Elise front crash Structure

[p4ilip]

Hi, I am thinking of buying this:

http://i616.photobucket.com/albums/tt24 ... otus-1.jpg
It is missing a radiator has a cracked screen and needs the front clam, Does anyone know if the clam shell would fit with the crash structure as it is, Ive noticed on pictures a bar that looks runs up the middle of the grill and seems to hold some radiator ducting Does this support the front of the clamshell?
Thanks in advance for any help.

[p4ilip]

Ive been looking a bit more and it looks like the part i am wanting sits on top of what can be seen on the picture to form the top half of the front air intake and then the clam bolts on to it inside the headlamp aparatures. I have never worked on an elise so any help is welcome. Does anyone know the name of the section that i am talking about so i can try and find one?

[robin]

The bar that runs up the front is just to attach the towing eye to. As Andy found out on FF, they rip out easily if you actually try and pull the car using this bar, so it's not in any way structural or important. You could bond in some stronger mounting points for the bar before fitting the new clam - I think eliseparts sell such a thing, as it happens.

However, you're missing a fairly large part of the crash structure on the top, where the radiator mounts - you would need to repair that with some glass fibre or perhaps make something out of some alloy sheeting - basically it connects the left side to the right side across the top of the open section at the front - you can see what's left of this piece dangling down - the hairy bits of GF are where it used to attach to the main crash structure. If you're handy with the GF you can probably repair this; otherwise I might look at buying a new crash structure (which has to be bonded onto the front services compartment, I believe).

Interesting damage - I wonder if it was in fact caused by over-exuberant towing!

Cheers,
Robin

[hiscot]

I replaced my S1 crash stucture as my car was damaged much like the one above however your stucture looks repairable
if the screen is cracked it may be because the clam was pushed back so check the top clam fittings are not torn out as mine was but again quite an easy repair i still have a photo around with the repair if it helps
on the S1 the rad is fitted to a cowl that bolts to the crash stucture but these parts add up, as this is a S2 there is a breaker cat b in scotland that has the expensive headlights intact ect ect pm me if you require details
good luck
bob
ps if wishbone / chassis is ok it should make a good repair but this area is critical any damage walk away

[r10crw]

The fibre part you need houses the radiator and also has mounting points for the clam at the sides (inside the lights). If it is an exige it can also house the oil coolers. I bought this from a breakers for 240 but still have a damaged half if you wanna build your own.
Id recomend having a good check of the suspension before buying as it looks like its had the nearside track end replaced, so the seller may have done some work already to possibly mask chassis damage. Not a show stopper but best to know what you are buying.
Cheers Craig.

[r10crw]

Ive a picture of the part you need i emailed to a breakers, ill post it tomorrow as its on my works machine. And it also supports the clam BTW.
Cheers Craig.

[BiggestNizzy]

If you're handy with the GF
Cheers,
Robin

[p4ilip]

Very funny, You missed the hairy bits of GF though, Thanks for all the help everyone. That would be a help if you could post that picture craig, was it easy to seperate from the lower section of crash structure? I will contact you about that breaker Hiscot if i end up getting the car as i would need those headlamps. If anyone else knows of the other parts required like a front clamshell in red and the windscreen please let me know. Thanks again, Phil.

[bertieduff]

Not the greatest of pics, but might be of some use....the last one shows the outrigger that the clam fixes to

[H8OAG]

Hi

You are missing a few components there...........and they do tend to be pricey even from the usual breakers yards .

Having just gone through a similar exercise last week............don't ask

You need front crash structure
Radiator cowling
two outriggers
Radiator
Tow bar
Clam
Plastic arch liners
Stainless fixings
Lights (Unbelievably Expensive)
Indicators
Windscreen
Front Undertray


A certain breaker in Lancs quoted a special bulk price of £3k for all of the above items

There is a company advertising on ebay (MVS?) who manufacture all the crashbox bits/cowlings/fibreglass panels who quoted £800 for box/rad cowling and outriggers

So when you add all that to your (undoubtedly cheap - less than £2k) CAT C car plus labour to get the box bonded to the chassis it could prove an expensive solution and you still own a CAT C car

[p4ilip]

Didnt get it, It sold for £5600 Think ill keep looking at that price.