Counterfeit Head ?

[twincamman]

true Brian---but the head may not be ed

[rgh0]

Does the head have any casting numbers or other identification marks on it?

Rohan

[types26/36]

Rohan,
I dont know as I'm just jumping between forums, if you go to "spannerfodder forum" and follow the links you can view the topic.
Brian

[rgh0]

The WM9403 casting number referred to on the "spannerfodder" site forum is the same as on one of my early heads . WM stands for William Mills who cast the Lotus heads.

The absence of the Lotus part number that was also cast into the heads again suggests its an early development head before the Elan and its parts numbers were finalised.

Vegantune did at one time make twin cam heads for Caterham in 78/79 after Lotus stopped making them. The supply was negotiated between Lotus, Caterham and Vegantune, William Mills cast 50 heads but could do no more due to lack of capacity. The foundrys Vegantune tried after William Mills were not available to do the casting did not make many successful heads due to porosity ( see page 201 of Wilkins book) and the program stopped. Possible that the head is from this period given its Vegantune paint job and lack of a Lotus part number but I suspect not. There were enough problems fitting the carbs into the side of a caterham seven bonnet without puttng longer intake runners on.

Rohan

[Greg Foster]

For what it's worth; Miles Wilkins book Twin Cam Engine has an early drawing dated June 1962 ( page 12) which describes a 4 cap head. The rear cam cap is missing.
Wishing the best during the holidays and throughout the new year, to all!
Greg Foster

[lotuselanman]

Gidday all,
Spent some time pondering and read up on this here odd head, I will not go into detail but all the answers are in Miles Wilkens Bible. From pages 10 to 24, it's all there.
What would I do if it were mine, I would bead blast it and apply a clear protective coat. Then construct a coffee table with a glass top.
See ya, Les.

Ps. If you have no use for it cast it my way.

[jabingb]

To add to this very old thread and to also supplement another thread I recently discovered that Rohan started, here are some pixs of the unusual head I have as described below. It does NOT have a drilling for any vacuum port so that may indicate a non-Elan fitting, 23, Cortina, or? The most unusual features are: longer intake runners, no oil breather chamber, missing 5th cam cap.

Finally, I at last I have found another one. I too have a head as described. I have taken it to various people and Lotus club meetings in the hope that someone could identify the origin of this head. To no avail, I believe I even communicated with Lotus with similar results, it remains a mystery.

I too think that it may have been an early prototype, perhaps from a 23? There are the same mounting holes on the web between 2 & 3 which I have wondered if they located a T-J setup. But this is only the 2nd one I have heard of in all these years.

I acquired mine when I bought my 26R in 1973 from a Carlos Neiderhauser (sp?), Summit Point, NC. He related that he had the original head off the car for repair at an SCCA race and over the course of the weekend it disappeared. He got this head as a replacement, but did not elaborate as to the origin of it.

[rgh0]

Yes early pre-production prototype head used during development

cheers
Rohan