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Elan+2....factory 2 litre?

PostPosted: Wed May 18, 2016 8:54 am
by Team Lotus
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Just looking through some old print plates....what could have been!

Re: Elan+2....factory 2 litre?

PostPosted: Wed May 18, 2016 12:26 pm
by SimonH
Fairly sure I have a book somewhere at home that goes a little into the story of the slant 4 being looked at for the +2.

Re: Elan+2....factory 2 litre?

PostPosted: Wed May 18, 2016 2:32 pm
by Team Lotus
Some spec info......

Re: Elan+2....factory 2 litre?

PostPosted: Wed May 18, 2016 3:14 pm
by trw99
How very interesting, thank you Richard.

Is there any date indication to this paper?

There seems tacit acknowledgement that the chassis was not strong enough for additional power and weight. Also that the automatic box was entirely possible, indicating that the experiment when Graham Arnold's +2 NAH 120F was converted to take a Borg Warner 35 automatic gearbox (and the 130 bhp hi-torque engine fitted from Expert Engineering in Ware) had been positive, even if not commercially viable at that time.

Any more pages?

Tim

Re: Elan+2....factory 2 litre?

PostPosted: Thu May 19, 2016 6:41 am
by Team Lotus
Morning Tim.
Here's a couple more, they date from 69/70. About 10 years ago a lady called me to say she had found a box in her loft (she had lived there about 10 years) and there was about 60 metal plates that came from Lotus inhouse print department..all from 69/70 period.....as my wife said 'just more junk to add to the rest'!

Re: Elan+2....factory 2 litre?

PostPosted: Thu May 19, 2016 6:47 am
by Team Lotus
Whoops wrong one...

Re: Elan+2....factory 2 litre?

PostPosted: Thu May 19, 2016 6:50 am
by Team Lotus
I hope this is the right one, eye's are not what they used to be..

Re: Elan+2....factory 2 litre?

PostPosted: Thu May 19, 2016 8:12 am
by trw99
Thanks Richard.

I had no idea that there was a plan to put the 907 engine into the +2 as early as that. I have not found reference to the M60 project in any of the usual books. It is also interesting that Lotus were looking at 5 speed boxes for the Elan as early as this, since the eventual 5 speed box was not announced until the Oct 72 Motor Show.

What was the Sprint 412 idea? A 4.12 rear axle ratio?

Tim

Re: Elan+2....factory 2 litre?

PostPosted: Fri May 20, 2016 8:54 am
by Team Lotus
Tim, just posted more info on the 412 on the Elan section, hope it answers some questions.

Re: Elan+2....factory 2 litre?

PostPosted: Fri May 20, 2016 1:45 pm
by trw99
Indeed and thank you Richard.

Tim