The first shot is the original rev counter. I always doubted this was an OEM fitting because the display never matched the speedometer. Then of course it could be OEM and someone could have “updated” the speedometer at some point to one with lower mileage ?
But this is a Lotus, so who really knows ?
However they didn’t match and it bugged me. And as a slightly less important point I could never get it to work properly. I could either have it accurate but erratic or I could have it operating smoothly but wildly optimistic. (unless of course my elan really did rev past 8,000rpm ?)
But we’re back to being a Lotus, maybe the mix’n’match approach to building cars is par for the course ?
The Original Rev Counter
So a plan was hatched.
The first part was to buy an old, non-working rev counter from an Elan+2. It didn’t matter about the electrics as I was going to dump them anyway and the only thing I wanted was that dial with the same font & style as my speedometer.
After 40 years, a Matching Set !!
Swapping the dial for the one in my original casing is easy enough, but there’s still the problem about it actually working properly.
Time for phase 2.
For some years I’ve had an aftermarket rev counter which is designed to be mounted in a pod atop the dashboard. I’d bought it for a mini back in the 70s and then later used it as a check gauge for the engine bay when tuning carburettors.
So I stripped it down and transferred the electronics into my “new” Elan gauge, carefully mounting it behind the new dial & using the white Lotus needle on the aftermarket spindle.
It looks neat and surprise surprise, it even works properly as well. Smooth as silk and spot on accurate when compared with the timing light.
And so, after 30+yrs of ownership, the dials match !
Well there’s no point rushing madly at these jobs, is there ? Ya gotta plan these things y’know....