1966 Elan S2

[alan.barker]

Ian for the Lattic will you use stainless steel or galvanised bar.
Alan

[Andy8421]

Ian,

Thanks for your advice and encouragement. I am not looking forward to the job.

One of the great things about this forum, is pretty much every problem has had comments posted about it. If you search using Google with "site:lotuselan.net your_query_here" you can uncover a lot of great information. A quick search on replacing the ladder/lattice frames brought up:

https://lotuselan.net/forums/viewtopic.php?t=1979

Worth looking at.

Alan,

I purchased stainless frames from Spyder. I had to wait for a batch to be made, so they may still have some in stock.

Andy.

Edit: ... and here is another interesting thread with pictures -

https://lotuselan.net/forums/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=15161&start=

[Ianashdown]

Ian, (and others) my S3 and S4 have threaded bobbins in the fiberglass for holding the dashboard. Is it not the
same for earlier cars?

Hi,

It is not the case in my car. Just a fiberglass flange with holes in it. It was a nut and bolt arrangement with the nuts suitable corroded!

I’ll be fitting nutplates there on re-assembly so it will be a one sided operation.

Ian

[Ianashdown]

Ian for the Lattic will you use stainless steel or galvanised bar.
Alan

Hi Alan,

As this is a matching numbers car I’m strongly driven to originality, even when the engineer in me is screaming out that improvements could be made!

A gentleman, and fellow lotuselan.net member has offered a set of frames cut out of a car that did not survive. I realize this is probably making hard work out of a job that is already hard enough, but it is the only way to be original.

If this were a different car I would be making composite panels that can be bonded in. I think that is technically a better solution. When I have the ‘new’ frames I’ll measure them and model them in CAD. This will then be the starting point for a design exercise in to composite frames.

Ian

[Ianashdown]

As I was working on the car yesterday I noticed these numbers molded in to body just above the body number.

Are these normal? I’m assuming that it should read ‘26’ unless it signifies something else.

Does anyone have any insight?

Ian

[gjz30075]

Did you mean to post a picture of it?

[Ianashdown]

Oops! It was too large!

Hold on a minute, picture coming.

Ian

[Quart Meg Miles]

Not mine round the dash, for one!

[Ianashdown]

Does such a thing as an S2 Parts Manual Exist?

Mine is dated 1970 so definitely not S2!

Ian

[Mazzini]

I have an early (65/66) parts manual. PM me your email address and I can send you a .pdf of it.

[Emma-Knight]

The paint on the badge is original, slightly dull green and ”mustard “ yellow - I would keep it that way.
Working as restorer there is a saying - things are original only once Long time ago, I made the mistake to polish the chrome on the badge too energic- the paint came off - I didn‘t now it’s the original then
It’s just enamel paint like Humbrol.
And never dull get‘s it off.
With the wiring loom, I would carefully try to get it out in one piece,
there is a coupling between rear and main on the left side of the dash, where it enters the door surrounds.
Try to push out the metal bullet connectors out of their rubber sleeves, push, not pull out with the tip of an original chinese chop stick.
Then lever out of the metal tube via the little slot with a small screw driver, I use little plastic shims to give the levering a deeper reach.
The brittle part of the loom is behind the bulkhead in the engine bay. Most sensitive at the 90 deg bends to starter and the voltage control box. A not too intense warming can keep them from cracking.
Nice car, by the way

Anna (65 S2)

[Elan45]

If the manual that Mazzini is offering to you is the blue loose leaf book for S1-S2- Coupe, that is the best of the 3 parts books for earlier model cars. There is a S1 Elan parts book, but it is not as informative. I have a photo-copy of the S1 book, but it is an odd size and limited information compared w/ the blue book. I've used the blue book since 1974. The best!

Roger

[Ianashdown]

If the manual that Mazzini is offering to you is the blue loose leaf book for S1-S2- Coupe, that is the best of the 3 parts books for earlier model cars. There is a S1 Elan parts book, but it is not as informative. I have a photo-copy of the S1 book, but it is an odd size and limited information compared w/ the blue book. I've used the blue book since 1974. The best!

Roger

I have reached out to Mazzini. I’m very grateful for the support and knowledge of the group!

I’m trying to find info on the S2 Hood, Cant Rails, cross tubes etc but that information is not in the later manuals.

I received pristine Workshop and Parts Manuals with the car but they are both for later cars.

Making good progress!

Ian

[Mazzini]

@ Roger - Yes, it's the S1-S2-Coupe parts book.

@ Ian - let me know if you want photos of the hood sticks, cant rails or boot straps etc..

[Davidb]

Mazzini very kindly emailed me a copy of the manual and it is the blue covered one mentioned earlier.
It looks very useful!
Thanks Louis