colin?s approval

[el-saturn]

of a sequential gearbox would have been obvious/inevitable - or in other words: if you modify or use a superior component it?s
much within the ideal of the inventor. competition would stop if all of us were purists! sandy johnson - an alpine rider - ill stay with my BULLET (best ratio rear)

[Elanintheforest]

I totally agree with that philosophy, and of course, things should and do advance with improved technology.

However, if you apply the logic to only modifying an old car, then we would all be driving around in De Deon Boutons and Model T Fords with disc brakes, a turbo diesel engine and air bags with of course, a sequential gearbox.

I think that new models of cars are created to accommodate advances in technology, and comfort, reliability, safety etc. After all, Lotus junked the Elite in favour of the Elan, then the Elan in favour of the Esprit.....and so on. A new model is designed as a whole package, not just taking one advancement and building that into an otherwise old vehicle. They are pretty smart guys who do this sort of work, and generally have a budget and facilities far greater than any talented amateur.

So my vote is for originality, but with period modifications to make them go a little faster and handle a little better, usually at the expense of economy and comfort. Most of my classic cars are 6 or 7 or more generations away from the current car, and they are all the more fun for that. But I wouldn't want to commute or complete 20,000 miles a year in them as I do with a modern. And I can't see how any amount of modifications completed on one of the best sportscars of the 1960s could bring it anywhere near the level of being one of the best sportscars of the 2010s

Mark

[RogerFrench]

He'd have approved a sequential box for the Elan only if it was cheap!
The principal had already been established - the Lotus "Queerbox" shows that.

[el-saturn]

howdy TC friendly friends: colin would have shown them how to produce a sequential at the
price of a bullet - i just rebuilt mine and its/she?s magical - one of the TC (and formula jr.) greats
(mr. bruno schaffner) was my guide and teacher while rebuilding my BULLET and he said: this is
a 50yr old BRAND NEW gearbox with the best gearing.............. so anything else would be a sacrilege!
...................sunday afternoon can be spent as i did: s3 rear view mirror ........ at the worksop