You're not far off 1 million views on this part 2 section of your build thread. Impressive stuff.
At Last!. I have started on my car ;-) PART 2
- Thread starter pgarner
- Start date
If views meant progress I would have finished a few years ago
Not a lot happening at the moment. Sort of burnt out having made roof, doors and windows so doing other stuff at the moment, like building a games room/bar/gym in the barn bays vacated by the Elan and my son's Audi S3. Should get back on the car in a couple of weeks.
charger69
Pro Tuner
keep up the good stuff mate
Hi. I am still here but the last year has been somewhat different. I went mad on the car in the first lockdown and suffered car modding burnout. Around that time my son asked if he could convert the bay in the barn, that the Elan used to live in before I built a new garage, into a gym as the one he belonged to had closed due to Covid 19 rules. We said yes so he cleaned it out, painted the walls, laid carpet we had stored and installed the gym stuff we had stashed away - treadmill, multigym, weights etc. He also installed a dartboard and we had some good evenings up there.
As we had a 7' pool table in a shed as it was too big for the conservatory we decided to convert the adjacent bay, that had housed son's Audi S3 that is now also in the new garage, into a pool room. We had a stash of carpet tiles so they went down and I made an overhead light unit out of an old fluorescent shade. We had friends over during the break between lockdown 1 and 2 with their motorhomes and they loved the 'entertainment suite'
Shortly afterwards my son asked if we could add as bar! OK I said and helped him to build it. We then papered the walls with a stressed timber effect wallpaper and then I went mad I bought a 1967 pinball machine, then a 1968 one arm bandit, a 1999 fruit machine and a 815 game video console
We had a couple of old armchairs and a settee plus a bench seat. We had a couple of bar stools and got a couple more from Freegle along with a long mirror for the bar. Apart from the machines it was all done on a shoestring, using stuff we had around or buying second hand or getting free. One major expense was the air conditioning system we installed. This was essential in order to keep the barn cool and warm and maintain a decent humidity to protect the mechanical and electrical equipment.
The final result turned out pretty good, even if I do say so myself. I have also built a 9 hole putting course outside the barn Made holes and flag poles and wifey made the flags and my neighbour made and ironed on the numbers.
Last weekend we had our friends over again. This time we also had go karting, pistol shooting and archery along with the golf. Videos to follow.
So, no work on the car since around July last year but hope to get back in to it soon.
As we had a 7' pool table in a shed as it was too big for the conservatory we decided to convert the adjacent bay, that had housed son's Audi S3 that is now also in the new garage, into a pool room. We had a stash of carpet tiles so they went down and I made an overhead light unit out of an old fluorescent shade. We had friends over during the break between lockdown 1 and 2 with their motorhomes and they loved the 'entertainment suite'
Shortly afterwards my son asked if we could add as bar! OK I said and helped him to build it. We then papered the walls with a stressed timber effect wallpaper and then I went mad
I bought a 1967 pinball machine, then a 1968 one arm bandit, a 1999 fruit machine and a 815 game video console We had a couple of old armchairs and a settee plus a bench seat. We had a couple of bar stools and got a couple more from Freegle along with a long mirror for the bar. Apart from the machines it was all done on a shoestring, using stuff we had around or buying second hand or getting free. One major expense was the air conditioning system we installed. This was essential in order to keep the barn cool and warm and maintain a decent humidity to protect the mechanical and electrical equipment.
The final result turned out pretty good, even if I do say so myself. I have also built a 9 hole putting course outside the barn
Made holes and flag poles and wifey made the flags and my neighbour made and ironed on the numbers.Last weekend we had our friends over again. This time we also had go karting, pistol shooting and archery along with the golf. Videos to follow.
So, no work on the car since around July last year but hope to get back in to it soon.
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Welcome back, good to hear from you. And here we were all thinking you'd finished the Elan and were busy driving it.
This last year has indeed been pretty crazy for most people, it looks like you made the best of it though.
This last year has indeed been pretty crazy for most people, it looks like you made the best of it though.
Great to see you are alive and well as was beginning to think that something bad had happened and you had dropped off your perch 
Am wondering if all the weights in the gym look a bit like Swiss cheese knowing your passion for drilling holes in everything you can get your hands on
Am wondering if all the weights in the gym look a bit like Swiss cheese knowing your passion for drilling holes in everything you can get your hands on
An old video (a couple of months ago) showing the putting course after I had just cut it for the first time. The greens are seeded with specialist seed designed for golf greens. I made the Connect 4 out of a couple of 10mm sheets of ply and a 150mm hole cutter. The discs were cut with a 200mm cutter.
This weekend we had some of our drag racing buddies over with their partners for a couple of days of games and fun. We can't really do drag racing so I set up a Go Kart course in the back garden. It messed up the grass somewhat but it will grow back. MANY years ago we used to run horse shows and I still had the electronic timing gear so that was used to record lap times.
Looks like you had great fun.
Have you tried blindfolded archery? - You don't know what you're missing.
Have you tried blindfolded archery? - You don't know what you're missing.
Or golf, it makes it a whole new game.
Steve It's about you stopped all this faffing around and got serious about getting the Elan "finished" as I would love to see the end result before I drop off my perch and go to Elysium, Heaven , Hell , Valhalla or some other place if any of them actually exist
Burnt myself out at the beginning of the first lockdown, making the carbon roof and doors plus a lot of bodywork fettling. Over the last year we have built the 'Entertainment Suite', a 9 hole putting course plus a lot of stuff in the garden and I mislaid my Mojo.Steve It's about you stopped all this faffing around and got serious about getting the Elan "finished" as I would love to see the end result before I drop off my perch and go to Elysium, Heaven , Hell , Valhalla or some other place if any of them actually exist
The garage has been neglected and has become a bit of a dumping ground with the addition of the go kart and a couple of cylinder mowers for the golf course. It is a bit of a mess.
However, this may have been a blessing in disguise. My next door neighbour supplies cars and uniforms to the film industry and they hire out their land for filming. They have even built a police station with cells
The next film is a Zombie movie and the director wanted a garage scene set in an authentic car garage with a car that the actor can lean over to work on before being attacked. They came over and loved what they saw and didn't want it tidied up except for the area where the film crew will work from and around the car. Not 100% certain yet but if it happens we get paid and the car will be in a film Although they love it as it is I am going to tidy it up a bit and this may have the effect of reigniting my Mojo.
I will keep you posted.
Great to hear that you are getting your mojo back and my wife and #2 son love things like "The walking dead "so I may be converted over to the dark side and finally watch a Zombie film when you let me know the title as am interested in seeing the WFE on the big screen.
WFE?
= Worlds Fastest Elan
Ah, I thought that there may be a swear word in there= Worlds Fastest Elan
Have you seen the build of the Europa on TV show Overhaulin ?? well worth a look as lots of bespoke fab work done.Ah, I thought that there may be a swear word in there
rettespeed
Wrench Pro
It seems like everyone is having fun. I look forward to watching more of your adventures.
No, I will see if I can find it.Have you seen the build of the Europa on TV show Overhaulin ?? well worth a look as lots of bespoke fab work done.
We regard to the possibility of the Elan appearing in a Zombie movie, I cleaned it up a bit and threw a coat of rattle can black matt over it. It looks more presentable and has the added bonus of showing up the imperfections still to be dealt with (lots).
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Oh no, all that extra weight you just added!
Most of it will be sanded offOh no, all that extra weight you just added!
lb4fun
Wrench Pro
Can you please have a talk with my wife lolRe: At Last!. I have started on my car
STOP PRESS! STOP PRESS! STOP PRESS! STOP PRESS! STOP PRESS!
Just worked out cost of the major items still to be bought (ECU, wheels, gauges, propshaft, windscreen, intercooler and other alloy bits, roll cage, carbon fibre doors and bonnet, etc etc) and frightened myself!
However, after a discussion with my wife, we have decided to increase the mortgage so that I can finish the car this year!
Very large
Jackthemac
Full member
I rest my caseSteve it's only money so do you want to end up the richest person in a cemetery ?
PS have you thought about drilling out the centres of various bolts in your quest for weight reduction?
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In order to get the door to fit better, so less fettling needed, I needed to adjust the lock post ((or whatever the sticky out thing that the lock grabs is called). In order to get it to tighten up on to the very thin carbon door opening I needed a thick washer. Where to get a 3mm washer at 5pm on a Saturday evening? AhHA!, the good ol' lathe, that's where. Ten minutes later and the lock post is adjusted and secure.
Before someone suggests that I could have simply used more than one washer, I will tell you why not. There is a round hole above the post for access to the post nut. It is very easy to drop nuts and washers when positioning them and then it is down to fishing with a magnet to retrieve them. Using one bigger washer makes the job easier. Mind you, if I dropped the aluminium one I just made that would be a bit trickier to retrieve
Whilst making the washer, I came to the conclusion that if I was allowed only one metal working machine it would be the lathe. It paid for itself in money saved within the first year. Also, as my car is a little unusual there are very few parts available so making them is often the only solution and that is expensive if outsourced.
Before someone suggests that I could have simply used more than one washer, I will tell you why not. There is a round hole above the post for access to the post nut. It is very easy to drop nuts and washers when positioning them and then it is down to fishing with a magnet to retrieve them. Using one bigger washer makes the job easier. Mind you, if I dropped the aluminium one I just made that would be a bit trickier to retrieve
Whilst making the washer, I came to the conclusion that if I was allowed only one metal working machine it would be the lathe. It paid for itself in money saved within the first year. Also, as my car is a little unusual there are very few parts available so making them is often the only solution and that is expensive if outsourced.
Great to see you are back on your project after your long sabbatical.In order to get the door to fit better, so less fettling needed, I needed to adjust the lock post ((or whatever the sticky out thing that the lock grabs is called). In order to get it to tighten up on to the very thin carbon door opening I needed a thick washer. Where to get a 3mm washer at 5pm on a Saturday evening? AhHA!, the good ol' lathe, that's where. Ten minutes later and the lock post is adjusted and secure.
Before someone suggests that I could have simply used more than one washer, I will tell you why not. There is a round hole above the post for access to the post nut. It is very easy to drop nuts and washers when positioning them and then it is down to fishing with a magnet to retrieve them. Using one bigger washer makes the job easier. Mind you, if I dropped the aluminium one I just made that would be a bit trickier to retrieve
Whilst making the washer, I came to the conclusion that if I was allowed only one metal working machine it would be the lathe. It paid for itself in money saved within the first year. Also, as my car is a little unusual there are very few parts available so making them is often the only solution and that is expensive if outsourced.
View attachment 8952View attachment 8953
Hi. I think that my MoJo is returning, albeit slowly. At least I am making a sanding messGreat to see you are back on your project after your long sabbatical.
If I can get the doors to fit how I want them I will be well on the way to finishing the bodywork. Then on to the interior.
Even though you feel it's a step back it is still progress, this would have been harder to fix after the car was ready to go, so good you found it now.
Also it's good to hear from you again buddy, hope you are keeping well.
Hi Waynne. All is fine here. Little work on the car at present as we are in the middle of some major garden works.
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