Lotus Elan Central

Would like to get some numbers up to try and encourage people to provide us with a solution.

Reflex Auto Design produce over 1400 variants of their skid plate - retail £145. This is 2mm powder coated steel. I also bought a skid plate for my old Audi S4 which was much more heavy duty - 3-4mm heavy steel - was about £200. I'll dig out the manufacturer for that. I will also speak to local engineering firms once we are closer on a rough design.

So based on a £100-£200 spend to protect your sump (see other threads for the problems replacing it may entail) can we start to count up interest for RAD or any other manufacturer to make us an Elan-specific skid plate?

Christine at RAD is working on the closest solution and i hope will send me a test piece for fitment adjustment once she has the closest match.

This is the kind of thing you will get - 2mm powder coated steel with a silicon bung for access to the drain hole:



*copy and paste, adding name*

Custom M100 Skid Plates:

1. Jeemy

*copy and paste, adding name*

Custom M100 Skid Plates:

1. Jeemy
2. HJ2

Custom M100 Skid Plates:

1. Jeemy
2. HJ2
3. Cliff

+ all the Ypres party boys!

Jeemy wrote:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BsYGzhjXkTA

That's the one i had in mind yes

If the skid plate covers the sump then I guess I do not need a sump
Steve

Custom M100 Skid Plates:

1. Jeemy
2. HJ2
3. Cliff
4.paulsmithmk
5. Rob P
6. Sandra (m100sandra)

Custom M100 Skid Plates:

1. Jeemy
2. HJ2
3. Cliff
4.paulsmithmk
5. Rob P
6. Sandra (m100sandra)
7.Woody

Cheers

Custom M100 Skid Plates:

1. Jeemy
2. HJ2
3. Cliff
4.paulsmithmk
5. Rob P
6. Sandra (m100sandra)
7.Woody
8.daveiow

daveiow wrote:Custom M100 Skid Plates:

1. Jeemy
2. HJ2
3. Cliff
4.paulsmithmk
5. Rob P
6. Sandra (m100sandra)
7.Woody
8.daveiow

9.Steve M Virginia

Custom M100 Skid Plates:

1. Jeemy
2. HJ2
3. Cliff
4. paulsmithmk
5. Rob P
6. Sandra (m100sandra)
7. Woody
8. daveiow
9. Steve M Virginia
10. ccb056 Michigan

I'm liking the look of that .Please add my name to the list

Custom M100 Skid Plates:

1. Jeemy
2. HJ2
3. Cliff
4. paulsmithmk
5. Rob P
6. Sandra (m100sandra)
7. Woody
8. daveiow
9. Steve M Virginia
10. ccb056 Michigan
11. hatters

A very good idea (and I've got a large sheet of 2.5mm stainless sat in the garage which I'd thought about using) but..... where would it mount (without stressing anything unduly) and the example shown looks pretty solid (the engine bay can suffer from heat soak - see cooked alternators) so would there be sufficient airflow?

I'm in the process of making up dimensions and photos for them and will put these questions forward at the same time. I don't know how one would test these kind of things; but am more than happy to provide any test parts to anybody else, or do anything that is required. I do love protective casings.

I haven't looked into the mounting points on an elan - one of those 'things to think about when I've got time' projects......

....on the Triumph i use a sheet of 3mm steel with holes cut into it for ventilation (but that gets used on gravel stages) mounted to the chassis rails - i still get fed up with replacing the bolts each event having ground the heads away on the 'road' surface though.

I would think that as the elan only needs a low level of protection for an occassional bump, it wouldn't need to be overly robust, as long as it helps to smooth out any impact to rigid components (exhaust, sump, etc) so perhaps mounting to the radiator frame would provide enough 'structure' with a couple of support bolts further back to hold it in place???????

Just to let you know I haven't forgotten about this. After almost 2 months bogged down with seasonal work, I am now BACK! (almost) - catching up on my obligations to LEC today, and hopefully bringing the Elan to her new home for the second half of the rebuild early next week.

As soon as her new windscreen is fitted, which is stuck at my old premises until I get my van back, she can go up on blocks for brakes and suspension. At this point I'll be able to take the measurements, work out the fitting points, get the closest match from the manufacturers and work out what alterations need made.

GeoffSmith wrote:Custom M100 Skid Plates:

1. Jeemy
2. HJ2
3. Cliff
4. paulsmithmk
5. Rob P
6. Sandra (m100sandra)
7. Woody
8. daveiow
9. Steve M Virginia
10. ccb056 Michigan
11. hatters

A very good idea (and I've got a large sheet of 2.5mm stainless sat in the garage which I'd thought about using) but..... where would it mount (without stressing anything unduly) and the example shown looks pretty solid (the engine bay can suffer from heat soak - see cooked alternators) so would there be sufficient airflow?

Im in 12)Scott