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1969 Lotus Élan plus 2 into Mk1 Cortina
Posted: Mon Sep 25, 2017 8:48 pm
by 1970 cortina GT
I have found an available engine out of a 69 Lotus Elan plus 2 which I'm planning on installing in my 66 Mk1 GT Cortina. I have the original Mk1 transmission, can anyone advise me if this is a straight forward install? Hopefully it requires nothing too technical, it also has SU carbs fitted that will hopefully not interfere with the hood. All thoughts will be appreciated.
Re: 1969 Lotus Élan plus 2 into Mk1 Cortina
Posted: Tue Sep 26, 2017 3:02 am
by Sideways
1970 cortina GT wrote:I have found an available engine out of a 69 Lotus Elan plus 2 which I'm planning on installing in my 66 Mk1 GT Cortina. I have the original Mk1 transmission, can anyone advise me if this is a straight forward install? Hopefully it requires nothing too technical, it also has SU carbs fitted that will hopefully not interfere with the hood. All thoughts will be appreciated.
SUs?
Do you have photos?
Posted: Tue Sep 26, 2017 7:08 am
by 1970 cortina GT
I had to look twice too, apparently it's a stromberg head
Posted: Tue Sep 26, 2017 11:37 am
by Brett Wilkie
I could be wrong but it looks like those are SU carbs so it has been converted I am guessing??
What size is the crankshaft pilot bearing in the twin cam? Is it 15MM and does it match your input shaft on your Cortina transmission?
The twin cam likely is using a 8.5 inch clutch/flywheel assembly and might touch the inside of the Cortina bell housing so you may find yourself looking for a 105e bell housing.
I have not tried the conversion myself but you can find info around the internet. Here is one thread where the lotus guys are concerned about the additional height of the SU carbs as opposed to the Strombergs, This space concern is in a Lotus Elan but I would think the Cortina would have the room. Better to measure twice as they say.
http://www.lotuselan.net/forums/lotus-c ... -t503.html
Posted: Tue Sep 26, 2017 1:54 pm
by Sideways
1970 cortina GT wrote:
I had to look twice too, apparently it's a stromberg head
SUs indeed, I doubt that you will have a problem with the Twin Cam in the Cortina, there was always lots of room (if memory serves
) with the Twin Cams I had in my Cortinas, albeit they were Weber heads.
Ideally get someone who has a Lotus Cortina to do a measure for you.
All that said, I would sell the Twin Cam and with the money, stuff something else under there - an S2000 engine/box fits in nicely with a little work (A LOT actually), ditto for a Miata engine, a Pinto engine, A Zetec etc etc.
Posted: Tue Sep 26, 2017 7:05 pm
by 1970 cortina GT
Yes Brett, the input shaft on my transmission is 15mm, I don't have the motor yet. After doing some research it seems that converting the Strombergs to SU's was not uncommon. I have a bell housing on the original Mk1 GT box and also a spare bell housing for a mk2 2000E box which Pete said should be interchangeable, so I should have what I need. Thanks guys for the input.