Jay Leno Elan Mods

[elansprint71]

Cough... seems like this car has gone from being an S2 fitted with lots of 21st-century parts, including a new 26/R repro-style body, to being a 26/R. Maybe I misunderstood something in the translation from American to English?

[bigvalvehead]

Hi All
Interested to see the holes drilled inside the area at the rear bulkhead venting to the heater inlet.

I always thought the area in front of the screen was a low pressure area with air flowing into the intake.

Not sure if the holes in Jays car will have the desired effect.

Most people I know vent the rear of the bonnet and leave it slightly higher on the bonnet pins to release any trapped air.

Dave

[stevebroad]

Hi All
Interested to see the holes drilled inside the area at the rear bulkhead venting to the heater inlet.

I always thought the area in front of the screen was a low pressure area with air flowing into the intake.

Not sure if the holes in Jays car will have the desired effect.

Most people I know vent the rear of the bonnet and leave it slightly higher on the bonnet pins to release any trapped air.

Dave

The area just in front of the screen is a high pressure area, hence the positioning of the heater vent there. The low pressure area is at the front and middle of the bonnet.

If the pressure by the screen is higher than that under the bonnet air won't escape that way.

[CBUEB1771]

The area just in front of the screen is a high pressure area, hence the positioning of the heater inlet there.

True, that is why the Penske Trans Am Camaros had the rearward facing engine air inlet at the base of the windscreen.

[Steve G]

Just think, one day we will be able to 3D print a whole car. You can print an exact replica of a Mercedes Silver Arrows W125 or a 250 GTO for the cost of the 'ink'. I can't wait, just need to print a warehouse first to fit them all in, oh and the 10 acre site for the warehouse.

[twincamman]

Alex -[wouldnt pick up a fiver?]---- then yer no a true Scot ed

[stevebroad]

The area just in front of the screen is a high pressure area, hence the positioning of the heater inlet there.

True, that is why the Penske Trans Am Camaros had the rearward facing engine air inlet at the base of the windscreen.

Yup. My bonnet vent is in the low pressure area approx a third of the way up from the front and facing rearward so escaping air joins the flow in the right direction.

Bonnet vents and inlets are a pretty good way of determining whether the car modder has any idea what he is doing

[bigvalvehead]

Hi Guys
got my low and high mixed up but still meant the air wont EXIT from the heater INLET on Jays car!
Cheers
Dave

[elansprint71]

The area just in front of the screen is a high pressure area, hence the positioning of the heater inlet there.

True, that is why the Penske Trans Am Camaros had the rearward facing engine air inlet at the base of the windscreen.

Yup. My bonnet vent is in the low pressure area approx a third of the way up from the front and facing rearward so escaping air joins the flow in the right direction.

Bonnet vents and inlets are a pretty good way of determining whether the car modder has any idea what he is doing

And... taking this line of thought leads us to current ugly F1 cars. Hey, it's a 50 year-old Lotus, not a state of the art fighter-aircraft...

[innesw]

Just noticed in the 5th video Jay's still got the brass trunions on the front suspension, hopefully he's keeping them as some form of ironic joke...

Innes

[64LOTUS]

Please give me some details/explanation of the 6-speed sequential box and the nippondenso alternator, and if either or both can be fitted to my 1964 Series One Elan which has a Spyder frame. Alternately, is their a 5-speed more conventional box which will squeeze into the Spyder frame. I have been using this car as a daily driver now for 46 years (half a million miles) and would like to have the lower rpm on the interstate in the middle of North Carolina. I used to race a 1960 Alfa Giulietta Sprint Zagato (5-speed) until I swapped it for the Elan in 1966, and I still want to reach to the right and up for that overdrive 5th in the Lotus.

Bruce

[stugilmour]

Welcome to the forum Bruce.

Nippon Denso alternator kits (including the mount) are sold by RD Enterprises and Dave Bean for sure. I assume JAE has something available as well. Not sure of fitment details for your car though; in the Plus 2 the clearance to the steering column is tight and it took me a bit to sort out fan belt length.

For the transmission question, suggest checking and posting the age and type of your Spyder chassis in a new thread under the Mods section of the forum. My Plus 2 is built up with the most recent Spyder space frame, which is modified to accept the Ford MT75 that Spyder offer on their web site. I understand the MT75 will not fit in the original Spyder frames without modification. The fit was tight, and I had to modify one of the frame braces to accomodate the starter motor.

http://www.spydercars.co.uk/new_page_5.htm

There are other non-Lotus five speed options to consider as well. These include the Ford Type 9, Ford MCT75, Toyota & Isuzu five speeds, etc. All options generally require modification of the shifter/tail assembly to get the shifter in the correct spot, changes to the clutch/bell, and a new prop shaft. There are numerous threads on various conversions which can be searched using the box in the upper right of your screen. Here is a very complete write-up to give an idea

elan-f15/detailed-report-five-speed-isuzu-t19828.html

In addition, Alex did a very nice Lotus Plus 2 five speed install in his Sprint, and kept a very complete install thread that is good reading.

elan-f14/gearbox-swop-t21414.html

I would also recommend David's downloadable spreadsheet that allows computation of speed in gears for any ratio set the donor transmission offers. The sheet also includes a 'Figure of Merit' number that addresses the relative suitability of the gear spacing. All very interesting when selecting a donor.

HTH and welcome aboard. Look forward to some stories of your travels!

[Ross Robbins]

The latest installment...Last comment from Jim Hall

We're gonna be driving this baby soon

I guess we are going to have to get Nebogipfel John after him for using that awful word to describe the Elan.

http://www.jaylenosgarage.com/cars/lotus/restoration-blog-1966-lotus-elan-26r-update-6/index.shtml

[Jas]

Is it just me or didn't he turn the spinner the wrong way to tighten it, the very last part of the clip?
He turned the spinner on the left front wheel clockwice to tighten it, shouldn't it be anti clockwice?

[stugilmour]

Is it just me or didn't he turn the spinner the wrong way to tighten it, the very last part of the clip?
He turned the spinner on the left front wheel clockwice to tighten it, shouldn't it be anti clockwice?

Wondered about that myself. Got the Port & Starboard hubs reversed?