Rear upright casting--source needed

[Michael Oritt]

I recently broke the left rear hub upright casting--either magnesium or aluminum--on my Elva MK IV sports racer. The piece bears the casting marking "BA41771" and the attached picture shows the two uprights--broken one on the left--with the number shown on the right upright's webbing.

I am hopeful that this piece was used on other British vehicles but do not know how to reference casting numbers. Any help will be appreciated as otherwise I will have to fabricate a replacement piece which will certainly be an expensive process.​

 

[Michael Oritt]

Please cancel the emergency--I believe I have found the part available in the UK.

 

[LarryK]

Can be welded by an expert. The new 3D printer narrows down the time and costs of manufacturing these old parts. Jay Leno's Big Dog garage might be able to help on these old parts.

 

[Michael Oritt]

Larry--

I cannot have gone the rewelding route as the arm portion of the casting that projects down and picks up the link broke off at the hub and though I searched the track for it it was missing in action. See attached photo--the broken one on the left of the picture.

Luckily I found a source for the upright in the UK and have two on order. If one broke after 55 years the other side may not be far behind and since the part is interchangeable between left and right I will replace both and have the unbroken one as a spare once I crack-test it and rebush it.

Only about 30 Elva MK IV's were made and the upright was unique to it amongst Elva sports racers. The MK III had a De Dion rear and the MK V upright, which may have been a modified MK IV model was clad on three sides in 1/4" or so sheet metal. Luckily the front engined Elva 100 FJ's used the MK IV rear upright and since FJ's are still actively raced in the UK and on the Continent someone has "remanufactured" the part and I was fortunate not having to go the prototyping route which would have undoubtedly cost more than the $500.00 it will cost me a copy for replacements.

 

[Michael Oritt]

For those of you who have been losing sleep wondering if I ever solved this problem please see the attached photo. AWS Engineering of the UK currently makes these pieces which were also used on the Elva FJ 100 that is still actively raced in the UK.

Once I sent AWS a little over one VRU (read "Vintage Racing Unit" which is the equivalent of $1,000.00) they supplied me with two new uprights. After thinking about it I concluded that if the left upright broke after only 55 years of racing the right one could not be far behind so I ordered two of them. After another couple of hundred $$ for US customs I am now ready to reassemble.