New Elite Owner from Italy

[mbracing]

Hallo from Italy
Sorry I already post this in another part of the Forum, but somebody suggested it was the wrong place!
I'm the new owner of a 1979 LHD Elite 501 originally sold here in my country, one of the very few. It is in Marcasite with black leather interior.
The car is in very original condition but it was standing from a while, in another part of this Forum I asked about where to buy a timing belt as I understand this must be changed ASAP when you don't know if this it has been performed recently. Unfortunately the previous owner has passed away therefore I have no info on previous maintenance. Looking forward to use it after a good service. I will post some pics when it will be on the road.
mbracing

[Pete Boole]

Welcome! I'd love to see some photos of your Elite's interior

Pete

[DavidOliver]

For a cambelt as I live in Spain and UK deliveries after Brexit for us in Europe is a pain in the butt (culo), I have obtained the Gates trapezoidal tooth belt from Autodoc in Germany for my 1985 Excel, which I believe is suitable for the Elite. At a reasonable price. You are unlikely to get any other Lotus parts from them.
On Internet you can get very good cambelt descriptions from Gates in the UK.
With a bit of common sense you can replace without the Burroughs tensioner to obtain correct tension.
A LHD Elite is a very rare car, you need to check whether it is United States original as they have lower rated engines with Zenith-Stromberg carbs.
If I was younger I would be trying to get you to sell me your Elite.

Enhorabuena.

Dave the Cog.

[mbracing]

For a cambelt as I live in Spain and UK deliveries after Brexit for us in Europe is a pain in the butt (culo), I have obtained the Gates trapezoidal tooth belt from Autodoc in Germany for my 1985 Excel, which I believe is suitable for the Elite. At a reasonable price. You are unlikely to get any other Lotus parts from them.
On Internet you can get very good cambelt descriptions from Gates in the UK.
With a bit of common sense you can replace without the Burroughs tensioner to obtain correct tension.
A LHD Elite is a very rare car, you need to check whether it is United States original as they have lower rated engines with Zenith-Stromberg carbs.
If I was younger I would be trying to get you to sell me your Elite.

Enhorabuena.

Dave the Cog.

Hallo Dave I checked with Andy Graham the Lotus archivist and the Elite was sold new here in Italy, it is not an US import. And the carbs are not Zenith-Stromberg. He says the ROW LHD Elite with the highest number is 236 (excluding the US ones) so this should be the number they made.
Regards
mbracing