Lotus Elan

Grid 4 LMC Results - Evans' Elan wins Index of Performance

PostPost by: Frogelan » Mon Jul 04, 2022 1:02 pm

Hello everyone,

Usually I enjoy pottering over to the LM Classic but this year I have a dose of covid to contend with...As a keyboard warrior I did follow the event as 6 Elans took part!

Simon Evans (I believe in his yellow 1965 S2 with a green stripe) put up some very consistent performances in the 3 x 40' sprints that constitute the modern 24H race.

Overall, he finished 16th (behind 5 Ford GTs, 7 AC/Shelby Cobras, a 250 LM and a 250GT0...) and 1st overall in the Index of Performance.


This is an impressive result as it was a grid with 60 working cars (a few did not need seem to make the track even). Also of note were the very credible performances by Montgomery/Sleep, Bourdin/Bourdin, Brajeux/Gay, Duhamel / Van de Kove, Gutzwiller/Gutzwiller.

The obvious anorak question what is the top speed of a sixties Elan? Gutzwiller managed 239.1 kmh (148.6 mph (GB version)) just a fraction faster than Evans.

The organisers so not communicate where this is measured and my understanding is that the fastest point on the track is now "Indianapolis" rather than Hunaudières (chicanes).

The fastest car of Grid 4 was the 250 GTO (Pastorelli) at 265.2 km/h so we will need to find an extra 26 kmh...
1965 Lotus Elan S2 26/4022 (originally Dutchess Lotus East, PA and NJ Area, USA)
Frogelan
Fourth Gear
Fourth Gear
 
Posts: 615
Joined: 03 Jul 2017
Location: Paris, France

PostPost by: mark030358 » Thu Jul 07, 2022 11:35 pm

I went this year, so I’ll post up some of the photos from the paddock for you.

Cheers
Attachments
20A9DFC9-303A-4CE0-874F-DEAB901A11B1.jpeg and
53DF6541-4DC6-48D3-8BFA-E23ACC194006.jpeg and
D252E594-E125-47CA-A012-32564ADDBFA7.jpeg and
2E738937-7AD3-4622-90CE-6C8B9F7F4B18.jpeg and
1197321D-D152-4F48-979E-D1C8560B6160.jpeg and
3DA3672D-DB59-47AC-B42F-F97E455522D0.jpeg and
30BE72C6-6C6B-4F16-BD64-C106C4BC6F7F.jpeg and
FA38EA46-22EE-4431-942B-51D8725A63A8.jpeg and
User avatar
mark030358
Coveted Fifth Gear
Coveted Fifth Gear
 
Posts: 1257
Joined: 29 May 2004
Location: Willaston, Wirral

PostPost by: rgh0 » Fri Jul 08, 2022 2:40 am

It looks like the FIA is pretty loose on allowed Elan front body modifications :)

cheers
Rohan
User avatar
rgh0
Coveted Fifth Gear
Coveted Fifth Gear
 
Posts: 8991
Joined: 22 Sep 2003
Location: Melbourne, Australia

PostPost by: Vali » Fri Jul 08, 2022 8:00 am

What exactly do you mean, Rohan?
Vali
Second Gear
Second Gear
 
Posts: 53
Joined: 14 Sep 2016
Location: Germany

PostPost by: nmauduit » Fri Jul 08, 2022 8:04 am

Frogelan wrote:The obvious anorak question what is the top speed of a sixties Elan? Gutzwiller managed 239.1 kmh (148.6 mph (GB version)) just a fraction faster than Evans.


Thank you for that glimpse, must have been a gorgeous event...

as for elan top speed, I noted one was even clocked above 241 kph (150mph)...

http://peterautoracing.alkamelsystems.com/

LeMansClassic Elan top speed.jpg and
LeMans Classic 2022 top speed
S4SE 36/8198
User avatar
nmauduit
Coveted Fifth Gear
Coveted Fifth Gear
 
Posts: 2077
Joined: 02 Sep 2013
Location: France

PostPost by: 661 » Fri Jul 08, 2022 7:02 pm

rgh0 wrote:It looks like the FIA is pretty loose on allowed Elan front body modifications :)

cheers
Rohan

The arches on both green ones look non OEM
Graeme
S4 SE
S2 GTS
Caterham 420R
Sold - Peterson JPS Exige
User avatar
661
Coveted Fifth Gear
Coveted Fifth Gear
 
Posts: 1316
Joined: 29 Mar 2012
Location: East Sussex

PostPost by: h20hamelan » Sun Jul 10, 2022 6:14 am

Born, and brought home from the hospital (no seat belt (wtf)) in a baby!
Find out where the limits are, and start from there
Love your Mother
Earth
User avatar
h20hamelan
Coveted Fifth Gear
Coveted Fifth Gear
 
Posts: 2082
Joined: 25 Sep 2010
Location: RACECAR spelled backward, is——RACECAR! Kayak, Kayak. The Faster You Drive...The Slower You Age

PostPost by: rgh0 » Sun Jul 10, 2022 7:28 am

Fun racing I would love to have a go on that track. Holding it in 4th with the shift light on is interesting. We are not allowed electronic aids like shift lights in historic here in Australia :

cheers
Rohan
User avatar
rgh0
Coveted Fifth Gear
Coveted Fifth Gear
 
Posts: 8991
Joined: 22 Sep 2003
Location: Melbourne, Australia

PostPost by: Frogelan » Sun Jul 10, 2022 5:18 pm

Rohan,
National authorities are allowed quirky interpretations of FIA rules. Australia and GB are no exceptions [eg; in GB the "MSA" love to insist on having a rain light for GTS cars which is not necessary under FIA rules (but if the event is run in GB under FIA rules, scrutineers will agree these lights are surplus to requirements).

With respect to electronic trickery, it is interesting to see how the rules have evolved.

Some of these seemed pasted in as for "technical regulations for non-homologated cars". This title might suggests that it is for some sort of "GTP" class cars (such as the Ford GTs which run in Feb '66 homologation format) but from what I can see from the following rules, it seems to be more widely applied than the title suggests.

Examples include rev limiters (one race series actually obliges their use to put a stop to "qualifying engines" :D ) and "Electronic instrumentation must be period specification, however data acquisition system which provides the following functions: engine RPM, engine oil pressure, engine oil temperature, engine
water temperature and fuel pressure may be used."

I believe this means that competitors should be historic in the spirit of the competition, but can collect data for various uses (it is mainly used to improve the pilote, but that is another story).

What was surprising from the videos is that the competitor did not do the gearing calculations before attending the race meeting as the LMC entry fee for just 3 hours of track time is the equivalent of a brand new race engine...
1965 Lotus Elan S2 26/4022 (originally Dutchess Lotus East, PA and NJ Area, USA)
Frogelan
Fourth Gear
Fourth Gear
 
Posts: 615
Joined: 03 Jul 2017
Location: Paris, France

PostPost by: Mike Spence » Tue Jul 12, 2022 8:28 pm

Le Mans Classic 2022, a lot of Elan's !

See also my reportage on :

https://www.oldtimerweb.be/foto.../le-m ... _8642.aspx

Greetz,

Michel
Attachments
DSC_8616.JPG and
DSC_8208.JPG and
DSC_8194.JPG and
DSC_8172.JPG and
DSC_8123.JPG and
DSC_8122.JPG and
DSC_8108.JPG and
DSC_8096.JPG and
DSC_8074.JPG and
DSC_8086.JPG and
Mike Spence
First Gear
First Gear
 
Posts: 41
Joined: 13 Nov 2010

PostPost by: Mike Spence » Tue Jul 12, 2022 8:34 pm

Le Mans Classic 2022

My reportage :

https://www.oldtimerweb.be/fotos-oldtim ... _8642.aspx

Greetz,

Michel
Attachments
DSC_9009.JPG and
DSC_9005.JPG and
DSC_9004.JPG and
DSC_9003.JPG and
DSC_8999.JPG and
DSC_8891.JPG and
DSC_8619.JPG and
Mike Spence
First Gear
First Gear
 
Posts: 41
Joined: 13 Nov 2010

PostPost by: prezoom » Wed Jul 13, 2022 4:35 pm

With regards to Rohan's comment on the red light on the dash, I utilized the light to indicate the optimum point to shift with regards to the maximum torque. The engine would safely rev to far higher rpm, it just would't pull as strong,
Rob Walker
26-4889
50-0315N
1964 Sabra GT
1964 Elva Mk4T Coupe (awaiting restoration)
1965 Ford Falcon Ranchero, 302,AOD,9",rack and pinion,disc,etc,etc,etc
1954 Nash Healey LeMans Coupe

Owning a Lotus will get you off the couch
prezoom
Coveted Fifth Gear
Coveted Fifth Gear
 
Posts: 1363
Joined: 16 Mar 2009
Location: Escondido, California

Total Online:

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 1 guest