BRM engined Lotus Elan

[BRMLotusElan]

It has been a while since I first visited here to ask for advice about rebuilding my BRM engined Elan (most of my threads are now in the archive area so I had to start a new thread). Well the rebuild ended in early 2005. The engine is now putting out 172 BHP and I'm getting back into racing !

I am into my second year of competing with the Elan since it's rebuild.
Just had a third in class at Harewood Hillclimb and looking forward to Scammonden and some Drag racing.

Come and see what I'm doing at - Team Pinacle Racing (www.brmlotuselan.com)

At the moment I'm looking for assistance - advice re sponsorship and someone to help with towing as my usual towman is a shift worker and can't make all events, if you fancy a day in the pits and watching some great racing PLEASE get in touch.
Most events are in Yorkshire.

Regards
Dennis Liversidge

[rgh0]

Dennis

Great to see another Elan back on the track. Looks like a great restoration and race preparation. What sort of 1/4 mile times did it do ?

Looking at the engine pictures I see you still had a standard diameter crank pulley. If allowed by your regulations I would fit a smaller 75mm diameter pulley to slow the water pump and alternator / generator back to design speeds.

I would be interested in the spring rates you have fitted and how the car handles in high speed sweeping corners. This is where my Elan is least competitive versus the opposition on the track.

Also interested in the compression ratio, cams, porting and valve sizes and any other details of the engine that gave 172 hp at what rpm ? to help calibrate my racing twin cam computer simulations.

regards
Rohan

[BRMLotusElan]

I'll return and update this as I dig out the info.

Last year it ran 1/4's in the low 13s - this year I have some wider (1 inch) rear tyres to try and eliminate some of the wheelspin off the line.

I now run a toothed belt for the water pump - no alternator/generator

I don't see many high speed sweeping bends in Drag racinng - and not that many in Hill climbing.

Come to the site and look in the rebuild section at the 'Engine' page - I'll have all the specs there.

Regards
Dennis

[rgh0]

Thanks Dennis

I will appreciate the engine data when you have a chance to dig it out.

I always found my Elan very competitive in hill climbs as its fast into and out of tight uphill corners compared to most cars. Its high speed sweeping corner race tracks where I continue to search for more speed.

The narrow track and short wheelbase make the Elan inherently unstable. Great for throwing into tight corners but hard work to hold on the limit at high speed.

Rohan

[paros]

Hi Rohan and Dennis

Not sure I agree about Elans being inherently unstable BUT maybe I don't go fast enough!
In Greece we use slicks and I use Avon 6/21X13 in A46 and managed to destroy five of them at a race at Tripolis 4 days ago - long sweeping corners being tyre loaders followed by tyre eaters!
Front springs 300 lb and rears 185 with 26R front bar

This is with standard S4 bodywork and thus without 26R arches I can't go wider wheel. I think the narrowness makes the car stable and ceratinly long 4 wheel drifts around 180 sweeping corners are possible - if you can put up with the tyre bill.

Richard

[rgh0]

Hi Richard

I have resisted going down the very stiff suspension path like you have to date. MG midgets with similar dimensions to an Elan run similar stiff suspenions and are similarly quicker than me in long sweepers. Perhaps I need to bite the bullet and go super stiff and just slide it round the corners and who cares about tyre life !

Once the track gets a little wet or the corners a little tighter the stiff cars are all over the place. So it only works in certain circumstances! I keep hoping I can build a car that will handle competitively across a huge range of circumstances, perhaps I am kidding myself that it can be done

regards
Rohan

regards
Rohan

[steveww]

Looks like you will have to swap out springs based on the weather. Anyway I thought the sun always shone in OZ So best to go for the dry set up and stiff springs.

[BRMLotusElan]

Now I'm at www.brmlotuselan.com - Looks much better

Dennis