1265R is now in my garage

[gideon]

G'day Gavin.  Thanks for the suggestion, but it sounds like more work than is necessary.  I'll take some more comparative measurements using string (dyneema) and bits of wood when I next take the frame down.  I strung it up to the garage ceiling to get it out of the way.

[gideon]

In the meantime, does anybody know what this?

[LotusJoe]

Looks like a charcoal canister for the fuel tank vent.

[gideon]

Thank you, that was the clue I needed. It's actually the fuel catch can. The charcoal canister would be next to it, if it wasn't missing. Here's the relevant diagram from the S1/S2 workshop manual.  I'll probably reinstate this system, otherwise the wife will complain about the smell (she has a sensitive nose).

[gideon]

I got one door off yesterday.  A week after I started trying to get it off.  Victory was only obtained after I went out and bought a reciprocating saw.  I tried cutting it off by hand with a hacksaw, but it was oh-so-slow.  Maybe I'm not going it quite right, but I don't have that kind of patience.  I did find that I could get a dremel type tool inside the door to cut through the pin inside, and that helped me to get the rusted nuts on the bottom end free.

I got the passenger's seat out, it left a little puddle of water on floor next to the car.  God knows how long that water was trapped in the seat.  It's a pity they didn't think to drill a hole or two in the bottom to let the water out.  The seat is rusty, but I think its salvageable.  I've never done any welding, but I might need to weld a patch in the bottom.  Maybe this is a good project to learn on.

[4129R]

Drill the door pins. Start with a thin drill and increase until it breaks.

You can pop rivet patches when the seat is rusty.

Been there, done that, a few times.

[BDA]

Glad to see you're making progress on your journey! I'd listen to 4129R. I'm sure he's seen it all!

Good luck and keep us posted!

[GavinT]

A reciprocating saw is a 'man on a mission' kinda tool.
It takes no prisoners. Well done.

I recall cutting my door pins out with zip disk on an angle grinder.
It was a tight fit in the door space and I was worried about the disk jumping and cutting a slit in the door.
In the end, I figured it'd be quicker to repair a slit in the door than crouch down for the afternoon with a hack saw blade in my hand. 

[Certified Lotus]

I also used an air grinder with a cutting edge. Took some time but it worked.

[gideon]

The seat back was initialed, JS, the same as Tubes63's car.

[gideon]

I grabbed this picture from here

https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f=140&t=1672442&i=60

[gideon]

And this is how I got the steering wheel off.

[dakazman]

What is it about these cars we love so much???
we must all be half crazy.
Nice progress Gideon. I posted some dimensions on the seat frame that may help you repair.
Dakazman

[gideon]

Half crazy I can live with, that means I must be still half sane.

I saw your measurements for the seats, and I'm sure I'll refer to them when I get around to doing something about the seats. Thank you for posting them.

[gideon]

I've been trying to get the master cylinder off but without success so far.  My goal at this point is to do enough to lift the body off.  It looks as though there is enough wriggle room to get the body over the brake linkage box, if I can get the master cylinder off.  I can wiggle it, but I can't get it any further out than you can see in the picture.  I have got the pedals off, and I have tried pushing and pulling on the brake linkage rod inside the car, but it doesn't move.  I also tried tapping it with a hammer, but still no movement.  There is barely enough room to get a spanner onto the nuts holding the brake linkage box on, and in any case they are very rusted underneath.  It seems the brake linkage is frozen.  If I can undo the brake linkage pivot bolt, might that give me enough wiggle room on the linkage to get the master cylinder off.  Any other suggestions?

Also, I'm not sure how to get the steering column off the splined connection at the rack. Should I try using a rod and a hammer to push the universal joint back into the car to break the connection at the splines, or is there a better way to attack it?