RESTORATION LOTUS PLUS 2 ZETEC CONVERSION
Putting It Back Together
PART SIX
Stripped, a replacement chassis built up and fitted with ford parts, and the body prepared and painted. Now, it's re-assembly time
ALRIGHT, THERE ARE a few bits and pieces left to do. The suspension needs to be set up, and the engine needs running in and fine-tuning on a rolling road. But look at the little bugger. It's a beautiful Plus 2 that looks spot on, but goes faster and behaves more reliably than an original. You can now see the results of a fantastic body preparation and respray exercise by Spyder's chosen body shop, MaxPaint in March, Cambridgeshire (01354 650953). You can also see how the new running gear is plumbed and wired in, and how to deal with those little finishing touches - you know, like fitting the interior, glass and brightwork.
Most of the hard work in this issue is based around the fitment of the new wiring loom. Spyder's Andy Widnall used a universal wiring loom designed for kit cars, supplied by Premier Wiring System (01483 715725). This incredibly useful product comes in three parts and even incorporates a modern specification fuse box plus extensive earth wiring, so all earths can join at one point behind the dashboard.
For a fibreglass car, this earthing is crucial. It will eliminate the problems that most Elans suffer from through corroded earthing points at various awkward locations around the car. The same goes for the fuse box, which was originally fitted under the bonnet in the Elan, where it usually suffered from damp. The Uniloom, as it's called, costs just £140! It is interesting to see where the resourceful Andy Widnall handed the project over to other professionals. He knows that DIY respray on a fibreglass car is usually doomed, because only a high bake oven will dry out moisture trapped in the glassfibre. He sent trim out to a specialist and he refused to struggle with glass fitting when Anglia Windscreens could do the job easily.
And that's it. Sorted. The Plus 2 is ready for the road. It hasn't been cheap, but remember it's now almost all new, with 180bhp and modern car reliability. We like that.
PRACTICAL CLASSICS JUNE 2003