Sunbeam Lotus

[NZTiger]

Finally picked up my new Lotus last Tuesday. One of only 2 (I think) in NZ, it has lived in a shed in Greymonth for 7 years with only a spin round the block once a year.....it has a fairly tidy body and a interior just needing the seats tidying up.
I found it several years ago and had agreed to buy it, then paid a deposit about a year ago and finally picked up after I had to travel on business to the mainland.

Hooked up on A frame and ready to go...

This is old pic when first advertised, I didn't get Minilites

[NZTiger]

Finally started engine tonight and it sounds sweet.
I have been frustrated for about a week trying to get it started. I'm not sure when it last ran but along time I suspect.
A spray can of engine cleaner and a good hosing was the first task for a good clean then charge the battery. Next day after it was dry and charged I tried it, turned over ok but wouldn't fire.
There are a couple switches under the dash that made me think the fuel pump had a separate switch so I tried all combinations of these and couldn't get any sound from the pump so next used a wire straight from the battery and still nothing.
A google search locates a pdf of Lotus fuel system which indicates that the points are probably corroded. So I remove pump, strip, clean and bench test and it now works. After refitting and tiding wiring pump now works and I know the correct switch to use....time to try starting again and still nothing, I loosened a banjo on the carb and there is fuel present so fuel is ok.
Next I removed dizy cap and cleaned inside (still a bit damp from cleaning several days before)
Removing a plug lead and fitting another loose plug shows no spark, next thing to check is electronic ignition pack so I remove spare for rally car and fit to Lotus, retest spark and its there, it even fires on 3 cylinders.
Great, so with plug lead refitted I try again, it fires but takes quite a time to finally run on all 4. I let it come up to temp and idled for about 10-15 minutes and it sounds good, just needed fan belt tightening and adjusting of idle speed to idle very smoothly at about 1000rpm.
As it is outside the garage and 9:30pm I restrained myself from reving it.
Next task it refit front seats (been recovered) grill and frt bumper and get wof, then I can reactivate the rego and start driving it.

[Kiwiflyer]

Very Cool....what a great score!!

[paul morton]

hows the sunbeam going  had a moonstone blue 1983 back in the UK.Very quick car loved it recently bought a Jensen Healey  to restore love to know how your getting on with it  cheers Paul

[NZTiger]

Did a day trip to watch Rally  Wairarapapa, 180mls and it ran perfectly and used a tank full of 98 which equated to 21mpg. Its a hand full on gravel and very tail happy...