Itching to get an Elan

[glb]

The nice fellow who bought my 72 Elan Sprint needs to sell it. Following is some info about the car:

I purchased the car in 1985 soon began a frame-up/off restoration. I began with the stronger Spyder chassis and suspension components, roll-cage and rear axle conversion.

I installed the new: Dashboard, fuel tank, brake lines, brakes, clutch, Panasport wheels.

The trans and diff were rebuilt at that time. A few years ago I tore down the trans again and it showed no signs of wear.

The engine was built three years ago by MWE (Marcovicci-Wenz Engineering, the east coast's premier twin-cam specialist.) The rest of the work was done over the years by me with occasional help from a race-car mechanic friend.

This is one of the most highly developed Elans in the US. It has been built for performance (speed, handling, braking) and reliability. Car was almost my daily driver and has never let me down. It's comfortable and FUN. Even has a pretty usable trunk.

Elans are special cars. And, this Elan is very special: Very fast, great handling, astounding braking, beautiful, reliable, comfortable, needing nothing.

The car was repainted about 3 years ago, at which time all the rubber moldings and surrounds were changed.

I love this car; it is my baby. My upcoming divorce is the only thing that could cause me to sell it. I was sure I would have this car for the rest of my life.

All the modifications I have made were in the interest of speed, safety and reliability. Stock Elans are fragile and somewhat slow. We took a couple of Elans to the drag strip (don’t ask) and my car was over 2 seconds quicker than my friend’s mildly “breathed on” Elan. His car was in the low 17s and mine ran mid-14s (taking it easy) and about 100 mph. Frankly, my Corolla is faster than a stock Elan, as are Honda mini-vans.

This car is the “best of both worlds”: It’s got classic, beautiful looks with modern performance and reliability.

Specs:

1972 Elan Sprint DHC
• 167 hp engine w/dyno sheets (167 hp @ 6600 rpm; 140 lb-ft torque between 4700 rpm and 6000 rpm)
• 45DCOE Webers, perfectly jetted and balanced (car idles smoothly)
• Newly painted white with silver bumpers and wheels
• New windshield
• New wooden dash
• Ground up restoration
• Trans, diff, clutch rebuilt
• New wide radiator w/electric fan (will not overheat)
• Driving lights + Halogen conversion headlights (with good relays)
• Alternator, not generator
• Super Starter
• Adjustable-height suspension; car has been weight-jacked for balance (MWE said it was the most stable Elan they'd ever driven)
• Full Spyder conversion: Chassis, suspension, roll cage (even protects your feet), rear axles w/only 1 donut per side (smoother driving; more reliable; axle won’t whip thru car if donut breaks)
• Double A-arms in rear vs. Chapman strut = better geometry.
• +2 Front brakes, stops shockingly quickly
• SS brake lines, new steel brake lines on rest of car
• New Lucas magnetic p/u distributor
• Knock-off Panasport 5" x 13" Alum wheels
• New A032Rs, other good usable tires come with car
• All original components come with car
• Car weights 12 lbs. more than normal, as every bolt/nut coated with either anti-seize or Locktite or both.
• Full service history, of course.

NOTE: If you are looking for a "project" this is not your car. If you are looking for a bargain, ditto. If you want a car you can get into and drive cross-country, this is the car for you. If you want to surprise Camaros, Firebirds, Mustangs, Porsches, Honda S2000s, etc., this car will beat them all. And look great doing it.

[babak]

Is it for sale or already sold? (based on your sig)

[glb]

Originally Posted by babak

Is it for sale or already sold? (based on your sig)

Sorry I didn't make it clear. The fellow I sold it to now needs to resell it.

So, it is for sale. I have not spoken to new owner about pricing. Car is great. He bought it in April and hasn't had to do anything except put in a new alternator, which I doubt it needed.

=gb=

[babak]

The fog clears now as does the lack of price info. Let me know.

[glb]

Originally Posted by babak

The fog clears now as does the lack of price info. Let me know.

See PM to you.

[mopho]

Sometimes good things come out of the insomnia

Elans at the Ring

http://youtube.com/watch?v=q-L-thsn2cU

I want my car back

[Series 2 Elite]

Originally Posted by mopho

Sometimes good things come out of the insomnia

Elans at the Ring

I want my car back

Argghh!! Mopho you very bad man. I have been glued to my Tony Thompson catalogue all day after that clip. Why oh why did I sell that S3 FHC?

[ervsch]

Originally Posted by mopho

Sometimes good things come out of the insomnia

Elans at the Ring

I want my car back

Man... I haven't missed my '70 S4 so much as when I watched that video!

I remember driving it, not quite that agressively - but pretty quickly. through the foothills of the Sierra Nevada's outside of Sacramento when I first bought it in the mid 80's. Boy the memories... What great roads and banzai runs!

As it got older though I got more and more afraid of flogging it - afraid I'd break something. The Elise was a good move, but rebuilding a 26R always lurks in the back of my mind...

[Series 2 Elite]

I probably shouldn't even relate this story. I am at my favorite watering hole last night and notice an Elise parked at the curb. I wait until the driver returns and run out to say hello. Usual pleasantries and then I mention my Elite and Elan +2 as backdrop to thinking about an Elise. Elise driver exhibits blank stare and says "sorry, I'm not good with car names". I know its me, but I am amazed that someone would own a Lotus without knowing anything about the history. OK, I'll be quiet now and go look for arcane nuts and bolts stuff on elan.net.

[babak]

I consider myself a neophyte to the Lotus marque, but even then I know a bit about the history. My formitive adolescent years were around the time that Lotus F1 was the house to beat and the reruns of Mrs Peel were on TV.

[rm250c2]

I had a 69 elan S4 in the early 70's and used to autocross on eithr 155 or 165x13 Michelin radial tires. Even with as skinny as they were, no Porsche or Corvette ever beat that car. Quite an improvement from the MG Midget I had previously. So my vote syas get one! I wish I ahd one- they a little hard to find for less than $ 25K it seems. That kind of takes the fun out of it.

[lotiguy]

if you want to spend 25k i'll take it,but really mines cheaper
http://www.elisetalk.com/forums/show...highlight=elan

[babak]

You have no idea how tempted I've been. My saving grace is that I made my self a deal that I needed to expand the garage so that it (or the Elise) wouldn't sit outside.

[milehitom]

They are such cool cars. Here are couple I saw a few weeks back when I visited the Mathews Collection in Denver. Great collection-great guy.

Tom

[mopho]

Ahhhh!!! Only three more months till I get mine back

I am having the DT's!

[TheViper]

So here I am 33 years ago driving my BRM Elan when it starts to pull to the right. Had it aligned and same thing happens. Seems one of the front vertical chassis members supporting the front suspension spring had rusted completely though. The only thing holding the car together was the inside of the fibre glass wheel well arch onto which the whole spring/chassis member was pressing. I had just been driving at about 100 mph. I LOVED THAT CAR.

[glb]

Originally Posted by TheViper

So here I am 33 years ago driving my BRM Elan when it starts to pull to the right. Had it aligned and same thing happens. Seems one of the front vertical chassis members supporting the front suspension spring had rusted completely though. The only thing holding the car together was the inside of the fibre glass wheel well arch onto which the whole spring/chassis member was pressing. I had just been driving at about 100 mph. I LOVED THAT CAR.

Elans can be quite reliable, but need really good maintenance.

Elans have famous/infamous "half moon" openings at the bottom of the (open on top) suspension uprights. Unless these are kept clear of debris, moisture accumlates and rust ensues.

B4 I had the Spyder chassis, I made sure to clean these regularly, and kept the uprights interiors coated with petroleum products. (Unfortunately, the leaking engine oil doesn't reach these spots.)

Once the upright breaks, the chassis is toast. Can't be welded properly.

My stock chassis was fine, but once I drove a Spyder-chassied car, I was hooked. There was no flex, and even if I jacked one corner of the car up high, the door seams didn't change and the doors functioned properly.

The Spyder chassis also allowed me to use the much heavier-duty Spyder suspension arms, which also increased the feeling of solidity/solidarity and stability.

Both the stock chassis and susp arms are fairly thin bent sheet metal. One can't use the Spyder arms with a stock chassis: if you hit a curb, you'd bend the chassis and not the (easily-replaceable) arms.

The stock chassis supposedly was simply/only a mule to test the basic engineering. But, Ron Hickman (who later became rich from inventing the Black & Decker Workmate workbench) felt the temporary s/u was fine and Lotus went with it.

It was far better than the Elite's system of bonding metal struts into the fibreglas shell.

Personally, I found the difference between a stock chassis car and a Spyder chassis car compelling...enough for me to spend months doing the swap. In a barely-heated garage. In winter.

This was one decision I never for a moment regretted. When I added the extra hp (170 total), the car wasn't fazed a bit.

A friend has an Elan with all the above, plus an alum block, 200 hp, 200 ft/lb twin-cam. This is faster than his orig 289 Cobra. It flies. It's way faster than his Elise.

I wouldn't want an Elan with stock chassis and/or suspension. And, definitely not without the Spyder roll-cage. (I've grown accustomed to my feet.)

But, that's just me...power-mad, yet safety-conscious. Go figure.

[Series 2 Elite]

Originally Posted by glb

Elans can be quite reliable, but need really good maintenance.

A friend has an Elan with all the above, plus an alum block, 200 hp, 200 ft/lb twin-cam. This is faster than his orig 289 Cobra. It flies. It's way faster than his Elise.

Go figure.

I assume this Twin Cam was built up on a BDG block that can be stretched to almost 2.2 liters. Did your friend have to dry sump this engine? The ally blocks all seem to lack the internal suction drillings needed for a wet sump.

[glb]

Originally Posted by Series 2 Elite

I assume this Twin Cam was built up on a BDG block that can be stretched to almost 2.2 liters. Did your friend have to dry sump this engine? The ally blocks all seem to lack the internal suction drillings needed for a wet sump.

IIRC, you are right on both counts, but am not sure.

[mopho]

Another video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fs1Od_1i2-I