Look at this little beauty!

[chrishewett]

I just got this starter from the USA, www.britishstarters.com
It looks great, weighs 3.5kg, 1.2hp.
Including all taxes and delivery it cost ?132.
The only thing that is worrying me is that it has nine teeth and the old lucas starter had ten. They tell me this will make no difference.
I will let all know how it goes when I fit it over the weekend.
Chris

[Hamish Coutts]

Little beauty indeed Chris!

To calm your fevered brow, I got a Brise starter from 'Matty and it only had 9 teeth. It works way better that the old Lucas crap and started the car easily on a cold frosty morning (after a very wet night) on Skye, last weekend. I recon that's one of the ultimate tests.

I think 9 teeth should be OK.

Hamish.

[archigator]

From a previous post I made in December 2005; nine teeth is correct...

"I have an aftermarket Gustafson starter... 9-teeth. It works really well, and Keith Gustafson (also an Elan owner) has a special interest in seeing Elan owners are satisfied with his product.

I heard also that a 10-toothed starter works better, but Keith convinced me that although he could provide a 10-toothed starter, the 9-tooth model is the one to go with. (He was so eager to please a fellow Elan owner, that he actually machined several different mounting plates for me when I was having starter/ring gear allignment problems. No charge...)

http://www.gustafsonmachine.com

I have no financial interest, just a satisfied customer. "

Gary
'71 Elan Sprint

[berni29]

Hi There

A few years back there were some posts on this subject with people counting the teeth on their ring gears (inc me) etc, and it does make a difference over time. I think the cortina ring gears were different but get fitted to lotuses over the years. I myself had an early engine with an LP engine number in my plus 2. I wish I could remember, it was something like 109 teeth vs 112 or something, and either 9 or 10 teeth being right. Someone here will have noted it down.

Having said that with a powerful starter like that it probably makes little difference. With a standard starter in marginal condition I think it does.

Berni

[bengalcharlie]

I have a gustafson starter fitted to my car (similar the the one above) and it is brilliant. You will love it and your ring gear will be so thankfull to you. I like original cars but do not mind improving the car as well.
all the best and have fun
Robin

[bengalcharlie]

I have a gustafson starter fitted to my car (similar the the one above) and it is brilliant. You will love it and your ring gear will be so thankfull to you. I like original cars but do not mind improving the car as well.
all the best and have fun
Robin

[dougweall]

Hi Chris,

I think you know that I went the same route as Hamish, quite a while ago now.

To me it does not matter which "make" of pre-engaged starter you decide to buy, in the end it is probably one of the best purchases we Elan owners could make to improve reliability which cannot be a bad thing.

Regards,

Doug.

[schroeder]

I have been using the same starter that Chris has purchased for the past 3+ years. I would highly recommend.

Stu

[pmallinson]

Gents it would appear from the Gistafson web site for Elan starters http://members.verizon.net/~vze4wpr3/lotus.html that the seller who Chris bought his starter from www.britishstarters.com are outlets for Gustafson starters !!

So maybe its one and the same ??????????

I seen to remember that there was a change in the wiring for this breed of starter ? Can anyone refresh my memory before I take the plunge

Chris

Did you get charged import taxes when it cam into the UK ?

Cheers and many more Beers

[john.p.clegg]

Also looking at the picture seems a little "lumpier" than the Lucas model with what seems to be a "pre-engaged" solenoid,is that the case and does it cause any clearance problems.it's a bit tight down there....

John

[chrishewett]

Yes this is a Gustafson, Brtish starters obviously have some connection with them.
If you want to continue using the bulkhead solenoid you just have to connect the two terminals on the starter.
The guy I dealt with, Doc Martin, was very good and the vat due on the invoiced price was only ?3. However parcelforce charged ?8 to collect it for Gordon Brown! Never mind the all in price it cost me-?132- was still cheap in my opinion.
I will report back on fitting at the weekend.
Chris

[schroeder]

My experience was fitting was very straight forward. There is a slight wiring change but all details were provided by the Doc. Can't recall the specific details though. Starter is smaller diameter than the original so the lumps and bumps are not a problem.

Good luck with the installation Chris. I believe you will find it turns over much faster and doesn't get stuck like the many bendix versions I used before I switched.

Stu

[elancoupe]

After years of struggling with stock starter problems, I bought a similar type starter. 23 years later, still going strong, never an issue since.

[mac5777]

Hi, I also purchased a starter from Doc Martin for my 67 S3 coupe and it has given me no problems and was easly installed. I believe the solenoid is built in.
He has them on EBay along with many other items. He has expanded his product line over the years.

Sarto

[pereirac]

If you want to buy from the UK then these people appear to sell (similar?)starters, although it appears it's cheaper to buy in the US and pay shipping and tax...

Carl

http://www.cambridgemotorsport.com/