Lotus Elan and Lotus Elan Plus 2 Forums

In preparation for my intended swap from 4 to 5 speed gearbox in the Elan, can anybody provide templates or details of the alterations required to the exhaust system to route around the bulkier +2 5 Sp. gearbox pls ?

All the previous forum articles listed have been checked, but details regards exhaust mods. are Sketchy, perhaps someone knows the details ?

Also, (wrong forum I know !) - the exact dimension from flange to flange, of the +2 converted length Prop shaft ?

Replies accepted with thanks,

Regards,

Phil.

Phil
Memory fading now but I believe a torch and BSA fork-leg stanchions were my tool of choice...while fixed in-situ the two ends of the 2 into 1 "set" a little lower,maybe 1/2"

John

John,

Thanks for the reply.

I thought you may be someone who may know, as I read your posts with great interest whilst you, Bill and Alex and others were doing this conversion.

My system is Stainless, so I think it may be a little harder to bend ?

Someone on the Forum said they had a template ?

Just wondered if it was something that may be still around?

Do you still have the 5 speed?

What's the chance of taking a few underbody shots for me pls ?

Regards,

Phil.

Phil
I'm on my way to the shed now....

John

Back
My exhaust system was ( still is ) stainless and moved quite easily with some heat and a two foot pipe..

Yes,still have the five speed and it's getting better by the week,not as snickety-snick as the Ford item but I love it
( I wasn't doing 90 on my way back from Newark Autojumble on Sunday just cruising at 4000RPM )

Here are some piccies,sorry about the oil but had a great weekend

104cm from end to end..









Ignore the lambda sensor..




Mounting plate relieved to allow a little more clearance..






John

P.S.

Piccie 5

Skid plate welded to Y piece to stop speed humps taking the Mikalor clamp out...

John

John,

Great response - thanks !

So the exhaust is basically routed underneath the 5 speed box, by bending the two down pipes towards the offside ?(does this make them an unequal length, for re-mating them into the Y- piece) ?

Did you have to extend them to mate up with the Y-piece ( or cut them off level and add more tube ?

Just wondering how you managed to retain the rear silencer box in its original position?

Did you have to extend the single, central exhaust pipe ?

Thanks ever so for your speedy response!

Regards,

Phil.

So the exhaust is basically routed underneath the 5 speed box, by bending the two down pipes towards the offside ?(does this make them an unequal length, for re-mating them into the Y- piece) ?

No,not the offside just downwards

No,the length is hardly altered

Did you have to extend them to mate up with the Y-piece ( or cut them off level and add more tube ?

Nothing needed cutting off,plenty of "overlap"

Just wondering how you managed to retain the rear silencer box in its original position?

Did you have to extend the single, central exhaust pipe ?

The silencer and middle section is stainless home-made

John

P.S. Please bear in mind this is from years ago so may be incorrect?

for fitting a TTR line (so non standard) in that configuration, instead of hot bending the 2 downpipes I elected to cut and reweld them after about 20? outward rotation (i.e. away from the gearbox) : some pictures in thread

lotus-gearbox-f37/lotus-speed-gearbox-and-concentric-clutch-t32719.html#p220716

no other modifications required besides cutting to lenght the long central piece

Just been under the car again to measure the clearance...sump 4 1/2",lowest part of exhaust ( rear mikalor clamp on Y piece) 3 1/2", hence the skid plate..

John