1973 Lotus Elan +2S 130/4

Guide price: £28,000 - £32,000

𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀

● Professionally restored from the ground up

● Over £27k spent on parts alone

● Just 800 miles covered since completion

𝗢𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄

With the Lotus of the sixties looking to sell as many road cars as possible in order to fund its racing endeavours, the Elan +2 was conceived as a way to broaden the market for the Elan roadster by making a larger, more luxurious coupe that would appeal to families.

The basic design principles of a backbone chassis and glass fibre bodywork were retained and many of the components, including the Ford drivetrain, were re-used and only where necessary were parts scaled up as necessary – the driveshafts, for example.

Today, the Elan +2 has an enthusiastic following and although it’s perhaps not quite as practical as the original marketing would have you believe (the rear seats are only really suitable for small children), it’s a fine-driving car in the Lotus tradition that has enough luggage space for longer trips.

This example, hailing from the latter stages of the production run, is the most luxurious +2S version with the big valve engine. After reportedly being in storage for 20 years or so, it has been treated to a ground up restoration which has seen new parts to a total value of over £27k used to produce a pristine build, with the finishing touches applied by a renowned specialist. Fully mechanically refreshed and with a beautiful retrimmed interior, to our eyes it has show-winner written all over it.

𝗛𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗱𝗼𝗰𝘂𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻

● Registered new 1 November 1973

● Reportedly in storage 1982 – 2012

● Purchased by the sales director of a large motor retail group in 2012, it was restored from the ground up over a period of eight years

● Initially the car was stripped and rebuilt in the retailer’s workshops, where the inner sills were replaced and the suspension components were all replaced or reconditioned

● A high-quality full respray in the original colour scheme was also carried out

● The car was then sent to renowned Lotus specialist Spyder cars who removed the body and checked the work carried out and brought it up to their standards where necessary

● Spyder also rewired the car, fitted electric pop-up headlamps and Spyder driveshafts

● At this stage the interior was retrimmed in Jaguar Magnolia leather

● In total, the parts bill came to more than £27,000 and Spyder’s labour came in at over £6,000

● As the earlier work was carried out in-house, it was not invoiced but it is estimated that the respray alone would have cost around £9,500 at a bodyshop

● Since the restoration, the car has covered just 800 miles

● There is a folder of invoices for parts and a DVD of photographs of the restoration (of which a number are shown in the gallery)

● Two keys

● Tax and MOT exempt

● HPI clear

𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗼𝗿

● In keeping with the more luxurious brief associated with the +2 than with its roadster sibling, the interior is fully retrimmed in Jaguar Magnolia leather and, with many fresh parts, including the carpet and headlining, the cabin is almost as-new

● A leather-trimmed Moto-Lita classic three spoke steering wheel sits ahead of a walnut-faced dashboard which contains a set of new dials and switches which are all clearly labelled

● The Pioneer radio is a modern item with Bluetooth hands free and USB connectivity and is paired with an electric aerial and modern speakers

● As with the cabin, the boot is neatly trimmed

● In all, it looks to be in potential prize-winning condition

𝗘𝘅𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗼𝗿

● Fully resprayed in Lagoon blue with a silver metalflake roof, the car is beautifully presented

● As well as fresh paintwork, it’s all the detail areas that really make it stand out such as the mirror-like chrome work, a complete new set of badges and new window rubbers and trims

● The wheels are unmarked and wear a matching set of Blockley 165/R13 tyres with 6-7mm of tread remaining at the front, and 4-5mm at the rear

● The rarity of the car and its outstanding condition mean that it’s bound to turn heads wherever it goes

𝗠𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹

● The photographic records show the extent of the restoration work which includes a full rebuild of the drivetrain, suspension and brakes, again with many new parts

● The big valve engine has the benefit of a number of upgrades including an uprated radiator, electric fans and a conversion to electronic ignition

● Although the +2 is not quite as nimble as the roadster on which it is based, the handling is regarded by some as superior due to the extra stability provided by the wider track

● With the rorty Ford engine and light weight, this promises to be a huge amount of fun to drive as well as being a feast for the eyes

𝗦𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘆

If you’re in the market for a classic Lotus that is of the very highest standard, then look no further. Combining the famed Lotus handling with a level of practicality, it may be suitable for show awards but it also has the potential to be a fantastic companion on some lengthy road trips too.

To arrange a viewing, please request this in the Q&A section. You can click through to the seller's profile and use the 'Email Me' function to arrange a viewing privately. This seller is located in Silverstone, Northamptonshire.