1969 Lotus Elan Plus 2 with Cosworth BDR

Vin: 50/1503

Car was completely restored after my purchase.  As can be seen from the photos, this was a true frame off restoration with extensive renovation.  Driven 9650 miles since restoration.

Renovation and upgrades Included:

Chassis stripped to bare metal
Chassis reinforced at front cross member back to engine mounts and under differential in preparation for substantial power increase.
Chassis was primed and painted.
Body:

There was damage in several areas.  Everything was repaired including “welding” in one replacement door sill.
All cracks reinforced on back side
All stress cracks repaired with tissue glass on front side, filled and leveled.
Engine bay totally restored
Rebuilt one door sill reinforcing steel tube

All rubber parts and bushes replaced.
All fasteners with a few exceptions replaced.
New adjustable rear SPAX shock and new Lotocones
New adjustable SPAX front Shocks
All calipers rebuilt including new pistons
New handbrake cable
Larger than stock rear pads in stock calipers
Discs all turned
Replaced one bent suspension arm
New ball joints and trunion inserts

Trunion kit and tie rod ends just replaced this summer

New rear wheel bearings
Wheels all sandblasted, epoxy primed and finished coated: black on back and Lt. Titanium front
Steering rack rebuilt to spec with new boots
Hood re-shaped for a BD wedge in place of Stromberg hump.

Renovation of Drive Train:

All steel parts cleaned and painted
Diff. seals replaced
Added S130 stiffening bracket
Rebuilt clutch slave cylinder
New small bore master cylinder (no booster system for very firm pedal)
New release bearing
New clutch disc - recent
New steel face on aluminum flywheel – recent
Custom made pins to protect rear suspension in case of Rotoflex failure (they work!)
Tires: Michelin XVS-2’s on steel peg drive wheels (center nut)

Motor:

I believe the Cosworth BD motor conversion is the easiest and most “period correct” engine conversion for an original Elan or +2
Dave Bean Stage 3 Motor – rated 190 HP at 9000 RPM.  This motor idles at 900 RPM and pulls hard from under 3000 and can be easily driven around town at lower RPM.
1700 cc Cortina block and blueprinted crank and rods – limits motor to 7400 RPM; all of the torque of 190 HP motor, likely 175 HP max.
45 mm DHLA Delorttos
High capacity and pressure oil pump (60+ psi)
Luminition ignition and Lucas Sport Coil
Gear-drive starter
Bean exhaust: 4-2-1 to 2 ¼” pipe, ceramic coated, and heat wrapped
One glass pack in middle of car and SuperTrap tunable muffler
Cold air intake with large K&N in nose
Electric fuel pump plus regulator

Cooling:

Stock radiator re-cored with extra row

SPAL fan
Temperature switch on engine outlet
Nose to engine bay sealed for all air thru radiator

Electric:

Alternator with external voltage regulator
Voltmeter – in place of Ammeter
Wiring is custom:

All 16 gauge or heavier
16 modern fuses versus 4 original
Three ground loops
Wiring diagram, loop sheets, wire and fuse lists available with car

Relays for headlights, horn, fan and fuel pump

Interior:

Solid walnut custom dash board with multiple coats of lacquer
Original front seats restored with repaired / replaced springs and metal parts and new webbing and foam.
Front seats two panels recently replace with original grain vinyl
Rear seats new foam and vinyl and new vinyl on side panels
Original re-webbed seat belts (front only)
New carpets
“Stretch” material used for dash, center console and many other soft areas – simple but not original
Door panels done with single sheet of vinyl (Okay but not original; I have original panels in poor condition.)
New headliner (Okay but not perfect)

Exterior:

Recent windshield replacement
Paint is Jaguar Brooklands Green
Entire body stripped and repaired (some major) and restored.
First paint job blistered after a couple of years due to an error in preparation (used mineral spirits for final wipe down and it stayed in pores in gel coat.).  First paint was a base coat / clear coat.
Hood, trunk and roof have been repainted in same paint code with a single part paint system – color match is very good
From a distance the car looks very good but only close up are the flaws obvious.
Drive it like it is or have rest of car repainted.
Only three stress cracks have appeared since body restoration (one headlight pod and one washer nozzle hole)

Sounds System:

Alpine Tuner / CD Player plays but does not hold memory
Polk Component speakers in rear side panels

Manuals:

Factory Plus 2 manual in binder
Parts manual in binder
Haynes Escort RS1600 Manual
Bean set up guide for motor and two catalogs he no longer gives away
All my rebuild notes with wiring diagrams, fuses, etc.

Pricing

It is quite difficult to price such a car.  The engine alone is worth at least $15K to the right buyer.

The car has a lot of potential uses.  The car can be driven just as it is for general street use and blasting that motor down an open road.  Every older Lotus is a project car either needing work like the paint on this one or the owner can always think of a new upgrade he wants to make depending on his intended use.  By 1969 standards the car handles very well on the narrow tires. To get the car to handle as good it goes, new wheels and tires would be needed.  There are two good choices for the center nut / peg drive wheels from Panasport (13x5) or Minilites (14 x 5 ½).  There are lots of good tire choices for these wheels especially the 14” wheels.

You are welcome to ask questions via Hemmings or come see the car in South Jersey.  Call or email with questions.  609-268-2353; 

1969 Lotus Elan Drophead,  This vehicle is 100% complete, but has been disassembled into major components.  Frame is excellent with recent powder coat. 

1969 Lotus Elan Series IV coupe. Blue with black interior. Motor is out but comes with the car. Excellent original car that has been sitting in a dry storage for the last 15 years waiting to be restored. For only $17,500 

The Lotus Elan was launched in October 1962 at the British International Motor Show at Earls Court, just as the sixties started swinging. Jaguar had launched the E-Type the previous year, while AC had the Cobra and Ferrari the GTO. These were big, powerful, and expensive machines. The Elan was very different, and typically Lotus – ultra modern, lightweight, nimble and tremendous fun. From arch enthusiast Jay Leno to Gordon Murray, designer of the McLaren F1, the accolades bestowed upon the gritty Elan typically call it “the greatest handling car of all time” or something equally grandiose in nature. We couldn’t agree more.

In the same year that Lotus revolutionized racing car design with the monocoque 25, they also packed the Elan with technically innovative features like the first backbone tube chassis of any road car as well as a fiberglass body, four-wheel independent suspension, weight of 1500 lbs (670kg) and the new Lotus Twin Cam engine, produced by significantly modifying a Ford 116E block. The new unit yielded over 100 horsepower and provided endless entertainment for the featherweight Elan package.

Right away the new Elan proved a welcome replacement to the fragile, expensive-to-build Elite and would go on to be Lotus’s biggest commercial success to that point, reviving the company’s overstretched finances. Initially a roadster, the Elan was offered with a hardtop in 1963 and a coupe came along in 1965. 

The Lotus Elan on offer here, chassis 365779, is a Series III Fixed Head Coupe sold new on the 7th June 1966 to Dutchess Auto Company in the New York. s/n 365779 was purchased by Sports Car Digest in early 2011 from a reader that initially wanted to sell it through their publication. Needless to say, Sport Car Digest quickly jumped at the opportunity to finally own an Elan, recognizing it as a bucket-list car if there ever was one.

The gentleman whom the car was purchased the from is a very knowledgeable enthusiast who restores Lotus engines and cars to keep himself busy in retirement, having rebuilt something on the order of 35 engines when they purchased the car from him. He also serves as the “technical advisor” for the Lotus Club of America, meaning he’s the guy who has all the answers for any number of Lotus questions. This Elan, s/n 365779, was fortunate enough to be one of his personal projects: a comprehensive restoration that included a mechanical restoration, redone interior and new paint. He restored the car over two years, after buying it out of Virginia where it had reportedly been sitting for 20 years.

Built on the desirable replacement Spyder chassis, this 1966 model has a non-original but period correct Lotus Twin Cam engine that obviously runs well given the man who built it. Additionally, the present owners just spent 12 hours of final sorting with Brian MacEachern of MacEachern Motorsports, a well-known Lotus specialist in our neck of the woods. Brian is active in the Lotus community and races a fabulous Eleven Le Mans on the vintage racing circuit.

At that time, we had Brian perform a leak down test, which came up as 4%, 8%, 6% and 6%, while compression came in at 210 lbs. He also changed the main jets on the Weber 40s. Overall, it runs really well and does everything you’d expect of it. Sports Car Digest’s Trevor Ely recently took it on a 5-hour round trip, with no issues. Brian concurred, saying it was a strong example.

Painted in Claret Red Metallic prior to 2011, the Lotus looks fine from 10 feet — even 5 feet — but it does have the typical fiberglass crazing and imperfections here and there. The interior is in great shape with no needs. The seats are perfect, the dash is great without any cracks and the carpet is as-new.

On the electrical front, most everything works. Headlights, turn signals, interior lights and so forth. Even the power windows work, although at a snail’s pace. The only thing that doesn’t currently function is the fuel gauge, but the “Technical Advisor” rigged up a stick (think oil dip stick) to keep tabs on the gas level. It works well enough that we never considered fixing the fuel gauge.

The wheels are attractive Panasports with 165/65 Bridgestone Potenza RE92 tires. Both are in excellent shape. The wheels came with the car when purchased by the present owners.

If you’ve never driven a Lotus Elan, anyone fortunate enough to drive one will likely say you’re missing out, as the whole experience is nothing short of sublime. Control weights are just as they should be, while the unassisted steering speaks to you in ways you didn’t realize possible. Toss the Elan with vigor into any corner and you’ll find seemingly endless amounts of grip, especially once you become comfortable with its supple suspension qualities.

The Elan’s snouty little exhaust note is impossible not to love, in addition to its razor-sharp throttle response and a gem of a gearbox that gives beautifully positive shifting action through its delicate little lever. Unlike newer cars that use Constant-Velocity axles, the Elans were also originally equipped with doughnut-style units that do require some time to adjust to their habits, but only require a periodic glance to monitor their condition.

Classic Lotus ownership does require caution and research. These cars have a reputation for fragility and a neglected or abused car can be a real nightmare, but when carefully maintained and properly sorted, such as this example, they can be fairly easy cars to live with and drive on a regular basis. This particular Elan is the ideal example. It was built and has been maintained by knowledgeable marque specialists, has the solid and desirable Spyder chassis and has had recent service to keep it enjoyable for miles to come. The Elan is one of the most rewarding cars of all time, and the best way to enjoy one is blasting through the back roads and reveling in the sound of the raspy exhaust as well as the seemingly limitless cornering power. This car is ideal for that.

Quite a find and like few other Elans anywhere in the world........

One owner since 1969...puchased with 2,000 miles, now certified 39,000 original miles. Always garaged and cared for. Very good original white paint on essentially perfect fiberglass body, excellent original top and boot cover, excellent all original interior, only very slight crazing of the wood veneer on the glove box door, otherwise an excellent dash in every way. And no cracks on the dash crashpad.

Excelent rust and damage free xhassis, 1,000 miles on engine rebuild with Stage 1 cams. 1558cc DOHC engine, twin 40 DCOE Webers.

Fitted with a slight upgrade of an alternator replacing the original generator and converted to negative ground. Never fitted with a radio and still with the original wood radio blank.

Other work done: new Sprint couplings, back up electric fuel trump, auxiliary radiator electric cooling fan. Tires also replaced.

As an S/E' version, has the more powererful 118hp spec engine, knock off wheels, and front fender indicator lights.

This is FAR from a 'barn find' in that the owner has run the engine or driven the car at least once a month for all of these years. And covered a mere 37,000 miles. All in all certainly one of the lowest mileage, original Elans on the planet.

And the rest? I have owned Elans for forty years (and still have a prized BRM modified Elan S2 S/E roadster in my barn), and this car literally drives like new. Smooth and flexible, effortless to start from a rest in 2nd (or, probably, 3rd) gear, quiet and refined, super quick steering and shifting, a blend of soft springs and stiffer shocks results in a superb ride by any modern standards. And the ability to 'throw around' this 1,500 pound sports car can't be duplicated in ANY modern car.

As one English magazine once stated, 'the ultimate in squirtability, the ability to squirt through traffic.'
And, like most of the other cars we sell, small and light, a car well attuned to a 55-65 mph society with rigid enforcement of sometimes archaic speed laws. Think about this.....nobody wants to fly to England in a poky old DC4 or Constellation and who but a antiquities geek would care to use his old Apple IIE and floppy discs? (and my Leica collection has been collecting dust since I surrendered to a tiny Canon digital plastic appliance)

But think of the few opportunities to (really) drive a modern mutli cam, 6 speed, turbocharged 180-200 mph GT on the road? But an Elan (or MGB or Mini Cooper S or Lotus 7 or....) is FUN to drive at speeds approaching legality. And, thus, the impression of speed seems to be far more important on the road than the actual speed.

To paraphrase another writer, gosh, I must have read this in college...."makes an average driver into a race driver and a race driver into....Jim Clark."

Our price is toward the highest region for an Elan. But in its condition and with its originality and perfectly documented history, think what this car might bring at auction in a few years. Food for thought.

1966 Lotus Elan Seies II British Racing Green  300 miles ground up restoration 26R Chassis modifications done by Mr. Todd Gerstenberger owner of many Vintage racing Lotus & Chevron racers. Fresh paint March 2015, Twin 40DCOE Weber Carbs 4 speed,Solid axles, new shocks, radiator

New Khumo radial's with factory knock off wheels 

Top & Tonneau cover good condition

Price $79,500.00obo ~~~~~~~       Porsche 911 Cabriolet  or Porsche Boxster S  Trades considered

contact: Henry Paul Valdez

1084 Chalet Circle

Thousand Oaks,Ca 91362 ~~~ 

(805)558-7473 (805)496-5213

Lotus Elan SE LHD in a very nice, clean and honest overall condition.Has been restored and mechanically rebuild (petrol lead free).Body-wise very strong, no problems.Nice black interior and black skai soft-top.Ready to go, all has been done, no work, no worries.Over 350 Classic and sportscars in stock. More information and photos on www.thegallerybrummen.nl. Or contact us by phone: 0031-575-564055.

The Lotus Elan Roadster made its debut in 1962 as a replacement to the beautiful but very fragile Elite. The Lotus Elan was a new fiber glass Roadster that used a brand new chassis design that would be used by Lotus for many decades to come. The Elan weighed in at 1,500 pounds and was offered with a DOHC 1557 cc engine with 4 wheel disc brakes, rack and pinion steering and four wheel disc brakes. For 1967 a 2+2 version was offered to the Elan stable and offered customers more room with similar attributes of the Elan Roadster or Coupe. Lotus announced the final iteration of the Elan at the Earls Court Motor Show in 1970. It was called the Elan Sprint and offered the highest output engine of the entire series of Elans. The Elan Sprint was rated at 126hp and was tested from a stand still to 60 mph in 6.3 seconds and was said to be one of the best handling sports cars of the time. The Sprint has become one of the most desirable models of the Elan line and most sought after. Sports Car International has included the Elan Sprint in their top 10 greatest 1960’s sports cars and with just 1409 made worldwide these Elans have become increasingly rare and great collectibles.

This beautiful 1972 Lotus Elan Sprint Roadster is finished in Colorado Orange with a Black interior. Sold new in Southern California in 1972 to the first owner this incredibly original Elan Sprint has only had three owners since new and comes with extensive documentation, receipts and records that date back to 1972. This matching numbers Elan Sprint is finished in its original Colorado Orange paint and shows very well for its age. There are a few areas where stress cracks have come through and a few areas that have been touched up over the years but overall the finish and quality of the paint is still in excellent condition. The interior is believed to be original minus the beautiful new wood dashboard and brand new boot and convertible top. Having been a CA from new and then to New Mexico for the past few years, this Sprint roadster benefits from dry climate and excellent storage. There is no rust to be found anywhere on the car. The chassis is excellent and free from any corrosion or rust. The engine starts right up and idles very well. The car shifts into gear with ease and accelerates beautifully. All of the hydraulics in the clutch are brand new so all of the gears are smooth and effortless with no slippage from the clutch. The suspension and steering feels outstanding, very nice and tight. The ride is excellent and very solid. The engine pulls very strong and sounds great. All of the electronics in the car are in operating condition including the dash lights, interior lights, headlights, tail lights, turn signals and brakes lights. The small rubber "donuts" un the back of car are in excellent condition and do not appear to be leaking any fluids. The car comes with its original tool roll, jack, spare tire, knock off tool, original US spec Acorn style knocks offs, original shift knob, original radio, owners handbook and service book with Lotus signatures and stampings from new. This car is documented by the Lotus factory as being Colorado Orange over Black and having engine number T/25112. This is a rare opportunity to own an incredibly original and exceptionally well documented 1972 Lotus Elan Sprint Roadster. These Elan Sprints are the ultimate iteration of Britains famous sports car and rare to find one that is so complete with such great patina and history. 

1971 Lotus Elan Roadster
    
'71 Lotus Elan Roadster with matching numbers in blue with black interior and equipped with a manual transmission and dual carburetors. Excellent original car that has been sitting for many years waiting to be restored.

For $11,750 USD
    
If you have any additional questions Please call 310-975-0272 

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