S2 rads and springs

[nigelrbfurness]

Roger
On my S2 the mouldings above the rack for the S1 style
radiator appeared to have been cut away if they were
ever present.

The bracket arrangement is identical to my colleague's
1966 S3 coupe, VIN unknown and a '68 plus 2 I looked
at purchasing about 10 years ago.

My '68 S4 (8113) came with same setup but I have since
converted it to the later S4 (Spitfire) radiator, a
simple nut & bolt job.

The bonnet on my S2 was always held with one spring
hooked round the rack. My S1 (3726) was the same but
I don't know if this had always been so. I have never,
personally, seen any other arrangement but that
doesn't mean there aren't variations and I would be
interested to see them.

Nigel Furness

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[Jon Eckman]

Nigel,

The 66 S2 I had a while ago, 26/4506, had springs on both sides of the
bonnet. As I recall, one end was mounted to a stud near the front of the
bonnet and the other to a drilled hole on the chassis. When I recently got
an S3, I was surprised to see only one spring mounted as yours is.

Incidentally, the front end of my S3 bonnet rides about one half inch below
the body line, probably the result of the pulling force of the spring over
time. Seems to me someone, Roger maybe, suggested putting a key ring on one
end of the spring to relieve some of that force. I haven't tried it yet,
but it sounded like a good idea. Am I dreaming to think this might reverse
the damage already done?

Jon Eckman

----- Original Message -----
From: "Nigel Furness" <***@***.***>

Sent: Thursday, January 22, 2004 4:47 AM
Subject: [LotusElan.net] S2 rads and springs

[type36lotus]

I installed a SS S-hook on mine, made no difference tho. My spring
is attached to a metal tab which is attached to a horizontal metal
strip. This strip is about 12 - 14" and is pop rivited in about 6
places to the bonnet, thus distributing the load.

Mike Geiger
66 S3 Coupe'

--- In ***@***.***, "fischelproperties"
<fischelproperties@f...> wrote:

[Unibrain]

My original bonnet had the same dip at the front end. When Randall Fehr
(http://www.seanet.com/~rsfehr/restorations.html) was doing the bodywork
on my car, we talked a bit about this and it is a common problem. The
original bonnet has a metal piece along the front edge that the spring
pulls on. This piece stops about 6 inches or so up the sides of the
bonnet, a U shape at the front edge. The cure is to get a replacement
bonnet that has metal that runs along the entire outside edge of the bonnet.

Not a lot of help unless you are in the midst of a restoration or
repaint, but something to keep in mind.


Michael Geiger wrote:

--
Jim
www.unibrain.org

[Elan45]

Jon,
I can't believe anyone remembered my suggestion, let alone that I suggestedit. That's been a mod on my Elan since the mid-70s.

I doubt that reducing the spring force alone will let it go back to original, but it certainly will help it not pull down further.

I think there is an additional piece of steel strip added to later S3s across the front of the bonnet to "spread" the load. Still, it's only about 8 to 10" wide. My Super Safety has it, but I don't think my early non-airlo FHC does. But, in retrospect, I've seen an S4 that sat out in the elements for many years and the leading edge of it's bonnet was at least an inch lowerthan the trailing edge of the nose.

Roger



The 66 S2 I had a while ago, 26/4506, had springs on both sides of the
bonnet. As I recall, one end was mounted to a stud near the front of the
bonnet and the other to a drilled hole on the chassis. When I recently got
an S3, I was surprised to see only one spring mounted as yours is.

Incidentally, the front end of my S3 bonnet rides about one half inch below
the body line, probably the result of the pulling force of the spring over
time. Seems to me someone, Roger maybe, suggested putting a key ring on one
end of the spring to relieve some of that force. I haven't tried it yet,
but it sounded like a good idea. Am I dreaming to think this might reverse
the damage already done?

Jon Eckman

----- Original Message -----
From: "Nigel Furness" <***@***.***>

Sent: Thursday, January 22, 2004 4:47 AM
Subject: [LotusElan.net] S2 rads and springs










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