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Post by: Scapa » Tue Jul 09, 2019 8:58 pm
Folks, great forum.
Wonder if anyone can help.
I recently contacted Andy Graham to get some info on my, what I thought was a, sprint.
I was informed my car left the factory as an S4 SE high compression in 1970 but was transferred to Lotus Engineering. My car was first registered in March 1971 and appears to be an S4 Sprint.
The reg is BAH 303J. Andy has done all he can and without utilising a time machine can?t do any more to help identify what Lotus Engineering did with the car. I,m assuming they did the sprint conversion as it has all the right bits, diff strengthening etc.
I purchased the car as a barn find where it had lain for over 20 years with the registration 1 MTE.
Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated.
Wonder if anyone can help.
I recently contacted Andy Graham to get some info on my, what I thought was a, sprint.
I was informed my car left the factory as an S4 SE high compression in 1970 but was transferred to Lotus Engineering. My car was first registered in March 1971 and appears to be an S4 Sprint.
The reg is BAH 303J. Andy has done all he can and without utilising a time machine can?t do any more to help identify what Lotus Engineering did with the car. I,m assuming they did the sprint conversion as it has all the right bits, diff strengthening etc.
I purchased the car as a barn find where it had lain for over 20 years with the registration 1 MTE.
Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated.
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Post by: 512BB » Wed Jul 10, 2019 7:21 am
Welcome to the board? I must have missed your name in your post.
If you have a look in the spark plug well, there is a raised boss at the front. That should be stamped with the letter N, notwithstanding the fact that there are fake Big Valve heads around, stamped with the wrong font N. Also, the engine should have a Big Valve cam cover that reads correctly when viewed from the front of the car looking back. If the engine has those atributes, it most likely was Sprinted (GA)
Post up some pictures of the car, we love pictures!!!!!
Leslie
If you have a look in the spark plug well, there is a raised boss at the front. That should be stamped with the letter N, notwithstanding the fact that there are fake Big Valve heads around, stamped with the wrong font N. Also, the engine should have a Big Valve cam cover that reads correctly when viewed from the front of the car looking back. If the engine has those atributes, it most likely was Sprinted (GA)
Post up some pictures of the car, we love pictures!!!!!
Leslie
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Post by: Grizzly » Wed Jul 10, 2019 4:17 pm
Yes lots of pictures!!
As above look for the N but another give away is no Engine number stamped on the body ID plate (Most S4 Sprints were Kits and no engine number usually means it's a kit)
As above look for the N but another give away is no Engine number stamped on the body ID plate (Most S4 Sprints were Kits and no engine number usually means it's a kit)
Last edited by Grizzly on Wed Jul 10, 2019 7:37 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Chris
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Post by: Grizzly » Wed Jul 10, 2019 4:34 pm
Another S4 Sprint dead give away and one of my faves is pull a main jet out of the Carb, have a look to see if the wet jet has been resized...... So they cross out the 115 and etch 120 next to it (they did the same thing with the chokes too)
Not the best Picture but you can see what i'm talking about on this choke.
Lotus Money saving at it finest.
Wouldn't be a shocker if Lotus did use it for promo work as allot of the early brochures used S4 Sprints.
Not the best Picture but you can see what i'm talking about on this choke.
Lotus Money saving at it finest.
Wouldn't be a shocker if Lotus did use it for promo work as allot of the early brochures used S4 Sprints.
Chris
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Post by: Scapa » Wed Jul 10, 2019 5:59 pm
Guys, thanks for the quick responses. Checked a few things as suggested. Head is stamped with an N, engine number is on the plate and the cam cover reads from the windscreen end. Haven?t checked the jets yet. Interesting if it was a press car!
The search for the past goes on.
Cheers
Bob Wyse
The search for the past goes on.
Cheers
Bob Wyse
- Elan BAH 303 J
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Post by: Grizzly » Wed Jul 10, 2019 7:52 pm
Very nice!!
It's interesting your car has the engine number stamped, Mazzini might be right about it being a press/demo car because from my limited knowledge i was under the impression the only S4-Sprints not retrofitted as kits were run by Lotus as press cars.
It's interesting your car has the engine number stamped, Mazzini might be right about it being a press/demo car because from my limited knowledge i was under the impression the only S4-Sprints not retrofitted as kits were run by Lotus as press cars.
Chris
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Post by: Scapa » Wed Jul 10, 2019 8:14 pm
Thanks guys. As Andy informed me the car was transferred to Lotus Engineering as an S4 SE. Suppose it would make sense that Lotus Engineering did the conversion. I read somewhere that the press cars had the BAH reg which I believe is Norfolk? Maybe someone would know if that was indeed the case.
Bob
Bob
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Post by: Sploder90 » Thu Jul 11, 2019 7:30 am
Nice looking car Bob.
It is amazing what is still lurking in barns.
If a press car there is a chance that there will be news / magazine article pics out there somewhere and if anyone has them chances are they can be found on here.
Have DVLA confirmed that BAH was the original reg?
Best of luck with your quest
Regards
Mel
It is amazing what is still lurking in barns.
If a press car there is a chance that there will be news / magazine article pics out there somewhere and if anyone has them chances are they can be found on here.
Have DVLA confirmed that BAH was the original reg?
Best of luck with your quest
Regards
Mel
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Post by: Mazzini » Thu Jul 11, 2019 8:27 am
I had a quick look through some of the Brookland books (contemporary road tests) and a Sprint and a +2 show up with 'AH' registrations. I guess the car was registered by Lotus, it could have been a company car for some lucky executive.
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Post by: types26/36 » Thu Jul 11, 2019 10:25 am
Looking at the picture I cannot see any sign of an indicator repeater on the front wings which seems a little odd as the S4SE's and the Sprints had them.
Have a look if there is any wiring under the bonnet that is not connected up.
Have a look if there is any wiring under the bonnet that is not connected up.
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Brian
64 S2 Roadster
72 Sprint FHC
64 S2 Roadster
72 Sprint FHC
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Post by: jimj » Thu Jul 11, 2019 10:59 am
Our S3 has a Sprint engine with the "N" stamp, right jets and so on. It doesn`t make it a Sprint. I`m thinking that the S4 Sprints had the ignition switch on the dash not the column so it looks like this has been restored at some time with all the Sprint bits, later dash, etc. 1970 manufacture is too early anyway. So you`ve got a nice car but probably an S4. That`s OK.
Jim
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