Bodges you've found or done on Your Elan

[elansprint71]

I have loads, but this one is still my favourite. (Maybe it's an ACME brace bar )

SAM_1185 (640x480).jpg

Just when you thought that you have seen everything! Big respect to your DPO!

[AussieJohn]

My ex-wife bought an s4 coupe in the 1980's which we both used. Occasionally it would break down [only when she was driving], I would arrive on the scene to find it would run fine. It reached a point that we were going to sell it but as a last resort I removed the bonnet and had her drive me, after a mile it slowly ground to a halt. With her sitting in the car with ignition still on I checked fuel at the webers; none [it was using an electric pump in the boot] I undid the line at the pump- petrol pumping great. Fuel line blocked? I got in the car and it immediately started so I drove it home and started checking. the fuel line had been run into the chassis from the tank then detoured into the cabin under the sound proofing then back out to the chassis in a flexible line. It finally turned out to be the line was squashed by the seat runner when the seat was forwards and off the line when it was back. It really had me fooled for a long time.

[Hethel_Haus]

I had a loose c-clip spinning on a differential output shaft which I never examined closely while my Plus 2 was still running. Now that it is in hundreds of pieces for a complete rebuild, I now see the problem. I see that some butcher hack busted out most of the aluminum casting lip, presumably using a chisel or screwdriver, while trying to replace a rear bearing. I have records that this car has gone thru lots of rear wheel bearings and I found that they were using the wishbones as jacking points to the point that they are junk too. I've already sourced new adjustable toe wishbbones from SpyderCars and will shortly be buying a new alloy diff housing from TTR. The old one is nicely glass beaded and will become wall art in my garage! In the meantime, use quality snap ring pliers doing wheel bearing replacements. I use Beta pliers which have always done the job!

[NickWilmshurst]

I had a series 2 which, had, instead of the rubber block-head oil tube, a length of broomstick with a hold drilled down the middle.
Yep - it leaked!

[SENC]

I had a series 2 which, had, instead of the rubber block-head oil tube, a length of broomstick with a hold drilled down the middle.
Yep - it leaked!

That may be the winner!

[111Robin]

VW camper steering bodge. This was brought in to our garage, guy had just bought it on Ebay, drove it home and said the steering was a bit funny !!. Bits of square tube snotter welded to the chassis, whole lot was flapping all over the place. I don't remember what they were trying to achieve but obviously the steering rack and column had to be connected somehow and this was their solution!!.

[mwhitaker]

I agree the broomstick version of the head-block breather tube is sheer brilliance. I don't feel so bad about using an aluminum plumbing fitting which telescopes between upper/lower tube sections because I didn't want to remove the head! Fortunately, it works very well with no leakage after a year now.

Cheers, Mark Whitaker
69 Elan S4 DHC
45/8396

[pharriso]

Time to resurrect this thread!

OK, so your customer is in the music business & wants a kick ass Stereo system installed with a great amp & speakers & a sub-woofer for lots of bass... only problem is the Chassis brace goes between the rear turrets...

what to do ?.....

No problem! Just use the sub box as a structural member, after all the wooden dash was designed as a structural member as well