Lotus Elan and Lotus Elan Plus 2 Forums

Did anyone who went to donnington see the steering wheel repair stall?
They seem to have made reproduction spokes for the lotus steering wheel complete with colin chapman signature...
If it is true it looks like the bottom is about to drop out of the steering wheel market.
Tim

I hope you're right Tim, it is a bit daft! And I still need a Colin Chapman 15 inch wheel for my early Plus 2
Mark

Hi Mark,
Can you confirm there were two different diameter wheels because I
have two; one slightly smaller in diameter than the other.

Gino
Milano Italy

Hi Gino
Yes, the 15 inch was on the early Plus 2, and 14 inch on the late S3 through to Sprint.
Mark

Have you seen this one on ebay - 260226595044 - quite pricey but looks immaculate.

Sean.

tdafforn wrote:Did anyone who went to donnington see the steering wheel repair stall?
They seem to have made reproduction spokes for the lotus steering wheel complete with colin chapman signature...
If it is true it looks like the bottom is about to drop out of the steering wheel market.
Tim

Yes I saw that too, the chap had them reproduced because he reckons a lot of the wheels that come to him have damaged spokes.

Early +2 models didn't have a Chapman wheel. 1969 versions in the USA had the plain round hole spokes with flimsy outer rim sans leather.

1969 isn't an early car. My Feb '68, which I bought from the original owner, has a 15 inch Chapman wheel. He confirms it to be the original wheel. A cursory look around Plus 2s at Lotus meets shows quite a few early cars still with the Chapman wheel. Where else do you think a 15 inch diameter wheel comes from?

As is usual for such things, nobody knows the cutoff point for the Chapman wheel on the Plus 2, but it seems that the first 800 cars or so had them.

Mark

My '72 +2S130 has a non-signature wheel

Elanintheforest wrote:1969 isn't an early car. My Feb '68, which I bought from the original owner, has a 15 inch Chapman wheel. He confirms it to be the original wheel. A cursory look around Plus 2s at Lotus meets shows quite a few early cars still with the Chapman wheel. Where else do you think a 15 inch diameter wheel comes from?

As is usual for such things, nobody knows the cutoff point for the Chapman wheel on the Plus 2, but it seems that the first 800 cars or so had them.

Mark

My Plus 2 (chassis 478) has the Chapman wheel.

My plus two chassis 1795 reg Nov 69 has one

My '72 +2S130 doesn't have one - sob sob.

Sean.

763 has a Chapman wheel

Okay Mark, you're right, let me re-phrase that as we actually didn't get any early +2 models here in the states.
Most/all early +2 models in the USA didn't have Chapman wheels. We got plain round holed spokes. The early Chapman wheels were probably wisely saved for the Homeland and European Continent. They were put on "federal" Elans back then, but those, as mentioned, are smaller wheels.
My '69 +2 is an early US model, (built in 1968). We unfortunately were never allowed by Big (global warming actually is coming?) Brother to have Webers on the +2.
Does anyone here have a 1968 titled LHD Stromberged +2?
Are there slotted as well as holed Chapman wheels?
Eric

If it makes much contribution, I have an original +2 (titled 1970, manufactured 1969) that I bought from the original owner. I haven't measured the diameter of the steering wheel, but it is a Chapman signature wheel.
http://unabled.com/show/cars/elan/TheMo ... g_1726.jpg

It is a Federal spec Stromberg car. The owner flew over to the UK and hand picked it out from Lotus and also drove it around for a few weeks/months to make sure he got any warranty items taken care of.

Oh yeah, and it's number 2036.
http://unabled.com/show/cars/elan/TheWo ... g_1931.jpg