Cam Covers S1-S4 WHEN (chassis-nr) pls help
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Sandy,
At least over on this side of the pond, the original type cover w/ "LOTUS" down each bank of valves was used at least until the end of S3 production, including the SS sub-model. I'm thinking that there was some reason, perhaps a linkage mount location, that the cam cover change coincided with the switch to Stromberg carbs.
If naught else, the crossover pipes for the smog system would have covered over the "LOTUS" letters.
Roger
At least over on this side of the pond, the original type cover w/ "LOTUS" down each bank of valves was used at least until the end of S3 production, including the SS sub-model. I'm thinking that there was some reason, perhaps a linkage mount location, that the cam cover change coincided with the switch to Stromberg carbs.
If naught else, the crossover pipes for the smog system would have covered over the "LOTUS" letters.
Roger
'67 Elan S3 SS DHC
'67 Elan FHC pre-airflow
'67 Elan S3 SE upgrade to 26R by Original owner
'58 Eleven S2 (ex-works)
'62 20/22 FJ (ex-Yamura)
'70 Elan +2S RHD
'61 20 FJ project
'76 Modus M1 F3
'67 Elan FHC pre-airflow
'67 Elan S3 SE upgrade to 26R by Original owner
'58 Eleven S2 (ex-works)
'62 20/22 FJ (ex-Yamura)
'70 Elan +2S RHD
'61 20 FJ project
'76 Modus M1 F3
- Elan45
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The change from the side letters to the front letters occurred sometime in 1968 with the introduction of the Stromberg emission cars and the S4 with the cross over pipes and also the introduction of the twin cam escort with the air cleaner on top of the cam cover. Being Lotus there is probably no specific date or car number when the change occurred. The early front Lotus lettering covers still had ghost marks where the side Lotus lettering had been removed in the molds, my August 68 S4 has those marks.
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rgh0 - Coveted Fifth Gear
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Miles Wilkins in his Twin Cam book gives Oct 1968 as the change over from twin Lotus script to single. He also lists all the colours of cam covers for the different engine types.
So in theory Sandy your car would have the twin script green cover fitted originally.
Tim
So in theory Sandy your car would have the twin script green cover fitted originally.
Tim
Visit www.lotuselansprint.com
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trw99 - Coveted Fifth Gear
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Here is a picture of my 69 Federal S4 SE cam cover (Strombergs originally - now Webers) showing the ghost marks from the previous generation side lettering.
Cam cover was originally red crackle which covered the ghost marks. When repainted smooth black the ghost marks surfaced.
Cam cover was originally red crackle which covered the ghost marks. When repainted smooth black the ghost marks surfaced.
'69 Elan S4 SE
Street 181 BHP
Original owner
Street 181 BHP
Original owner
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The ?ghost marks? seem to be on most of the ?Type 2? cam covers, but were hidden under the paint of most of them!
I can?t find anything in writing about the change from Type 1 (italic script on both sides) to Type 2 (block script on front) but from a lot of hunting and talking with original owners, I believe that the earliest changeover was around July / August / September 1967.
There are two main reasons for that. First is the Mk2 Lotus Cortina, introduced in March 1967. The script on both covers was hidden by the large airbox that sat diagonally over the top of the engine. The round oil cap was also very difficult to remove due to the location of the airbox, so the 3 eared type replaced it at the same time. There was a revision in the Mk2 Series 1 Lotus Cortina, introduced in October 1967, and all the new models had the Type 2 cam cover and 3 eared cap. Those cars would have been built a couple of months earlier than the launch date.
The second reason is the Plus 2. I was very interested in the early cars for quite a while, and talked with many folks about originality for the early cars. The consensus was that (nearly) all the production Plus 2 cars had the Type 2 cover with the 3 eared oil cap, although some pre-production and maybe a couple of very early production cars had the Type 1 cover. The launch brochure certainly shows the early cover on a Plus 2.
The Plus 2 was launched in September 1967, almost exactly the same time that the cover was changed on the Mk2 Lotus Cortina.
However, consensus was also that the S3 Elan carried on using the Type ?1? cover, probably with the 3 eared oil filler, and the Type ?2? cover wasn?t introduced on the 2 seat Elans until the S4 was launched in March 1968. That, of course, does not mean that all S3 cars had the Type 1, and all S4 cars the Type 2. !!
The photo below shows why Colin Chapman wanted to revise the cam cover when he saw how Ford had positioned the air filter housing.
I can?t find anything in writing about the change from Type 1 (italic script on both sides) to Type 2 (block script on front) but from a lot of hunting and talking with original owners, I believe that the earliest changeover was around July / August / September 1967.
There are two main reasons for that. First is the Mk2 Lotus Cortina, introduced in March 1967. The script on both covers was hidden by the large airbox that sat diagonally over the top of the engine. The round oil cap was also very difficult to remove due to the location of the airbox, so the 3 eared type replaced it at the same time. There was a revision in the Mk2 Series 1 Lotus Cortina, introduced in October 1967, and all the new models had the Type 2 cam cover and 3 eared cap. Those cars would have been built a couple of months earlier than the launch date.
The second reason is the Plus 2. I was very interested in the early cars for quite a while, and talked with many folks about originality for the early cars. The consensus was that (nearly) all the production Plus 2 cars had the Type 2 cover with the 3 eared oil cap, although some pre-production and maybe a couple of very early production cars had the Type 1 cover. The launch brochure certainly shows the early cover on a Plus 2.
The Plus 2 was launched in September 1967, almost exactly the same time that the cover was changed on the Mk2 Lotus Cortina.
However, consensus was also that the S3 Elan carried on using the Type ?1? cover, probably with the 3 eared oil filler, and the Type ?2? cover wasn?t introduced on the 2 seat Elans until the S4 was launched in March 1968. That, of course, does not mean that all S3 cars had the Type 1, and all S4 cars the Type 2. !!
The photo below shows why Colin Chapman wanted to revise the cam cover when he saw how Ford had positioned the air filter housing.
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