anyone recognise this lotus elan ?

[Geoff38]

Hi , bit of a longshot but thought I would ask , I have just got hold of a lotus elan fibreglass shell that appears to have some connection with santa pod ( has pod and nitrous stickers on it ). I have not been able to find anything via google etc and the previous owner knew nothing of it's history.
Thanks for any help, Geoff.

[Flying Toilet]

Used to race in Pro Euro I think with a twin cam on nitrous.

Was the driver called Brian Potter or similar?

[NitroWars]

Flying Toilet said:

Used to race in Pro Euro I think with a twin cam on nitrous.

Was the driver called Brian Potter or similar?

Close... Barry Potter, related to Keith of "The Devil" fame...

[Geoff38]

Thanks for the info , unfortunately still nothing comes up easily on t'web , will keep looking.

Cheers
Geoff

[Jon C]

Now that is a piece of history. To refer only to that cars time in the euroseries is to define the career of Sir Ian McKellen via his work on Coronation Street.

Palladin was a competitive package in the old Modified and Top Modified class. Along with Dick and Hazel Wolzek's Meanie Minor and Ron Kiddell's Sweet Sixteen, Barry and the car personified the ingenuity of many racers of the period.

Great find. What are you going to do with it?

[Turn7]

Lovedd sweet sixteen!

[Geoff38]

Hi Jon,
well it was an impulse buy whilst collecting some ebay TVR parts. The chap said "if you are in to fibreglass cars come and have a look in the yard at some other bits and pieces" and I never had a second thought. I would like to put it back togther as a trackday car with a space frame chassis. I have all the doors , boot etc but no mechanical parts. The previous owner was lookng to restore it to a normal lotus elan by cutting down the middle to make it the correct width ( is wider by several inches ) fortunately he did not cut the bonnet parts and the boot lid so I know how wide the shell needs to be. It's fibreglass so can be made good again and it might help with building the chassis being in two halfs ??

Engine power ?
quite fancy putting it onto 4wd subaru impreza running gear ( which I just happen to have ) as the engine is quite low. Chassis would be like a TVR with double wishbones front and back.

open to any ideas people might have. would even consider getting moulds made ?

Any pics of the car racing or at least complete appreciated.

Cheers
Geoff.

[Flying Toilet]

NitroWars said:

Close... Barry Potter, related to Keith of "The Devil" fame...

Ha, you are right! Brian Potter is from Phoenix Nights aka Peter Kay!

Also, had no idea the car had such history, only just old enough to remember the Euro Series, mainly because of that mad MK1 cossie powered Escort that came over from Malta, last seen firing its bonnet into the air in the fire up road.

Edited by Flying Toilet on Tuesday 11th June 10:34

[MartynJones]

That car has survived a lot, and a long time.

I can remember it turning up at the Pod, having survived falling off the open trailer at speed on the M1, without hitting anyone or anything!

[NitroWars]

MartynJones said:

That car has survived a lot, and a long time.

I can remember it turning up at the Pod, having survived falling off the open trailer at speed on the M1, without hitting anyone or anything!

That sort of rings bells... Car has been around since late 70s/early 80s to late 80s at least. Barry won the 1989 NDRA Modified Championship in the car (per www.trakbytes.co.uk ).

[Turn7]

Now I see it at home rather than my phone, I do remember it. Wasn't it yellow at one point?

[TheMighty]

Paladin is such a piece of UK drag racing history it really deserves to be restored to its former glory rather than using the body for something else. I'm even tempted to make an offer just because it bothers me!

I've sent Martyn Potter a link to this thread as he did have a pile of photos in his Photobucket account at one time and obviously he can advise on the history

[Geoff38]

couple of answers :-

yes there is a layer of yellow paint which can be seen as one side of the car has been partially sanded , I assume in prep for new paint.

As to returning it to original spec , what was the spec ?
did it have the lotus spine chassis and wishbones etc , what was the engine ?
I have plenty of projects to be getting on with so will not be rushing in to this one just yet , plenty of time to do research into what it was in it's hey day.

Thanks for the info/input

Cheers
Geoff.

[steve y]

From memory the motor was a near 2.0 litre Lotus twin cam using a 1600cc 711M block with a special crank and a big valve head, I think the gearbox was a three rail 2000E box, but I am sure Barry will be along to fill in the gaps
it was a very nice car and very quick
Steve

[Flying Phil]

Palladin certainly was a quick car and it upset quite a few American "Muscle" cars and their drivers!

[Geoff38]

I am still looking for any pictures of the lotus in action , the only mention anywhere that I have found so far is this DVD description.....not sure I want to buy it if there is only a few seconds of action.

http://www.timetraveldvds.co.uk/page74.html

Cheers
Geoff.

[Turn7]

Have you had a good trawl through the acceleration archive?

Also,try asking over on Ukdrn.

[Upatdawn]

Time Travel has its own You Tube channel, have a look, you might find something


http://www.youtube.com/user/timetraveldvds?feature...

[novanut64]

at north weald mid eighties I think