Lotus Update 4332 & 1/2

jbcollier · Post by **jbcollier** » Fri Jan 24, 2014 3:53 pm

Lots and lots going on and the $$$ are just flying out the door.

- Sent my cam to England, of all places, for a re-grind. A chap there, who lives and breathes cross-flow Renault, had a good recommendation for a fast-road grind and most over here were applying standard performance grinds developed for other engines.

- The followers are off to California for re-surfacing.

- The cylinder head and crankshaft are off to The Block Shop for inspection and re-working.

- TBS will also soda-blast the block, head and transaxle cases.

- pistons and liners came from France --via Greece -- (on the English chap's recommendation): forged, high-comp with full floating pins.

- connecting rods from Australia: high-zoot, low-void alloy, h-beam with ARP bolts.

- just arrived today the Torsen diff for the transaxle (from the UK). That alone was as much as a scooter!

Now I wait to hear from TBS as to what's required and then I'll order bearings, valves and what-not to suit.

Still no word from the body shop so I expect it is on the slow burner. I'm not going to fret much until the engine and transaxle are complete.

Angelo · Post by **Angelo** » Sun Jan 26, 2014 8:59 am

Man and I was worries about an inlet Manifold! Ha Ha

Glad to hear that progress continues (so easy to say as you spend your money!)

When all is said and done it will be another show stopper....

Andrew · Post by **Andrew** » Wed Jan 29, 2014 1:39 pm

Talk about a 'world car'... this is turning into a true international build. Is there anything you need from the States that i can bring back for you?

jbcollier · Post by **jbcollier** » Wed Jan 29, 2014 6:03 pm

Just any cash you might find lying around.

;-)

jbcollier · Post by **jbcollier** » Thu Jan 30, 2014 7:17 am

Just placed a $2500 order with a French company for engine and tranny parts.

Ouch!

jbcollier · Post by **jbcollier** » Thu Jan 30, 2014 7:20 am

... good news is that I got my block and tranny cases back from TBS already: nicely soda blasted and ready for a coat of paint.

Still have to track down a flywheel for a 215 mm clutch before I can get everything balanced.

Andrew · Post by **Andrew** » Sat Feb 01, 2014 10:51 am

Despite all the money clearly flying around L.A., I have not seen any lying around... just homeless people. I guess I could ask them for some...

$2500 for French parts? Does that come with a glass of wine and a cheese plate?

jbcollier · Post by **jbcollier** » Sat Feb 01, 2014 12:44 pm

The really scary part is that it's for a whole bunch of little stuff, pistons & sleeves, rods, etc, I bought elsewhere.

jbcollier · Post by **jbcollier** » Fri Feb 07, 2014 12:20 pm

Made my first visit to the body shop today and things are well in hand. I'm pleased with the work and it looks like it might all be done within a couple of months. I also made my first payment. For some reason everything seems to cost around $2.5K, with, of course, more to come!

Mecaparts has confirmed my order and it should be shipping next week. That, combined with a flywheel out of Florida, should mean that I'll have everything to hand to finish the engine and transmission. It looks like the head will require a lot of (careful) work on the ports and chambers so no bars or wild women this year either.

Andrew · Post by **Andrew** » Fri Feb 07, 2014 4:56 pm

And here we were hoping you would drive us to bars full of wild women in the Lotus...

Just saw an episode of Emergency! (don't ask why) with a crashed yellow Europa. If you look, you can get a fair census if what was then popular on California streets by watching episodes of Emergency!, Adam-12, etc. . Made me think of your car, except yours looks better, even disassembled and in primer...

jbcollier · Post by **jbcollier** » Fri Feb 14, 2014 7:05 am

Further to my efforts to get you all to your preferred sex of the wild and willing, my Meca parts order finally shipped. Woo hoo!

It's quite nerve racking trying to order multiple $Ks of parts in an unfamiliar language.