGN ,as they say this is a 20 hour job ! if you are up to it yourself its not difficult ,but time consuming as there is a lot of dismantleing invovled. Also put your hand down the front of the engine (when cold) and see if the pump is loose atall, this might also mean a leaky pump. The oil pressure should be around 35/40lbs when hot but may drop a bit when idleing, this is normal. Plus all the usual checks you would do when buying any second hand car. |