Elite restoration begins!

[Pete Boole]

Relay/fuse board ready to be populated. I've constructed it to help avoid the Lotus Position when checking/changing components!

Board stowed for take off:



And in the lowered position for changing relays/fuses:



Just a few months of wiring now

Pete

[Pete Boole]

So just a hint of mission creep crept in this week!





Ever since I rode shotgun with Stu a few years ago at LITP I've like the SA. I was really surprised how well it went. I know that auto boxes aren't perfect and sap some of the power but a supercharged 2.5l should make up for that . I don't know yet if it will fit so that's the first thing to look at! I've got a prop but that may need modification to fit as well. I have to say I don't like the look of the raised platform that the gear selector sits on in the Excel so that's something I've got to resolve as well, but I don't know yet how much space there is between the transmission tunnel and the gearbox casing - I'm hoping to lower the whole selector assembly by fabricating a lowered platform for it to sit on. I'm not bothering with the cruise control that usually accompanies the auto box either (I may look at drive-by-wire later and then it's easier to integrate cruise control/speed limiting).

Right - back to some more wiring

Pete

[AndyD]

I love autos Pete, so very interested to follow your progress.

Good luck

Andy

[Lotus-e-Clan]

Great idea. It will increase the driving pleasure.
Like the drop -down relay sled too!

[richardw]

And if you successfully pioneer the fitment of a ZF box to an Elite chassis, that will be of great benefit to others!

Cheers, Richard

[Pete Boole]

Thanks guys! Hoping to do a trial fit this week. I hope the start cutout switch on it works - Rimmers list them at £273 - for a switch - !!!

Pete

[richardw]

If it doesn't work, look closely at your selector mechanism. If it's like mine, there is a quadrant switch that has its wires cut off that is used in some applications to indicate gear position. Use it to signal a starter circuit relay if the lever is in P or N and you have a cutout switch!

Cheers, Richard

[Pete Boole]

I'd wondered about that. I haven't had the multimeter on it yet! You can still buy the Rists 5-pin connectors for the original switch as well.

Pete

[Excel SA]

I have one of those gearboxes sitting in my driveway - the car came with 2 gear selector levers - I haven't looked to see if one is damaged/different yet - let me know if there is anything you want checked, measured or photo'd.

Neil.

[DavidOliver]

From what I see on the photos your box has a mechanical gear selector, no electrical quadrant.
Also the throttle control cable from the box is a very delicate adjustment, I wonder how you will connect it
to the engine throttle mechanism.
You will need a transmission fluid radiator, try Mishimoto UK, do not use the standard oil radiator or a radiator
integrated in the engine coolant radiator, coolant weeping will quickly kill your automatic.

Dave the cog.

[Pete Boole]

Thanks Neil - The selector assembly is going to end up as a mish-mash of different parts to make it work/look OK. I've got the selector from an SA but it's not in great condition - the cover with the numerals has a couple of tags broken. I'll let you know if any more info might be useful. Would you want to part with one of yours?

Thanks Dave. I have to original tiny oil cooler - it obviously hasn't done much cooling for a while - it's completely gummed up on the outside with old oil! I'll probably double the size of the cooler since the gearbox is going to be working harder - I'll monitor the temperature of the oil for a while as well. I've heard the name Mishimoto before - I'll look them up - thanks. Not given a lot of thought yet to the kick-down cable, but I know from reading other posts how important it's adjustment is. I'll have to get a dedicated cable made up to suit my throttle arrangements. Not sure yet whether I'm going to suck through one large TB or blow through four smaller ones - more research needed - Lotus must have had a good reason for blowing through the TBs or maybe it was just easier to utilise the carb-based gear that was already in use when they changes to fuel injection?

Pete

[Hawaiis0]

...... If it's like mine, there is a quadrant switch that has its wires cut off that is used in some applications to indicate gear position. Use it to signal a starter circuit relay if the lever is in P or N and you have a cutout switch!

Interested to see this un-used switch Pete, if you can see it.

[richardw]

From what I see on the photos your box has a mechanical gear selector, no electrical quadrant.
Also the throttle control cable from the box is a very delicate adjustment, I wonder how you will connect it
to the engine throttle mechanism.
You will need a transmission fluid radiator, try Mishimoto UK, do not use the standard oil radiator or a radiator
integrated in the engine coolant radiator, coolant weeping will quickly kill your automatic.

Dave the cog.

Dave, the switch quadrant is attached to the mechanical selector. It is not used to control gear position but simply outputs current to different wires based on the selector position, I think. I guess in certain applications it illuminates the position on a legend.

Cheers, Richard

[Pete Boole]

Stu - it's the 9-pin plug (there's a 2-pin and a 1-pin as well) at the front of the selector assembly. Following Richard's comments I had a look today - the brown wires (with tracers - didn't look at those colours) go closed circuit in park and neutral.

Pete

[MetBlue]

Really interesting project and will follow with interest progress. you find out you can make it fit. If anyone can, I'm sure you can.
I have to say though, Auto boxes just ain't my bag. I can at least thank them for getting me back in a mobile Lotus . The XK8 I had were only made with an auto box. Had it been manual, or manuals were available, I'm pretty sure I'd still have one (there are a couple of manuals out there that have undergone the Pete Boole effect, but they are few and far between).
Tony