Engine color??

[nomad]

Were early Elan engines painted black???

Kurt

[trw99]

No.

Tim

[nomad]

Well, I have a 63 S1 numbers correct engine that is black and appears to never having been out of the car. Not a hint of any other color having ever been on the engine....

Kurt

[nomad]

Inside of engine all worn stock sizes....

Kurt

[512BB]

You have been Lotused.

L

[nomad]

You have been Lotused.

L

That would explain it.....I prefer light grey so as long as I won't be ruining its history that is what it will be.

Kurt

[andyelan]

Hi Everyone

If it's a very early S1 might it have been one of the cars that it was recalled to have the engine changed from 1500cc to 1600cc

Happy new year
Andy

[512BB]

If it's a very early S1 might it have been one of the cars that it was recalled to have the engine painted black?

L

[nomad]

Hi Everyone

If it's a very early S1 might it have been one of the cars that it was recalled to have the engine changed from 1500cc to 1600cc

Happy new year
Andy

How early would that number be? The engine has had a sleeve fitted apparently at the factory on number four. Stock pistons.

Kurt

[andyelan]

Hi There

Documentation seems a bit sketchy on this but:-

The Elan 1500, 26/0001 was available from January 1963 with a 1498 cc engine but this was replace by May 1963 when the Elan 1600, subsequently known as the S1, was introduced with the 1558 cc engine at 26/0023. In spite of what the serial numbers might imply there may have been no more than about 5 Elan 1500s so I'll admit I think it's very unlikely Kurt has one of these, however all were apparently retro fitted with the larger engine so I just thought it was worth mentioning. I should say though that the 1558 engine was much better than the 1498 so this was the reason for the change and not just to change the colour of the block.

Finally I've just re-watched the Bangers and Cash Elan restoration and noted that car is badges Elan 1600 and, although it's difficult to be sure, it looks like it's engine block could have been black before the restoration.

Regards
Andy

[trw99]

Only 11 of the very earliest Elans had the 1500 engine fitted initially, from Oct 62 to Mar 63. They were to 2 of the 3 prototype M2s, then Unit Nos 1-5, 7 & 9-11. A twelfth was fitted to the Frua Elan of late 1963, probably because it happened to be lying around, was only intended for show (and weight too, I would guess) and the car never moved under its own steam anyway when first shown.

The display engine and chassis at the 1962 Elan reveal London Motor Show (see photo) had a grey engine block and it is clear from other contemporary photos, both colour and black and white I have in my collection that all the blocks were painted grey.

I have found one Lotus press photo of an engine with a black block, from 1970 (see photo). It is on an exhibition engine, which, given the amount of bling on it, can only have had a black block for visual purposes as a contrast against the bling.

Tim

[nomad]

Well I knew this was an early car but didn't realize just how early. It appears that the black color may be correct for the car. Engine number is P1008. Soooo, Tim, what do I have? You mention a 7 and a 9 but no 8.

Kurt /

[bitsobrits]

Kurt,

The very early cars would have Bourne made bodies with Lotus Components chassis number plates and 3 digit chassis numbers and unit numbers ( which usually didn't match, btw). What is your chassis or unit number?

Perhaps the engine was swapped at some point?

[nomad]

Pretty sure it is a Bourne body, Steve. Its out at the farm right now and I'm in town. The engine compartment has grey impregnated into the glass fiber. The engine is at the rebuilder and the number is off the serial number plate. Seems I have read somewhere that the engine numbers began at 1000 or did they begin at 0000?

Kurt

[512BB]

'The engine is at the rebuilder'

Why aren't you the rebuilder Kurt? A Lotus twincam is not remotely like a flat 12 boxer engine. They are simple engines to work on and the satisfaction I get when finishing one and running it up for the first time, an thereafter, is immesurable.

Leslie