Lotus Elan and Lotus Elan Plus 2 Forums

Was there a standard toolkit for an Elan? (mines a 72)

I ask because i was hunting around for a tool roll for my daily hack and borrowed a tool pouch that was in the boot of the Elan, I dont think it belongs there, the look of it and the tools inside suggest it is from a 70's or 80's Japanese vehicle, if it is the correct one then I will return it ASAP.

So if it existed what did a standard Elan toolkit look like? And also the jack while we are on the subject.

Many thanks

See photos, Good luck finding one!
James

Here's what the tool kit for a Sprint looks like. I got mine on eBay years ago from someone in New Zealand. The jack is made by Metallifacture (I think?), is triangular in shape, and I believe is very similar (if not the same) to the jack that came with E-type Jaguars.

Gary
'71 Sprint FHC
Miami, Florida

Thankyou to you both, the one I have is not original and I doubt that I will be searching for the correct one for originality, looks like they are too scarce and probably terribly expensive.

What is amusing is that I must at one time in my formative years had my hands on one of these as all the tools look very very familiar, the pipe wrench is identical to the one that I still carry in my day to day toolkit, I used it only recently as it was the only tool that could get in the restricted space to remove an inner track rod joint at the breakers.

The pliers, well I'm sure I have a very rusty but identical pair, they look distinctive as they dont have any plastic or rubber grips, where are they? Well thats unsure as my stuff is dotted around various locations in the UK and France with various sub toolboxes.

The spanners look distinctive as well, I am sure that I have some old ones amongst the A/F spanners in my main toolbox (in the UK) the type of thing that I would have salvaged from scrappers before being able to buy decent tools but kept hold of anyhow.

The plug spanner and tommy bar may even be the ones in the non original tool pouch, the screwdriver, well that was my first ever tool and came with Meccano

Any chance of the name of or markings on the spanners, also the sizes? Are there any markings on the pliers?

I might be sitting on a fortune!!!

Spanners (wrenches) Manufacturer: Snail
sizes: 7/16W1/2F, 3/8W7/16F
5/16W3/8F, 1/4W5/16F
3/16W, 1/8W
Pliers: Wilkinsons Tool, England
Adjustable Wrench: J&S J7, British Made
Tommy Bar: unmarked
Wire Screwdriver: unmarked

Gary
'71 Sprint FHC
Miami, Florida

Be careful if you are trying to source an original jack. The basic Metallifacture jack chassis was used on many cars of the era but was adapted to suit the jacking points of each car. They do come up on ebay fairly regularly but seldom the correct one for the Elan which has a cradle to pick up on the body sill.

Roger, how lovely that you take your jack to bed with you. The "cradle" you mention doesn`t seem right on yours with the upright bits at both sides, shouldn`t it have just one, like an L section on its side?
In the 2 post v 4 post lift thread concern was raised about supporting just the body and the chassis dropping out but Lotus always recommended jacking up the Elan at the sills, (cills?) the cradle spreading the load.
Jim

All those Whitworth/BSF pliers would be of limited use, perhaps the inertia starter cable nut, fuel pump pipe fittings, carb banjo's etc, cant think of a lot more.

Will check the spanners when i return to the UK but have just dug out the adjustable wrench, it is marked Ford Dagenham TS&S so whilst no doubt sought after by a Ford enthusiast it probably is not going to be my retirement pension Its definitely the same wrench though and a darned good one!

No doubt Ford bought enough toolkits to persuade the manufacturer to forge them with their name in raised letters, just as well that Lotus didnt have the means or desire to do the same, can you imagine how much they would sell for on E-bay

You anoraks would have no room to sleep in your beds for all the horn pushes, steering wheels, jacks and toolkits

If the prices ontinue to rocket up we could end up in the situation where a handfull of these rare but in fact totally unnecessary (to the function and identity of the vehicle) parts are worth more than a complete vehicle that does not have them.

Jim - my jack also has a U-shape cradle. I've never seen an L-shaped one.

Regards
Richard

jimj wrote:Roger, how lovely that you take your jack to bed with you. The "cradle" you mention doesn`t seem right on yours with the upright bits at both sides, shouldn`t it have just one, like an L section on its side?
In the 2 post v 4 post lift thread concern was raised about supporting just the body and the chassis dropping out but Lotus always recommended jacking up the Elan at the sills, (cills?) the cradle spreading the load.
Jim

Hi Jim,
That's the original jack with the U shaped cradle as confirmed by the driver's handbook......

Toolkit see elan-f14/sprint-jack-and-tool-kit-t33.html plus others.

Jack see elan-f15/this-original-elan-jack-t17913.html plus others.

The parts list is pretty definitive and we have knocked this question about quite a bit in the past. I'm minded to recall we concluded the +2 had a different jack to Elans.

Incidentally, the adjustable spanner was a 'Snail' by the time the Sprint came along!

Tim