Odd Part Left Remaining

[dlbarnes1]

I'm finally getting my Elan back together after it being in work for years.

I have a remaing part I can't account for. It is a channel shaped member, 1" wide, 1/2" flanges, 30 1/4" long. There are bolt holes on each end, one is slotted. It has semi-glossy black paint in good condition which indicates it probably goes in the interior.

Anybody know?
Dave 72 Sprint DHC

[Elanman99]

If it is fairly heavy gauge material it sounds like it the chassis crossmember that is under the engine sump. On the Lotus chassis this part is welded in place but on the Spyder chassis it is secured with bolts.

Ian Phillips

[M100]

Surely that is way too wide to be a chassis crossmember? It sounds the wrong section size but my bet is it's the bracing bar at the rear of the seats (between the rear suspension turrets)

[1964 S1]

I'll guess trunk floor support channel.

[elan4me]

I have a 69 elan. I had a simular item. I believe it is the support for the hinges on the body for the boot.. I just measured the spacing of the hinges and the are just at 29 inhes.
Good luck.
Stan

[garyeanderson]

I think Stan got it correct, boot hinge body support.

Gary

[types26/36]

Just checked my Sprint fhc and it has not got a channel to support the boot hinges, its got a small support plate under the right side to support/spread the load of the boot stay, my S2 also does not have any channel so am I missing some? who has got these supports?

[collins_dan]

I have a 70 S4 DHC and while I am not right next to the car right now to confirm the dimensions, there is a bar fitting that description that is attached to the top of the trunk/boot that the lid hinges are screwed into. Dan

[stuartgb100]

I can confirm that the boot support rail on my '71 fhc Sprint is a black painted channel, of approx 1 x 0.5 inch section, and is fixed between the parts of the boot hinges locating through the body adjacent the boot lid.

However, the rear top chassis brace is more like a 3 - 4 inch x 0.5 - 0.75 section channel which is sandwiched between the boot back panel.

HTH.

Regards,
Stuart.

[dlbarnes1]

The rail is a stiffening support for the boot hinges. It is obvious to me now where it is to be placed.
I had put the boot lid and hinges back in place (without the support) and everything seemed OK.
I'm not sure if I would ever have realized that's where the part was to be placed.

Thanks All, Dave 72 Sprint DHC

[types26/36]

so am I missing some? who has got these supports?

O.K. so I take it from the volume of replys (or lack of) that they are only fitted on a few cars, as I intend to make a couple can someone (who has one) tell me if the channel is stright or does it have a slight curve as per the body line? a pic showing the diamensions would also help.
Thanks.

[dlbarnes1]

Brian,

The stiffening rail is channel shaped, straight, formed out of 0.090"+/- steel (13 gauge I think), 1" wide, 1/2" flanges, 30 1/4" long.
There is a 11/32" dia hole at one end and a 11/32" X 1/2" slot at the other. Their center to center dim is 29 1/8".
The rail fits against the body over the hinge bolts (5/16" dia).

My guess is that at some production stage of the Elan, there was evidence or speculation that the body could crack at the hinge bolts, so the rail was added. Then to complicate matters, there were probably instances when the rail was not replaced when the boot lid, with hinges, had been removed (I can testify to that).

Dave - 72 Sprint DHC

[elansprint71]

I've got one (though I didn't know until just now)- something else to rustproof!

Pete

Sprint, first reg'd 10th May 1972 (my 21st birthday).

[Frank Howard]

If anyone's interested, I've got an extra one for sale.

Frank Howard
'71 S4 SE
Minnesota

[Frank Howard]

"...tell me if the channel is stright or does it have a slight curve as per the body line?"

Brian,

As the channel is straight and the body is curved, there is a pad between the center of the channel and the body to give more support to the body.

Frank Howard
'71 S4 SE
Minnesota