CV Drive Shafts.

Hi Guys.
I believe the LOG27 gathering at Aspen Colorado was a great success, it was
a pretty big event I’m told. There were also two elans from Iowa driven to
and from the event fitted with Croucher Engineering CV drive shaft kits.
See photo’s and learn more here:
elantrikbits.com/CV-driveshafts.html
Col.

Not a bad CV system but if your looking for a better engineered product then log in to the Elan factory. Do the research as all things are not the same!

Well, you nipped that sales pitch in the bud!

Sorry Oldokie never meant to be a sales pitch just engineering excellence! Have a look at the current formula one drive shafts & those produced by the Elan Factory. The ones produced by the Elan factory are manufactured by an ex formula one engineer. Feel free to compare the two products as I did then make you own mind up.
I’m not associated with or trying to promote that company’s products but it is a situation of chalk & cheese.

Sarah Ryan.

Here’s the facts, Croucher Engineering has manufactured CV drive shafts for well over two decades, in fact we used to supply (until about 1.5 years ago) the elan factory with these very same drive shafts you refer to, hence they got the name elan factory drive shafts, but they were all produced in my little factory located in North East Victoria Australia, it is strange how people misconstrue things isn’t it.

If you are looking at the drive shaft product sheet at the elan factory… well sorry to say Sarah, but this photo was taken by me several years ago at the elan factory. My drive shafts, my photograph!
That is not some new fangled drive shaft design.

The shafts we produce today are even better than that product, so yes, there could well be a copycat version being built there by an EX F1 guy.

So if you still want a rock solid world class product that will provide years and years of trouble free motoring, go get your self the real deal… the ones with the genuine elantrikbits.com sticker on the axles.
Col Croucher Engineering Australia.

Settle down Col & take a little criticism on the chin. Use the comments to do better. At this point in time just let the punters decide!

Nice try Sarah. Trouble is, the Elan Factory don’t answer an email or have the time to talk on the phone - busy working on up-market Elise and Esprit. I’m sure Croucher offer better service.
Regards,
Peter.

Nothing but positive experienece with Elan Factory for me. Steve’s happy to share his knowledge and time (via lengthy detailed email replies) even if a product / funds aren’t changing hands.

My two cents worth.

Robert

Thank you robert my feelings exactly.

My previous comments stand based upon sound engineering observations!

This is not a discussion regarding people PRLOZ & as such you are way off the mark & no further comments are needed.

lotuselan.net/forums/viewtopic.php?t=13800

lotuselan.net/forums/viewtopic.php?t=13456

lotuselan.net/forums/viewtopic.php?t=13716

lotuselan.net/forums/viewtopic.php?t=1368

Sarah Ryan, do you own stock in the Elan Factory. Whats you game here, you seem to have a burr in you bottom with Col.

                              Gary

Hi on the contary I did purchase rear spring platforms from Col.

No I don’t own shares or have any financial interest in the Elan factory. I have on occasions purchased from them as I purchase Elan spares from all over the globe especially E-bay.

I have no beef with either party but I do subscribe & appreciate best engineering practise.

Hope that helps!

Sarah

What are the sound engineering practices and the the better engineering that you are alluding too in respect to the different makes of driveshaft. From what basis have you come to your opinon.
regards

Batfish

Move over Rohan, Sarah’s our new guru, biased upon sound egineering observations!

I have no connections with either companies but to make a statement as above requires some sort of explanation.
I have not studied the products but as Sarah obviously has I think she needs to explain the differences between “chalk & cheese”

Hi boys I’m free to make any comment I choose, as do all of you & no type 26/36/74 (why can you all just use your given names or is that your measurements-- sorry could help that one) I won’t be offering any explanation.
I only try to inspire people to make up their own minds, most people can usually do that although I some times wonder reading this forum.
I believe there are diferences between the two products & I’m not in the market of comparing people as some have implied.
I’m sure both Steve & Col are happy to discuss the merits of their respective offerings. I have also looked at offerings from Sue Miller & would say they are a very good alternative.

Should any of you wish to discuss it with me I can be contacted in person at the upcoming Auto parts conference in Shanghai on September 26-28 at the Shanghai International Exhibition centre RP China, I fly out tomorrow.

So can we all move on I think this has been done to death & I wont be responding to any more of this but I look forward in logging on October 2nd. Enjoy!

It never ceases to amaze me how some folks can make comments on other people that spend a good portion of the working life trying to help others by developing and supporting our hobby. It took only a few choice words to cast doubt on someones work without backing it up with anything.
Most of the people that support our hobby/cars can never hope to get back the effort that they put in and most have to settle for the satisfaction of helping others. When a few people make questionable comments on other members of this group that have made contributions to all of us and those people up and leave, we have all lost a valuable resource. It has happened with Kieth Franks, John McCoy and I am sure there are a few others too. I guess i’ll end this message before I write something that I regret.

Gary E. Anderson

Sarah Ryan,
Of course you are free to express your opinions as are all of us but when you trash a product on a public forum with out any explanation then you are bound to get some sort of reaction,is it that you wont or CANT explain yourself? as you seem to promote the Elan Factory at every opportunity then people are bound to think you have vested interest .I have no opinion of either as I have not dealt with them but you are trying to persuade people that one product is superior to the other and it is not just your opinion as you state categorically “if your looking for a better engineered product then log in to the Elan factory”
As for your childish comment “& no type 26/36/74 (why can you all just use your given names or is that your measurements” I will not dignify it with an answer as if you have to resort to personal attacks then it says a lot about your mindset.
Have a nice trip to China, best regards Brian Goodison (types26/36/74)

I can see the cover of a Club Lotus magazine which reads:-

“Free to comment, congratulate or criticise” :wink:

:arrow_right: Matthew

I have known both Col Croucher and Steve Taylor at the Elan factory for many many years and respect their engineering ability and the parts they make or have made for them to their specification by the many specialist machine shops you need to use when making small run high quality components.

The CV drive shafts from both sources now are very good products and have a lot of common heritage going back 20 years when I started talking to both of them about making a set of adapter plates for me from a set of drawings I had developed. This drawing was based on an earlier sketch in a Club Lotus Australia Magazine that was actually wrongly dimensioned but was the first reference to a CV conversion that I had ever seen.

Guys like this that you can ring up on a Sunday afternoon if your in trouble and go around to pick up a part the next hour I truely appreciate. The small Lotus community in Victoria is very lucky to have resources like this available.

just my 2 cents worth
Rohan

I agree completely but any publication with a basic journalistic stranded of ethics presents a balanced point of view with reasons for its opinions.
I am not promoting one over the other as I do not know, ( I and others) simply do not accept " this is better then that" …why is it?