Lotus Elan and Lotus Elan Plus 2 Forums

My TC is apart. Engine,head and all useable ancillaries are being
dipped and inspected.I dropped an intake valve, and knocked a hole
in the #4 piston, buggered the head some. With a new Dave bean front
cover($700), new cast crossflow crank($750), pistons,valves,
springs, highlift cams($875), on and on the cost of materials alone
$4,700 dollars, including shipping and tax.

Head work, in the shop for porting to increased valve size, and
larger valves, seats, deepened spring seat pockets were not worth
the extra cost, to me, for about 15-20 horsepower. You're talking
well over $2,000 labor for that kind of work on the head alone. By
all means if you have access or equipment and skills or a buddy that
wants to play, which I don't,the costs are very significant.
I will be around 130-135 horsepower when finished and have, NOT
INCLUDING MY LABOR OF LOVE, around $5,500++ in the engine.

BY THE WAY, does anyone have a 1600 pinto crank or cross flow crank
they want to sell?

Another fellow I have talked with suggested using Jaguar seats,
valves, guides,springs, buckets and said they would last longer and
increase the horsepower in the same way with no modifications, other
than feathering the ports around the seats some. Said the guides
were a little longer and would minimize the wear on the valves. Any
comments?
Greg Foster 72 +2 Virginia

Hmmm
Maybe the $4750 I paid for my 1700 cc BDR was well spent. It was complete
with 45 MM Delorttos, Luminition ignition, etc. I just had to assemble
which was actually very rewarding.
Ken
'69 +2 with BDR

--- In ***@***.***, "James G. Foster"
<[email protected]> wrote:

Another fellow I have talked with suggested using Jaguar
seats, valves, guides, springs, buckets and said they would
last longer and increase the horsepower in the same way with
no modifications, other than feathering the ports around the
seats some. Said the guideswere a little longer and would
minimize the wear on the valves. Any comments?

Hi Greg -

That's correct. Quicksilver RacEngines in Rockville used the
Jag pieces to rebuild a VeganTune head on my BDA (many years
ago) because the Lotus parts were too small and VeganTune pieces
were _way_ too dear in price. Well served, no noticeable wear
in an engine built for (and used) 9500 RPM over two seasons of
autocrossing and track days. Car earned me an AM season
championship before I stupidly sold it. 8^(

The Jag pieces were mods that Quicksilver routinely used for their
race engines with great success.

Best regards,
Bob
________________________
***@***.***

I know of Quicksilver's work and although pricey they are arguably the best
formula ford and f 2000 engine builders in the country.The TC engine would
use a lot of the tooling from the FF 1600.
Bill Mack