Early Stearing Wheel conundrum ?!

[Elanintheforest]

And that looks like the wicker seat of a Fiat 500 Jolly, Eric, or it's earlier cousin.
I think that I detect some experience / knowledge here on the old 26R, a touchy subject on this forum, but always a bit of fun. If you have such a machine, we'd all love to see it, and have you tell us about it.

Cheers...Mark

[GrUmPyBoDgEr]

Ooops; sorry, forgot to say a hearty welcome Eric.
I also forgot to add that we've had some great fun about 26R's on here recently; hence my, what may appear to be a rather obscure comments.

Cheers
John

[SpeedModel]

Good eye, Mark; it is a Fiat 500 Jolly. I've owned a couple of 26R's in the past, an original and a superb replica, but now my Lotus stable is thinned down to a 1963 Elite, a 1964 series 1 1/2 Elan, and a 1999 190R.

John, Thanks for the warm welcome. Talking about Elan stuff is always fun.

[elancoupe]

Good eye, Mark; it is a Fiat 500 Jolly. I've owned a couple of 26R's in the past, an original and a superb replica, but now my Lotus stable is thinned down to a 1963 Elite, a 1964 series 1 1/2 Elan, and a 1999 190R.

John, Thanks for the warm welcome. Talking about Elan stuff is always fun.

Welcome to the site, Eric. If you like to share any old pics of your 26R or replica, I for one would love to see them.

[Elanintheforest]

And the S1 1/2 would be of great interest as well, Eric. Each 'transition' model seems to be slightly different, and we've had a good few canters here about the differences. Early Elans have become very sought after here in the UK. We lost a lot due to neglect in the 70s and due to the low ? value in the 80s, when many were sold to the US and a lot more to Japan.

I've been running and restoring Elans for the best part of 35 years now, but the Elite (#1575) is fairly new to me and came as a bodyshell and many boxes of bits...pretty much complete, which was quite surprising. It's a whole new learning curve, and all the more fun for that. It was bought from a guy who races a 26R and a Lotus Cortina, so little surprise that he had no interest in that nice original steering wheel!

It was this forum that re-enthused me with Elans, and the Elite is sitting alongside a 1965 S2, also bought in bits after being taken apart in 1974. Quite a few other Elans are lurking in the shadows, ijncluding my S3 Coupe bought in '75, but I feel that you can never have too many projects!

Mark

[garyeanderson]

The bottom wheel is a Les Leston wheel that came in 65 Cortina GT, it will most likely be finished off and installed in a Lotus Cortina mk1 someday. The Elan wheel on the right is from 26/4997 (I think, or maybe 26/4020). The wheel on the left came with one of the Elites. I think you can get close to having too many projects, but I am not yet there. I want to find another early pre-airflow Coupe. I need to make a few phone calls and talk (dangerous, I know) to the current owners, I never liked selling off 36/5520 to buy the Elite but sometimes you have to make sacrifices...

[twincamman]

you guys HAVE GOT to get out more --I couldn't wait to get rid of mine and replace it with a 10 inch leather one -----it hangs on the garage wall -ed

[SpeedModel]

Mark - The S1 1/2 is number 3955. I've had it parked in the back of the garage for a few years and I'd like to get it back on the road this year. I'm sure the water pump will need to be changed, so I'm debating whether to rebuild the original pump or fit removable a cartridge type for future ease of repair. My car looks like an S1 with S2 dash and badging.

CABC26B - You are probably correct that there were various style steering wheels fitted to the 26R's. I've always presumed the type fitted to my cars was made by Springall, but it's only a guess based upon another car I have fitted with a very similar 15 inch steering wheel known to be made by Springall.

elancoupe - I owned the 26R's in the pre-digital camera era, so I don't have any photos on my computer. I'll try to remember to find one for the scanner.

Gary & Ed - Nice assortment wheels! I especially like the early riveted type that you have Ed. That's a rare bird...

[twincamman]

thanks and welcome to the funny farm all about dogs -elans and pontificates ---maybe Ill move the wheel in side out of the damp -----what number car did you own and where did you race it ????? [I'm expecting a flurry of slings and arrows from the Philistines for asking this question ] perhaps some one on the site will fill you in ----ed

[elansprint71]

First Tony Thompson basket-case wheels, then three wheels with air-bags and now bolt-on 26/R wheels.

Where will it all end?

[twincamman]

WHAT ARE YOU ON ABOUT .PETE - your superior wit and intellect escapes me as you can only see 2 wheels --too much Guinness??--and air bags??only in Britain I'm sure -the FIA form I have states [under optional equipment ] that pin drive kos are offered as an option to vented disc bolt on wheels [THE FIRST ARROW AS EXPECTED ] now Im going driving --- ed

[SpeedModel]

Ed, it's been quite a few years since I owned either car and I don't recall the numbers. I never raced them in anger, rather I just used them as street rockets. The real 26R was sold to someone in California, and the cloned car was sold to a man in Australia named Peter. He used it on the Tasmanian Rally. They were wicked fast little cars.

[twincamman]

yes they are fast --and faster when one of the twin brake masters goes away [about #9 on the pucker scale ] ----oh well new motor -rebuilt tranny and now the brakes ----Im sure it will run like a freight train again for about a week after these are done --- -ed

[twincamman]

and yes D.J. the 'S ' word was spoken --and not in a good way ----the reference to S word was used as not to offend any one opposed to the 1st amendment [ no E Mass or Bostonian Presbyterian feelings were meant to be injured in posting of this this Email-]- -ed

[GrUmPyBoDgEr]

and yes D.J. the 'S ' word was spoken --and not in a good way ----the reference to S word was used as not to offend any one opposed to the 1st amendment [ no E Mass or Bostonian Presbyterian feelings were meant to be injured in posting of this this Email-]- -ed