Elan +2S/130 Back Home -- Need Help

PostPost by: tmrlotus+2 » Sun Feb 16, 2014 11:08 pm

I finally got the +2 back from Spencer's Motorsports, and had just about every mechanical thing done that I could think of:
1. New shocks (Spax), springs (adjustable perch in rear), upper ball joints, tie rod ends, rack boots, lower trunnion kits, inner link bushings
2. CV joint conversion
3. Rebuilt engine to big valve specs, installed electronic ignition, and replaced clutch
4. Installed new aluminum radiator and alternator
5. Rebuilt speedo and tach
6. Rebuilt all brake calipers with new pistons and replaced master cylinder (.7" with no brake booster)
7. New Tony Thompson Racing 26R steering wheel (it's smaller than I thought it would be?)

I bought the car last summer and shipped it from South Carolina without a chance to inspect it (I know, not a great idea), and finally now have had a chance to drive it without all of the smoke, nearly disintegrated doughnuts, and slipping clutch (although still breaking it in, so nothing over 3500 rpm).

My problem now is that I believe that the damage on the front fender is actually caused by the tires (way too large for the car -- 195-50/15s) when the car bottoms out (which is way too easy for some reason?), and I'll have to replace the wheels and tires. I'm in Northern California -- any suggestions for sources new/used in the area?

Has anyone adjusted Spax shocks? If I adjust them to maximum stiffness I'm hoping that will help the bottoming out problem temporarily.

Thanks in advance for the help.
Lotus front fender.JPG and
Driver fender damage

Lotus engine bay.jpg and
Engine bay
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PostPost by: theelanman » Mon Feb 17, 2014 9:48 am

engine bay looks lovely...congrats
as for your tyres....erm initially I though way to big......however the overall radius is the same (almost as the 175/70 13s I have......could probably just be the width although I have enough room with std rims to get a 195 in....
is your wheel offset excessive?....
could anyone lend you a one to trial fit.....just to see the difference (unless you have a std wheel in the boot)
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PostPost by: tmrlotus+2 » Mon Feb 17, 2014 3:02 pm

Thanks, the trial fit with an original 13" wheel is a great idea (I'm not sure what my offset is -- how would you measure it?). I didn't receive a spare with the car, so would have to borrow one to test locally (I'm in Pleasanton, in the San Francisco East Bay). I didn't plan (or budget :<) on having all of this work done when I started, but there was always one more thing...

Do these cars bottom out easily with new springs and shocks (this is the first time I've driven a +2)? Obviously I'm taking it very easy due to the break-in period, and seemingly minor dips and bumps seem to cause problems.

I appreciate your help!
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PostPost by: theelanman » Mon Feb 17, 2014 3:57 pm

I would just try visual first.....
erm and no my +2 doesn't bottom out......
the rear used to when I first got the car but that was because it had elan springs on......not +2 springs
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PostPost by: theelanman » Mon Feb 17, 2014 4:00 pm

this is my car and wheel......
set up (175/70 r13)...some people go 165......
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PostPost by: theelanman » Mon Feb 17, 2014 4:07 pm

can you get a pic of the side view of your car.......?
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PostPost by: theelanman » Mon Feb 17, 2014 4:19 pm

mine with wrong rear springs on
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IMAG0690 shrink.jpg and
mine with wrong rear springs on
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PostPost by: theelanman » Mon Feb 17, 2014 4:46 pm

:-)
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IMAG0702.jpg and
the revised height
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PostPost by: tmrlotus+2 » Mon Feb 17, 2014 5:45 pm

I love the look of your wheels! Here are some pictures of my ride height -- it looks about right to me, so I'm still puzzled.

Ride height 1.JPG and

Ride height 2.JPG and

Ride height 3.JPG and
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PostPost by: theelanman » Mon Feb 17, 2014 6:17 pm

this only occurs to the front?...
is the rear ok?.......does it clear?.......
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PostPost by: c42 » Mon Feb 17, 2014 7:52 pm

To be honest apart even though the arch is damaged , the shape of the front of that arch looks wrong - is the other side the same?

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PostPost by: tmrlotus+2 » Tue Feb 18, 2014 1:53 am

theelanman wrote:this only occurs to the front?...
is the rear ok?.......does it clear?.......


I believe the rear does clear, but I'll look more closely now.
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PostPost by: tmrlotus+2 » Tue Feb 18, 2014 1:55 am

c42 wrote:To be honest apart even though the arch is damaged , the shape of the front of that arch looks wrong - is the other side the same?

Regards
John


It may be partly due to the distortion from the iPhone lens, but you may be right (I haven't looked that closely). I'll get the car outside next weekend and take pictures with a better camera from both sides. Thanks for the feedback!
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PostPost by: StressCraxx » Tue Feb 18, 2014 5:00 am

Those are very nice Revolution wheels. First time I have seen an Elan with 15"s.

A narrower cross section tire with the same diameter might work.

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Continental&tireModel=ContiProContact&partnum=66TR5CPC&vehicleSearch=false&fromCompare1=yes&tab=Specs

I have seen people remove the shock and spring, take a bare wheel and bend a coat hanger to the cross section shape of the tire and tape the wire to the wheel to check clearance all around the fender well with full bump, full steering lock to make sure there is no interference.

There are several of us who live near you if you, some with +2's.
There is no cure for Lotus, only treatment.
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PostPost by: tmrlotus+2 » Tue Feb 18, 2014 1:09 pm

StressCraxx wrote:Those are very nice Revolution wheels. First time I have seen an Elan with 15"s.

A narrower cross section tire with the same diameter might work.

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Continental&tireModel=ContiProContact&partnum=66TR5CPC&vehicleSearch=false&fromCompare1=yes&tab=Specs

I have seen people remove the shock and spring, take a bare wheel and bend a coat hanger to the cross section shape of the tire and tape the wire to the wheel to check clearance all around the fender well with full bump, full steering lock to make sure there is no interference.

There are several of us who live near you if you, some with +2's.


Thanks, that's a great idea too. I'm traveling this week, but will try and do a better job of measuring next weekend. I would love to get together sometime and have an expert look!
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