Let me start by apologising to the pureist’s and suggest they move on to a different topic.
I have a very ratty S2 Elan that is missing it’s engine and transmission and would be prohibitivly expensive to restore to its original condition. I would like to install a modern 4 cyl. twin cam engine and transmission along with whatever bits and pieces I can find to make it into a minimalist/se7enesque track day car that will also be used on the street. I have a few friends who drive some very fast modern machinery and the idea of being able to run with them in a 40 year old car appeals to me no end.
I am looking for suggestions on suitable engines, improvements of known weak links, adaptations and information sources to help get this project off the ground. I am sure I am not the first to attempt this and I would like to get the benifit of the experience of those who came before me. I live in Maryland, USA. Thanks.
Welcome Ottocycle,
There is lots of information in the archives. The most popular engine change is the Ford “Zetec”. Use that for your search & you will find most of the answers you need.
John
Last year at the All British meet in Palo Alto CA. I saw a nicely done S2 fitted with a Toyota inline 4.
The February 2005 issue of Octane magazine has a “resto-mod” Elan Sprint with a Zetec engine pitted against a K-Series Frogeye. You may want to track down a copy.
Gary
'71 Elan Sprint
Miami, FL
I’ve also heard of, but never seen, Elans with the Toyota twin cam from the mid to late eighties, maybe the one in the MR2? There was a Corolla two door that used a twin cam engine and was rear wheel drive five speed, so both engine and trans can maybe fit… There are great little twin cams in some Proteges and Escorts, but they’re transverse front wheel drive, as are most pocket rocket small blocks, I’m still thinking…
If like you say you want a track day/road car car then my choice would be a motor bike engine.
A couple of mates have them in Lotus Sevens and they are fantastically quick. Around a circuit they are as fast as the bike the engine came from.
An average motorbike engine gearbox assembly weighs about the same as an Elan gearbox so you save the weight of the engine.
You could have similar/more horse power but the power to weight ratio improves massively on what is already a light weight (700kg) car.
Clive
well there is fellow not far from here who put a G.M. 4 cylinder iron duke 4 2000 cc motor in his ?lan with injection and computer controlled ----another is looking at this conversion --parts are cheap and available --and 
----ed
and…? what? an Iron Duke in an Elan? are you serious? Why would anyone go to the trouble to make a car weigh more and go slower? I thought the Toyota idea was a bit of a stretch.
wellll I had best not comment —its not my car or my idea --but it works and its cheap -ed