60 years since the Lotus Elan was launched
Discussion
This is what they were offering 60 years ago today:
https://www.veikl.com/d/Lotus-Elan-1500-Brochure-1...
Had VAT not stepped in to price such kits out of the market, how might it have developed? Would Lotus have continued it in the vein of the Evante, https://www.classicandsportscar.com/features/vegan... or gone for a more raw experience, like Jay Leno's homage https://www.autoblog.com/2014/03/31/jay-leno-goes-... ?
https://www.veikl.com/d/Lotus-Elan-1500-Brochure-1...
Had VAT not stepped in to price such kits out of the market, how might it have developed? Would Lotus have continued it in the vein of the Evante, https://www.classicandsportscar.com/features/vegan... or gone for a more raw experience, like Jay Leno's homage https://www.autoblog.com/2014/03/31/jay-leno-goes-... ?
My young lad (tender age of 29yr old ) and post divorce, inherited a Meccano set of rebuilt and painted parts from my garage included a rather feisty dyno'd 148 BHP engine; the result, if I say so myself is somewhat stunning.
Well..Cars and women heh? who'd ever thought of that...
Credit where it's due, he put it all back together with the help of a highly recommended, Ash and Tony, at www.asheritage.com.; and the results speak for themselves.
I'm not afraid to modify and indeed positively encourage, albeit keeping within the character of the car. e.g. 5 speed and Coopercraft on an E Type is good in my books and so "my Mikey" has fitted the electric headlamp conversion aka MX5 pop up and I also modded the chassis crossmember to allow easy gearbox/engine removal- plus innumerable other mods, as per usual Elan.
My first rebuild was by Vegantune in the '80's. If I remember correctly they were in the North London, Finchley area and "Nobby" built my engine. I don't know if they were the original guys or they bought the name but nonetheless, really nice blokes and I remember seeing a couple of those Evante's in the workshop,
I've had a number of really quick cars in my time but the Elan is so pure, almost surreal. The fluidity cross country is amazing and occasionally when you get into "the zone" it becomes part of you unlike anything else. I'm older, somewhat fatter, less capable and more considerate of my fragility to my wife, or rather the potential to collect a Darwin Award, that I temper my right foot in my Jag but occasionally when I drop back into the Elan...sigh..
Funny finale at this late hour...Mikey said that the engine was very "lumpy" albeit "f***g quick once it gets going". Yes, say's I, it was long time ago, nearly 20yrs, it was built by an ex Jordan engine engineer and fair cost me a bob or two"..."oh yes! Mum (my ex) said it cost you £3.5k, she didn't know anything about engines but figured it was worth chasing you for in the settlement!"...
Edited by Carsie on Wednesday 19th October 23:46
Edited by Carsie on Wednesday 19th October 23:52
I do like a Lotus Elan, not such fan of the open ones with floppy hood, I'm more fan of the FHC models, not that I've driven one, but I keep an eye on them.
would love one some day (I think) maybe such S4 FHC with the wider flares, and then give it the R26 headlights (look) so behind plexiglas no more pop-up headlights.
maybe a fast engine, say 200+ hp, yes you need only 120 would people say, yes maybe, but its so nice to have something extra for some moments :-)
anyhow, lovely cars, also like the Europa from S2 onwards, fell in love with it when I one day came from school on my bike with and spotted a purple metallic Europa S3/S4? I was 12-14 orso back in the 70-tisch, never forget that car, we saw it sometimes there, was from a young man visiting his parents, so I saw it a few times with some luck and everytime we (also a school friend) stopped and looked again :-)
it was something like this one.
would love one some day (I think) maybe such S4 FHC with the wider flares, and then give it the R26 headlights (look) so behind plexiglas no more pop-up headlights.
maybe a fast engine, say 200+ hp, yes you need only 120 would people say, yes maybe, but its so nice to have something extra for some moments :-)
anyhow, lovely cars, also like the Europa from S2 onwards, fell in love with it when I one day came from school on my bike with and spotted a purple metallic Europa S3/S4? I was 12-14 orso back in the 70-tisch, never forget that car, we saw it sometimes there, was from a young man visiting his parents, so I saw it a few times with some luck and everytime we (also a school friend) stopped and looked again :-)
it was something like this one.
Gemaeden said:
Had VAT not stepped in to price such kits out of the market, how might it have developed?
Said this before but - imagine if the Elise had gone the same way as the 7. Ring up Caterham, get this delivered as your 'stage 1' kit ready on install your choice of 4cylinder engines and gearbox out of any number of FWD hatched found easily in every scrapyard.
My dream car since a very young age, about 20 yrs ago my earnings finally caught up with ambition and I got a immaculate S4 DHC. Just a beautifully balanced thing to drive, with its 140 bhp vegantune engine it went well too.
Unfortunately I got caught in a queue of traffic that stopped,and crumpled both ends. Insurance paid out, but I fancied a change (respite) from elan ownership so got a Lotus Sunbeam. By the time I looked again, elans were out of my price bracket.
Shame, I’d love another. An mx5 really isn’t in the same ballpark.
Happy Birthday little Elan!
Unfortunately I got caught in a queue of traffic that stopped,and crumpled both ends. Insurance paid out, but I fancied a change (respite
) from elan ownership so got a Lotus Sunbeam. By the time I looked again, elans were out of my price bracket. Shame, I’d love another. An mx5 really isn’t in the same ballpark.
Happy Birthday little Elan!
PomBstard said:
Would love an Elan, and a Sprint DHC is on the Lottery List - not sure what colour, but do like...
Which reminds me, there's a bloke a few streets away from me that races Elans and has built a couple to R26 spec - must stop by for a chat again soon...
That's the colour combination right there.Which reminds me, there's a bloke a few streets away from me that races Elans and has built a couple to R26 spec - must stop by for a chat again soon...
One of the physics teachers (Mick Ding) at school had one just like that.
GTRene said:
I do like a Lotus Elan, not such fan of the open ones with floppy hood, I'm more fan of the FHC models, not that I've driven one, but I keep an eye on them.
would love one some day (I think) maybe such S4 FHC with the wider flares, and then give it the R26 headlights (look) so behind plexiglas no more pop-up headlights.
maybe a fast engine, say 200+ hp, yes you need only 120 would people say, yes maybe, but its so nice to have something extra for some moments :-)
anyhow, lovely cars, also like the Europa from S2 onwards, fell in love with it when I one day came from school on my bike with and spotted a purple metallic Europa S3/S4? I was 12-14 orso back in the 70-tisch, never forget that car, we saw it sometimes there, was from a young man visiting his parents, so I saw it a few times with some luck and everytime we (also a school friend) stopped and looked again :-)
it was something like this one.
I like that. A lot; a very 70's colour which really suits it.would love one some day (I think) maybe such S4 FHC with the wider flares, and then give it the R26 headlights (look) so behind plexiglas no more pop-up headlights.
maybe a fast engine, say 200+ hp, yes you need only 120 would people say, yes maybe, but its so nice to have something extra for some moments :-)
anyhow, lovely cars, also like the Europa from S2 onwards, fell in love with it when I one day came from school on my bike with and spotted a purple metallic Europa S3/S4? I was 12-14 orso back in the 70-tisch, never forget that car, we saw it sometimes there, was from a young man visiting his parents, so I saw it a few times with some luck and everytime we (also a school friend) stopped and looked again :-)
it was something like this one.
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