How Bad Can An Elemack Get?
- Q: How bad can the condition of an Elemack Spyder Camera Dolly be before it is unrestorable?
- A: The answer is - Pretty Bad!
- As long as you have all the castings and a source for missing parts or a machine shop capability to make parts you should be OK. However, be warned that the most expensive parts you may require or need to repair are likely to be the hydraulic columns, rubber wheels, and anything that you are unable to source from a used parts source.
- Pictured below are photographs of the worst three Elemack Spyder Dollies that I have ever restored, and which I dubbed 'The Elemack Restoration from Hell'.
Unrestored Elemack Spyder Dolly #1 is a MKI and complete, but the Euro Boss is not installed. Left rear box contains seat risers; right rear seats; front left column sections from Dolly #2; and steering columns.
Dollies #2and #3 from another angle; the boxes to the right contain the track wheels, and missing wheel from dolly #1.
Seat Extensions – These are really hard to damage; sand blast them re-thread and helicoil if required; re-paint and put on some nice lock screws. Seat Spigots can be re-plated. More on plating later.
Unrestored Elemack Spyder #2 (left) is a MKII, but living on three legs and the column is consigned but uninstalled; dolly #3 (right) is a MKI; dolly #3 is complete but minus Euro Boss; right rear box track wheels; tight front assorted wheels.
On dolly #1 note the dull finish to the aluminium castings that hold the column brakes. This is a MKI. These castings do not age well, and always require replacement. More on castings later.
Track Wheels. Very Rusty centre pivots, but nothing a trip to the plater/polishers can’t fix. More on Plating and polishing later. The wheel condition of rubber on Elemacks may vary.
