19

Hub carriers fit between upper and lower wishbones, followed by the suspension unit. An adaptor plate is supplied for top mount, as chassis takes original struts too. But fit bottom mount first.

 20

Hubs and brake stone shields bolt into place with special bolts. Tap rear hubs and shafts into hub carriers, fit washer and 41mm nuts, do up to 250 - 290 Nm. Nearside has left hand thread.

 21

Before fitting the brakes it's a good idea to get the handbrake cables and mechanism into place. The handbrake bolts onto the chassis - It's a Ford Escort item, to replace the original under dash 'umbrella' handle.

22

Fit the discs, but wipe them down first. Bolt on the caliper frames, followed by calipers. The pads are fitted in place while caliper's inner section is held on just one bolt, and swung out of the way.

 23

Now fit the driveshafts. First build up the CV joints onto the Spyder shafts - fit one of the circlips to the shaft, then a gaiter, followed the CV (chamfered side first), then the second circlip.

 24

Bolt on the driveshafts, hook up the handbrake cables and flexible brake lines, tie-wrap handbrake cables onto the lower wishbones. Fit the wheels and you have a rolling chassis.

PROJECT PROFILE

THE PLUS 2 was the Lotus company's attempt to build on the success of the two-seater Elan, by adding rear seats and a few luxurious touches. The backbone chassis of the Elan was lengthened and the glassfibre body was all-new.

The new model emerged in 1967 and sold well. However, it's never been as popular as the two-seater Elan and many have been abandoned as beyond economic repair, even though the bodies are usually still good.  Spyder's Zetec conversion addresses this, being cheaper than a restoration to original specifications.  The resulting car is also significantly faster, more reliable and better to drive.

Our car had been laid up for years, with a rotten chassis and worn mechanicals. 

COSTS SO FAR

Car: £1000 (£1600 purchase, minus £600 for parts sold) £1000
Spaceframe chassis: £1875
Rear disc conversion: £1081
Front disc/ball-joint conversion £1110
Steering rack conversion: £276
Differential mounting brackets: £112
Differential isolators: £94
Handbrake lever & cables: £135
Brake hose kit: £47
Differential & CV joints (used) £150
Driveshafts (pair): £223
Total cost so far: £6103
Part 4: Converting and installing engine
Part 5: Repairing and painting body
Part 6: Putting it back together
SAMPLE SPYDER CONVERSION PARTS
Other Spyder conversion parts
Zetec mounting brackets: £112
Anti-roll bar kit: £223
Propshaft: £164.50
Gearlever kit: £229
Engine/gearbox isolators: £41
Gearbox output flange & bolts: £66
JOIN THE CLUB: Club Lotus, Lotus Drivers Club (see Club Guide, page 174)
READ THE BOOK: Lotus Elan, the Complete Story, by Mike Taylor.  Crowood. ISBN 1 86126 011 3.
WHO'S INVOLVED: Spyder Engineering is a fabrication company, specialising in automotive work.  The Lotus connection came about in the mid-Seventies, when the demand for replacement Elan chassis outstripped the Lotus factory's supply.  Spyder improved upon the design, with a spaceframe-type design and the option of an upper rear wishbone to improve strut location.

The company later developed chassis for other Lotus models.  The Spyder chassis (for Elan and Plus 2) will now accommodate the original Twin-Cam or the Zetec, and the original four- or five-speed gearboxes, or a modern Ford five-speeder.

PRACTICAL CLASSICS APRIL 2003

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