Lotus type 26 R Production

[Dag-Henning]

I was just reading my Elan parts book [I Know ,I must get out more ---but its cold here] and I noted 2 prop shaft numbers -----036 R 001 SEMI CLOSE RATIO GEAR BOX and 026 R 001 PROP SHAFT CLOSE RATIO GEAR BOX --- does any one know the difference ????? ED

Ed, always thought that the front yoke stayed unchanged, but the rear flange got a larger diameter at some stage...Guess Ford changed them -66 / -67 , maybe together with the introduction of the 2000E box... (???)
This may be the difference..

[twincamman]

OK thanks I own one of each but can find no difference ---perhaps one was adapted or changed during its life ----ed

[rgh0]

I thought the rear diff flange changed in the late 72 and 73 cars, I was not aware of any earlier change but the front yoke was the same in all the 4 speed boxes so only possible difference is detail on rear flange or different uni joint details.

MUst be some difference as lotus did not change paert numbers for no reason ( usually as nothing is certain with Lotus)

cheers
Rohan

[Elan45]

The difference between the two propshafts is the size of the U-joint flange. Typically, early Elans had the super-close gearbox and 3.90 diff ratio, while later cars went with the 3.77 and 3.55 diffs and medium close ratio boxes. For some reason, unknown to me, the taller diffs had a larger input flange diameter.

Roger (Back from Texas and into the deep snow)