Early elan with factory big wheels

[Greg Foster]

I was at a local shop a couple of weeks ago. The owner of the shop said he had an early elan s1 and said it came from Lotus with 14" rims original. Anyone heard of this before?
Greg

[Elanintheforest]

Anything could happen at Lotus but I would be very warey, especially if the owner is trying to up the value!

A mate of mine bought an Elan Sprint new in 1973, and he ordered it with 14 inch Revolutions and big arches...and this was done at the factory, not at a dealer after the car was delivered. If you knew somebody at the factory, you could get whatever you wanted in the way of colour, trim, engine tune etc. I think that a large wallet probably helped too.

Ask the bloke at the shop what he has to back up his claim? Only period photos / original build sheet would really do it. Does the car have big arches as well?
Mark

[SADLOTUS]

I'm not old enough to have been buying tyres in the early sixties (no honestly!) but I'm sure the sort of 14" tyres available then would have been van tyres! No where near the range available nowadays.... and they'd have been 80 profile too - 155/80 x 14 pretty tall for S1 arches methinks.

[Greg Foster]

My 66 MGB has 14" rims which it came originally with. Ihaven't questioned the shop owner as to why he thinks it came that way. It does have arches to accept the taller and wider wheels.
Greg

[SADLOTUS]

True... as soon as I'd written that I thoiught That can't be right. I'd forgotten about cars like the MGB and Rover's 2000.

What kind of wheels has the Elan got?

[Greg Foster]

The wheels on the car now are aftermarket. I don't know.
Greg

[1964 S1]

Hi Greg, I'd doubt his recall accuracy unless he produced a picture that included a detail of the chunks of fiberglass knocked out of the front wheel arches during cornering. Maybe on a 26R. Are your aftermarket wheels fourteens? Eric

[Greg Foster]

The wheels are 14" aftermarket. You think it's just a story?
Greg

[1964 S1]

It's a story, a good one. As to whether or not it's true, I dunno. It'd have to be a "26r" or some one off from the factory to have 14 inch wheels. I'm sure that size/width wouldn't have worked without tearing up the stock front wheel arches during turning under impact loads. Can you show us a photo?

[Greg Foster]

The car is about 2 hours from me . I have my TC head being repaired and rebuilt by the fellow so I will take pictures when I go back there. What should you look for in a Light weight elan? I believe this one had the standard light buckets in place.
Greg

[1964 S1]

A lotta stress cracks ! TIC
You may be onto something. (and hope he's not a member.)
Keyword lotus 26R under images on Dogpile and hit go fetch.

[khamai]

What should you look for in a Light weight elan? I believe this one had the standard light buckets in place.
Greg

26R had covered headlamps, no buckets.

There is no documentation on 14" wheels being offered on Elans. When you visit watch for bolt-ons vs K/Os. S1 should have only bolt ons.

Cheers
Kiyoshi

[1964 S1]

Did all factory 26R Elans have bolt on wheels?

[khamai]

Did all factory 26R Elans have bolt on wheels?

Magnesium Knock-On's

Check out the 26R Manual on the GGLC website: http://gglotus.org/ggtech/26rmanual/26rmanual.htm

Cheers,
Kiyoshi