Lotus Elan A Restoration Guide

The story of restoring an Elan +2 and Elan Sprint to concours edition. Advice on how to purchase a suitable car for restoration plus detailed practical information on preparing bodywork, trim, chassis, suspension, wheels, hydraulics, engine, electrics & wiring etc. 24 Chapters, plus appendices, give information on chassis changing, body restoration, including Elan +2 sills, rebuilding the Lotus/Ford Twin Cam engine, electrics including fitting a new loom, insight to tuning and running in, Elan developments, a remarkable Elan +2 Estate, rebirth of an accident damaged Sprint.

The Lotus Elan was Colin Chapman and Lotus' first affordable road car, produced from 1962 and, along with its larger Plus 2 variant, until 1974. As a replacement for the expensive Lotus Elite, the Elan and Plus 2 were both successful sports cars, which carried Lotus through the 1960s and into the 1970s. Starting with a brief history of Lotus and the Elan, Lotus Elan & Plus 2 Source Book provides a detailed originality guide to the Elan and Plus 2, identifying the design changes Lotus made to the models through their lifetimes. An 'owner's guide' provides detailed information on owning and maintaining the cars in tip-top condition, and gives details of common faults and upgrades. The restoration guide gives any potential restorer the information to carry out the tasks needed to bring one of the these cars back from the dead. With anecdotes and experiences from current and previous owners of Elans and Plus 2's, along with many colour photographs the book provides a valuable insight into owning running and racing these iconic cars.

THE DEFINITIVE DESCRIPTION OF HOW TO REBUILD AND RESTORE THE LOTUS ELAN, A LEGEND AMONGST CLASSIC CARS.

The Lotus Elan was Lotus's definitive roadster. It replaced the elegant but expensive Lotus Elite and was the first car to employ the innovative Lotus steel backbone chassis. The original Elan was produced as a two-seat, open-top sportscar and hardtop coupe from 1962 to 1973. The range was extended by the addition of the 2+2-seater Plus 2 from 1967 to 1974. Lotus introduced an all-new front wheel drive Elan in 1989, the M100, which was produced until 1995. Lotus Elan studies the history and development of all the Elans and describes each model in detail. It gives technical details for all models, examines unusual conversions, and includes driving experiences from Elan owners. A complete and readable resource for all Lotus Elan owners and motoring enthusiasts who aspire to own one of these iconic British sports cars. Superbly illustrated with 250 colour photographs.Matthew Vale is a motoring author and passionate Lotus Elan enthusiast.

A practical restoration manual written by journalist and E30 enthusiast Andrew Everett. Covers E30 models: 316, 316i, 318i, 320i, 323i, 325i, 325e, 324d and 324td, 318iS, M3 & Alpina in saloon, convertible & touring forms. Professional advice also is given on buying a good used model E30 for restoration.

It is amazing to think that time has passed by and that the second BMW "3 Series" has achieved such status that it warrants this special book on its 21st anniversary. Maybe it is due to the sheer longevity of its design, its ability to satisfy the keen driver or its iconic status - but, whatever it is, there is no doubt that the E30 is one car from the past that will stay with us into the future. It is a pending classic and prices for well kept models have started to escalate; furthermore, there is a core of well cared for cars out there requiring basic attention by their dedicated owners. As a result, there has never been a better time for a book of this sort. By focusing on the common faults which crop up repeatedly and by giving detailed, simple instructions regarding repairs, this book will be uniquely invaluable for owners who wish to try their hand at their own maintenance, especially those who may previously have been prevented from doing so by a lack of technical know-how or specific knowledge.

The Essential Guide to buying the Lotus Elan of your dreams, this book will guide you through all you need to know. The Lotus Elan and Plus 2 are the definitive classic Lotus Sports cars. Small, light, and powered by Lotus’s own Twin Cam engine, these were and are fast, great handling sports cars with a Grand Prix winning pedigree. With a winning formula of glass fibre bodyshell, and simple sheet steel backbone chassis, the Elan was an affordable replacement for the expensive and exotic glass fibre monocoque Lotus Elite, and became the mainstay of the Lotus road car range throughout the 1960s and into the 1970s. First introduced as an open two-seater in 1962, and as a Coupé in 1966, the Elan was available as a do-it-yourself ‘kit’ car or in factory assembled form, and was refined through the 1960s, culminating in the famous Sprint models of 1971, with the big valve 130bhp Twin Cam engine. The widened and stretched 2+2 Elan with its vestigial rear seats - named, unsurprisingly, the Plus 2 - was introduced in 1967, followed by the higher-spec Plus 2S in 1969, which was the first Elan not available in kit form. The Plus 2S 130 gained the Sprint specification engine in 1971, and the final Elan was the Plus 2S 130/5 of 1972. Just over 9000 Elans were produced between 1962 and 1973, while just over 5000 Plus 2 were produced between 1967 and 1974. This book has been written to provide the prospective owner with all the information they need to establish if an Elan or Plus 2 is for them, and what to look for when viewing an example. All aspects of the cars are examined, including paperwork, mechanical issues, bodywork and interior with many photos of example cars to assist in the assessment of an individual car, and understand the implications of many of the common problems that a car can exhibit. The author is a Lotus enthusiast, and has been working on and writing about classic Lotuses for a number of years.