Speedbrakes failed after only 31 years of use

[Pinecone]

11 hours ago, DonMuncy said:

Not by a long shot. I really enjoyed that series. I also really liked the car. Better than any other vehicle I have ever owned. Too bad it was typical british with oil leaks everywhere, Lucas electrics, etc. If I was younger and had made the time, I would have liked to fix it and still be driving it. I have had a couple of Miatas, and they are close, but much heavier than the Elan.

Love the Elan.  As well as the Europa and Super 7.

I heard that the design criteria for the Miata was that it was modeled after the Elan and looked like it from 30 meters.

No way it could be as light as a 60s/early 70s vehicle.  Too much required stuff, including a lot more structure for crash resistant.

Also Colin Chapman was known for making things as light as possible.  He was quoted a saying I make things lighter until they break, then I back up one iteration.

[DonMuncy]

4 hours ago, Pinecone said:

Love the Elan.  As well as the Europa and Super 7.

I heard that the design criteria for the Miata was that it was modeled after the Elan and looked like it from 30 meters.

No way it could be as light as a 60s/early 70s vehicle.  Too much required stuff, including a lot more structure for crash resistant.

Also Colin Chapman was known for making things as light as possible.  He was quoted a saying I make things lighter until they break, then I back up one iteration.

I agree on all points. I have also owned a Super 7 and a Europa. 

[jetdriven]

5 hours ago, Pinecone said:

Love the Elan.  As well as the Europa and Super 7.

I heard that the design criteria for the Miata was that it was modeled after the Elan and looked like it from 30 meters.

No way it could be as light as a 60s/early 70s vehicle.  Too much required stuff, including a lot more structure for crash resistant.

Also Colin Chapman was known for making things as light as possible.  He was quoted a saying I make things lighter until they break, then I back up one iteration.

I think he also said simplify, then add lightness.
I have also heard that LOTUS stands for "lots of trouble, usually serious. "

[Pinecone]

3 hours ago, DonMuncy said:

I agree on all points. I have also owned a Super 7 and a Europa. 

I BOW DOWN to you.

Both for having some cool cars, and surviving the experience.

Which series Super 7?   I know purists like the Series 3 best, but I was always partial to the looks of the Series 4.

[DonMuncy]

8 minutes ago, Pinecone said:

I BOW DOWN to you.

Both for having some cool cars, and surviving the experience.

Which series Super 7?   I know purists like the Series 3 best, but I was always partial to the looks of the Series 4.

I understand about the surviving the experience. I had the hydraulic clutch line on my Elan break so many times, I sometimes think I drove it without using the clutch as much as I did with it.  

I don't actually know what series mine was. I suspect it was series 1. I bought it in about 1967. After I rolled it into a ball, I had a new frame shipped over from England and rebuilt it.

[jetdriven]

i hear tinfoil straightens pretty easily

[0TreeLemur]

On 1/3/2023 at 10:24 PM, hais said:

Moderators : thoughts on hosting and linking one of these?

 

https://helpjuice.com/blog/open-source-knowledge-base#docuwiki

I've been advocating for a FAQ for years.  Not happening.

[Pinecone]

Just did some reading.  If it was a Super 7, it had be a Series 2.  Before that was the 7 (no Super) Series 1 and 2.

The Series 3 came out in 68, so your could not have been one.   The Series 3 is what the current Caterham cars are based on.

The Series 4 was all fiberglass body.  Swoopy looking.

As for reliability, my intro to sports cars was a Fiat 850 Spider.    I got it my senior year in high school.  By the time I was done, it was pretty much an Abarth

[231MJ]

I had a Fiat 850 in high school - it was the worst.  After that was a TR-4 followed by a Spitfire and then a 914.  Nothing beat the fun of the 914.  Still like British sportscars.

[Pinecone]

Mine wasn't so bad.   And at least the Magneti Marelli electrics worked.

 

[hais]

5 hours ago, 0TreeLemur said:

I've been advocating for a FAQ for years.  Not happening.

What seems to be the objection?