Chassis inspection plug/hole...

[innesw]

Did all plus 2's have an inspection hole in the body for propshaft access? (I think drivers side) with a big rubber plug?

I've never really thought about it until I saw a plug on the r.d. enterprises website, I don't have an inspection hole and when I was under my body the glasswork is original so a PO hasn't glassed it up... But my old carpet (now ripped out) did have a flap for accesss, just nothing underneath...

What is the consensus on this?

Innes

[Jason1]

Hi

I have seen this plug on a couple of stripped +2. I have not seen it on mine as it is a bugger to get to. The stripped cars had no seats or carpets in; one was a 1968 and the other an early 70's car.

Jason

[Kerryt333]

Hi Innes,
Mine is a 1972 +2S130 & when I renewed the carpets it has the inspection hole.This is on a Lotus galvanised replacement chassis.
In fact the rubber grommet was so contaminated by oil that I replaced it with a perspex disc,which shouldn't be affected by the oil.Maybe not every chassis had the hole,so possibly not every body needed it.
Regards
John

[andyelan]

Hi Everyone

Just one question, if there's no inspection hole through the bodywork, how is one supposed to re-engauge the prop shaft splines when refitting the engine/gearbox

Andy

[john.p.clegg]

Andy

You need to go on a diet for a long long time,or make an access hole in the underside of the chassis...

John

[martinbrowning]

how is one supposed to re-engauge the prop shaft splines when refitting the engine/gearbox

Andy,
I had a similar problem but had engine,gearbox AND prop shaft out so was able to feed the propshaft through the chassis,attached onto the gearbox splines, and then reconnect at the diff end.

Good luck

Martin B

[CBUEB1771]

Did all plus 2's have an inspection hole in the body for propshaft access? (I think drivers side) with a big rubber plug?

All Elans and Elan +2s should have this inspection and maintenance access hole and rubber plug for the front UJ. The part number for the plug is 026 B 0371 indicating very early adoption if not from the beginning. The 1966 Service Parts List for the S1, S2 and Coupe lists this rubber plug for all three models and it is illustrated in the body drawing. The Elan +2 Service Parts List also shows quantity one for this rubber plug in all models and chassis numbers. If a body shell does not have this access hole I suspect it was because the lad with the hole saw was getting tired of having it catch and snapping his wrist or maybe just a late Friday afternoon with thoughts of Newcastle Brown floating in his head.

[innesw]

That was my train of thought as well Russ, a stressful friday afternoon in the factory or something, luckily I put the gearbox and propshaft together, the angle drive and the speedo cable, hand brake cable, fuel line and brake pipes .etc in before putting the body back on. I think I might leave it until I have a problem where I need to access it and then cut a hole.

Now the question is what is more original, leaving fibre glass or a hole and a bung...

Innes

[CBUEB1771]

Now the question is what is more original, leaving fibre glass or a hole and a bung...

Innes, you can't grease the front UJ without this maintenance aperture if you have a Lotus chassis. Given that and what I posted above suggests it is supposed to be there. I don't think anyone would take points away for lack of originality if you finished a job that should have been done in Norwich all along.

[innesw]

Very true forgot about greasing the UJ, if only I'd fitted sealed UJ's!

Anybody know if the usual suspects sell the rubber bung over here in the UK? Or any other (cheaper maybe) sources?

Also if anybody is bored and wants to measure the location of the hole for me... otherwise I might put a light down the chassis backbone to shine through to locate it (you can't do that in a non-fiberglass car!) and start off with a very small hole for location access, then adjust to centre it with the chassis hole.

Cheers,
Innes.

[bob_rich]

Hi Innes

Took a quick photo of "the hole" My car is a Dec 1973 +2S 130. The hole which as U can C is far from round!, is around 390mm back from the gear lever centre and is around 15mm offset from the centre line of the transmission tunnel and is around 140mm diameter. My car has had a Spyder chassis fitted by the PO, and I believe with this chassis most actions such as fit propshaft and gear box angle drive can be done without access through this hole.

hope this helps best of luck

Bob

[CBUEB1771]

Innes,
Paul Matty shows the tunnel bung in his on-line catalog but no price is listed. I will measure the access hole in my body shell but I won't be able to get to it until this weekend. The hole in my shell is round, is aligned with the corresponding plunged hole in the chassis and the bung fits very well. I imagine that the cheapest way to have done this at Lotus would have been to lay-up the bottom body shell and then cut the access hole in. It would be fussy to create the hole while laying the piece up. I wonder if there was a small dimple that marked the center for a hole saw so that they would not have to measure or use a fixture when cutting the hole? All speculation on my part.

[CBUEB1771]

I will measure the access hole in my body shell but I won't be able to get to it until this weekend.

A business trip came up that took Sunday away from me, what fun. I'll still get the dimensions and photos but it will be another week.

[innesw]

Cheers Russ, no worries don't rush I've got plenty of other jobs to be getting on with!

Innes

[Gordon Sauer]

Here's pic of inspection hole in July 72 built Federal +2, 4--it's 3.5 in diameter, pretty much perfectly round and about 3 1/4" to top of hole from center tunnel plane. Hopefully you can make out the innermost back seat bobbin as it sits about 1 1/4" toward front from back edge of hole--on right, passenger! side in US. Gordon Sauer