1974 Lotus Elite (Type 75)
I got 107B in May, 2003 and sold it in November, 2006. This was my "first" car, and my first restoration, and started me down the road to becoming a gearhead. Despite its constant problems and being a huge money pit, it was my daily driver in high school. I had to sell it when we bought the Esprit, but I still have tons of fond memories of driving it.
Elite 107B was built in July, 1974 and painted maroon with a cream interior.
The car was owned by the Doten Leasing Company for several years, I believe into the 1980s. It remained stock, except for the seats which were recovered in a cream/white marbled vinyl.
My Uncle bought this car when he was in college, and drove it whenever it ran. After college, he settled down and started a family, and the car ended up parked in his garage, just sitting.
Eleven years later, he decided to remodel his garage, and the car needed a new home. I was 14 at the time, but my Uncle was letting the car go cheap, so my parents figured I could learn how to work on cars. We called a tow truck, my parents signed the paperwork, and my love of cars began.
Elite 107B was built in July, 1974 and painted maroon with a cream interior.
The car was owned by the Doten Leasing Company for several years, I believe into the 1980s. It remained stock, except for the seats which were recovered in a cream/white marbled vinyl.
My Uncle bought this car when he was in college, and drove it whenever it ran. After college, he settled down and started a family, and the car ended up parked in his garage, just sitting.
Eleven years later, he decided to remodel his garage, and the car needed a new home. I was 14 at the time, but my Uncle was letting the car go cheap, so my parents figured I could learn how to work on cars. We called a tow truck, my parents signed the paperwork, and my love of cars began.
Elite 107B Restoration
Work went slow on this car at first, but it didn't take much at all! We brought 107B home in May, and it wasn't until January that we pulled the gas tank, had it cleaned and sealed and put it back in. Then we replaced the fuel lines and fuel pump. It took a full year for the breakthrough.
Almost exactly one year, to the day, after I got 107B, we rebuilt one of the two Zenith-Stromberg carburetors, bolted it on, and the motor fired up! Needless to say, it ran quite rough. The next day we rebuilt the other carburetor and the car was running! After plugging a vacuum leak and balancing the carbs, we took her on her maiden voyage around the neighborhood, despite soft brakes and groaning suspension. I had helped resurrect my first car!
In August I had the brakes redone, and the front suspension checked and some bushings replaced. In September, for my birthday, my parents had new tires put on the car, and had it detailed. It was like a brand new car. Now that 107B was on the road, the problems started.
In November the turn signals stopped working and the fans (controlled by aftermarket switches) stopped responding. Both problems would plague the car as long as I owned it. The blinkers weren't bad, but the fan fuses would corrode and it would lose power. Sometimes the fans worked, sometimes not, and with an aluminum block you had to pay close attention to the heat gauge!
On January 1 my dad and I took the car up into the foothills on a longer jaunt. The car mysteriously died while driving and wouldn't start. And of course my dad forgot his cell phone. And of course I had on new shoes that I hadn't broken in. And of course there aren't lots of gas stations in the foothills. After a hike, we got to a gas station and called a tow truck. The alternator had apparently gone out, and we had it replaced in a few weeks time.
Almost exactly one year, to the day, after I got 107B, we rebuilt one of the two Zenith-Stromberg carburetors, bolted it on, and the motor fired up! Needless to say, it ran quite rough. The next day we rebuilt the other carburetor and the car was running! After plugging a vacuum leak and balancing the carbs, we took her on her maiden voyage around the neighborhood, despite soft brakes and groaning suspension. I had helped resurrect my first car!
In August I had the brakes redone, and the front suspension checked and some bushings replaced. In September, for my birthday, my parents had new tires put on the car, and had it detailed. It was like a brand new car. Now that 107B was on the road, the problems started.
In November the turn signals stopped working and the fans (controlled by aftermarket switches) stopped responding. Both problems would plague the car as long as I owned it. The blinkers weren't bad, but the fan fuses would corrode and it would lose power. Sometimes the fans worked, sometimes not, and with an aluminum block you had to pay close attention to the heat gauge!
On January 1 my dad and I took the car up into the foothills on a longer jaunt. The car mysteriously died while driving and wouldn't start. And of course my dad forgot his cell phone. And of course I had on new shoes that I hadn't broken in. And of course there aren't lots of gas stations in the foothills. After a hike, we got to a gas station and called a tow truck. The alternator had apparently gone out, and we had it replaced in a few weeks time.
The car behaved a few months until April. I went to start the car, pushed in the clutch pedal and heard a snap. Not good. We had the car towed (seeing a pattern?) to my high school auto shop to fix it. Oddly enough, we found the cable was intact, but the pedal was completely limp. We had 107B towed -again- to my mechanic, and he figured out that a pulled that the clutch cable goes through had come apart. 107B was back on the road in late September.
107B ran well (aside from the fans) for several months, until June when the clutch cable snapped.
107B ran well (aside from the fans) for several months, until June when the clutch cable snapped.
(Above) A common sight
his car was incredibly expensive to run, especially on a teenager's budget, and now I was getting ready to go away to college and couldn't have a car. I talked it over with my parents and we concluded that selling 107B would be the best thing to do. So I thought about it for a bit.
In mid September '06, my dad came home in the Lotus Esprit that I had been admiring for some time, and cut me a deal - sell my car, cash out my life savings, and we could keep the Esprit.
As much as I loved 107B (despite the problems and agony) I put her up for sale. I was up at college when she sold, and didn't get to properly say goodbye or even meet her new owners.
I have NO idea where she is now, who owns her, or anything. If you see her, let me know!!!
-----life with 107b
I used 107B as my daily driver, at least whenever she was running.It ended up that she was terrible as a reliable form of transportation, but was a great a conversation starter.
107B would turn heads everywhere we went.The odd styling, and the fact that Lotus cars, especially Elites are such rare sights made us the talk of every gas station we pulled into. Few knew what the car really was. Some people would guess it was an AMC Gremlin or a modified Pinto, thanks to the hatchback. Most people though had no idea, and would just come over to ask what it was. A major part of owning 107B was simply informing the public that these cars exist!
Part of why 107B attracted attention was her exhaust. The pipe connecting the exhaust pipe to the muffler rotted through, so she made quite a racket just cruising around town.
Although she was unreliable and temperamental, I did my best to treat 107B like a normal car.I drove her to high school every morning, took her grocery shopping, drove my friends around, etc.Of course, I avoided freeways and tried to keep her close to home, just in case.
Despite her many problems, it was tons of fun driving 107B around everywhere and meeting lots of people along the way.
In mid September '06, my dad came home in the Lotus Esprit that I had been admiring for some time, and cut me a deal - sell my car, cash out my life savings, and we could keep the Esprit.
As much as I loved 107B (despite the problems and agony) I put her up for sale. I was up at college when she sold, and didn't get to properly say goodbye or even meet her new owners.
I have NO idea where she is now, who owns her, or anything. If you see her, let me know!!!
-----life with 107b
I used 107B as my daily driver, at least whenever she was running.It ended up that she was terrible as a reliable form of transportation, but was a great a conversation starter.
107B would turn heads everywhere we went.The odd styling, and the fact that Lotus cars, especially Elites are such rare sights made us the talk of every gas station we pulled into. Few knew what the car really was. Some people would guess it was an AMC Gremlin or a modified Pinto, thanks to the hatchback. Most people though had no idea, and would just come over to ask what it was. A major part of owning 107B was simply informing the public that these cars exist!
Part of why 107B attracted attention was her exhaust. The pipe connecting the exhaust pipe to the muffler rotted through, so she made quite a racket just cruising around town.
Although she was unreliable and temperamental, I did my best to treat 107B like a normal car.I drove her to high school every morning, took her grocery shopping, drove my friends around, etc.Of course, I avoided freeways and tried to keep her close to home, just in case.
Despite her many problems, it was tons of fun driving 107B around everywhere and meeting lots of people along the way.