Front Caliper Part Numbers

[William2]

Bit of a story here!
I ordered a pair of genuine reconditioned Girling front brake calipers for my late S4 Elan off Ebay as my car had no calipers. The later version with the brake feed and nipple at the top. A nicely rebuilt pair of calipers arrived and today I just tried to bolt them to the upright casting. Oh dear, unfortunately the 2 mounting holes didn't line up by about 1/8" . The hole centres are fine but the caliper wouldn't go on far enough. The calipers were advertised as being correct for a Triumph Spitfire Mk3 or 4. In other words, should be fine for an Elan. I checked my brake disc diameter which is correct at 9 1/2".
The number stamped on the caliper casting looks like 64327547. The guy at Classicar Automotive thought the number should be 64327863. Neither of these part numbers are listed in Paul Ribinshaw's Elan book.
I am rather perplexed as there seem to be so many possible Girling part numbers! Can ayone shed any light on this part number issue or had a similar problem Thankyou in anticipation.

[Bud English]

William, Here's a cross reference page from Golden Gate Lotus Club's site. Hope it helps. I've only used the +2 info, but it was all good.

http://gglotus.org/ggpart/elanxref.htm

Edit: ...or not. Seems neither number is listed. Sorry.

[Craven]

Hi,
Probably not a lot of help but I have had trouble pinning down the size of a Triumph disc, most now give a size of 232mm ~ 9 1/8inch.
Ron.

[rgh0]

You probably also need to check your calliper mounting brackets to ensure they are original and to the correct dimensions.

My original 1968 S4 callipers have "14LF Mk1" with brake feed line in the side
and also
The stamped numbers on the callipers are / may be? patent numbers are they are either side of the "Brit. Pat. Nos." stamping. The numbers are as best I can read them:

on RH calliper stamped
top
688682 ( the second 6 may be an
703218
bottom
619767 (the second 6 may be an
742638

There is also a cast number on the mounting flange
326841 This number may have a couple more digits hidden behind the brake pipe bracket

on the LH calliper same stamped markings but the numbers are swapped top and bottom.

and the cast number on the flange is
643258 ( as best I can read this one and it also may have a couple more digits hidden by the brake pipe bracket)

here is a sample photo of the markings

cheers
Rohan

[William2]

Thanks for your comments gents. I was under the impression that the disc and caliper mounting bracket was all standard Triumph stuff from Heralds and later Spitfires?

[rgh0]

Yes the bracket should be herald / spitfire but if your car came without callipers the DPO may have been planning to change the callipers and modified or replaced the brackets with something else.

cheers
Rohan

[ecamiel]

Could the PO have put in the larger GT6, Plus 2 up rites, spindles, brakes?
Eric
64 S1 Hart

[William2]

Gentlemen, result! I took the calipers and a hub/disc unit over to Miles Wilkins and straight away he found the problem. The previous owner of the car had fitted Plus 2 discs! I bought a pair of correct size discs from Miles so onwards and upwards.

[tonycharente]

Hello all,
Thought I'd pick up on this thread rather than start yet another topic relating to Elan front caliper numbers.

My questions: Were all genuine original Elan S4 side entry front calipers actually stamped "14LFMKI". And conversely were calipers marked "14LFMKI" only fitted to Lotuses? And are caliper numbers commencing 6432664X potentially original fit? or definitely not original fit? (these numbers are entirely different to the numbers quoted in the various books and web sites, despite matching the caliper in the photo higher in this topic).

Now here's why I'm asking. On my 1969 Elan SE, the left hand caliper had "14LFMKI" stamped on it, together with the numbers (inter alia) 64326644 & 64326640. I've replaced it with an apparently identical reconditioned one, bought blind on eBay a while ago, also marked "14LFMKI", and (I think, very hard to make out) 643266??, so I'm assuming it's exactly the same.
On the right hand caliper there is nothing stamped where it says "14LFMKI", but it has the number 64326645 and looks to be the mirror image of my two left hand ones. I have a second right hand one, bought along with the reconditioned one, which looks almost, but not quite, identical, (slightly different moulding I think) also without the "14LF MKI" marking, and which has the numbers T64326641 and 64326645.

Many thanks,
Tony