Elan Radiator inlet Grills

[garyeanderson]

Bill Rathlef emailed me looking to see if I had a extra grill for the Elan. Well I never know what?s around until I go looking, so I rounded a couple up. I always thought the hardware cloth was 3/8 inch in height by 1/4 inch in width. I hadn't looked to closely over the years and gee, I seem to have two types, 1/2 inch by 1/4 inch is also in the collection. Judging by the rust on the 3/8" by 1/4", I would guess they are off of the S2?s . Does any know when this change occurred, does anyone know there was a change, does it matter?

p.s. I normally replace this with a locally available galvanised 1/4 by 1/4 inch hardware cloth with a wire perimeter all painted flat black attached with black tie-wraps.


Early left, late right



Two on top are early, bottom two are late?


Looks like I am short a few, need to make some more...

[ppnelan]

Maybe the later type provides increased airflow to the narrower radiators...?

It might be something to do with matching the mounting peg positions on number (license) plate digits. Or more likely the later type was cheaper...

Matthew

[rgh0]

I love these obscure undocumented changes

cheers
Rohan

[elansprint71]

Didn't the 26/R have bigger holes?

[Elanintheforest]

Just had to check mine...S2, S3 & S4...all 1/2" x 1/4". They all look pretty original close up...i.e., grotty!

Mark

[twincamman]

heres mine ---and Katy says ' Pete --don't you annoy my Grandad or Ill deliver a HUGE diaper in your corn flakes '-- --

[cabc26b]

All I could come up with is a 3/8 X 1/4 - I also recall my type 46 europa having a larger "grid" that my s1 elan at time when they were both in the same garage - so, we may be able to infer something , or given its a lotus maybe not.

[garyeanderson]

I weighed the grills, the 3/8" x 1/4" was 155 grams, the 1/2" x 1/4" was 134 grams. I was going to cut the tie-wraps off of the homemade one on the front of my Elan and weigh it but I know its more than any of the others I showed. All that extra weight up front I have been driving around with... I think the grill came out of the metal pile at the old landfill, might have been an old rabbit hutch for all I know?

[Elan45]

Twincaman,

Your gold nose looks remarkably like a formula car, rather than an Elan. I've been making one of these for my 20/22 out of Pegasus' SS hardware cloth, so I suppose I need to check the spacing to make sure I have the right pattern.

Roger

[twincamman]

rather than stir things up again lets just say 'its a special body' --ed