modern alternators

Has anyone fitted a modern (jap) alternator? I've seen lots of kits for sale but wandered if there is a cheaper route.
i.e. get a second hand one and make your own brackets.

Hi Kevin

Fitting a modern (jap) alternator will be just fine, I would look for one from a small jap car thus it will be smaller and produce the correct current for our size car, no point having one from a pickup on there !

What Elan have you got ? and what is fitted at the moment ?

Matt

I have an Elan drophead sprint owned for 20 odd years and done a lot of european tours in it. I'm going to Italy this time see the Mille and a bit of Tuscany.
Not that the Lucas alternator is unreliable but it's the only part on the car i've replaced more than once, except service bits.
I have seen a few conversions at shows but they are ussually quite expensive and thought I could get hold of an alternator of something like a Nissan micra or similar and make up some brkts to fit.
I will probably have a closer look at the kits at the Stoneridge historic Autosport show for ideas.
possibly also have to see what pulley sizes the cars use incase i need a different size (if original cars have different crank pulley size etc)

Try looking around for a small Alternator from any Japanese Car, most have Nippon Denso Alternators fitted & they are, in comparison to most European made Alternators, much smaller in size.
The main problem you will have is finding one that has a V-Belt Pulley because most modern Cars use "Poly-V" Auxiliary drive Belts.
Maybe you could ask the "expensive sources" if they can supply just a Pulley.
The change to an Alternator is well worth while.
For "Originality" there is an Alternator available that is fitted into an Aluminium Casing that looks just like the old Lucas Dynamo; sorry but I don't know who the Supplier is.
I have an 80 A Denso Alternator from a Toyota fitted with home made Brackets under the Carbs of my Zetec engined Elan.
A lower rated Denso Alternator would fit easily into the already available space on a Twin Cam & work very well with the power consumption of an Elan & you'll be able to see at night

Good luck & let us know how you get on.
Cheers
John

PS Make sure you get the matching plug to suit the socket on the back of the new Alternator i.e. cut off the required bit of Wiring Loom from the scrap Car.

I believe that one of the companys that do the dynamo style alternators is http://www.racemettleltd.co.uk/ if this is of any use.

Regards Dan

thanks for the info, i think i've narrowed it down to a daihatsu denso alternator size and mounting on these looks good and some have V pulley (though I could easily get one made if the right one came along with the wrong pulley) might still wait till the stoneridge show to see what others have available before i buy one.
I did see a minature denso alternator on ebay that looked good but think mainstream items are probably best in case spares are ever required.

kevin brown wrote:thanks for the info, i think i've narrowed it down to a daihatsu denso alternator size and mounting on these looks good and some have V pulley (though I could easily get one made if the right one came along with the wrong pulley) might still wait till the stoneridge show to see what others have available before i buy one.
I did see a minature denso alternator on ebay that looked good but think mainstream items are probably best in case spares are ever required.

That sounds like a fair choice of Alternator & if you know where the nearest Daihatsu Dealership is replacement won't be a problem.
I don't quite understand your concern about Spares those things rarely go wrong & Denso Alternators are one of the most widely used as original equipment.
The "so called" Tuner items referred to as light weight, high output are in fact Denso units but with a fancy sticky Label stuck on to them.
Oh don't forget the Lotus Show which is on 17th & 18th April in Malvern.

Anyway enough from me, I wish you good luck.
John

I was waiting for the Lotus show but when i found the dates out it's too late as I'm going to Italy in the Elan on the 23rd so there wouldn't be time for making up fittings etc.
I suppose you're right about not worrying about Denso stuff as I've never changed oneor heard of problems.
I've just seen a Denso unit on ebay from a motorsport co called maynardltd. brand new at £55.
at that price it doesn't seem worth a trip to the scrapyard for a search.

kevin brown wrote:I was waiting for the Lotus show but when i found the dates out it's too late as I'm going to Italy in the Elan on the 23rd so there wouldn't be time for making up fittings etc.
I suppose you're right about not worrying about Denso stuff as I've never changed oneor heard of problems.
I've just seen a Denso unit on ebay from a motorsport co called maynardltd. brand new at £55.
at that price it doesn't seem worth a trip to the scrapyard for a search.

Yes at that price I'd go for it.
Make sure they supply you with a matching Plug to fit to your Car & a wiring Scheme.

Have fun at the Mille Miglia, hopefully you'll be able to post some Photos of your Car there

Good luck
John

Alternators on and running whole job about £80 inc £10 postage i'll take some pics when i have time but haven't loaded any onto this site before, and don't have much spare time to sort out how, so any tips would be welcome (or I could send them to someone who knows how?)

kevin brown wrote:Alternators on and running whole job about £80 inc £10 postage i'll take some pics when i have time but haven't loaded any onto this site before, and don't have much spare time to sort out how, so any tips would be welcome (or I could send them to someone who knows how?)

Email them to me at lotusdriversclub-cj@yahoo.co.uk or setup your own personal photo sharing account with Photobucket.com and then just use the photo insert button when composing a message to enter the web address (direct link) to the photo.

There is a little help in this topic for uploading a photo - Click here