Alternator mounting bracket

[Zag]

Anyone know what the point of the hole between the alternator bracket and the oil pump housing is (other than making me think the crank front seal or cover was leaking leading me to strip it all down unnecessarily)?

[Pete Boole]

Earlier auxiliary housings had the alternator mount cast in. To enable a different alternator to be fitted Lotus milled off the original part of the casting and added a second casting bolted to the original. Cheaper than making a whole new aux housing.

Pete