donutz

[EMA7K]

I can't remember if I've asked this before but if I have I've had a
senior moment and been to bed since and it has now departed the grey
matter....
Rotoflex couplings......what was/is the difference between the Hillman
imp donut and the ?lan donut.....I know the fixing holes and overall
dimensions are the same but what is the difference apart from
that?????........
What difference would it make to fit imp donuts (?15 each) as opposed to
lotus donuts (?50 each)...I can not see the difference physically...is
it in the rubber???.......does it really make any difference when you
only do 5000mls per annum......you still change the lotus donuts at
alarmingly regular intervals these days......so wouldn?t imp donuts
suffice????
Just a thought.....
Thanks
Gareth

[lotuselan2]

Gareth
I don't know about the Imp but the correct ones for the Elan have
reinforcing blocks between the bolt holes and there are "earlier" ones that
do not. My guess is the Imp used non-reinforced ones. You can visually see
the difference.
Ken
'69 +2 with BDR

[elj221c]

May be wrong but I think Imp ones have a smaller pitch circle as I
believe the same on early S1 Elans. In my Imp experience the
couplings didn't have the extra metal reinforcement midway between
the bolt bushes.
May be apocryful but the couplings were reputedly used on farm
machinery so maybe they are still cheaply available through the farm
industry.

Roy
'65S2

[elanplus2]

Gareth,

An Imp donut will fit an Elan. But to do this would be real stupid. The
Imp donut is designed for 35bhp, whereas you have around 110bhp. I have
seen the result of a friend unwittingly fitting Imp donuts, and a new
rear quarter shell and gas tank later he fitted Lotus reinforced donuts.
The Imp donut shared after only a few miles and the half shaft flayed
through the shell and gas tank.

My mechanic is actually an Imp specialist and restores Imps for the road
and race track. He never uses Imp donuts. He only uses Lotus
reinforced donuts, even on Imps.

I have a two sets of used but completely usable Lotus reinforced donuts
here if you want a cheaper set of donuts. I have converted my car over
to a CV system.

Ray
NZ




-----Original Message-----
From: Gareth Flanagan [mailto:***@***.***
Sent: Thursday, 19 August 2004 3:35 a.m.
To: ***@***.***
Subject: [LotusElan.net] donutz

I can't remember if I've asked this before but if I have I've had a
senior moment and been to bed since and it has now departed the grey
matter....
Rotoflex couplings......what was/is the difference between the Hillman
imp donut and the ?lan donut.....I know the fixing holes and overall
dimensions are the same but what is the difference apart from
that?????........
What difference would it make to fit imp donuts (?15 each) as opposed to
lotus donuts (?50 each)...I can not see the difference physically...is
it in the rubber???.......does it really make any difference when you
only do 5000mls per annum......you still change the lotus donuts at
alarmingly regular intervals these days......so wouldn?t imp donuts
suffice????
Just a thought.....
Thanks
Gareth

[DABARTH]

And isn?t the CV System nice?! Seriously ? best upgrade I made to my
car.

-----Original Message-----
From: Ray Edwards [mailto:***@***.***
Sent: Wednesday, August 18, 2004 5:42 PM
To: ***@***.***
Cc: ***@***.***
Subject: [LotusElan.net] RE: donutz - do NOT use IMP donuts.

Gareth,

An Imp donut will fit an Elan. But to do this would be real stupid. The
Imp donut is designed for 35bhp, whereas you have around 110bhp. I have
seen the result of a friend unwittingly fitting Imp donuts, and a new
rear quarter shell and gas tank later he fitted Lotus reinforced donuts.
The Imp donut shared after only a few miles and the half shaft flayed
through the shell and gas tank.

My mechanic is actually an Imp specialist and restores Imps for the road
and race track. He never uses Imp donuts. He only uses Lotus
reinforced donuts, even on Imps.

I have a two sets of used but completely usable Lotus reinforced donuts
here if you want a cheaper set of donuts. I have converted my car over
to a CV system.

Ray
NZ




-----Original Message-----
From: Gareth Flanagan [mailto:***@***.***
Sent: Thursday, 19 August 2004 3:35 a.m.
To: ***@***.***
Subject: [LotusElan.net] donutz

I can't remember if I've asked this before but if I have I've had a
senior moment and been to bed since and it has now departed the grey
matter....
Rotoflex couplings......what was/is the difference between the Hillman
imp donut and the ?lan donut.....I know the fixing holes and overall
dimensions are the same but what is the difference apart from
that?????........
What difference would it make to fit imp donuts (?15 each) as opposed to
lotus donuts (?50 each)...I can not see the difference physically...is
it in the rubber???.......does it really make any difference when you
only do 5000mls per annum......you still change the lotus donuts at
alarmingly regular intervals these days......so wouldn?t imp donuts
suffice????
Just a thought.....
Thanks
Gareth

[cliveyboy]

Gareth
Ray is absolutely right about the Donuts. The confusion comes about because
a lot of Imps are tuned up or raced so they fit the uprated/reinforced ones
with the extra steel plates which are the standard Elan ones. Just to add
confusion there are two sorts of non reinforced donuts on the market and one
of them even the Imp guys do not use on 35bhp cars as they do not last.
Clive

_________________________________________________________________
Express yourself with cool new emoticons http://www.msn.co.uk/specials/myemo

[EMA7K]

Ray
Thanks for that.......there were 2 reasons for asking really.....1)
there is a source close to me for the imp stuff and 2) that about a
month ago there was a spate of donuts appearing on ebay in all sorts of
conditions from old to brand new, used and unused etc....an there were a
pair without the reinforcing strips in them but still banded up listed
as ?lan donuts and eventually selling for about ?80 (GBP) for a
pair.....I'll look at getting the lotus versions then....
Thanks
Gareth

-----Original Message-----
From: Ray Edwards [mailto:***@***.***
Sent: 18 August 2004 23:42
To: ***@***.***
Cc: ***@***.***
Subject: RE: donutz - do NOT use IMP donuts.

Gareth,

An Imp donut will fit an Elan. But to do this would be real stupid. The
Imp donut is designed for 35bhp, whereas you have around 110bhp. I have
seen the result of a friend unwittingly fitting Imp donuts, and a new
rear quarter shell and gas tank later he fitted Lotus reinforced donuts.
The Imp donut shared after only a few miles and the half shaft flayed
through the shell and gas tank.

My mechanic is actually an Imp specialist and restores Imps for the road
and race track. He never uses Imp donuts. He only uses Lotus
reinforced donuts, even on Imps.

I have a two sets of used but completely usable Lotus reinforced donuts
here if you want a cheaper set of donuts. I have converted my car over
to a CV system.

Ray
NZ




-----Original Message-----
From: Gareth Flanagan [mailto:***@***.***
Sent: Thursday, 19 August 2004 3:35 a.m.
To: ***@***.***
Subject: [LotusElan.net] donutz

I can't remember if I've asked this before but if I have I've had a
senior moment and been to bed since and it has now departed the grey
matter....
Rotoflex couplings......what was/is the difference between the Hillman
imp donut and the ?lan donut.....I know the fixing holes and overall
dimensions are the same but what is the difference apart from
that?????........
What difference would it make to fit imp donuts (?15 each) as opposed to
lotus donuts (?50 each)...I can not see the difference physically...is
it in the rubber???.......does it really make any difference when you
only do 5000mls per annum......you still change the lotus donuts at
alarmingly regular intervals these days......so wouldn?t imp donuts
suffice????
Just a thought.....
Thanks
Gareth

[fasterbyelan]

Due to the supposed suspect quality of current Lotus donuts, Paul Matty aresupplying there own version. I personally cannot comment on the quality of either type but the vibes I'm picking up over the past few months suggestthat the genuine part does have a declining service life. May be this isdue to changes in driving style/increasing periods of winter lay up ? Or is it just the self justification required when spending ?100's convertingto other types of half shaft coupling?!

Karl

-----Original Message-----
From: Gareth Flanagan [mailto:***@***.***
Sent: 19 August 2004 09:10
To: ***@***.***
Subject: [LotusElan.net] RE: donutz - do NOT use IMP donuts.



Ray
Thanks for that.......there were 2 reasons for asking really.....1) there is a source close to me for the imp stuff and 2) that about a month ago there was a spate of donuts appearing on ebay in all sorts of conditions from old to brand new, used and unused etc....an there were a pair without the reinforcing strips in them but still banded up listed as ?lan donuts and eventually selling for about ?80 (GBP) for a pair.....I'll look at getting the lotus versions then.... Thanks Gareth

-----Original Message-----
From: Ray Edwards [mailto:***@***.***
Sent: 18 August 2004 23:42
To: ***@***.***
Cc: ***@***.***
Subject: RE: donutz - do NOT use IMP donuts.

Gareth,

An Imp donut will fit an Elan. But to do this would be real stupid. The Impdonut is designed for 35bhp, whereas you have around 110bhp. I have seen the result of a friend unwittingly fitting Imp donuts, and a new rear quarter shell and gas tank later he fitted Lotus reinforced donuts. The Imp donut shared after only a few miles and the half shaft flayed through the shelland gas tank.

My mechanic is actually an Imp specialist and restores Imps for the road and race track. He never uses Imp donuts. He only uses Lotus reinforced donuts, even on Imps.

I have a two sets of used but completely usable Lotus reinforced donuts here if you want a cheaper set of donuts. I have converted my car over to a CV system.

Ray
NZ




-----Original Message-----
From: Gareth Flanagan [mailto:***@***.***
Sent: Thursday, 19 August 2004 3:35 a.m.
To: ***@***.***
Subject: [LotusElan.net] donutz

I can't remember if I've asked this before but if I have I've had a senior moment and been to bed since and it has now departed the grey matter.... Rotoflex couplings......what was/is the difference between the Hillman imp donut and the ?lan donut.....I know the fixing holes and overall dimensionsare the same but what is the difference apart from that?????........ What difference would it make to fit imp donuts (?15 each) as opposed to lotusdonuts (?50 each)...I can not see the difference physically...is it in the rubber???.......does it really make any difference when you only do 5000mls per annum......you still change the lotus donuts at alarmingly regular intervals these days......so wouldn't imp donuts suffice???? Just a thought..... Thanks Gareth

[M100]

On Thu, 19 Aug 2004 09:34:57 +0100, "Simpson, Karl"
<***@***.***> wrote:


The rumour going round (and mentioned by Mick Miller a few years ago
iirc) was there was a reduction due to environmental concerns of the
amount of something (sulphur i think) in the rubber mix that made them
less durable. Bearing in mind this is a fundamental part of the
vulcanising process used in tyre production I find it a bit hard to
believe.

Can anyone confirm the changes, any rubber engineers on the list?


Martin
72/45
--

[markvo]

All,

I have 4 NOS reinforced Lotus donuts that I mounted on my Elan restoration project. I switched to CV joints before anything miles were put on the car.Any lister should contact me if they are interested.

Regards,
Mark VanOsdel
----- Original Message -----
From: Gareth Flanagan
To: ***@***.***
Sent: Thursday, August 19, 2004 1:09 AM
Subject: [LotusElan.net] RE: donutz - do NOT use IMP donuts.


Ray
Thanks for that.......there were 2 reasons for asking really.....1)
there is a source close to me for the imp stuff and 2) that about a
month ago there was a spate of donuts appearing on ebay in all sorts of
conditions from old to brand new, used and unused etc....an there were a
pair without the reinforcing strips in them but still banded up listed
as ?lan donuts and eventually selling for about ?80 (GBP) for a
pair.....I'll look at getting the lotus versions then....
Thanks
Gareth

-----Original Message-----
From: Ray Edwards [mailto:***@***.***
Sent: 18 August 2004 23:42
To: ***@***.***
Cc: ***@***.***
Subject: RE: donutz - do NOT use IMP donuts.

Gareth,

An Imp donut will fit an Elan. But to do this would be real stupid. The
Imp donut is designed for 35bhp, whereas you have around 110bhp. I have
seen the result of a friend unwittingly fitting Imp donuts, and a new
rear quarter shell and gas tank later he fitted Lotus reinforced donuts.
The Imp donut shared after only a few miles and the half shaft flayed
through the shell and gas tank.

My mechanic is actually an Imp specialist and restores Imps for the road
and race track. He never uses Imp donuts. He only uses Lotus
reinforced donuts, even on Imps.

I have a two sets of used but completely usable Lotus reinforced donuts
here if you want a cheaper set of donuts. I have converted my car over
to a CV system.

Ray
NZ




-----Original Message-----
From: Gareth Flanagan [mailto:***@***.***
Sent: Thursday, 19 August 2004 3:35 a.m.
To: ***@***.***
Subject: [LotusElan.net] donutz

I can't remember if I've asked this before but if I have I've had a
senior moment and been to bed since and it has now departed the grey
matter....
Rotoflex couplings......what was/is the difference between the Hillman
imp donut and the ?lan donut.....I know the fixing holes and overall
dimensions are the same but what is the difference apart from
that?????........
What difference would it make to fit imp donuts (?15 each) as opposed to
lotus donuts (?50 each)...I can not see the difference physically...is
it in the rubber???.......does it really make any difference when you
only do 5000mls per annum......you still change the lotus donuts at
alarmingly regular intervals these days......so wouldn't imp donuts
suffice????
Just a thought.....
Thanks
Gareth