Lotus Elan and Lotus Elan Plus 2 Forums

I am looking for a complete 4 speed gear box for a 1964 ?lan S1. Can anyone tell me which model cars and what years would have the same style of gear box.

I have located a 1972 4 speed from a plus two. I think the gearing and possibly the bell housing changed from the early cars. Is that correct?

So far as I know the ratios are the same throughout the Elan history. Early cars were supplied as standard with a wide ratio gearbox with a 3.5:1 first gear, but even then it says in the Type 26 manual that close ratio gears were available as an optional extra.

Paul

I had thought the early cars came with the close ratio box as standard and that changed to the semi close ratio box around 1967 with the close ratio box kept as an option. i never knew the early cars came with the standard wide ratio saloon car gear box ratios as standard and the close ratio box was only an option.

cheers
Rohan

Agree with Rohan. That being said, the +2 box you have will work just fine. It should have a
2.9x first gear (semi close). Put the box in first gear and turn the input shaft and watch the
output shaft. Should be about 3 turns to one. 3.5 turns means it's a wide ratio and obviously
2.5 turns means close ratio.

According to the Robinshaw & Ross book the first S1 (1500 & 1600 cars) had a standard Ford Classic 1500 box, the close ratio box was later offered as an option on the S1 S2 & S3.

Ah, I remember now. Thanks Brian. So, is Glen's car, being a 1964, too late for the wide ratio box, if he
were to get the 'correct' box?

I faced the same dilemma when I put my early S2 together (also a 1964 car), it came as a "jig saw" in boxes and had an Alfa 5 speed box with it.
I could never find a credible source to find which gearbox it had been originally fitted, in the end I fitted the 2000E semi close ratio with a 3.77 diff although it had its original diff which was a 3.89.
I think the car would be pretty awful to drive with a wide spaced ratio standard box and a 3.89 diff.
Even with the 3.77 it feels like its needs another gear but I have a 3.55 on the shelf to fit when I get the time.

Is the gearbox input shaft the same diameter in the later models when they were fitting needle-rollers in the engine's flywheel?

Hi all,

I am a new member from Australia.

I, too, have a question related to the 4 speed in my newly-acquired S2 (26/4193). Must be early, 'coz it's got S1 tail lights.

My question: is there a simple way of determining which gearbox is fitted? I lifted the engine & box out on Monday to start a full restoration, and the box has "105E" and 7505 cast into the bellhousing. It's got 3L14 T5 and 116E7651B cast on the RHS, with 1 F2 on the LHS.

All help gratefully received!

Terry

Terry, once you have the box on the floor ( or workbench), put it in first gear, turn the input shaft and
watch the output shaft. 2.5 turns to one,(close ratio), 2.97 to one, (semi close) and anything higher
is wide ratio.

3L14 is the date code of the casting, meaning 3=1963, L= November, 14=day of the month.

Welcome to the forum, Terry!

Greg is right.

My car is contemporary with yours and I believe all early S2s had the close-ratio set with a 3.9 diff. Although it was supposed to be an option I'm not aware of any standard boxes which, in fact, is not much different from the semi-close.

Many thanks to all who responded. I'm sticking with the 4 speed, and with the standard diff, and will just turn the radio up on the highway if my wife complains about the high revs!