Original Lotus Elan
Discussion
The dDefinitive road/race lotus until the Elise came along! Lightweight, twin-Cam engine (twink) can be as powerful as your pockets are deep, nicely balanced, fragile and with a few design flaws that 30+ years of re-engineering have sorted.
S1/2/3/4 were evolutions of the roadgoing model over the years, the 26R was the proper racing version. Put 'Tony Thompson' into a search engine for starters.
AdrianR
S1/2/3/4 were evolutions of the roadgoing model over the years, the 26R was the proper racing version. Put 'Tony Thompson' into a search engine for starters.
AdrianR
I've owned (and rebuilt) several - only moved on to the Elise recently because I couldn't afford the time needed to care for one properly any more.
They require constant maintainance to keep them reliable, but in my opinion are a better driver's car even than the Elise - lighter, smaller, handling is better balanced, gearchange is better, and engine has as much power as the K-series, but lots more character (old school snorty, rorty Webers!). They don't have as much grip as the Elise when run on the original skinny (155 section) tyres, hence acceleration and cornering speeds are lower, but that is part of the fun - every roundabout becomes an opportunity for a four-wheel drift!
Best source of information on the Web is www.lotuselan.net/ and its associated forum lotuselan@yahoogroups.com
>> Edited by Martin_S on Wednesday 12th May 18:31
They require constant maintainance to keep them reliable, but in my opinion are a better driver's car even than the Elise - lighter, smaller, handling is better balanced, gearchange is better, and engine has as much power as the K-series, but lots more character (old school snorty, rorty Webers!). They don't have as much grip as the Elise when run on the original skinny (155 section) tyres, hence acceleration and cornering speeds are lower, but that is part of the fun - every roundabout becomes an opportunity for a four-wheel drift!
Best source of information on the Web is www.lotuselan.net/ and its associated forum lotuselan@yahoogroups.com
>> Edited by Martin_S on Wednesday 12th May 18:31
Thanks guys..
It's a very early 1962 S1, handles nicely and goes well.. but it won't for long:
It would be a really lovely road car for the summer, but It's coming apart to be raced in historic racing.
I've driven an Elise and this is strangely less spartan, but lighter (we weighed it, 1549lb/703Kg wet, with roll bar).
The Elan feels quicker (has cams and big valve head.. 120ish bhp) and sounds nicer too. Feels more like a normal road car the the low-sling Elise.
The gearchange is incredibly short! How can that be engaging gears? Very very 'snick snick' too.
Most surprising of all though, I thought being a Lotus, and an early one too, it would feel.. badly made or be rattley or dodgy somehow, but it's not. Is well equipped (interior lights, radio, heater, cigar lighter, comfy even though i'm 6'2", generally a nice place to spend time), starts immediately, room behind seats and in boot for loads of bags.
I'm very impressed... makes me wonder if cars have moved on in the last 40 years.
It's a very early 1962 S1, handles nicely and goes well.. but it won't for long:
It would be a really lovely road car for the summer, but It's coming apart to be raced in historic racing.
I've driven an Elise and this is strangely less spartan, but lighter (we weighed it, 1549lb/703Kg wet, with roll bar).
The Elan feels quicker (has cams and big valve head.. 120ish bhp) and sounds nicer too. Feels more like a normal road car the the low-sling Elise.
The gearchange is incredibly short! How can that be engaging gears? Very very 'snick snick' too.
Most surprising of all though, I thought being a Lotus, and an early one too, it would feel.. badly made or be rattley or dodgy somehow, but it's not. Is well equipped (interior lights, radio, heater, cigar lighter, comfy even though i'm 6'2", generally a nice place to spend time), starts immediately, room behind seats and in boot for loads of bags.
I'm very impressed... makes me wonder if cars have moved on in the last 40 years.
pentoman said:
The gearchange is incredibly short! How can that be engaging gears? Very very 'snick snick' too.
Most surprising of all though, I thought being a Lotus, and an early one too, it would feel.. badly made or be rattley or dodgy somehow, but it's not.
Gearchange is amazing.
The car probably was badly made, but having been through the hands of a number of fans, they've sorted it.
If the car is that good, could you see if you can find a rough one to race and keep that as a road car?
Thought about keeping as road car but:
It has a 26R chassis number - the factory race version, so is ideal to race as it can be made into a proper 26R. It was made for the track!
.
And something to get you thinking - it will have around 175bhp depending on class chosen.
We weighed it on racing four corner scales at 703kg,
with speakers and other luxuries, and including roll bar.
So that's 248 bhp/tonne before any lightening.
An exige has 230, an evo viii fq-300 super-dooper banzai has 210.
Not sure how that will pan out, as you can't use very wide tires. Well at least brakes are all discs..
edited because I used "racing" so much I sounded like I was in the fart and the furious
Russ
'62 Elan
'86 190E
>> Edited by pentoman on Wednesday 19th May 02:15
It has a 26R chassis number - the factory race version, so is ideal to race as it can be made into a proper 26R. It was made for the track!
. And something to get you thinking - it will have around 175bhp depending on class chosen.
We weighed it on racing four corner scales at 703kg,
with speakers and other luxuries, and including roll bar.
So that's 248 bhp/tonne before any lightening.
An exige has 230, an evo viii fq-300 super-dooper banzai has 210.
Not sure how that will pan out, as you can't use very wide tires. Well at least brakes are all discs..
edited because I used "racing" so much I sounded like I was in the fart and the furious
Russ
'62 Elan
'86 190E
>> Edited by pentoman on Wednesday 19th May 02:15
That is a beautiful car!
pentoman said:
I'm very impressed... makes me wonder if cars have moved on in the last 40 years.
Evo magazine (Sept '03) asked the same question when the Elan blitzed the latest MR2, MX5 and Smart Roadster, posting faster times at Bedford Autodrome despite being shod with ancient 155 series Michelin MXVs.
evo said:
...this 40-year-old design can still teach the moderns a thing or two about ride, handling and performance which, after all, is what sports cars are supposed to be all about...
Enjoy it! Incidently, in the current issue of Classic and Sports Car, there's a heart warming story about a chap who has done 550,000 miles in his Elan! Maybe not so fragile after all...
Harry
Gassing Station | General Lotus Stuff | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff