Lotus Elan and Lotus Elan Plus 2 Forums

Hi guys, it’s me again (sorry)
My much-modified plus two chassis has another problem! Just wondering if anyone has had this issue? The front offside tower is not at the right angle so some previous owner, in their wisdom, has decided to re-drill the top wishbone to pull the hub/wheel straight but because of the angle, they have only managed to get one bolt in. I can’t believe what some people do! But, anyway, back to the question, I need to put the tower back to the right place. Does anyone know where to take measurements from? I probably need to move over around 3/8ths? Any ideas welcome please!!! PS. Please don’t tell me to buy a new chassis - that’s not an option.
Thanks, Woody.

The shop manual has drawing of the chassis with dimensions.

Roger

I wonder if even a second hand chassis may offer you a better experience. obviously budgets are what they are. Good luck which ever direction you go.

Thank you for your comments. I was just hoping someone had been there and got round the problem, probably would be best just to scrap this chassis and start again.
I bought the car because the chassis had been all done and looks really good, with extra bracing; this was done by a professional guy, so with the rear end mess-up and now this, I think I have a big issue. Why would you not check the chassis is straight before doing so much work which one of the previous owners paid to have done. The car has been sold on a couple of times since but has never been finished, so maybe they all came up against this and just sold it on.
Anyway, sorry for the rant! and thanks again for your replies. I will take a photo and pop it on just in case someone has a easier solution.
All the best, Woody

Hi Woody,

My listing for Plus2 control arms might give you a low dollar solution to play with. viewtopic.php?f=33&t=47470&p=342780#p342780

Wayne

As always, pics help

TO repair the chassis, it has to come out. Not that bad a job and can be done in the driveway if necessary
The reason for the error is most important, as rust causes towers to move

Thanks Gus
body is now off - seems tower has been repaired well but in the wrong place. If you fit the stub axle back in the correct place then it sits at a positive camber, once pulled back in the correct position is there room to fit a brace (engine is back)?
Woody

Hi Wayne thanks for the offer but in UK

Show us pics of the chassis tower

From the front , and from the top with enough perspective that we can see if the pin is twisted or not

Gus not the best photos

As elan45 says the dimensions of the chassis are in the workshop manual. But you need to work out what’s gone wrong and why as rust in the base of the turret is the usual cause for the turret to move. I would also wonder what else has been done to the chassis and how well it’s been done. You say a new chassis is not an option but sometimes you’ve just got to bite the bullet. Is the turret actually twisted or is there an issue with the wishbone?

Hi, thanks
The work on the chassis has been done well but the offside tower appears to lean towards the outside of the car; having said that, the top wishbone has been butchered so going to now strip out the front suspension. The chassis has no rust and Has been modified with extra bracing I was hoping to pull the tower back in place and then put a brace across if poss, has this been done before?

Woody7 wrote:Hi, thanks
<Snip>
Has been modified with extra bracing I was hoping to pull the tower back in place and then put a brace across if poss, has this been done before?

One of the front towers on my original Lotus chassis almost completely severed due to cracking.

I fitted a tower brace to my now Spyder chassised Plus 2 in 2011, the Mark I, see first pic. It was a long U shaped box section (to clear the water pump ) and bolted to the chassis towers using longer bolts.

It was a good brace, but it was very difficult to remove and replace when having engine-outs, due to misalignments between the body bobbins and tower threads.

Now I'm on the Mark 4. It is a cranked bar with pin joints at the tower bolt positions, bolted to brackets inside the body, which are bolted through the bobbins to the towers. Comes out and goes back in a doddle.

I seem to remember posting a drawing not too long back, but I can't find it now.

Maybe someone knows how to find old posts 1