MODIFIED REAR ARCHES WHEEL ADVICE

[TRACKMEISTER]

My Baby Elan 1969 DHC (s4) has modified rear arches to take bigger wheels..........the car is currently on Minilite wheel , but i wish to go back to steel wheels and chrome spinners.................can someone advise me what size steel wheels to use to fill the arches and where I can buy them from.(UK)

Thanks in advance

[nebogipfel]

New wheels of the correct type and size are available in both black or silver finish

I recommend Susan Miller for all your Elan parts requirements ..........

http://www.mickmillerlotus.com/parts-wheels.html


Sorry, can't help if you want to go wider

[SADLOTUS]

Hi TRACKMEISTER,
Are your minilites knock on? how wide are they now and what tyres do you have? Will you swap knock on for bolt on?
The standard wheels are 5 1/2J's and will take 175 max (or whatever you're prepared to risk!), more often than not 165s will rub the suspension strut. The standard arches take 185's ...just - with a bit of arch trimming.
Pumped up arches will take whatever will fit, but wheels, tyres, suspension struts and axles will be the limiting factor then.

[TRACKMEISTER]

Hi

The minilites are bolt on 13 x 6 with 185/60 rubber..................I have a set of steel wheels with spinners on offer locally (if he still has them) so I will put the Minilites up for sale once I have the others.

Thanks for your advice

[elanfan1]

Standard wheels are 4.5J not 5.5J.

They will probably look out of place on a car with flared arches.

RE your other thread if the Chapman wheel is the only one youve got keep it for the car - it will have a big effect on resale value if you haven't got it.

[TRACKMEISTER]

I have 2 Chapman wheels , its a spare...........dont like minilites on elans, so not sure what to fit.

[ElliottN]

And you will have to change your hubs as well to go from bolt-on to knock-on wheels.....

[Jolly Jumper]

Hi TRACKMEISTER,
The standard wheels are 5 1/2J's and will take 175 max (or whatever you're prepared to risk!), more often than not 165s will rub the suspension strut. The standard arches take 185's ...just - with a bit of arch trimming.

Don't want to make myself sound important, but...:
Standard Elan Steel wheels are 4 1/2, NOT 5 1/2. 5 1/2 will rub somewhere.

As for the pics, you have to take into account the different body styles, S 1 are different to S2 and S3 and S4 are different yet again! Also I think the top right pic of the S4 with 6inch wheels is a slightly flared wheelarch. Same goes for the pic on the right bottom, this S3 wheelarch looks modified to me.

The wheel question is really very tricky, if you want a smooth running Elan you need to take care. I have 5inch Minilite and 155 Michelins on them and they just about fit.

[SADLOTUS]

Hi Jollyjumper, Trackmeister and all,

OK OK, My mistake, std wheels are 4 1/2J.

A tricky subject this, fairly subjective. All the pics above are S4s the bottom three are my car. I have the same dilemma as Trackmeister has with his modified S4, what will fit? what looks good? will 'too big' ruin things? what will fill?

Having looked on the web and at various Lotus meets I'm still not 100% sure, some say that 205's are fab and others swear by the original 155s. What do you want from your car? Personally, I'm not that keen on the 'ice racer' look.

Pics above were trying to illustrate how various tyres and wheel combinations fill the arches as Trackmeister queried, again, down to personal choice, experience and use.

To paraphrase Nixon: '...you can't please all of the people all of the time'..... Please yourself I suppose.

[RotoFlexible]

To paraphrase Nixon: '...you can't please all of the people all of the time'..... Please yourself I suppose.

NIXON!? His most famous quote was, "I am not a crook!" You are surely thinking of Abe Lincoln. (Or I have just had my leg severely pulled.)

[SADLOTUS]

Er...... I thought Abraham Lincoln said 'you can't fool all of the people all of the time... etc, but Nixon tried to be clever and change it to 'please everyone..' at his impeachment. (that'll teach me to try and be clever - of course I now can't find any reference to it!)

Then again I've already been wrong once this posting..

...getting quite used to it.

PAH! History is bunk!,,,,,wasn't that Gerald Ford?

[steveww]

Size is not important at least that is what my wife keeps telling me

Seriously tyre size is not so important, it is the tyres you can get in what size. People have gone for lower profile wider tyres so that they can get a sports tyre i.e. soft compound. The original 155x80x13 are generally only available in "budget" specification i.e. hard compound and soft side walls.

IMHO The modern wide low profile tyres do not look right on the Elan. Fortunately you can get a sports tyre in 155x80x13 the Michelin XAS FF for more information see http://www.steveww.org/index.php?id=83 No connection etc just very pleased with the result.

[CBUEB1771]

OK OK, My mistake, std wheels are 4 1/2J.

Don't be too hard on yourself, standard +2 wheels are 5 1/2 J. There will still be hub selection and clearance issues, but these wheels are an option to be considered if the wheel wells are already flared. The Minilites probably have quite a bit of outboard offset to clear the lower control arm where it bolts to the hub carrier.