Elan returning to the street after 40yrs...

[garyeanderson]

Listen Guys ,like I said, S1 and S2 windscreens are identical.
Miles Wilkins of Fibreglass services has some in stock, I know they fit because I bought one
They were made by Triplex in the UK

Hi Rod

I don't get off on being right but I don't like seeing others go through what I did when money was real tight and I ended up with the wrong screen when I ordered one 35 years ago. I don't think things have changed a lot, I have no experiance in the last 10 years but this screen tag is dated 1997 and it clearly spells out what Triplex calls an S2 S3 S4 screen. If you ordered from Miles than I guess he may have a clue over some glass guy. Even Richard Tankel who has been dealing in glass his entire life has advertised screens on e-bay with that "wrong" info. In this case an S2 is not a type 26 and thats a fact. A glass guy will not know what a type 26 is as thats not in his books.

The top postit is what Richard wrote down back in 2002 when I got the last screens from him, below that is the sticker afixed to the center of the screen that I bought then. I may have the S1 sticker someplace but stopped looking once I found the triplex sticker for HT0265

Maybe it's not the same when dealing with suppliers in the U.K. but here it is as most just don't know what an Elan is.

Gary

[TurbineHeli]

Hi Gary,

To answer your earlier question re tail lights, there are two round lights each side.

All my suspension bushings were replaced for track use in '72 and will be renewed again, but for street use in this day and age is it advisable to stay with stock bushes or move on to poly? I think I really should replace all rubber bits that are probably quite hard by now since the body is about to come off one more time.

AMA

[garyeanderson]

Hi Gary,

To answer your earlier question re tail lights, there are two round lights each side.

All my suspension bushings were replaced for track use in '72 and will be renewed again, but for street use in this day and age is it advisable to stay with stock bushes or move on to poly? I think I really should replace all rubber bits that are probably quite hard by now since the body is about to come off one more time.

AMA

Those lamps are what I would expect for that body number. I asked about it to clarify in my mind the mismatch of the unit number and body number.

As far as the bushes go, the choice is yours. If it were me I would stick with the metalastic bushes. Whether you left the NOS bushes is is up to you, my guess is they would probably work fine provided they were stored inside out of direct sunlight and away from any ozone producing equipment. If you have the money and feel that you would just rather do them I don't see the issue with that either. On one of my early S2 bodies (26/4045), I had to lift the body to remove the front upper back halve of the control arms, that has been the only issue of doing the metalastic bush swap on any of the Elans I have worked on so they could always be done later if you found that they were either hard, or had failed in some manor.

Gary

[rodlittle]

Hi Gary
Im no expert but the screens Miles had were listed as S2 screens, (theres no way hes going to have a bunch of S1 screens he'd never sell them would he )
So I went down to see him and we tried one and it looked right for my S1. I bought it and fitted it and it was correct.
So as I said S1 and S2 screens are the same. Dont know anything about S3 though

Cant explain your screen sticker though, and of course I cleaned off the one on mine so cant show it here I'll try and find Miles's invoice and see what he listed it as
rod

[garyeanderson]

Hi Gary
Im no expert but the screens Miles had were listed as S2 screens, (theres no way hes going to have a bunch of S1 screens he'd never sell them would he )
So I went down to see him and we tried one and it looked right for my S1. I bought it and fitted it and it was correct.
So as I said S1 and S2 screens are the same. Dont know anything about S3 though

Cant explain your screen sticker though, and of course I cleaned off the one on mine so cant show it here I'll try and find Miles's invoice and see what he listed it as
rod

One more try on this

The screens on a type 26 whether it be S1 or S2 Roadster are exactly the same. We agree on this. It's the label on the screen and what the glass manufacturers calls them and the catalog that they list them in that is NOT correct.

If you tell someone at a glass shop you want an S2 screen you will get a Later screen that will fit a type 36 or type 45 and NOT a type 26. To order one one for your type 26 roadster, just call it a S1 and save yourself (or anyone that has a type 26 roadster) the grief of getting something that you can't use.

Gary

[TurbineHeli]

Checking my door hinge parts inventory this morning, I seem to have lost or misplaced two hinge pin locking hollow bolts from the last move. Before I turn some new ones, any chance one of you may have a couple extra?

AMA

[nomad]

The post's about Pilkington being the only manufacturer and Dave Bean being the only supplier here in the states seems very likely. I have no problem giving the few supplier's we have their due but being basically a cheapskate I can't help asking if anyone knows a chance at a cheaper source?

Kurt

26/3754

[StressCraxx]

I don't know about cheaper, but Jeff at JAE has windscreens available for my S3. He quoted me a price for a true triplex windscreen with shipping, so I will not post it here. Call him directly and he will advise total price to your door.

Regards,
Dan

[nomad]

Thanks, will do!

Kurt

26/3754

[TurbineHeli]

Had an opportunity to open several old boxes of Elan parts today. Here are some pics of the original differential
fitted to chassis US26/4841, which was largely destroyed by fire in the late '60s. As you can see from these pics, the aluminum case suffered from a catastrophic half shaft failure. The case was punctured, upper attach points fractured and poorly re-welded and one bearing retaining seat damaged. In the hands of a good welder, this damage can be repaired, but at what price when compared to replacement. All other parts of this rear end are intact so I can swap out my current 4.44:1 gear in the future.

Is a replacement A26 R004 case still available new in this day and age?

AMA

[TurbineHeli]

Lotus fitted donuts and half shafts because they were cheap!
These pics are a glimpse into the future for those who don't fit CV rear axles.

AMA

[CBUEB1771]

Is a replacement A26 R004 case still available new in this day and age?

Tony Thompson lists them is aluminum or magnesium:
http://www.tonythompsonracing.co.uk/mainframe.html
Until recently they were in the Crosthwaite and Gardiner on-line catalog but I didn't see them there this morning.
http://www.crosthwaiteandgardiner.com

[lance54]

I purchased one from Crosthwaite and Gardner earlier this year.

[lance54]

And then I purchased a very nice used housing from Ernie here on ElanNet.

He had 2 when he posted his list in November.

[ecamiel]

What are those nice flanged output shafts from on the Diff?
I have been told that a 70's VW is a direct fit. Does anyone know?

Eric
64 S1 Hart