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Lotus 51a Chassis # 51A/FF/119
Chassis # 119
Frame # 129
Formula Ford Spec, most recent iteration built by Charlie Williams
Gearbox Hewland Mk8
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Images for larger view
History
Sold to Lotus Southwest (Texas) in July of 1968. Original color BRG, was yellow when purchased by Mike Gorham in 1975. Mike raced the car for years at "Pueblo Motorsports Park - a very fast 2.7 mile course at Pueblo CO. - and the track at Aspen CO. - a 1.2 mile 9 turn character builder (narrow, runoff areas full of boulders, cramped and primitive pit area, and intensely beautiful during the September races)." Around 1980 the car was parked as it was time to raise a family.
2003, car purchased by FFR. Mike lovingly kept the car on a trailer in a one-car detached garage whose door had been unopened for so long a 5" trunk diameter tree had to be cut down to allow opening. Car still had a cortina motor and carb, plus the original Renault gearbox, 731 crank with round main caps. Car went through a ground up restoration starting in 2006, then about half dozen races to debug and get fully race prepped.
Restoration page (bit old now)
Technical
Chassis - muliti round and square tube brazed, water and oil coolant go to front thru chassis tubes, extended roll bar added on. Weight 100lbs
Engine - (below is original engine - now has good rods and Ivey crank)
Ford OHV 1600cc cross flow. 110 HP in my dreams, block #8A11LC119A
Originally a 731 Crank with round main caps and wet sump!
Gearbox - (now a hewland)Renault R8 Type 330 4 speed, left hand shift, s/n 3542501
Lotus custom bell houseing and side bearing carriers
front seal - federal-mogul 30x40x7 part # 7 24956 08588 0
side output bearings - SKF 6207 2RSJEM (on bearing 6207-2RS1/C3GJN)
Clutch - Pressure Plate standard Borg & Beck or AP for 7.5" Disc
Disc - 7.5"/190mm 10 spline 7/8"
Slave Girling/Lucas 0.88" rebuild kit SP2029
3/4" Master Cylinder Girling/Lucas rebuild # SP1967, NAPA UP278
Release Assembly -(this was for the renault setup) ford mainly, bearing may be anglia with a lotus bobbin on the front end (bottom of photo)
exploded view - clutch would be on right. Bearing carrier is from an anglia (left in photo, bobbin on right)
dimensions of bearing only
It is a "flat face" bearing used on lotus/ford units (7, elan, cortina)
Originally a Pollard 6/W 1-3/8, or FKC 6/W 1-3/8
Ford Part number 105E-7580-B, Timken 1375, SKF N3001,
1-3/8 bore is what that pollard part number means. for some reason this beqring is hard to source-
one i found was a delphi/borg&beck unit made by FKC (japanese) with same pollard numbr on it, but dont know the
borg and beck number. Call JAE
Brakes - Outboard discs all around, dual master cylinder split circuit adjustable f/r ratio
Front Caliper - Girling 14LF Girling/Lucas Rebuild # SP2697, NAPA # UP989, pistons 191013 1.89dia
Rear Caliper - Girling 10/8H Girling/Lucas Rebuild # SP2515, NAPA # n/a, piston dia 1.34
for reference, some 51's have Girling 12SP calipers, rebuild kit SP2529
front - 0.7" Master Cylinder Girling/Lucas rebuild # SP2102
rear - 5/8" Master Cylinder Girling/Lucas rebuild # SP1963, NAPA UP275
(oddly, NAPA rebuild kits dont come with a reservior cover seal but they do come with a new piston)
Pads - EBC green stuff 2106 (made for the 14LF calipers, have to cut them up for the rears)
Wheels - Front 13" dia., 4.4" wide, 3.75BC from Lotus Elan
Rear 13" dia., 5.4" wide, 4.25BC from Lotus Cortina
Steering - Rack: TR10 Hearld or Spitfire with on center pinion
Uprights - TR front, lotus magnesium casting rear
Driveshaft u-joints NAPA part # spicer 54X
Gaskets & other parts
Head Set MotorCraft 1602013 , EEM 190 D691M6014 AA
Front Seal & Timing Cover Gasket - TCS45075 (O'reiley) felpro
REar seal and rear cover gasket - BS16071 (O'reiley) felpro
Pan set (rubber ends) - OS30254C (O'reiley) felpro
distributor rotor (motorcraft) D154 o'reiley/EP51 NAPA
points A101V o'reiley
condenser G590 Oreiley
cartidge oil filter WIX 51184 or Crosland 440
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