get the elan wider,possible?

[chetepongo22]

DOES ANYONE KNOW ABOUT GETTING THE ELAN WIDER A LITTLE BIT ON THE REAR??

I SAW WHAT AN AMERICAN GUY MADE WITH A FERRARI 308 AND WAS VERY NICE. JUST A LITTLE WIDER AND NEW WHEELS, THE CAR KEPT BEING ORIGINAL BUT MORE SPORTY. COULD THIS BE POSSIBLE WITH THE ELAN??
THANKS

[ektrolleyboy]

I think you're crazy!
The ELAN is already wider than it was ever intended to be due to the moulding process changing and the drawings not matching the moulds due to shrinkage properties or lack of them in this case. The measurements of the drawing allowed for shrinkage in both the material and the moulds. The new process didn't shrink and for some reason neither party told the other. Good old LOTUS, hey!

I'm always taken back by how wide the rear looks when I approach the car. Leave well alone is my opinion. But it might be interesting to see... Were you thinking of something along the lines of the Dimma kits seen on Peugeot's and Renaults of the nineties? Or merely keeping the original shape of the ELAN but sending it to fat camp?

[chetepongo22]

Just wanted to imagine the beautiful lines of this amazing car ...kinf of like if it represents the differences between a 911 and 911 turbo, or a good version for competition of a lotus elan, like a group 4 of a detomaso pantera and the original or like the sporty version of the esprit sport 300 and the normal turbo se.

I am of those who respect the car original

thanks

[tigerdog]

I suppose it might be possible to modify the bodywork, but to what end? On the Ferrari and Pantera, widening the rear means you can fit wider rear wheels. Makes sense on a rear drive car but not so much on a front-driver like the Elan, IMO. Of course, then you'd have to find wider wheels in the correct offset. Then wider tyres. Then... project creep!

[chetepongo22]

Thanks for your opinion!!!

cheers