Early Air boxes and backing plates - lots of Wide Photos

[garyeanderson]

My good friend Lance called today and was asking about air boxes and backing plates. I don't have any of the Sprint type so maybe someone else will post some photos of them, Tim may have done so before but I don't remember it. anyway I am glad I was around as I found more differences than I knew of. THe Stromberg airboxes are totally different but I was un-aware of the early weber boxes and backing plates were different until I looked closely at them side by side. one set is from 26/4020 and the other is a bit of a mystery but I believe that it's from 45/7334 so take a look and see if you can help with other changes.

Gary

no lable - edited to fix my poor discriptions per Bill in the 3rd post, hope thats better, there is enough confusion around Elans





26/4020 top and 45/7334 bottom





26/4020 top and 45/7334 bottom

[adigra]

Gary,

The backing plate on my '67 coupe (36/6746) is the same as the one on top in the top photo.

Adi

[bill308]

Gary,

I think you got the labels wrong on the first photo, but correct on the second photo.

The early air box shouln't have the crank case breather port, the later one should.

Bill

[garyeanderson]

Hi Adi

Thanks for the info, I am not sure when it changed but Road draft tubes probably ended in 1965. So does anyone else have a S2 built in late 65 they can check to see if it had the road draft tube and elbow gromet or the air box breather into the cylinder head?

Gary

[elancoupe]

My late 66 S3 had a road tube.

[garyeanderson]

My late 66 S3 had a road tube.

Hi Mike

So a September 66 invoice date, which bit of fiberglass does it have, I am wondering if there was a mix and match happening. Or if the air box cover was type 26 or type 36/45 dependent

Gary

[elancoupe]

My late 66 S3 had a road tube.

Hi Mike

So a September 66 invoice date, which bit of fiberglass does it have, I am wondering if there was a mix and match happening. Or if the air box cover was type 26 or type 36/45 dependent

Gary

Unfortunately, when I bought it, it had the dreaded pancake filters. The current airbox and (now deepened) cover are not original.

[garyeanderson]

Oh yes now that you menton it I remember, never mind.
I looked it up in the Master parts manual for the S1 S2 Coupe dated 1966 and is states the following:

PL35 Backpate (airbox) except U.S.A. 28 S 021 - S1, S2, Coupe

Thats a Lotus Cortina Back plate!
At the bottom of the page is has

Backplate (air box) - U.S.A. only 26 S 714A - S1, S2, Coupe

PL37 Plate Air box cover B26 S 022

so the fiberglass piece seem to be the same till 1966 sometime, no month listed, still need to do some more diging on this...

Roger is your master parts manual any earlier than the internet copy?

[quaybook]

My early1966 S2 26/5614 has the backplate without breather and the fibreglass cover with the longer swanneck intake.

[garyeanderson]

Ok where are you located, my last post seems to say one bit of fiberglass and 2 back plates one for the U.S. and another for everywhere else.

Gary
p.s. - Got a name, I think I'll change mine to "broken record"

[rgh0]

Great photos I never realised there were 2 different versions of the oringinal single bolt air box. My Elan 36/8555 had the 2 bolt version and my 73 plus2S 130/5 has the 3 bolt version. I have looked at lots of the early ones but never had 2 different ones side by side to compare.

you learn something new every day

cheers
Rohan

[garyeanderson]

Great photos I never realised there were 2 different versions of the oringinal single bolt air box. My Elan 36/8555 had the 2 bolt version and my 73 plus2S 130/5 has the 3 bolt version. I have looked at lots of the early ones but never had 2 different ones side by side to compare.

you learn something new every day

cheers
Rohan

Rohan

Thank to Lance I put them there "side by each" to get photo's. I didn't know until yesterday and the parts have been sitting in the kitchen for a couple of years right next to each other. Its just amazing the details that I miss when folks don' ask questions.

Gary

[quaybook]

Gary
26/5614 is a UK car.

[1964 S1]

Variations? Early air boxes and backing plates read throttle cables are no different than many many many other "early" Lotus parts. (1948 - 1973)
I don't believe you'll ever pin down vin number production/part changes, ( based on everything else I've read on this site. ) We're not driving Porsches.
Eric

[garyeanderson]

Hi Gary
Thanks for the Unit number, Location, and name

Hi Eric

So what is on your 64 S1 for air box cover and backing plate, not many folk with early cars here and you seem to have a fairly origingal and stock Elan.

Gary