Tony Thompson Roll Bar/Side Impact Bars

[William2]

Has anyone fitted the Tony Thompson roll bar and side impact bars to an Elan S4/Sprint. Is it straightforward and does anyone have any written instructions?

[Coupe]

Fitting TTR Rollbar.pdf

(291.35 KiB) Downloaded 629 times

These instructions were included when I purchased my S3 Coupe:

[Jas]

Hi William
I have fittede the TTR roll over bar and have shared it with pictures here:
http://www.lotuselan.net/forums/lotus-chassis-f36/rolloverbar-and-sill-bars-t20986-15.html

[gordont]

Unless you are hit by an equally low car (ie a lotus) aren't the side protection bars too low to do any protection?
I once hear someone say "realistically if you are hit in the side in an elan it is going to hurt"....

[Coupe]

Unless you are hit by an equally low car (ie a lotus) aren't the side protection bars too low to do any protection?
I once hear someone say "realistically if you are hit in the side in an elan it is going to hurt"....

Although called side impact bars I thought the main aim (especially if racing) is to stop the front wheel / suspension entering the footwell in a front end accident.
Ben

[William2]

In my view any form of side impact protection is worth having.

[adigra]

Although called side impact bars I thought the main aim (especially if racing) is to stop the front wheel / suspension entering the footwell in a front end accident.
Ben

This was what made me fit them. As you sit in the car with your feet so far forward you become aware just how exposed you are to the parts of your own car which could hurt you in an accident.

[Spyder fan]

I wouldn't drive an Elan S1 - S4 or Sprint that didn't have them fitted.

The TTR items are good, but the Spyder items are just as good and nicer people IMHO

http://www.spydercars.co.uk/lotus-elan-2-rollbars/

[gearbox]

Unless you are hit by an equally low car (ie a lotus) aren't the side protection bars too low to do any protection?
I once hear someone say "realistically if you are hit in the side in an elan it is going to hurt"....

As already psoted, the side impact bars is to help the front wheels from crushing into the passenger compartment, but it will also is to prevent things like trees, bridge abbutments, and lamp poles from ripping through the fiberglass and crushing you, should you slide into one. If a SUV "T" bones you, most likely it will roll over you, so nothing short of a full race cage is going to save you. And no matter where you get hit in an Elan, it is going to hurt. I bought the Spyder Roll bar and was thinking of the Saftey Devices unit as it has a bolt on cage, but didn't think it would look right in a roadster. Maybe when I get the coupe. So for the meanwhile, I tend to stop at most intersections lol.