Rear Strut Brace

[danielmo]

Hi,

Does anyone have the dimensions of the rear strut brace for a Series 3? My car came with a 1/4" steel plate instead of the factory one. Looking to replace it with one that is much lighter. Thanks.

[RAJ2628]

SJ Sportscars have the brace if it's any help. I'm sure other suppliers stock it too.

[bitsobrits]

Give me a couple hours to find mine (which is off the car at present). BTW, the factory item is very thin flanged sheetmetal, and is really just a backing piece for the vertical rear panel in an S3-S4. Can't imagine it adds much strength to shock towers, though it can't hurt.

[danielmo]

Thanks Steve.

[bitsobrits]

Took me a few hours to get to this.

So the 'strut brace' as you call it is 27 1/4" long, 4" wide, and with the flanges is 7/16" thick. As you can see in the photos it's still attached to vertical interior panel. It certainly appears to me that this car was very original, so this should give you an idea of how it was mounted.

[danielmo]

Thank you for the pictures. That helps a lot. Does the side with the brace go towards the trunk or interior?

Thanks again.

[bitsobrits]

Thank you for the pictures. That helps a lot. Does the side with the brace go towards the trunk or interior?.

Towards the trunk. The other side of that fiberboard is carpeted.

[MACCA.GLM]

Hi do all Elans have this rear strut brace as I've not seen one on my sprint

Thanks G

[danielmo]

The parts list does not show one for the sprint.

[MACCA.GLM]

Phew
Thanks for that
G

[danielmo]

Adding lightness in the later models.

[alan71]

I'm sure all S3, S4 and Sprints had the strut brace.
My Sprint does.

Alan.

[gjz30075]

As does my Federal Sprint. My parts manual shows all S3 and S4s, and variants, have the
brace.

[pharriso]

All Sprints & S4s should have a brace…

[MACCA.GLM]

I presume this brace is for the lotus chassis not the spider chassis

Regards

G