Over-restored cars ?

[nebogipfel]

tynemead wrote

It's not on webers as it a s4 SE so on the correct carbs

The first few S4s came with Webers. Mine is 7988, not far from the start of S4 production.

Of course, with the state of Lotus production being as it was, there may have been some early chassis numbers with Strombergs running around, and some Webers may have sneaked in later on.

Do any others have early S4s with Strombergs, or are there Weber cars later than 7988?

David
1968 36/7988

Tim is our man on this one but I have always understood that early and later S4's were on Webers with the Stromberg models within the production run to meet US emission reg's of the day.

I have had three 1969 S4's over the years and all were on webers. It's often difficult to be certain about originality but my current car chassis No 8908 has the original block so probably the weber head is also original.

Over to Tim

[bast0n]

Nebog

PS. I'm too much of a gentleman to pick up on bad spelling I do know how to spell original for example

PPS Spyder chassis design is better and stronger than Lotus originals

I am glad that you are a gentleman - are not all Elan owners such? There is so rarely acrimony on this site - apart from discussions of bumper colour!!

Regarding chassis - I suppose you could also say that the MX5 is a better engineered/stronger car all round. Does not make it better in my view. But then I am an old romantic where Elans are concerned. The experience over rides any perceived shortcomings.

Happy motoring.

David

Anarchy S3

[rgh0]

tynemead wrote

It's not on webers as it a s4 SE so on the correct carbs

The first few S4s came with Webers. Mine is 7988, not far from the start of S4 production.

Of course, with the state of Lotus production being as it was, there may have been some early chassis numbers with Strombergs running around, and some Webers may have sneaked in later on.

Do any others have early S4s with Strombergs, or are there Weber cars later than 7988?

David
1968 36/7988

My Elan is 36/8555 made around August 1968 and it came with Webers from new but had the bonnet bulge so it was maybe around the time of the switch for the Non USA cars to Stromberg or maybe it just got a US Stromberg hood / bonnet for some random reason ( like the had run out of the flat ones on the day it was assembled !). Later S4's and Sprints I had believed came with Dellortos when the Non USA cars switched back from Strombergs and switched to flat bonnets again

regards
Rohan

[terryp]

Its OK everybody the temperature has risen now!

Terry

[nebogipfel]

My Elan is 36/8555 made around August 1968 and it came with Webers from new but had the bonnet bulge so it was maybe around the time of the switch for the Non USA cars to Stromberg or maybe it just got a US Stromberg hood / bonnet for some random reason ( like the had run out of the flat ones on the day it was assembled !). ....
Rohan

All three of my '69 S4's had/have bonnet bulges and the word on the street is that Lotus were using up bonnets already produced.

I do wonder if they rationalised production to just that bonnet for a while during the period they were needed for export models?

FWIW I do like the bulge bonnet. It looks good from the driving seat

[trw99]

I get easily confused now! We discussed the Weber/Stromberg issue recently under the 'When did the bulged bonnet first appear' thread; 'fraid I haven't got time to dig it out of the archives right now. That's because I have just been checking the data. I can tell you the following:

The first car listed with the G type Federal Stromberg engine was 7691 of 27 May 68 with engine no 16000. This accords with the Service Parts List
The first K type domestic standard Stromberg engine was 8641 of 31 Jan 69 with engine no 17654
The first L type domestic SE Stromberg engine was 8600 of 1 Jan 69 with engine no 17653
The L & K have been transposed in the Service Parts List

The G type was fitted to all Federal S4s up to the introduction of the Federal Big Valve engine for production Sprints, two of which were made in Apr 71, series production getting underway in Jun 71
The last K type domestic standard Stromberg engine was car 0128C of 12 Feb 71 with engine no 23951
The last L type domestic SE Stromberg engine was car 9812 of 6 Aug 70 with engine no 22071

Tim

[nebogipfel]

Thanks for the info' Tim.

As with all Lotus historical information it's very confusing.

I suspect it would be very difficult to pin down exactly when changes happened at the factory and I would not be at all surprised if Weber and Stromberg carbed cars were coming onto the UK market at the same time.

In that case is it equally likely that they were only laying up the one bonnet type, especially as it seems all the period pre-production and early Sprints sported the bonnet with bulge?

[trw99]

See this discussion which touched on the bonnet bulges: post151541.html?hilit= bulge#p151541

The bonnet reverted to a flat design during the early months of Sprint production (Jan - Jun-ish 71), losing the bulge. Some of the S4/Sprints retained the bulged bonnet and as we know, so did some early Sprints, clearly as stock got used up at the factory. Having said that of course, all Federal Sprints had bulged bonnets as they retained Strombergs until the end of their production.

Tim

[nebogipfel]

See this discussion which touched on the bonnet bulges: post151541.html?hilit= bulge#p151541

The bonnet reverted to a flat design during the early months of Sprint production (Jan - Jun-ish 71), losing the bulge. Some of the S4/Sprints retained the bulged bonnet and as we know, so did some early Sprints, clearly as stock got used up at the factory. Having said that of course, all Federal Sprints had bulged bonnets as they retained Strombergs until the end of their production.

Tim

Thanks Tim,

Do you dream about Lotus chassis numbers?

FWIW My Sprint was a late 1971 (K-plate) and it had the flat bonnet.

[DaveAlmey]

Hi All,

Well I cant spell, never could, but can paint, rebuild engines, do GRP composite repairs and electrical wiring (on aircraft as my job & the Elan evenings and weekends) I think the latter are slightly more useful.

For info, My 1969 S4 45/8882 came with a flat bonnet, have a very early picture of it somewhere. As has been said, its what was available at the time of production.

Dave

[nebogipfel]

For info, My 1969 S4 45/8882 came with a flat bonnet, have a very early picture of it somewhere. As has been said, its what was available at the time of production.

Dave

That's interesting Dave, your car, as we know is 26 cars earlier than mine (in terms of chassis numbers) but has a flat bonnet. That said, the only guide I had with mine to the originality of the bonnet was the number of paint layers I had to scrape off!

[bast0n]

Thinking of bonnets in general - I know the racers tend to have the rear bit open to aid cooling - never know why they don't cut vents in the bonnet as an easier solution. NACA duct OOOERRR

But my query is, does anyone have a piccy of the vents cut in the wheel arches to aid cooling flow? Just in case we travel to hotter climes than thus far it would be good to have the details in the bank.

David
Anarchy Elan S3 - BBOC

[nebogipfel]

But my query is, does anyone have a piccy of the vents cut in the wheel arches to aid cooling flow? Just in case we travel to hotter climes than thus far it would be good to have the details in the bank.

David
Anarchy Elan S3 - BBOC

David, the vent consists of two circular holes cut in the left inner wing to the left of the washer bag. They are then covered with a simple mesh. Susan Miller supplied me with the mesh and I cut them in my car because it did not have them.

I would gladly photograph and measure mine for you if you don't get a better offer but mine are almost certainly not 100% correct.

If you look at the underbonnet pictures thread on page three of "Elan Gallery" you can just about see it in a couple of the pictures

[trw99]

John

In answer to your question concerning what I dream about - no! I tend to dream about original lagoon blue DHC Sprints mostly....

And re engine vent holes, see elan-f15/wheel-arch-holes-for-improved-cooling-t18914.html

Tim

[ardee_selby]

David, the vent consists of two circular holes cut in the left inner wing to the left of the washer bag.

Did "Anarchy S3", or any other S3, models have a washer bag?

Richard