Undertray

[mikealdren]

Has anyone tried an undertray for the Elan/+2?

I'm getting on with my rebuild and would love to be able to keep the shiny new engine compartment as clean as possible.

Other possible benefits may well be improved airflow under the car giving better high speed stability (the +2 can be a handful in sidewinds) and better airflow through the rad.

Mike

[steveww]

I have seen pictures of Elans with a front splitter which would certainly reduce the front end lift.

[1964 S1]

That's the Barry Bonds of +2's but I dare say the race car IS legal.

Hi Mike,
I think the undertray idea is worth pursuing. Are you looking for underbody "protection" or would thin plastic be OK?
Operating temperatures would have to be watched as the radiator airflow is hindered... what about mesh, are you just trying to keep things clean or improve driveablility?
A front air dam is "best" for airflow to reduce the turbulence underneath the car... but then... don't forget the flexible full length side skirts, after seeing that picture a stock Plus Two could wear them well.
Eric

[mikealdren]

Eric,
I'm rebuilding my +2 as a Zetec car and I'm thinking through options that we would take for granted in new cars, central locking, sound deadening, Hifi systems etc.

The mechanical parts are all uprated as part of the conversion but this led inevitably to bodyshell mods.

Older cars ignored underbody airflow; even streamlined cars like the +2. An engine bay undertray should help keep the engine bay clean and I would hope that, with care, it may control the airflow out of the back of the bay and draw more air though the radiator.

A smooth underside can reduce drag but it can induce front end lift, very undesirable.

I'd like to keep the fantastic lines of the car unchanged although I would consider a small mod if it brought real aerodynamic benefits. I'm don't want an obtrusive air dam or spoiler.

The thread is to try to find anyone who has already been down this path so I can draw on their experience.

Mike

[john.p.clegg]

Mike
How about rear underbody scoops to cool the diff?...easy enough to fabricate out of a little sheet ali....

John

[ppnelan]

...or how about 26R style scoops on the sides?

The only trays under my cars are there to catch drips...

Matthew

[ecamiel]

My experience is that the front undertray of the baby elan is important aerodynamically. Even a small dam/spoiler produces noticeably reduced lap times. Have a look at the shapes under there. It looks like it was designed to help air extraction from the radiator, but it's a lotus so who knows why it was done that way. I do remember that when Sports Car Graphic (I think) tested the new, stock elan, they showed negative lift front and back - a first at the time.

Eric
64S1

[handi_andi]

Sounds like a good idea and may help with reducing noise too as my Audi A4 is noisier without undertray, however, haivng lost two am not putting a third one on. These are only made out of thin platic, personally I just can not see what would be a suitable donor car for one.

Looking at the picture of that rather interesting racer carefully I have to admit that I can not see an engine through the openings in the bonnet and wonder whats going on there.

Andrew