S3 voltage regulator box

PostPost by: RoscoP » Fri May 23, 2014 4:35 pm

Hi Folks,
I'm restoring my 67 S3SE DHC, much of which arrived in boxes! My car was originally produced in June 67 and is positive earth. I was wondering if any of you know which type of regulator box it should have ie the early "curved top" variety as fitted to the S1 and S2 or the later rectangular lucas unit as fitted to the S4 and Sprint?
Any ideas?
Cheers
Ross
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PostPost by: badback » Fri May 23, 2014 9:22 pm

Hello Ross

The curved top Lucas RB106/2

Regards Brian
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Elan S3 1967.JPG and
Engine bay Elan S3 1967
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PostPost by: RoscoP » Sun May 25, 2014 9:54 am

Cheers Brian,
So it looks like all S3's had the curved top unit. BTW, on the subject of engine bay originality, my Elan has the later S4 cam cover with LOTUS cast into the front of the cover, I've been told by a few folk that this is correct for a late S3 engine but I'm not sure! Luckily, I also have an early cam cover like the one in your photo......all gets a bit confusing, doesn't it?
Cheers
Ross
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PostPost by: badback » Mon May 26, 2014 9:00 pm

I think that's possible! The later cam cover fitted to a late S3. As the change supposedly happened when the MK2 engine was introduced from No LP7800.
My engine being a MK2 with the number 7910. I do no this engine with its cam cover is original to the car.
Nothing is black and white with these things.
Of course with your car being a S/E the cover would be painted green.

Brian
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PostPost by: Elanintheforest » Tue May 27, 2014 10:12 am

It seems that the cam cover with 'Lotus' at the front came in a little earlier than the Mk 2 engine, at around April '67.

The reason it was re-designed was for the Mk 2 Lotus Cortina, The original design was fine for the Elan and Mk 1 Lotus Cortina, both of which had the air filter in the nose of the car. The Mk 2 Lotus Cortina had a large filter canister fitted on top of the engine, which obscured the 'Lotus' script on the cam covers.

The very early cars (February March / '67) had the earlier cam covers, but it looks like after April they all had the new ones. However, the old ones continued to be 'used-up' on Elans.

Just to add to the confusion, the engines were not installed in any engine number sequence, so I can well imagine an early cam cover going into a late '67 car, and of course, a late cover going into an April '67 Elan!

I used to have a very early (September '67) Plus 2, with a later cam cover. It was pointed out to me that it was an early version of the later cover (still with me??!!) as it had the ghost marks of the old cast tooling where 'Lotus' had been ground off the original 'Lotus' scripts from each side of the cover.

Does your cover have this? An interesting but largely irrelevant little Lotus factoid!

Mark Kempson
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PostPost by: RoscoP » Wed May 28, 2014 7:22 pm

Nothing's easy with these cars regarding change over items is it folks?!
I'll have to scrutinise the cam cover and see if the casting mark is still visible. My car has its original engine. LP8126LAA so it looks like the later cover may be original. I think Ill still fit the earlier one though as I think it looks better!
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Ross
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