Now I've done it, No Cortina this spring

[TypeRboy]

Yup, I have all the bits for the BDA, but now I've broken my leg so heavy car work is out of the question. I'm told it will be about 2 months or so before I can walk around again, and up to 4 months before I am back to normal ( whatever back to normal is for me..)I was on a fun endurance run on my dirt bike and I went out of control over a root, and had a wonderful crash. I was able to ride the bike out, and drive to the hospital, but after that I was and am pretty much imobilized ( how do you spell that? )

I'll have to wait for now.. I can put the motor together, but no way I can put in in and hook everything up. I couldn't drive it anyway, even if I got it on the road.

What a pain in the butt. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/lol.gif

 

[Sherlock]

So does that mean no Lotus Elan driving either this year? Anyway, glad to hear you're okay... It could have been worse... One of the writers for our local automotive section in the newspaper was in a motorbike accident in the fall, and was paralyzed as a result, he still plans to stay involved in the motorcycle hobby and to keep writing.

 

[Jayrz]

Oh man that's too bad dude and I feel your pain!
I still roadrace motorcycles, have an Aprilia Mille, and quit in 96 after a huge getoff that hurt pretty bad at Gateway in StLouis on my ZX7r. So my wife tells me to try dirtbikes as it is much slower. Ahem,,,, well I took to Harescrambles on the blackjack circuit. And guess what! I never ever got so badly hurt and so often as I did smacking trees and throwing myself into rocky creekbeds at speed on my woods converted RM250.

Hope you heal quickly TypeRboy.

The Elan motor I am going to try to keep under $5000 if possible as I want wheels and cv joints too but i don't know if it will be possible.

Someone said on this board you have an Alfa 5speed in your Elan. How difficult was that and how did it work out?

Jay "RZ"
Cheyenne Tower

 

[aeronca65t]

Ouch.
I ran AMA/ECEA enduros for years on Can-Ams, Bultacos, Hondas, Suzukis and eventually a KDX. Ran lots of the big east-coast bike enduros including The Meteor and The Sandy Lane Enduro...often with old-timers like Ed Hertfelder.
And I got the scars to prove it.
But I started to get too beat-up and took longer and longer to recover from a "fun" weekend....so I switched back to car racing /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif
Feel better my friend...the Cortina can wait. And if you start going buggy while sitting sitting around as things heal, there's always these.

 

[TypeRboy]

Hmmm... ah yes..slot car action. My brother in law has about a million pieces of Scalextric track and stuff. Every year he built a great long 4 lane track, complete with all the stands, support vehicles and buildings. I bet he has a couple of hundred cars, most of them pre magnetic traction, some of them even with metal bodies! Still, there is nothing like the real thing baby.

Yes, dirt bikes can hurt a lot. I have broken ribs and one ankle before this little setback. Still, compared to being paralyzed, I feel very lucky indeed.

About the 5 speed, my friend designed and built the adapter, and I have all the specs. There is some minor work to be done to the stock bellhousing for shifter rod clearance, but no big deal. The tranny sits well in the chassis, with the shifter coming out about 1 inch further back than the stock one ( no-one notices..) and requires minor grinding to clear the top of the frame. The rear output shaft needs the hydrostatic joint connection machined off, and a standard yolk welded on. The crossmember is custom ( nothing too fancy )and the standard speedo cable can be made to adapt, mind you mine has never worked, which is one repair project that I have to get to. My friends works just fine. The ratios are taller than the standard lotus ones of course, but with the added torque of my tall block it's a nice match. The tranny shifts nice and smooth, with very short throws, but they are not a strong syncro, so taking it easy most of the time is a good way to keep it in good order..

Ovlerall I am so happy with it that I will do another one for my Cortina. The 5th gear is sweet to have, that's for sure.