New to a Lotus 61

[Henrik]

Hi everyone!
I just sold my Van Diemen RF76 and bought myself a Lotus 61 for
restoration. Most parts are there but I'm missing the engine/gearbox
adapter and the exhaust manifold. The engine that came with the car has
the chambered head. Does anyone know the difference in HP compared to
the non chambered head "uprated" FF crossflow? I assume that it's a
straight swap if i decide to use the newer "uprated" FF engine. I need
a new exhaust manifold, is it the same on both engine types? Source?
How long is the bellhouse adapter for the Lotus 61? Source?

Henrik Hansson
Sweden
www.hhtech.se

[Steve Demeter]

Do not know about any of the questions you ask.

But what a sweet car.

My first up close and personal encounter with a real race car was with a 61.

I was about 14 and delivering my paper route when I came around a corner in an alley on my bicycle and there it was.

An SCCA racer was in the process of loading it on the trailer and I got to help him push it up the ramps.

And it was STP Dayglow orange (like the Lotus turbine Indy cars).

My heart was pounding for a week after.

Good Luck

[se7en]

I could be wrong, but it sounds like you have a Cortina engine. Here in the US of A that's worth a 50 lb weight reduction.
Ken

[Roland V. Johnson]

The Lotus adapter ring is 3 3/8 in thick. You should be able to find them in England, but Taylor Racing in the U>S> has them 1-800-922-4327 www.taylor-race.com
The Cortina engine vs a later uprated (non-chambered head). The Cortina makes less power on any dyno sheets I have seen (maybe 8 - 10), and pistons, rings,and valves are hard to find. The exhaust is the same on both engines.

[Hawke]

Lynn Cowan here in Australia has the London Motor Show 61, and had been restored to imaculate original condition.

He may be one source for info. Here is a photo from the JPM photo site.

http://jpmphoto.com.au/frame_2.htm

[Robert J. Alder]

For sure, consult http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/lffr/

[Rick Iverson]

Dave Bean Engineering will have ANYTHING for Lotus (or know where to get/fabricate it). Superb people to work with, and Dave is an old school racer who really knows what he is talking about.

Iverson