Elan Radiator inlet Grills

Bill Rathlef emailed me looking to see if I had a extra grill for the Elan. Well I never know what?s around until I go looking, so I rounded a couple up. I always thought the hardware cloth was 3/8 inch in height by 1/4 inch in width. I hadn’t looked to closely over the years and gee, I seem to have two types, 1/2 inch by 1/4 inch is also in the collection. Judging by the rust on the 3/8" by 1/4", I would guess they are off of the S2?s . Does any know when this change occurred, does anyone know there was a change, does it matter?

p.s. I normally replace this with a locally available galvanised 1/4 by 1/4 inch hardware cloth with a wire perimeter all painted flat black attached with black tie-wraps.

Early left, late right

Two on top are early, bottom two are late?

Looks like I am short a few, need to make some more…

Maybe the later type provides increased airflow to the narrower radiators…? :confused: :laughing: :wink:

It might be something to do with matching the mounting peg positions on number (license) plate digits. Or more likely the later type was cheaper… :slight_smile:

:arrow_right: Matthew

I love these obscure undocumented changes :smiley:

cheers
Rohan

Didn’t the 26/R have bigger holes? :smiling_imp:

Just had to check mine…S2, S3 & S4…all 1/2" x 1/4". They all look pretty original close up…i.e., grotty!

Mark

heres mine —and Katy says ’ Pete --don’t you annoy my Grandad or Ill deliver a HUGE diaper in your corn flakes '-- :slight_smile:


All I could come up with is a 3/8 X 1/4 - I also recall my type 46 europa having a larger “grid” that my s1 elan at time when they were both in the same garage - so, we may be able to infer something , or given its a lotus maybe not.

I weighed the grills, the 3/8" x 1/4" was 155 grams, the 1/2" x 1/4" was 134 grams. I was going to cut the tie-wraps off of the homemade one on the front of my Elan and weigh it but I know its more than any of the others I showed. All that extra weight up front I have been driving around with… I think the grill came out of the metal pile at the old landfill, might have been an old rabbit hutch for all I know?

Twincaman,

Your gold nose looks remarkably like a formula car, rather than an Elan. I’ve been making one of these for my 20/22 out of Pegasus’ SS hardware cloth, so I suppose I need to check the spacing to make sure I have the right pattern.

Roger

rather than stir things up again lets just say ‘its a special body’ --ed