Elan Wire Wheels?

[CBUEB1771]

very nice but I wouldn't sit in it in anger

Amen, anyone got a photo of a 427 Mark II with wire wheels? Many, many years ago (1970s) I saw a powder blue Elan DHC with a BDA and bolt-on wire wheels. I thought that to be quite a visual contradiction. I wonder where that Elan is now? I think I saw it at either Lime Rock Park or perhaps Watkins Glen.

[RotoFlexible]

wire wheels always fail just when you need them most -under heavy load at the apex ----they belong on baby buggies ---ed

And on bicycles, where they continue to be the technology of choice after many decades.

[elansprint71]

... Another picture showing an Elan with wire ...

Definitly not my cup of tea ...
Christian.

Dougal Cawley's Longstone Tyres is now the agent for Borrani wheels and the Elan photo above appears in his advertising, for example in the current issue of Motor Sport.

[1964 S1]

Hi 0ed,
Did Ken Miles' car have wire wheels?
Eric

[elansprint71]

Eric,
I'm sure that you know, but perhaps I could answer on behalf of (O)Ed?
Borranis were in use for pre-Daytona testing in 1965 but for the race they had been replaced by Halibrand alloy wheels. The only time that I think they appeared again was on a roadster during testing at Le Mans where Whitmore and Bondurant tried out the car they were to drive in the Targa in May 1965!
Ken Miles was killed at Riverside in 1966 when testing a car fitted with automatic transmission and this might have contributed to the huge accident that he had; it (the accident) certainly was not caused by the alloy wheels fitted, although one of these wheels did contribute to Ken's death, as it was pushed back into one of the rocker-panel (sill) tanks,causing a massive hydraulic rupture blowing the filler-lid off and spraying fuel all over the car. Fuel-cell bladders and a fire-extinguishing system were not fitted at that time and would certainly have mitigated the fire. Seat belt mounting failure also contributed to this unfortunate death. Officially the cause of the accident has not been determined.

[Mazzini]

Hi

Here is a example from Sweden Borraniwheels it is I think, owner upgrade

I think that looks rather fetching.

[PanoGuy]

@ CBUEB1771
Yes, I saw that car too. The owner was in CT and I considered buying the BDA that had been in the car but never followed through. It's been a number of years since then.

[elancoupe]

@ CBUEB1771
Yes, I saw that car too. The owner was in CT and I considered buying the BDA that had been in the car but never followed through. It's been a number of years since then.

I remember the car from LOG 4, the owner's name was Bob Ducibella. I recall seeing the motor for sale, too.

[Elan45]

Yeah, I can remember that car at an early LOG. I remember the enormous bubble on the bonnet to cover the BDA. I always wondered what became of the car. Obviously it must have lost the BDA.

I also remember the Elan that can be seen in Griots Garage catalog. I never saw how the wire wheels were fitted, but I have always suspected it was done with Spitfire hub adapters. It was owned by Bruce M from new, in Columbus Ohio. The chrome wires were on it as long as I can remember. I became a Columbusite in 1967. I know that Bruce autocrossed that Elan and the wire wheels didn't seem to slow him down. In the early 80s, Bruce took the Elan and another Lotus with him to California and I think he still owns it. He must be friends with the Griot people.

Roger

[CBUEB1771]

I remember the car from LOG 4, the owner's name was Bob Ducibella. I recall seeing the motor for sale, too.

You are right, the owner was Bob Ducibella! It is a strange feeling when bits of data pop out from dark recesses of the brain after 35 years.

[garyeanderson]

I remember the car from LOG 4, the owner's name was Bob Ducibella. I recall seeing the motor for sale, too.

You are right, the owner was Bob Ducibella! It is a strange feeling when bits of data pop out from dark recesses of the brain after 35 years.

And the ones from 30 seconds past - gone forever...

Wire wheels on an Elan are just as ugly now as they were when I first saw them in the photos. I had adapters from the parts GT6 and I sold them for $150 and I was glad that they were gone (and I had the cash). The word that I last heard about that set was that they went for a swim in the Wollaston section of Quincy. Seems a lot of my crap has an affinity for salt water

Gary