Lotus Elan and Lotus Elan Plus 2 Forums

Hi All,
I'm building up a 26R like S3 Coupe, 1760 motor, 26R wings, +2 alloys (don't worry I'll paint the alloy ribs black ), +2 front brakes etc. etc. I plan to have a streetable 150 hp out of the motor so I can drive it daily and take it to the track once a month.

I have a couple of questions:
1) Since I don't have real Elan seats I feel pretty free to put in any seat that works and looks reasonably period. Something along the lines of a Cobra Classic or Roadster 7.What are you guys using in your track and racing Elans ?
2) How involved is the 26R wheel conversion ? I know I will need wheels, hubs and those lovely spinners but is there anything else ?

Thanks.

Regards,
Jon

Jon,
I think you should be in the Mods section with this topic, although I'm sure the racers don't mind giving their advice.

An S3 coupe can look reasonably similar to a 26R if you do the arches as you mention as well as adding the S2 rear lights.

Here's something that was done a couple of years ago that might give you some inspiration.

I've deleted the information I posted here & hope that the "racers" will provide the information you're searching for.
Good luck with your project.

Hi Alan,
Funnily enough the coupe is in the same colour that I plan to paint mine. It looks great ! BTW, you can get 26R knock on spinners threaded to fit standard hubs, which is what my current plan is. Thanks for the tip about the taillights, I may try and track down some S1-2 tail lights (not so easy to do in Canada).

I specifically put this thread here because I thought that the racers would know the answers to my questions.

Best,.
Jon

Hi Jon,
Yes I think the spinners would probably have finished the car nicely. The car pictured is a Spyder frame with zetec engine conversion with Ford uprights and standard 4 bolt pattern hubs.

Most non Lotus people wouldn't notice the absence of the spinners or the wheel pattern, but its one of the slightly quirky things that most of us seem to like about the cars (I'm not too bothered personally) and the spinners are of course a big thing with the 26R's.

If you are starting with an S3 coupe you do not need to change the rear lights, S3 rear lights are the same as S2. S1s were different. However, your bootlid will be wrong, the S1 and S2 bootlids did not extend back to include the lip above the rear vertical panel as S3 and S4s do. But I guess few will notice.

Vernon

Vernon,
I stand corrected on the rear lights, the example in my photos has been converted to S1 lights. They do like kind of classy though!

Jon,

Your questions about 26R wheel fitment don't seem to have been answered as yet. The brake calipers were not changed on this S3 DHC, but this appears to be the only thing. It does have balance bar master cylinders with three remote reservoirs.

At the front, the hubs must be changed and if you are using different calipers, a different caliper adapter will be required. Off course you must have the larger front uprights and spindles. Basically, the hubs must match the wheels and 26R wheels have 4 drive pins bolted into the wheel and those 4 pins must mate into a hub with 4 matched holes.

At the rear, my car has the Hooke joint cross-roller "sliding" half-shafts and 26R S2 rear hubs and special 4-bolt brake discs. Today, there are S1 type 26R rear hubs that fit standard Elan stub axles, which again have the requisite 4 holes for the wheels. And these hubs are threaded to accept the alloy KO spinners. I believe the threads are the same diameter, but a different pitch.

The original owner of my 45/26R died in 1974 and his son crashed the nose in 1975. I bought it 10 years later and it has remained a project in my garage while I restored other projects and raced them.

Roger

Hi Roger,
Thanks for your comprehensive response. "Off course you must have the larger front uprights and spindles." I have never heard of the larger front uprights and spindles. Are these 26R only pieces or a production upgrade to all Elans ?

BTW, we're practically neighbours, I'm just on the other side of Lake Erie.

Regards,
Jon

Elise seats work well in Elans.

Jeff,
Great information on Elise seat fitment. I'm getting a pair of 2005 Elise seats I was going to possibly fit in my Esprit and wondered if they would work in an Elan or Europa.

Thanks,
Vic

JonnyPlus2 wrote:Hi Roger,
Thanks for your comprehensive response. "Off course you must have the larger front uprights and spindles." I have never heard of the larger front uprights and spindles. Are these 26R only pieces or a production upgrade to all Elans ?

BTW, we're practically neighbours, I'm just on the other side of Lake Erie.

Regards,
Jon

Hi Jon
The larger spindles were used on the Knock on hub cars and came from the Triumph GT6 compared to the bolt on hub cars that used the Triumph Herald / Spitfire parts.

cheers
Rohan

The larger front stub axles match to gt6 front uprights which match the larger spindle, to bevclear if changing from bolt on to knock on you will require upright and stub axles.

V

Thanks Rohan,

I must say that I'm becoming humbler by the minute. I thought I knew Lotii pretty well but the more I learn from everyone here, the more I realize how much I *don't* know. Since I already have knock on hubs on the Elan, I am inferring that I'm set to go. I am dubious about getting real 26R wheels, at 500 quid a corner it's a bit much just to gain 1/2 an inch of rim width. I'll go with the +2 alloys and see how they work out. Once the hideous silver ridges are painted black they should look not too bad.

Regards,
Jon Bathmaker

Jon
Kelsport sell a 26r wheel that will fit the standard knock on hub and save you a fortune