Itching to get an Elan

[Gecko]

Ah, the best of both old world and new world, Europa and Elise

[Series 2 Elite]

Originally Posted by TimMullen

Okay, you are nuts. Drop top is the only way to go!!

The Webber head/carbs is cooler than the Stromberg head/carbs, but the reality is that the Stromberg's are better. You really have to know what you are doing to tune the Webbers, and they are not as smooth across the broad rpm bands. The Strombergs are much easier to tune (actually there isn't much that you can do to tune them), and they are very flexible on the power delivery.

Yea, you might get a little bit more power from the Webbers/Dellortros (used on later versions), but the Strombergs are more practical and give better driveability.


By the way, here's mine http://members.cox.net/elans4/ and it is not now, and never will be for sale.

I agree with Tim. I converted my +2 from Strombergs to Webers. The latter sure look nice but they are definitely less tractable than the Strombergs. Constant depression carbs such as Stromberg and SU have very good off-idle performance. That being said the Webers certainly are not terrible. You just have to keep reminding yourself how to drive with them. The idle transition on Webers is pretty poor. In normal driving I generally use one gear higher than instinct would otherwise tell me (i.e. 3rd instead of 2nd etc.). Doing this I have the throttles open wider and away from the idle transition ports. This smooths out the response. Lotus and Dellorto worked together on a special six-port idle transition circuit and were quite successful. Dellortos are probably the optimal carbs for Elans and Europas. Is there an unmodified Twin Cam anywhere in the world?

Converting a fixed head Elan to a drop head is possible but quite a bit of work. You have to graft in the windscreen frame from a DHC for proper support and a place to anchor the folding top. There has been misinformation over the years about Lotus eventually laying up all Elans as FHC and then cutting the roof off to make a DHC. This is baloney. Can you imagine Chapman accepting that cost penalty? A great solution is to get a DHC and buying a removable hard top in the Lenham style. They have exactly the same shape as the FHC. Tony Thompson Racing has them in S1/S2 and S3/S4 styles in standard and lightweight versions for about 300 to 400 GBP depending on options. If you are thinking about an Elan be careful about Tony Thompson's catalog. Way too mouth watering. He has everything to build a 26R from scratch (except engine parts).

[elise24fps]

You guys are driving me nuts, but... I don't need much help, though. Just sold my Europa TCS two weeks ago, also sold my Europa S1 last year. And today thinking of buying another Europa. Should rent warehouse space, actually if I had rented space last year, I would still have the two Europas. Life is just too damn short to have only one Lotus... ARRRGGGHH!!

[glb]

Careful tuning of the Webers, sometimes using an oscilloscope, sometimes not, resulted in no flat spots or off-idle issues. With a CO tester on the highway at steady speed, CO was <2%.

The Big Valve Stromberg engine was rated at about 126 hp. Having driven many of them, I would say actual output is more like 110. At the drag strip (don't ask) my friends rebuilt Stromberg car ran in the low 17s! Note that Lotus was notorious for hopping up press cars for better results. Still a great car tho.

FunElan - If you have the dash out, I suggest removing the heater core and having it tested and (if nec) resoldered. It's old and hard to reach w/dash in place.

Windshield & gasket can be removed/replaced in 40 minutes. The trick is to loosen the strut that runs from dash to top of w/s surround first. Use soap, not silicone if you need to lube the gasket, as soap disappears and silicone does not.

Alii is right about the starter, but I would add than any Elan should have the crappy Lucas starter replaced. Make sure there is a good ground between engine and chassis. I got my started at RD enterprises in PA, Bean sells them too.

This is all too painful and making me miss my Elan even more....

[mopho]

Originally Posted by elise24fps

You guys are driving me nuts, but... I don't need much help, though. Just sold my Europa TCS two weeks ago, also sold my Europa S1 last year. And today thinking of buying another Europa. Should rent warehouse space, actually if I had rented space last year, I would still have the two Europas. Life is just too damn short to have only one Lotus... ARRRGGGHH!!

The white Europa looks fabulous, tell us more. Any more pictures?

[mopho]

Here is a great Japanese (I type this from Japan BTW) website for old Lotus', they always have some really neat cars in their stock
http://www2s.biglobe.ne.jp/~ac-minds...prit.htm#6223B

[mopho]

Originally Posted by Series 2 Elite

I agree with Tim. I converted my +2 from Strombergs to Webers. The latter sure look nice but they are definitely less tractable than the Strombergs. Constant depression carbs such as Stromberg and SU have very good off-idle performance. That being said the Webers certainly are not terrible. You just have to keep reminding yourself how to drive with them. The idle transition on Webers is pretty poor. In normal driving I generally use one gear higher than instinct would otherwise tell me (i.e. 3rd instead of 2nd etc.). Doing this I have the throttles open wider and away from the idle transition ports. This smooths out the response. Lotus and Dellorto worked together on a special six-port idle transition circuit and were quite successful. Dellortos are probably the optimal carbs for Elans and Europas. Is there an unmodified Twin Cam anywhere in the world?

I have never driven an Elan that does not have Webers, so I can't claim one is better than the other, but I have not experienced any of the issues you speak of (ignorance is bliss?). I have also not had to adjust my webers in 6 years.
The mechanic I use who has over 30 years experience with building and racing Elans (he currently has 5 Elans in various states including 26r, a series 2 racer, and a cosworth powered Elan) considers the Webers the best combination with the TC. I guess, like most things, it is a matter of opinion

Is there an unmodified Twin Cam anywhere in the world?

yes!

[khamai]

Originally Posted by Series 2 Elite

Is there an unmodified Twin Cam anywhere in the world?

Yes... The in this unmodified, original Elan.

FYI - 1964 S1.5 (officially an S2, but with S1 mechanicals). All original car, with grey crashpad, door panels and gator-hide mats, uncrazed dash and even original oval pipe exhaust system!

Cheers,
Kiyoshi

[FunElan]

That website has some awsome cars!

Speaking of Elans, I just saw my first one in the wild, a light metallic green FHC.

[GaryD]

Well I have one ... but it got modified over the years. I took off the original Stromberg head and replaced with a big valve equipped with Dellortos. I never noticed any problems with them and did not touch them after initially putting them on the car. I did spend a lot of time working on the car but, as Tim says, it's easy to do. It was my only form of transportation for many years living in Washington DC and Boston and is now waiting for me to retire and rebuild it.

The one mod that made my car everyday reliable was probably having it completely rewired at one point and installing MSD ignition. Fired up every time after that and no wierd ground problems anywhere. Bye bye Mr Lucas

I seem to remember it came with a generator which I switched out for an alternator very early on. They are really great fun to drive and are good looking cars. Get one if you don't mind working on a car now and then.

[FunElan]

Besides being ported and polished and having an alternator conversion, our twin cam is unmodified too. Actually our whole car is basically original.

[mopho]

Originally Posted by khamai

Yes... The in this unmodified, original Elan.

FYI - 1964 S1.5 (officially an S2, but with S1 mechanicals). All original car, with grey crashpad, door panels and gator-hide mats, uncrazed dash and even original oval pipe exhaust system!

Cheers,
Kiyoshi

Do you have two Elans Kiyoshi?

[elise24fps]

Originally Posted by mopho

The white Europa looks fabulous, tell us more. Any more pictures?

For sale, somewhere east of Newfoundland. I have about 20 photos and a whack of detail describing it. That's all I'm going to say at this moment, as I am still undecided whether I pursue it or not.

[khamai]

Originally Posted by mopho

Do you have two Elans Kiyoshi?

Mopho -
It's a chronic illness.

Now, you know why I don't get out much!

Cheers,
Kiyoshi

P.S. Hint - see my avatar

[Series 2 Elite]

Originally Posted by khamai

Yes... The in this unmodified, original Elan.

FYI - 1964 S1.5 (officially an S2, but with S1 mechanicals). All original car, with grey crashpad, door panels and gator-hide mats, uncrazed dash and even original oval pipe exhaust system!

Cheers,
Kiyoshi

Your Elan is SPECTACULAR! Thanks for the image. I had a nice run in the +2S yesterday on undulating back roads west of Boston. The run made me realize I probably overstated the problems with Webers. Without traffic and stoplights they are just fine, my cars pulls nicely from 1500 rpm up as long as I used a fairly wide throttle opening. Its urban traffic, where you don't want to be in the first place, that the idle transition circuit is annoying. I also rewired my +2S and made many mysterious (and some not-so-mysterious) problems go away. I had starting problems when I first bought the car in 1977. I found that the ring gear had been chewed up so I replaced both that and the starter. Aftermarket starters were not common then so I used the standard Lucas with Bendix drive. That was about 115,000 miles ago and it still starts with no problem at all. Maybe its just luck.

[khamai]

Originally Posted by Series 2 Elite

Your Elan is SPECTACULAR!

Thanks! But it doesn't get driven much... I'm either in the Elise or my red S2 Elan (restored).

For more tips on Elan ownership heres a link to an article that I wrote for "Classic Motorsports" magazine...
http://www.gglotus.org/ggtech/elan-guide/elan-guide.htm

Cheers,
Kiyoshi

[S2Lola]

Well folks, I own an Elan. 1965 S2 DHC. Currently undergoing its first restoration. History known from new.

You'd be mad not to own one if finances would afford it. This is the same advice I received earlier this year, when posting on lotuselan.com, when I asked the question if I should plump for an Elise.

So, do it. You won't regret it.

Cheers,
Bill Tebbutt

[Spudboy]

I've been considering selling my Healey to get an Elan.

[FunElan]

If you want an Elan, get an Elan. You won't regret it. Here's ours right now:

[jib2222]

Any of you want a 91 Elan with 36,000mi?