Exhaust clamps to be replaced...by?

[Pistacchio sprint 72]

Hello, because probably of a dead engine mount bush the whole exhaust line went far too low during last rally.
The exhaust clamps kissed the ground too many times not to be replaced...

My question is: should i get replacement exhaust clamps identical to original ones?

Or do you recommend fitting another kind of exhaust clamps?

Thanks

[Chancer]

My preference is Mikalor stainless band clamps, took me a while to recall the name.

[Quart Meg Miles]

You could try Spire clips. I've never used them there myself so they might not clamp tight enough but you could cut extra slots in the outer pipe to make it easier for them.

[Pistacchio sprint 72]

Yeah mikalor are good. I had a spare lying around... Sadly it was for my seven exhaust and it does not fit for the elan... Too large

[john.p.clegg]

I'll second Mikalor..

John

[69S4]

Yes, Mikalor for the bits that need to be clamped but the old two piece clamp can have a sacrificial role to protect the pipe at the rear if it grounds.

The Sprint setup will be different to my twin pipe S4 arrangement but with that the pipes leading into the silencers are the first things to ground and I've kept a couple of clamps there to stop wearing the pipe away.

[Pistacchio sprint 72]

Smart

[john.p.clegg]

..or you could weld skids over the Mikalor clamps

Front...

Rear

John

P.S. the rear one has be re-aligned now..

[Maulden7]

"Yes, Mikalor for the bits that need to be clamped but the old two piece clamp can have a sacrificial role to protect the pipe at the rear if it grounds"

Having completed a few regularity rallies I would second this - especially in France where the roads used are generally little more than farm tracks!

In fact, I don't now use any clamps at all, having modified the TT large bore system to provide a lot of very tight "overlap" between the manifold / collector & silencer section. If the silencer catches very badly it simply shoots out of the rear. Ten minutes with some hand cleaner for lubrication, plus a hammer & a wood block, & it's all back & we're on our way. No need even to jack to back up!!!

Interestingly ....... whilst we were stationary, a very large percentage of the non-UK cars passing stopped to ask if we needed any help (we responded basically "thanks very much but no - my mate / co driver speaks good French") but not a single UK registered car even slowed down!!

Dave M.

Edit - in 2013 we entered an event based around Laon, France. After the first 3 stages I had stopped to put the exhaust on twice, & the 5th stage notes warned of "rough roads". In the 4th stage we hit a massive change in surface angle around a corner & again the rear section shot out of the back. We gave up at that & with GPS headed for the end of the rally (having used a stop watch & highly inaccurate Elan speedo up to that point - others using illegal GPS all the time) to incur maximum penalties. We were only there "for the beer" plus food / wine etc anyway so headed back - via the finish - to our hotel & some cold drinks .........!!

Drove the Elan to the City parade on Sunday, & back to the UK on the Monday no problem.

Interestingly ....... whilst we were stationary, a very large percentage of the non-UK cars passing stopped to ask if we needed any help (we responded basically "thanks very much but no - my mate / co driver speaks good French") but not a single UK registered car even slowed down!!

[Pistacchio sprint 72]

Skid is clever

Clampless is also a good idea.

Better loosing the rear can when hit by a rock than ripping the the whole sustem because its well tightened

You both make points...

[SF69Elan]

Hi folks - I'm a new member and haven't posted pics of my car yet (69 Elan S4 DHC - owned it for a few months and going through the sorting out period), but I've already had to deal with a similar exhaust challenge.. My custom exhaust was held on by the clamps at the header, and then hung (but not clamped) in two places - mid-exhaust and at the muffler. While driving back home after getting the car registered the exhaust actually fell off the car - the streets here in San Francisco can be a bit rough. I was close to home so I got the Elan home and drove back in another car to find my exhaust by the side of the road at a main intersection - some Aussies in town had dragged it to the side of the road - we had a good laugh and they helped me load it up to get it back home. I was able to get the exhaust back on and clamped, but I knew I needed a better solution or I would be dropping the exhaust regularly. I took the car down to Dietsch Works in San Jose last week and they fabricated a custom hanger and clamp for me - pics below. It is very solid, and keeps the exhaust nice and high. Now I can move on to swapping out the existing carbs for some new 40 DCOE 151s from Dave Bean (wish me luck, I've swapped 4bbl carbs out on old 289 Mustangs before, but I'm taking my time prepping for the dual carb switch to learn as much as possible before diving in).

Rich

Custom Elan Exhaust Bracket