Castle Combe 2022

[Rambo]

Did anyone actually go to CC this year? Jonathan? What was it like? How many M100 Elan's were there?

And did anyone go to The Smoking Dog and have a curry at The Spice Merchant for old time's sake?

Roll on CC 2023

[Saltire]

I didn’t go - I was otherwise engaged (= on a three-line whip to go shopping in Bristol)

I have however had several curries at the Spice Merchant recently, and when I went down there last weekend to collect a takeaway, I was asked if we would be there at the end of May. Our fame precedes us

[MPx]

I went....twice...not a happy tale. However, on the plus side the weather was lovely, there was a great array of Lotus cars only slightly down in numbers on previous years despite all of the competing events. There were a good few M100s (didn't count but would guess at about a dozen). Track conditions were very good. There were still lots of Lotus friends and acquaintances there to say hello to and catch up with.

On the meh! side - CC have changed around the canteen a bit. Reversed the flow and now all food sold with disposable crocks/cutlery which I find never actually work - and no toast with breakfast! Main loo blocks still locked like last year, so everyone has to use the small portaloo behind the canteen - hence queues at times.

My story was: decided to take the M100. Arrived early, reg'd, sound checked, driver briefed. Found Ian to take round and set off in the second group out. First corner felt an unwelcome shake through the car. On a faster second lap it felt like the car would shake apart so just cruised in to the pits. Over breakfast decided if I set off for home, I should be able to get back by the PM in the Esprit and enjoy some afternoon sessions. Got home and back within 4 hours. Got sound checked and joined the next session. One slow lap, one fast lap before I lost top end power and saw a cloud of blue smoke when applying full throttle. Cruised back to the pits. DOUBLE B****R! So over 7 hours driving to/from. 6 laps of the track - 2 warm up, two fast, 2 cruise/slow. 2 knackered cars...but both were just about drivable to get home.

Looking at the M100 I can see that there's a problem with the off side driveshaft where it joins the centre section - its loose and there's a gap where there shouldn't be one. Nearside is tight and firmly fixed. I'm trailering it down to SWLC on Tuesday for a fix. The concensus of Peter M and Barry E who were peering in the Esprit engine bay with me was that I've blown the turbo. By keeping to a self imposed 3k rev limit coming home I kept it off boost and there was no blue smoke - indeed you wouldn't know there was anything wrong. Will be taking it up to Sparky for a Turbo replace/rebuild as soon as he gets time to do it for me.

That was my 31st time at the CL Castle Combe day and its the first time I've been robbed of some spirited laps so fair enough really. Just a shame...but I still had some good times there so a fun day overall.

[Rambo]

Oh dear At least you're still smiling Mike

[MPx]

Picked up the Elan from SWLC today. Apparently the inner joint of the driveshaft where it links into the gearbox had "exploded"...but fortunately its all held loosely in place at that end so no collateral damage. Although Phil has many of the outside joints, he had no inners and had to source a donor, but he says all good. I'll give it a run tomorrow to make sure I agree. Nice to have it back. Slightly worrying there are no options for replacement at the moment other than from a donor.

[exeterjeep]

I see SJ have the L/H side listed, but a bit worrying that the R/H are not available. SJ seem to do some sort of exchange/repair.
But would these parts have just been made by the factory or off some other car?
On a TV program where a Welsh guy converts cars to EV, he has complete new drive shafts etc made to suit the car he is converting. Obviously the engine side is a Tesla drive motor. Think they are probably quite expensive though?
At least you have got your car back, and can try it out. Roll on Castle Combe 2023.

[MPx]

Good point Keith, I'm sure it would be poss to get some made, but it was the requirement to do just that for everything that broke that made me sell my Carlton in the end - its an expensive game. Anyway did my local 30 odd mile circuit this morning and everything felt right again. Nice and tight, no sterering wheel judder and sublime handling. Yay!

[dapinky]

Are we talking about the splined bit which goes into the gearbox? If so, the actual splined bit will be the same as an Impulse as it's the donor gearbox - but what changes (if any) were made any further along the shaft I haven't a clue.

The Impulse looks to have a 'split' driveshaft like the Elan, going from pictures on Roackauto website (part number NCV40508 for the RHS, and NCV40505 for the LHS) - but the lengths may well have been altered for our application.

I'm fairly sure that one of those could be altered to work by someone who knows what they're doing!

[MPx]

I'm afraid I don't really know exactly what was found/done Dave. However, looking at the image you suggested on Rockauto...



When I took a look underneath before taking it to SWLC the obvious issue was that there was a ~5mm gap between the silver ring on the right side of where the central rubber bellows is and the solid looking metal cylinder. On mine it wasn't a bellows clip, it was a bright disc with a flange around the edge that would slightly wrap around the edge of the cyclinder if butted up. I could easly move the driveshaft by hand unlike the LHS that was solid with no gaps. I'm assuming therefore that the "exploded" bit that Phil referred to was either within the bellows or more likely in the solid cylinder next to it - hence no bits of shaft flailing about. Sorry I can't be more definite, I simply don't know.

[dapinky]

Ah, right. I think I got the wrong end of the stick.... I assumed it was the actual spline into the gearbox, but from what you say, it sounds like it was the central bearing/carrier..... but I guess we'll never know for certain, as the car is mended and you probably don't care too much now