S4 Elan / Zetec

[GrUmPyBoDgEr]

As requested, some Photos of my Zetec engined Elan.

Cheers
John

[barefoot]

That looks fantastic what power is it when was it converted and by whom?

[john.p.clegg]

....and what gearbox are you using...gear lever in the correct position...

John

[GrUmPyBoDgEr]

Hi,

I've added a vehicle description document that I compiled some time ago.
I think it answers your questions.
Many thanks for the compliments.

Cheers
John

Lotus Elan S4 1970 Reg. No. BHJ 97J

Owner & restorer D.J.Pelly

This vehicle has been subjected to a complete rebuild, which was finished Sept. 2002. However continuing improvements are being made.
Apart from the listed work all fasteners (nuts & bolts etc.) were renewed during the rebuild, stainless components being used where strength would not be compromised.

The bodywork was completely stripped of all components & old paint and any damage discovered was re-laminated before repainting.

All chrome trim was replaced with new components except the window frames, which were re-chromed.
The interior & the boot space were re-carpeted with (Mercedes Benz) velour carpet. The seats, door panels, centre console & under dash trims covered with (BMW) buffalo leather. A new soft top (duck material) is fitted. A new burr walnut dashboard was fitted.
The glove box was fabricated in aluminium in order to accommodate a comprehensive range of electrical relays & a multiple fuses; it is lined with leather.
The wiring harness is completely new utilising modern connectors & complies with modern automobile electrical standards.
Separate harnesses are provided for the, engine bay & the rear of the vehicle.
Multi-pin connectors, connect these to the dashboard harness. The vacuum operated headlamp mechanism (fitted with new vacuum units) is electrically actuated. A new 80 Ah alternator & new Ford pre-engage starter motor are fitted.

A new tubular ?Spyder? chassis is fitted along with tubular front & rear wishbones from the same maker.
All suspension bushes, joints, bearings, seals, trunnions etc. are new. The front roll bar drop links have been made adjustable.
New, Tony Thompson, springs & dampers are fitted, having both adjustable spring seats & damper settings.
A new ?Safety Devices? roll bar is fitted along with ?Willans? 3-point seat belts. A fire extinguisher has been fitted.

The brake calipers have been totally overhauled; the front calipers / Discs are Elan +2 specification & fitted with stainless steel pistons. All brake discs & pads are new, as are all of the brake lines which use braided steel flexible hoses. For ease of maintenance remote brake & clutch fluid reservoirs have been fitted, using suitable new master cylinders (braided hoses also used here). The handbrake (tree) mechanism has been made in stainless steel.
New brake & Speedo cables are fitted.

The engine has been replaced by a 2 Liter 185 bhp Ford Zetec engine.
The engine is fitted with 2 new 45 DCOE Weber carburetors; the intake manifold, engine management system, lightened flywheel & competition clutch were supplied new by ?Dunnell Engines?.
A fully baffled aluminium oil pan is fitted to the engine.
The exhaust manifold & stainless exhaust system is specially made by ?Competition fabrications? along with special aluminium engine cooling rails. The stainless steel silencer is from TTR.
Tony Thompson competition engine mounts mate the engine to the chassis.
The engine cooling system has been newly designed to suit the Zetec engine installation & includes a new 4 row radiator & thermostatically controlled electric cooling fan.

The original Elan gearbox has been fitted with TTR aluminium bell housing & tail shaft.
The prop shaft is fully overhauled & has been balanced.

The final drive uses TTR competition components comprising a Quaiffe limited slip differential built into an aluminium nose cone & incorporates billet steel output shafts.
TTR sliding spline drive shafts connect to the rear wheels via steel billet stub axles.

5 new 6J X 14 alluminium wheels from ?Spyder?/ "Two Gates" are fitted

A new aluminium fuel tank & ?Facet? fuel pump are fitted.

[barefoot]

Got to be one of if not the best Elan out there in my eyes. A credit to you my friend if you ever think of selling please pm me.

[elancoupe]

Beautiful car!

[collins_dan]

John, What size are the tires? I also have an S4 and am planning to go with 14" x 5.5" minilites and would like to fit 185/60/14's, so I'm curious as to what you have managed to fit within stock fenders. Thanks. Dan

[GrUmPyBoDgEr]

John, What size are the tires? I also have an S4 and am planning to go with 14" x 5.5" minilites and would like to fit 185/60/14's, so I'm curious as to what you have managed to fit within stock fenders. Thanks. Dan

Can you perhaps borrow some 185/60 x 14" tyres to try out?
Here's my story.
I bought, on recommentation from the supplier, 5 new 185/60 x 14" Yokohama's.
The car looked great sitting on them but I never drove on them.
I trailered the car to TTR for it's initial suspension set up.
A day later Tony called me to say that the tyres were way too wide for the rear wheel arches & that they would rub very badly & most likely crack the wings as soon as the suspension was loaded.
He managed to find some 175/60 x 14" tyres & had them fitted.
Even then the rear arches needed to be ground away to provide the necessary clearance.
Some time after at Silverstone I saw an S4 road going Elan with the same wheels but wearing 185/60's.
Unfortunately I didn't get to meet the owner to ask him how he'd managed it.
It's been said on here before that no 2 Elans are the same, something which I find difficult to understand because Lotus could not have had that many body molds
Anyway this story seems to prove the point, hence my suggestion that you get some tyres to try out first.
I lost a bucket full of money having to sell those Yokohama's on.

Be careful & good luck.
John

[gjz30075]

John, they might have been 13" wheels that you saw. I manage to fit 185/60 x13 on my Sprint with no problems in the back, but rubbing issues in the front. I can imagine a 14" wheel will put the tire closer (higher in the wheel well) to the lip.

Greg Z

[GrUmPyBoDgEr]

John, they might have been 13" wheels that you saw. I manage to fit 185/60 x13 on my Sprint with no problems in the back, but rubbing issues in the front. I can imagine a 14" wheel will put the tire closer (higher in the wheel well) to the lip.

Greg Z

Hi Greg,

I wrote "the same wheels"
Those being 6" x 14" made by "Two Gates" supplied by Spyder

Cheers
John

[collins_dan]

It is a challenge to figure out what will fit. To look at clearance to the fenders with my current 185/60/13's and knowing that the backspace will be increasing from standard lotus 109mm to 115mm, I can't imagine how I will have a problem, but it sounds like many have. I like your idea of borrowing tires for first fitting. Worst case I drop down to 175's. Thanks. Dan

[Frank Howard]

John,

Thanks for the photos of your fantastic car. You provided me with an idea for an alternative to replacing my cracked console. Any chance of seeing more engine pictures as well as pictures of the boot?

[GrUmPyBoDgEr]

John,

Thanks for the photos of your fantastic car. You provided me with an idea for an alternative to replacing my cracked console. Any chance of seeing more engine pictures as well as pictures of the boot?

Hi Frank,

I'm afraid you've lost me with:-an idea for an alternative to replacing my cracked console
I'd like to know what you mean.
What do they say; "Two countries divided by a common language"?
Fantastic! Oh I don't know about that, bits still fall off it & digital Photos can be extremely flattering
More Photos as requested within the next couple of days

By the way, what tyre pressues have you used & to what effect?
Perhaps you could put your comments onto the latest "Handling" thread

Cheers
John

[Frank Howard]

John,

What I meant was, rather than search for a reproduction console, I'll patch up my cracked console, cover it with (BMW) buffalo leather, and I should wind up with something much better than the original.

[GrUmPyBoDgEr]

Ah now the Penny's dropped, you were talking about the leather covered centre console.
It was actually in good condition but I wanted the same finish throughout the interior.
The same treatment to the under dash trims saved their lives though.

I've now sorted some more Photos of the engine bay & boot.
You will notice that the boot floor is made of 4mm Ply & Carpeted.
The tank side part has battens on the underside to keep the height equal to that of the fatter wheel.
The tank needed to be modified to take the bigger Wheel & Tyre also.

I've also scanned some older Photos of the Oil pan which I modified to suit the Elan installation.
Purely by luck the capacity of 4,5 Liters remained unchanged as did the dipstick markings.

Cheers
John