Elan 26R Upholstery Questions

[FritzPasadena]

I've been unsuccessfully trying to find out how Series 2 26R Elan's were originally upholstered with regard to the floors, rear bulkhead and transmission tunnel sides etc. (the areas normally trimmed in 'aligator hide'-style rubber matting).

Does anyone know the answer or maybe even have any photos of original spec cars?

I have a set of repro mats for my S2 racer but it would obviously save time, money and most importantly weight if I could get away with leaving the interior 'bare' so to speak.

I don't want to deviate massively from the original configuration of the car but believe for a racer this would be an acceptable modification.

All thoughts greatly appreciated.

[twincamman]

my 26r had rhino hide in the floor -tunnel and rear fire wall ---the rest was cheap plastic vinyl like material glued to the door panels and door surfaces ------just to meet the letter of the rules ---ed

[cabc26b]

For pictures i would point you to the March 1965 issue of CAR. it details the the SMART ( Stirling Moss) racing elan's gutted intrior complete with photo if you are angleing for the gutted look - Or, the Chris Harvey book which shows pictures of the the Miles S2 racer with "near standard interior" by the looks of it he was running with standard door trim, head liner , dash cap, center console and partial rhino-hide - I can't tell if he has the floor done but definatly the center/spine

I would go to a lot of troubel to escape the rhino hide if you can, it would net sum zero a lot of magnesium weight savings as the set weights well over over 12 kilos - you want to be under 637kg(1400lbs) and this is hard to do with full interior plus the safety equipment

[garyeanderson]

http://www.lotuselan.net/publish/article_364.shtml

There is one interior photo in this article on this site. They call it a lightweight but I think that the two terms are in fact the same.



I found this picture of 26r 46 copied from somewhere on the internet recently.

[FritzPasadena]

Thanks guys, some really useful information as always.

I have a repro set of the 'rhino hide' sourced from JAE in Cali and it is heavy - 12kg sounds about right. However, I'm not anticipating racing the car (it's actually a '65 S2 with period race history not a 26R unfortunately) so a few extra kgs doesn't worry me too much.

[Dag-Henning]

For pictures i would point you to the March 1965 issue of CAR. it details the the SMART ( Stirling Moss) racing elan's gutted intrior complete with photo if you are angleing for the gutted look - Or, the Chris Harvey book which shows pictures of the the Miles S2 racer with "near standard interior" by the looks of it he was running with standard door trim, head liner , dash cap, center console and partial rhino-hide - I can't tell if he has the floor done but definatly the center/spine

I would go to a lot of troubel to escape the rhino hide if you can, it would net sum zero a lot of magnesium weight savings as the set weights well over over 12 kilos - you want to be under 637kg(1400lbs) and this is hard to do with full interior plus the safety equipment

- you want to be as close to 580 kgs as possible, and that means no padding or "carpeting"....!

[twincamman]

26r s2 33 was around 1540 pounds with the iron bell housing and a full 50 pound battery and full tank of fuel so having saved about 12 pounds with the mag piece and going to a gel cell battery I have lost about 52 pounds --the spare tire -fire bottle -are staying so its around 1488 pounds for the street --ed

[Dag-Henning]

OK, that's pretty heavy ! I had racing in mind. On the other hand, I guess an original 26R body is a whole lot heavier than a "modern" GTS replika body.. (?)

Dag

[garyeanderson]

OK, that's pretty heavy ! I had racing in mind. On the other hand, I guess an original 26R body is a whole lot heavier than a "modern" GTS replika body.. (?)

Dag

Hi Dag

My S2 Elan when it was first finished in 1997 as a street car without gator hides or pading, heater, boot floor, or anything else not required by the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, was 1260 lbs or 572kgs. This was with a stock body shell and a full compliment of alloy for the bell gearcase, tailshaft, diff nose. it also had had a dave bean CV joint kit and a pair of stock seats but as I said before the bionnet was at home (close to 20 pounds or 9 kg) but the hard top was bolted down on thhe body. With an electric fuel pump there is no reason for a large battery, I thought I was being overly cautious with a garden tractor battery at nearly 20 lbs.
Today I would guess its still under 1300 lbs as the iron gearcase and tailshaft and diff nose are back in but its missing one seat and the hardtop. If I ever get the new 2 liter alloy engine done and installed and some of the other mods I have planed it will be in the 500 to 550 kg rainge

[twincamman]

no the body is single weight and lighter than a normal elan ----I weighed my car with a set of race scales for formula cars----the weights I see here---seem optimistic ---a stock elan was over 1500 [1580 I think ]-the 26 r was 1450 lbs I understand --- you can get the car weighed at a highway DOT truck stop if the guys have a sense-of-humour and are bored --- -ed

[cabc26b]

My S2 has the mag bell, alloy tail shaft, lexan windscreens, light weight bonnet, boot, bumpers super-thin s2 26R fenders , 26r lights, and 6" magnesium wheels, aluminum gas tank with bladder and steel platform on a flat floor boot ( more thin fiberglass) , gutted interior, no charging system and I am no where near the minimum weight- I figure I add weight with the full rollcage, hardtop, and firesystem and dry sump plumbing, maybe steel arounfd the gas tank and rear hubs for the 26R wheels and an unknown amount of water absorbed by the original fibergalss body...

I always figured that I could do with out the wheels/hubs if needed a reduction, but loosing the safty improvements and dry sump system is not an option, might be some gains by switching to the AR calipers, but an oddsey batery gets me that weight for a 1/10 of the cost.

I know FIA does not allow dry sump which I think is foolish because the life of the motor is cut in half ( why allow super light bodies and not drysump ??).

My thought on the minimum weight cars is how you get there keeping to the spirti of vintage racing ?

[Dag-Henning]

"Spirit of vintage racing"....- difficult bit to agree abt. .... However, the regulations are there, and shall be followed. They tried to be fast then, and we try to be fast under the present regulations. Nothing wrong with that, as far as I feel. Having said that, my car is 585 kgs. with cage and fire-ex.system, so the weight of "something" must have gone down over the years......Fuel tank, bodypanels, radiator.... ??

Dag

[garyeanderson]

no the body is single weight and lighter than a normal elan ----I weighed my car with a set of race scales for formula cars----the weights I see here---seem optimistic ---a stock elan was over 1500 [1580 I think ]-the 26 r was 1450 lbs I understand --- you can get the car weighed at a highway DOT truck stop if the guys have a sense-of-humour and are bored --- -ed

When the S2 Elan was weighed, it was at the Cohasset Heights landfill. These scales are cerified by law every 6 months by the Commonwelth. I asked the operator how accurate it the scale was and he said within 10 lbs. The DOT scales would be probably be the same. The weigh stub is posted and dated as seen in the photo. I had a bag of tools with me and as I got out I pulled the bag with the tools. Ed, You can believe what ever you want.

build diary link is here
http://www.lotuselan.net/forums/viewtopic.php?t=16846

[twincamman]

Gary no offense meant here --Im 220 pounds helmet etc all ads up --but my sources at Dave bean say ---stock elan about 1520 pounds ---26R about 1340 pounds ---so im over and your under --but the sun still comes up tomorrow --and whats a hunderd pounds among friends -----not much unless your Engilsh - -ed

[garyeanderson]

chill Gary no offense ment here ----im 220 pounds ---helmet etc all adds up - ---ed

Ed
1260 lbs was empty, I guess that may be reguarded as "curb weight", no driver or passenger and minimal fuel, maybe 2 or 3 galllons.

Gary

Tuesday 7-22-08
I forgot to ad that the bonnet was left at home for the ride to the weigh station so you need to add an additional 20 lbs to get the "curb weight". So for the sake of discussion call it 1280 lbs.