A little help re: buying a '74 TCS

[FourLoti]

 

Hello everyone.  I posted this, and more in the eBay section of the Classified forum but wanted to post here for a wider audience. Please see Reply #6 here: http://www.lotuseuropa.org/LotusForum/index.php?topic=5899.0

New here, but definitely not new to Lotus cars. Bought my first one - Europa S2 new from the dealer. That's a hint on how old I am and why I'm wondering if I still have another project in me. I also owned and restored a '63 Elan S1 and owned an '87 Esprit Turbo. Oh and don't forget the '80 Eclat!  But after a long hiatus playing with non-British sports cars, I find myself intrigued with the originality and potential of this one. BUT I (should) know enough not to buy sight unseen on eBay. But then again there's that old project urge popping up again.

Thanks,

Ron

[SilverBeast]

 

[FourLoti]

Thanks! As noted in my other thread in Classifieds, I did indeed end up buying the car. Will start a new thread with photos after I pick it up. Might even try doing a running progress thread of the revival process.

Now, of course, I realized I should have picked a member ID tag that would not be obsolete so soon

Ron

[Kendo]

Hey Ron, welcome to you. I have a 73 TCS almost ready to paint. So I’ll be watching your progress with interest.

Maybe Joe, with his Godlike powers could change your ID tag  , though FiveLoti might go obsolete, too. I see you have The Disease!

[4129R]

I'll see your five, and raise you two !

[FourLoti]

Hi everyone. After a fun trip in the rain from Ohio to CT and back, this TC is home. I'll post more photos and details soon, but overall, it's both better and worse than I expected. But it is incredibly original and unmolested, and you don't see that very often in a 50 year old Lotus.

This is going to be the first of many, many requests from the brain trust, but one immediate thing that's bugging me is that the passenger door latch won't release. Neither from the outside nor from inside. The door panel is off and I can pull on the lever arm on the back of the latch assy but something is keeping it from moving. I've done a search here and there is some mention of similar issues but I haven't seen a solution. I've tried raising up the rear of the door with a shim and also working with two people wiggling and pushing/pulling at the same time, but no dice.

Any suggestions would be much appreciated.

Thanks,

Ron

[TurboFource]

 

[BDA]

 

Congratulations on your new baby, FourLoti!! I'm sure she'll be happy in your hands!

[Bryan Boyle]

Good job!   Always loved that color combo.  Good luck with it.

Had the same problem with the body I brought home to replace 693R's trashed shell...passenger door wouldn't open...but was loose...peering through the crack, someone somewhere along the way had flipped the child lock...and the door was missing the outside handle...and the rods inside weren't working.  Imaging figuring out, blind, how to manipulate the lock from the inside, laying over the tunnel, in the driveway during an august afternoon. 

The things we do for love, right?

Good luck with her.  Looks like a beauty.

Hi everyone. After a fun trip in the rain from Ohio to CT and back, this TC is home. I'll post more photos and details soon, but overall, it's both better and worse than I expected. But it is incredibly original and unmolested, and you don't see that very often in a 50 year old Lotus.

This is going to be the first of many, many requests from the brain trust, but one immediate thing that's bugging me is that the passenger door latch won't release. Neither from the outside nor from inside. The door panel is off and I can pull on the lever arm on the back of the latch assy but something is keeping it from moving. I've done a search here and there is some mention of similar issues but I haven't seen a solution. I've tried raising up the rear of the door with a shim and also working with two people wiggling and pushing/pulling at the same time, but no dice.

Any suggestions would be much appreciated.

Thanks,

Ron

[FourLoti]

Thanks much! So far I've confirmed all of the electrical circuits are in good shape. (wires lights & horns and starter, yes, window and fan motors, not so much   Better yet, the engine spins freely.

Also got that door open as noted in my other thread. I, too, suspected the child proof lock but it was just stuck. And what the hell is with the child lock on driver's door, anyway? Did Lotus get a better price on some BMC rear door levers?  Scary to think I could have played with that lever and locked myself in! I might grind the tab off - or is that too paranoid?

Now on to fuel, spark and coolant flush!

Cheers,

Ron

[Bryan Boyle]

Thanks much! So far I've confirmed all of the electrical circuits are in good shape. (wires lights & horns and starter, yes, window and fan motors, not so much   Better yet, the engine spins freely.

Also got that door open as noted in my other thread. I, too, suspected the child proof lock but it was just stuck. And what the hell is with the child lock on driver's door, anyway? Did Lotus get a better price on some BMC rear door levers?  Scary to think I could have played with that lever and locked myself in! I might grind the tab off - or is that too paranoid?

Now on to fuel, spark and coolant flush!

Cheers,

Ron

I think it was just what was in the British national universal grab-bag bin at the time.  I cut mine off (after verifying that it was in the non-child-proof position).  Dremel tool cut off works a treat.