CV Drive Shaft Conversion For:
Lotus Elan: S1-S2-S3-S4 & +2.

We manufacture and supply direct to the customer a unique CV drive shaft system for the classic Lotus elan, offering high quality CV solid drive shafts which are virtually hand built in country Victoria Australia by Croucher Engineering. Worldwide seven day delivery is provided via Australia Post EMS trackable Air express. 


The CV Drive Shaft Kits Are:

• Easy to fit.
• Robust. 
• Well designed.  
• Extremely reliable.
• Brilliantly simple in design: No special tools required for installation.
• Extensive road & track testing has shown that CV lock up on full droop has virtually been eliminated. 

The Solid CV Drive Shaft Conversion. The CV drive shaft conversion will provide a huge improvement to your classic lotus elan S1 - S4 or Elan Plus 2. Converting your classic elan to elantrikbits CV drive shafts will totally eliminate the unreliability problems associated with the original rubber donuts. Our design outperforms the original lotus drive line by a country mile, not to mention that it has the looks of a thorougbred driveline design.

The image above illustrates a +2 elan CV drive shaft installation. The assembly is manufactured from the highest quality alloy steels and components. The +2 and small elan conversion is identical in design except for some critical dimensions. The CVs are proprietry VW (GKN Lobro) OEM parts which are available worldwide should you ever need spares. GKN quality CV's will cover extremely high mileages, (160,000 KM+) before any major servicing/replacement is required.

Be wary of manufacturers who use poor quality/cheap CV joints in elan drive shaft systems.

Unique CV Joint Service-Maintenance Feature.
Onboard lubrication: This is a unique time saving feature, there is no need to remove the half-shafts & CVs for regular lubrication servicing, the messy dismantling/re-assembly procedure is totally eliminated, lubrication (application of the special grease for CV joints) can be carried out in just a few minutes. 

Donuts Not Looking Good?
Now might be a good time to purchase and fit a CV drive shaft conversion to your elan. 

Each custom built conversion is delivered fully assembled & ready to install, a competent elan owner/mechanic will easily complete the installation in a lazy weekend. I.E. providing no other repair or maintenance problems are encountered during the installation process.

Want to learn more about our CV solid drive shaft conversion kits?

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Installing a Solid CV Drive Shaft Conversion to your élan is a sound investment in reliability and your peace of mind, and if you are a self-maintenance lotus owner; the installation can be carried out with basic workshop tools.

• We ship world wide; fully assembled, ready to install CV drive shaft kits for: Élan S1- S4 & +2 Élan. 
• Your kit is built with the same care and dedication just like we would build for our own elan.
• Our attention to detail & finish ensures a world class product.
• Weight reduction and bearing race relieving operations are performed on each individual CV, few suppliers would be willing to undertake this process without charging a premium price for the extra work involved.

Look closely at the photographs below, (We are giving away some secrets here) you will notice the difference between our superb hand finished CVs compared with what you may get from other suppliers. Our attention to detail provides the highest quality product for your élan, and each individual customer would back us up with that statement. If you are considering a cheaper version drive shaft system, ask yourself the following questions.

• Will they last the distance?
• Do I need to dismantle & rebuild the entire rear suspension of my elan in order to fit the drive shafts?
• Is the system really easy for the home maintenance mechanic to install?
• If you are unable to self install, you may have to pay quite aofessional installation, (Our conversion is easy to fit). 
• Is the overall design simple to maintain and service?
• Are you convinced that CV lock up has been eliminated from the design?
• Will the supplier offer prompt back up service when you need it most?
• Do they offer free on going product support & consultation?
  If you can't answer these questions with a resounding yes.... then why would you bother?   

Weight Reduction. To reduce the overall weight of the drive shaft kit, each individual CV outer cage is carefully machined, the overall weight reduction is considerable, less weight = better performance. Weight reduction machining is common practice in F1 and other formula categories, now you can benefit from this practice too.

Inner CV Drive Cone Surface Polishing. We not only treat the outer CV cage with TLC, the inner drive cone also has some careful polishing work carried out on it. Yes, all of this extra work takes time and effort, we go the extra mile to provide you with a superior quality product. Our sole aim is to provide the best quality CV drive shaft kit possible.

Attention To Detail. We  use only genuine high quality GKN Lobro CV units, then we improve them further by careful hand finishing of the CV bearing surfaces to remove the rough surface finish created during the manufacture/broaching process, polishing ensures smoother running of the constant velocity joint, bedding in time is minimal, and there is much less chance of the bearing race spalling or pitting in the future, your drive shaft system will provide optimum performance right from the outset, our aim is to deliver the absolute best product possible for your elan. There are no middle men involved with this product, you are buying direct, we do not supply other lotus parts suppliers, when you deal with us you will be speaking to the people who build & supply your CV drive shaft conversion.

Our product has proven to be a highly reliable drive shaft system for the lotus elan, many Australian & International elans are fitted with our drive shaft conversion system, once installed, we rarely hear from customers again... except to tell us how good they are, or to order another drive shaft kit for a second elan that has been acquired, one particular USA client has purchased three conversion kits from us! 

Assembled CV Set. The set of the GKN Brobo CVs before being assembled into the drive shaft kit. The outer cages have been carefully machined to reduce weight, the inner races are honed & polished for smoother, more efficient operation, the extra care and attention means that you receive a world-class product that will keep operating smoothly for years and years to come. The CVs are packed with a special grease then carefully assembled onto the splined solid billet drive shafts along with the CV boots.

Read what our customers have to say.

Hi Col, I thought you might like to know how the CV drive shafts are performing now that I have some mileage with them. They certainly have transformed the driving experience of my Plus 2, and smooth gear changes are now easily made. Unlike the ones fitted to my car when I bought it, your drive shafts show no tendency to “bind,” even when the suspension is at full droop, which shows the benefit of using quality components. They also look the part with a nice finish to the machine work; pity they have to be hidden under the car!   I can certainly recommend them to any Elan owner who needs to upgrade the driveline on his car. Kind regards, Wylie Evans. New Zealand.

G'day Col. The drive-shafts are fitted and performing well. The CV drive shafts are performing exactly as you promised - much quieter than the strange thumping that occasionally came from the doughnuts - but two of those were fairly well stuffed. The elan now drives much better out of the corners, and has a much more positive feel all over - well worth the expense. Regards. B. Nibbs. ACT. Australia.

Dear Mr. Croucher. Thank you very much. My mechanic says that your kit is the best in the market followed by Spyder´s. I guess I will have to save for yours (I am a teacher). Thank you again. Carlos. TN 37240. USA.

Hi Colin, I can definitely vouch for your CV conversion, the quality of build, as well as it's durability. It was a good fit, easy to install, and has been (still is) trouble free as stated on your website. It's a truly 'fit and forget' conversion. B. Chan. Singapore.

"I have used the solid CV joint drive shaft conversion on my Elan S4 and Plus 2 for many years. The Plus 2 has covered about 40,000 miles of every day road use, and the Elan has done about 15000 miles of race use with the conversion with absolutely no problems. From a strength, reliability, cost and ease of maintenance & driveability view point the double CV joint conversion is far superior to the original donuts, and other designs I have seen using universal joints or CV's in a combination with donuts". Rohan Hodges. Melbourne Australia. 1968 Elan S4. 1973 Plus 2S 130/5 with Spyder chassis"

I've just installed a CV kit from Croucher Engineering Aust (elantrikbits) and am absolutely delighted with the result - so much tighter, there's no binding of the CVs and the +2 drives so much smoother with better gear changes and a more robust feel overall. I'll keep the Roto flexs and shafts but, if anyone is wondering whether the CVs are worth it, you are unlikely to look back. (Many thanks for your help Col) Best regards. S. O'Dea. Sydney Australia.

Col. After experiencing donut failure in an S1 elan many years ago,I fitted your CV conversion to my S2/26.4204. I am now fitting your front adj upper wishbones, and can thoroughly recommend the quality and engineering of your products. Regards. Billyt. NSW. Australia. P.S. I think it should be mandatory for any elan used for track work to use your C.V. drive shaft conversion.

After having consulted with Col regarding the manufacture and materials used in his drive shafts, I installed them into my 1964 S2 Élan around one year ago. On receiving them, I was very impressed by the quality, finish and details, such as the dust caps, grease points and high tensile bolts. After fitting, I have found them to perform very well, being very positive in use compared to the rubber donuts and eliminating surge particularly on take-off. As my "donuts" were getting quite old, I now don't have a fear of a dangerous failure. I would recommend the drive shafts to any one considering them for their Elan, particularly if they use their car in a spirited fashion! Nick Livanes. Sydney NSW Australia.

Learn More About A Very Special Lotus Elan Rebuild.

Questions elan owners ask.

Is There A Weight Penalty?
The weight difference between the original donuts & shafts compared to the CV drive shafts is not all that great, the positive gain in reliability will more than offset any small weight gain. The steel adapter plates are CNC profiled and engineered to provide the lightest weight possible without compromising the strength & integrity of the drive shaft system. The CVs are also carefully modified to reduce the overall weight of the outer shell components, the actual weight of a complete drive shaft kit is now only 10.5KG.

Why Install CV Drive Shafts?
It is a well known fact that the original rubber donuts fitted to the lotus elan did not deliver long term reliability, once a reasonable mileage had been covered, the rubber donuts were prone to failure without warning, now wouldn't that be a curse while out on a lonely road somewhere? 

Over time, several different designs have been employed to try to make the elan drive line more reliable. Various systems have been employed utilizing universal joints & sliding splines, others employed inboard rubber donuts in conjunction with outboard universal joints, all of them, compromise solutions at best.

The Answer Is:
A well designed system incorporating constant velocity joints accompanied by a set of unique lightweight steel adapter plates which tie all of the components together. We have been building CV drive shaft conversions in Australia for the past 15 years, yes, we used to supply another Aust lotus outlet, but now you can buy direct, our product is a refined proven design.

Lotus elan owners in the following countries have chosen our product because of the engineering & build quality & our back up service. 

• USA.
• Canada.
• United Kingdom.
• Holland.
• Denmark.
• France.
• Singapore.
• Japan.
• Macau.
• Australia. 
  

Prices for the conversion are quoted in US dollars, and include world-wide express air freight delivery cost. Please read the instructions below before placing your order, make sure that you use the correct button for your region/country.

If you wish to make further inquiries about this product before placing your order, use the contact form below. If you don't feel comfortable using pay pal, orders can be placed and paid via international bank draft or phone us direct for Visa/Mastercard card payments. Note: The small elan & the + 2 elan drive shaft kits are the same price, but please follow up your order with an email to confirm which model elan you are ordering your conversion kit for.

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Australian Elan Owners Please Note:
The Club Lotus 2009 Easter National Gathering will be held during April on the: 10th - 11th & 12th. If you are considering installing a CV Drive shaft conversion to your elan before the event, please don't leave it until two or three weeks prior to the event to order, now is the time to place your order.
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How To Place Your Order.
International Customers: Payments can be made with any major credit or debit card via Pay Pal, it is a safe, secure method of processing international transactions. Pay via Visa or Mastercard.  Please feel free to contact us (Use the contact form below) to discuss your order in more detail.

Australian Customers: We prefer the direct EFT deposit Internet banking system, we also accept over the phone Visa or Mastercard card transactions. We also accept bank/personal cheque, or Australia Post money order by mail. As soon as we receive your payment we will contact you via phone or email to confirm your order details. Please use the contact form below if you have further questions, require more details, or you wish to place an order. (Australian orders are subject to GST)

Shipping Your Order. We pack and ship your drive shaft order through Australia Post EMS Air Express. This service provides an extremely fast delivery to anywhere around the globe which includes twenty four hour online tracking, it costs a little more than the standard air freight but it is well worth while. Read More Here >> 

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USA - Canadian - South Africa Customers: Use The Buy Now Button Below: The price shown on the pay pal order page Includes EMS express airfreight delivery to your nominated address.

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UK & Europe Customers: Use The Button Below. Total price includes EMS express airfreight delivery.

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Malaysian - Japanese Customers: Use The Button Below. Price includes worldwide EMS express airfreight delivery.