Lotus Elan and Lotus Elan Plus 2 Forums

Just got myself an S3 restoration and there are a couple of bits I don't recognise and wondered if anyone on here could shed some light on it. In the nose cone there is a big tin, looks like a catering baked bean tin, could this be a replacement vacuum to replace the chassis vacuum chamber if it it was leaking? Also on the dash there is a second key slot which seems to have brake pipes behind it and the car (a UK 1967 standard non SE) has a brake servo - any ideas what the key slot would be for?

Thanks Daniel

Hi Daniel
Both of those items are non standard.
If the bean can is still connected as a reservoir then you should be able to follow the pipes up to the vacuum valve at the left hand side of the dashboard or to No 1 cylinder intake manifold.
I wonder if the key switch was to lock the footbrake pressure on as an extra anti theft device ? You will have to follow those pipes as well.
Interested to hear what you find.
Eric in Burnley
1967 S3SE DHC

Thanks Eric. Going to get the chassis repaired or replace it and think the car wouldn't have originally had a servo so going to remove both items.

Daniel

Hi Daniel,

The servo (and pipe work) look original to me, I believe they were available from S2 onwards. You might choose to delete it, as I am doing on my S4, but don't bin it as you, or a future owner, might want to reinstate it.
There are plenty of threads on here discussing the pros and cons of servos.

Mike

Daniel, I refurbished my S3 S/E Coupe earlier this year, so have a few photos of some of the detail you may need. I've had the car since the mid 1970s and it's completely standard. I had a Cadburys chocolate can in the nose of the car acting as a vacuum chamber for a couple of years when the chassis was rusted but I couldn't afford to repair or replace it, so pretty certain that's what your can is for. Here are a few pictures. They are pretty high resolution so best to download them and have a look around.

Mark Kempson

Daniel,

As Mike said don’t bin the servo, in fact don’t bin anything!

As a more experienced man said to me, keep everything. The item may be scruffy and old but can be useful when you need to check if the new item you have just bought is correct. I have lost count of the number of times I have rummaged through my junk when trying to fit a new item that turns out to be incorrect.

Hope this helps,

Richard Hawkins

Thanks for the advice all and thanks for the pictures Mark, really helpful.

Daniel