Lotus Elan: How Fast Really?

[lotusdag]

Greg, - no doubt you are enthusiastic abt the TwinCam, and righfully so ! If I may add a few comments ; - modern cam-profiles has done a lot (!) to increase your "momentum" at lower revs, compared to the old Cosworth or BRM profiles of the -60s. I am racing an Elan today with a modern "High lift / "short" duration profile, and the engine is out of a different world compared to what it used to be. It is even quite drivable on the street, although giving you 160 bhp at 7500rpm with FIA-legal valves ; sprint intake / std. exhaust. Having said that, - a 1600 cc four, will never be an equal match for a 5 ltr. V8 , - for natural reasons !
Furthermore, I think it is fair to point out, that just removing you rev-limiter is the shortest way do ruin a Twink ! Don't forget that the bottom is the weakest part of the TC-engine, and above 7000 rpm you really need (!) atleast uprated big-end bolts, a well balanced crank, - or better a steel-crank, weight-balanced pistons, and maybe steel-rods . The std. bottom end, is not safe for higher revs, - that's why Lotus put the limiter in ! For a fact ; - when the limiter was introduced, the number of engine claims dropped to zero at Lotus's.......( - together with the introduction of the 125E rods I must add..... )
But I agree with you in full ; - it is a wonderfull engine !!!

Dag

[McReis]

Nice to be gathering knowledge about a car that I love so much.
Lotusdag, can we see your racing Elan? Please?

[lotusdag]

- sure, it is the green/yellow one posted earlier on this thread........

Dag

[McReis]

- sure, it is the green/yellow one posted earlier on this thread........

Dag

Very beautiful indeed. I love the 26R-like headlights.
What do your main competitors drive? Do they stand any chance?
Any website about the series?

[lotusdag]

Very beautiful indeed. I love the 26R-like headlights.
What do your main competitors drive? Do they stand any chance?
Any website about the series?

- thanks ! - I like them too.... The car is a 26R replica, and unfortunately not one of the very few originals...In the FIA GT period "F", the Elan is definately a winner. Can't really come up with anything that can beat it in the under 1600 class......With abt. 3,75 kg / bhp you should be fast.....
Our series is a Norwegian / Nordic series. Have a look at www.historisk-racing.no , or www.rhkswe.org for the Swedish one. Great fun !

Dag

[fangio]

As Henk4 mentioned the Elan 26R is almost unbeatable, especially on shorter circuits or hillclimbs.
I am sure that in autocross it is the same.

With a legal 180 bhp and some 600 kg, perfect brakes and super handling, what more do you want?

The only thing with the T/C is very frequent rebuilds to keep it in one piece, lots of oil changes etc.
On road-type Avons my car is even faster than on Dunlop racings!

The only pre-66 car that can beat it on a circuit is a Cobra, LWT E-type if well driven or of course a GT40.

I have been trying to think of another car to replace it for the Tour Auto, but the only potential winner apart from the Elan is a Cobra; and with a Cobra the fun for money equation is not really as good as with the Elan!

[henk4]

As Henk4 mentioned the Elan 26R is almost unbeatable, especially on shorter circuits or hillclimbs.
I am sure that in autocross it is the same.

With a legal 180 bhp and some 600 kg, perfect brakes and super handling, what more do you want?

The only thing with the T/C is very frequent rebuilds to keep it in one piece, lots of oil changes etc.
On road-type Avons my car is even faster than on Dunlop racings!

The only pre-66 car that can beat it on a circuit is a Cobra, LWT E-type if well driven or of course a GT40.

I have been trying to think of another car to replace it for the Tour Auto, but the only potential winner apart from the Elan is a Cobra; and with a Cobra the fun for money equation is not really as good as with the Elan!

seen this one before?

[henk4]

As Henk4 mentioned the Elan 26R is almost unbeatable, especially on shorter circuits or hillclimbs.

here is a pic I took at Zandvoort in 1987. It shows a GT race, with the two SWBs driven by Rinie van der Velden and Paul Schouwenburg. Any idea who drove the Elan, that pressed very hard, but always got just overtaken before Tarzan...

[greg.harvey]

Greg, - no doubt you are enthusiastic abt the TwinCam, and righfully so ! If I may add a few comments ; - modern cam-profiles has done a lot (!) to increase your "momentum" at lower revs, compared to the old Cosworth or BRM profiles of the -60s. I am racing an Elan today with a modern "High lift / "short" duration profile, and the engine is out of a different world compared to what it used to be. It is even quite drivable on the street, although giving you 160 bhp at 7500rpm with FIA-legal valves ; sprint intake / std. exhaust. Having said that, - a 1600 cc four, will never be an equal match for a 5 ltr. V8 , - for natural reasons !
Furthermore, I think it is fair to point out, that just removing you rev-limiter is the shortest way do ruin a Twink ! Don't forget that the bottom is the weakest part of the TC-engine, and above 7000 rpm you really need (!) atleast uprated big-end bolts, a well balanced crank, - or better a steel-crank, weight-balanced pistons, and maybe steel-rods . The std. bottom end, is not safe for higher revs, - that's why Lotus put the limiter in ! For a fact ; - when the limiter was introduced, the number of engine claims dropped to zero at Lotus's.......( - together with the introduction of the 125E rods I must add..... )
But I agree with you in full ; - it is a wonderfull engine !!!

Dag

Thanks! I'm surely no expert, so it's good to hear from someone more knowledgeable with regards to engine design, etc.!

[forza_autodelta]

seen this one before?

Hans Hugenholtz? i remember the onboard vids during the Tour Auto , amazing

[McReis]

Hans Hugenholtz? i remember the onboard vids during the Tour Auto , amazing

Is this one of them? If so, congrats on your driving Fangio!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fs1Od_1i2-I

[forza_autodelta]

I don't think it's Mr Hugenholtz because of the integral helmet , further in your list there's the onboard vid of the same car at LeMans:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NqEx...elated&search=

nice videos McReis

[whiteballz]

juding by the elan's performance at a recent meeting at eastern creek raceway, it would be stupidly hard to catch in alot of cars... it was VERY quick, i barely got it in focus most of the laps it ran

[forza_autodelta]

juding by the elan's performance at a recent meeting at eastern creek raceway, it would be stupidly hard to catch in alot of cars... it was VERY quick, i barely got it in focus most of the laps it ran

right , in france this car dominates the GT/tourism series .Mr Lajournade (Lotus 26R) is regularly on the podiums of french Historic meetings and finished two or three this year behind Mr Hugenholtz at the tour auto .john Sheldon in England is really quick too

[PerfAdv]

Is this one of them? If so, congrats on your driving Fangio!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fs1Od_1i2-I

Nice find, that's my favorite kind of driving.