1969 ELAN+2 SE, powered by TR6 unit
Posted: Thu Jan 03, 2019 2:11 pm
Hi all,
Back in 2000 I found a + 2 elan body in a very bad condition, w/o engine and other parts, and a previous very bad repaired body crash.
Emotionally and knowing the glory of Colin Chapman, I took the decision to buy this car and give it life, someday.
I tried to find a Lotus engine here in Greece and elsewhere to keep it original, but the cost was very high, ( keeping in mind that everything had to be machined, rebored, and be in a perfect condition).
Thinking that Chapman's policy was to use parts of various car makers ( Ford, Alfa Romeo, Triumph, jags ..), I decide to use a stage 2, 180 bhp approx. TR6 6 cylinder engine, (which I had built back in 1986 for racing use ), taking the risk to be characterized as sacrilegious !! ( ..Please give some sympathy- are British made, after all ! )
Of course I knew that a hell of modifications needed, to make a reliable pro job, ( body & chassis strengthening, brakes, suspension, diff./half axles ..), but the cost will be minor for me except time, which now is plenty available.
The first plan was:
To strength the body & chassis, make all mods to chassis to obtain the new engine and 'J' type O/D TR6 gearbox, mods to suspension, use of 7j x 16 rims along with 205/55/R16 rear & 195/45/R16 front tyres, and leaving everything else to it's standard position in a way that any time we can use the old lotus components.
For the final stage, i' ll leave the brakes (very important), and TR6 differential unit with special halfshafts.
I upload some pics before & after, and i' ll inform the forum for the progress to any interested.
Regards
C.S
Back in 2000 I found a + 2 elan body in a very bad condition, w/o engine and other parts, and a previous very bad repaired body crash.
Emotionally and knowing the glory of Colin Chapman, I took the decision to buy this car and give it life, someday.
I tried to find a Lotus engine here in Greece and elsewhere to keep it original, but the cost was very high, ( keeping in mind that everything had to be machined, rebored, and be in a perfect condition).
Thinking that Chapman's policy was to use parts of various car makers ( Ford, Alfa Romeo, Triumph, jags ..), I decide to use a stage 2, 180 bhp approx. TR6 6 cylinder engine, (which I had built back in 1986 for racing use ), taking the risk to be characterized as sacrilegious !! ( ..Please give some sympathy- are British made, after all ! )
Of course I knew that a hell of modifications needed, to make a reliable pro job, ( body & chassis strengthening, brakes, suspension, diff./half axles ..), but the cost will be minor for me except time, which now is plenty available.
The first plan was:
To strength the body & chassis, make all mods to chassis to obtain the new engine and 'J' type O/D TR6 gearbox, mods to suspension, use of 7j x 16 rims along with 205/55/R16 rear & 195/45/R16 front tyres, and leaving everything else to it's standard position in a way that any time we can use the old lotus components.
For the final stage, i' ll leave the brakes (very important), and TR6 differential unit with special halfshafts.
I upload some pics before & after, and i' ll inform the forum for the progress to any interested.
Regards
C.S