Discussion
ALP291H
It s a drivers Elan, certainky not for the purists as it s bit of a triggers broom of a car which is what I love about it. Its history is amazing and I have every receipt includindvghe one for £20,000+ for its restoration in the 80 s by Mick Miller. The same guy who did Harry Metcalf s Sprint.
The wheels are staying black for now…they set it apart from the others!
It will get silver bumpers over the winter.
High-Performance Engine & Drivetrain
Sprint Plus Spec Engine: The car's 1558cc Twin Cam engine was upgraded to a higher-tier "Sprint Plus" specification. This combines enhanced breathing with re-jetted twin Weber carburettors and a dual throttle-cable setup for crisper response.
140 BHP Output: The meticulous engine building yielded real performance. The car's historical documentation includes a rolling-road dynamometer printout proving it produces a healthy 140 Brake Horsepower (BHP) a massive leap from the standard S4 SE's original output.
Solid Driveshafts: One of the best drivability upgrades for a classic Elan is deleting the original rubber "Rotoflex" couplings, which are notorious for wind-up and degradation. Your car was fitted with modern solid-mechanical driveshafts to deliver more direct, reliable power transmission to the rear wheels.
Enhanced Cooling & Ancillaries
Aluminium Radiator & Fuel Tank: To save weight and prevent the heating struggles common to classic British sports cars, a high-efficiency aluminium radiator was installed along with a lightweight aluminium fuel tank. [1, 2]
Cartridge Water Pump: The original Lotus Twin Cam water pump is famously difficult to replace because the front timing cover has to be removed. The Mick Miller build upgraded this to a modern, user-serviceable cartridge water pump paired with high-efficiency Poly-V belts.
High-Torque Starter Motor: A modern high-torque unit was fitted to give the engine rapid, reliable starting power under any temperature condition.
Chassis & Driving Dynamics
Adjustable Suspension: The car was rebuilt using a new galvanized replacement chassis and upgraded with a fully adjustable suspension setup. This allowed its previous owners to finely tune the corner weights and ride height for optimal handling.
Purist Braking Setup: Notably, the car was intentionally put together without a brake servo. This was a conscious choice by the builder to offer firmer, completely linear, and unassisted pedal feel preferred by driving purists.
You want history …..how’s this….
Built at Lotus Hethel factory in 1969 this Elan was registered ALP 291H on 11th August 1969 to a Mr Keith Rogers who kept the car for eight years before selling it to Mr John Fitton on 10th January 1978. Photographs on file suggest the Lotus was finished in Burnt Sand , a rather nice period colour current from October 1967 to October 1970, though described by the third owner of this car as horrible Lotus Brown - each to their own - and it was configured as a fixed head coupe though more on that later. Bills on file from the 1970s and 1980s attest to ongoing maintenance including an engine rebuild in the mid 1980s and a note in the Elan s history file states the Elan was driven hard but not thrashed with an indicated 135 MPH once being achieved on the M56 ! We assume the M56 is quite downhill
Though successfully MOT tested on April 4th 1987 with 23,371 miles indicated on the odometer, it was purchased by a pilot, Captain Derek Smith on 19th May 1987 for £3,300 (Bill of Sale on file) with the intention of conducting a full restoration. Just six days later the work was started by Captain Smith who meticulously documented progress right down to the exact time the body was removed from the chassis (17.00 hours on Saturday 30th May since you asked). Over the next four years the restoration continued starting with a new galvanised Lotus chassis (LR 2051), the engine was rebuilt by AKS Engineering and the body repaired and repainted in Jaguar Dark Racing Green. The running gear was rebuilt with progress photographically recorded throughout (again, photos on file).
A house move and change in marital status resulted in the Lotus being advertised as a 90% finished restoration project in the 25th July 1991 issue of Exchange and Mart which yielded at least five written enquiries, though for some unknown reason a sale was not completed. What is known is that by 1993 Captain Smith had sadly passed away and the Elan was inherited by his son Malcolm, also a pilot; Lotus was clearly in the blood, both father and son being Club Lotus members with Malcolm and his brother already Elan owners. Clearly having an emotional attachment to his father s project, Malcolm decided to have the restoration completed and he contacted Mick and Susan Miller who had earlier advised Captain Smith and are renowned for the outstanding quality of their restoration work. After some discussion a brief was outlined in a letter to the Millers dated 7th May 1993 which makes it clear that by this stage the decision had been taken to virtually rebuild the car again, to the exact specification Malcolm required; drop head coupe bodywork finished in Norfolk Yellow with black leather trim, double duck hood and Wilton carpeting. The letter also included myriad smaller details such as deleted badging and indicator repeaters, body colour bumpers, green tinted glass, a walnut dashboard with no ashtray or cigarette lighter and even green tinted instrument lighting. Tellingly Malcolm also gave Mick carte blanche to effectively start again with the engine if he or his builders of choice, Holbay, felt the work already carried out by AKS was of a less than high standard ; clearly no corner was to be cut. As is so often the case with top quality specialists, Mick did not expect to be able to make a start for almost a year and in reality it was January 1995 before he could even provide an estimate of the likely cost of the project; something in excess of £14,000 plus VAT. Even then work did not get underway until the autumn of 95 though after some two and a half years gestation, the project actually only took six months or so to complete. There is a detailed final account on file which lists every item of the restoration from big ticket items such as the brand new Lotus drop head coupe body and associated closing panels at some £2,600 before VAT, down to new door handle gaskets at 72p the pair. Running to seven pages and some 250 items, it is hard to imagine any part of the finished car that was not either brand new or refurbished to as new condition and it is a frankly eye-watering illustration of the sheer number of components that make up even a relatively simple car. Including VAT (then just 17.5%) the bill came to just under £20,000 including what looks to be a very reasonable £5,500 in labour, especially as that included preparing and painting the new body-shell. This document was accompanied by a covering letter from Mick explaining that the project had turned out to be a lot more expensive than was originally estimated due to the large number of missing or unusable parts. To quote the insurance valuation produced at the time, This car is virtually new and has been rebuilt to the highest standard which must have sweetened the pill somewhat as would have the estimated replacement value of £24,000.
Photographs on file of the car taken during and after the restoration certainly show it to be in frankly stunning condition and one could have been forgiven for tucking it away in a climate controlled garage. However, that was never the owners intention for what was to then be his everyday car and just ten weeks after collecting the Elan (with its freshly zeroed odometer) it was at Lotus main dealers Daytune for a service having covered a mightily impressive 4,000 miles. There was little let off for the rest of the first post-restoration year with over 16,000 miles covered. Following this, usage tailed off to average a mere 6,000/year until 2002 by which time it had covered nearly 53,000 miles and since then the Elan has virtually put down roots clocking up on average just over 1,000 miles between MOTs though it did see 4,000 miles pass under its wheels in 2012.
So twenty-five years and ******** miles later, how is the Lotus looking? In short, amazing and a true testament to the standard of Mick Miller s work, doubtless helped by the stepping off point of a brand new body and chassis. The paintwork (actually Norfolk Mustard ) is still virtually blemish-free with a great depth and glassy finish, there being just one slight mark inside a door shut as shown in the photo gallery. There are no signs of any of the dreaded crazing that frequently affects fibreglass bodies and the panel fit is excellent throughout, as shown in the photo gallery. Longevity is the absolute litmus test for quality and this superb example is a testament to Mick s skills. The chrome-work, clearly well cared for since its restoration when virtually all of it was replaced, is still in lovely order including the susceptible Mazak light units. Inside, the leather is just taking on that nicely mellowed feel while the carpets and dashboard are still in excellent shape. The underside and engine bay are perhaps a little more functional but do have the look of being well maintained with the chassis still well protected.
Yes, covering that sort of mileage will take its toll mechanically but the Elan has been maintained to the highest standards and there are a raft of bills with the car for consumables such as brake pads, tyres, trunnions and ball joints. Rebuilds have also been carried out to the major components of the drivetrain using renowned specialists such as QED (engine), JR Dain (gearbox) and Alan Voight (differential). The weather gear (hood, full tonneau and hood envelope) has been replaced but the leather interior and burr walnut dashboard are those fitted by Mick and are now just nicely mellowed.
Over the years, many improved components have been fitted such a solid drive-shafts and an aluminium fuel tank courtesy of Sue Miller, a set of stronger hubs and an aluminium radiator/swirl pot combination from Tony Thompson Racing along with Spydercars rear struts and tubular wishbones. Adjustable suspension and brand new, slightly stronger than original, steel wheels have been fitted while Kelvedon provided twin throttle cables, heavy duty engine and differential mounts plus a PowerLite high torque starter. A Burton cartridge water pump kit and uprated alternator are driven by Wilcox Poly-V belts and pulleys while silicone water hoses, an Aldon Ignitor ignition system and custom made stainless steel exhaust system round out the engine related goodies.
The proof of the pudding and all that but driving the Elan certainly didn t disappoint with all the usual attributes of light and direct steering, a super-positive gear change and puppy dog levels of enthusiasm to take off down the road present. Feeling more spritely than a Sprint (never mind a Sprite) it is no surprise that there is a dynamometer print out on file from Ric Wood Tuning which shows 140 BHP being produced at 5,500 RPM.
The impressive History File (case) referred to and shown in the photo gallery contains a number of registration documents of various vintages along with correspondence and an enormous number of bills relating to the Elan s maintenance and restoration. There are also nearly twenty MOT certificates, a spare set of keys, an Owner's Handbook (in poor condition) and copious photographs of before, during and after the Lotus restoration.
It s a drivers Elan, certainky not for the purists as it s bit of a triggers broom of a car which is what I love about it. Its history is amazing and I have every receipt includindvghe one for £20,000+ for its restoration in the 80 s by Mick Miller. The same guy who did Harry Metcalf s Sprint.
The wheels are staying black for now…they set it apart from the others!
It will get silver bumpers over the winter.
High-Performance Engine & Drivetrain
Sprint Plus Spec Engine: The car's 1558cc Twin Cam engine was upgraded to a higher-tier "Sprint Plus" specification. This combines enhanced breathing with re-jetted twin Weber carburettors and a dual throttle-cable setup for crisper response.
140 BHP Output: The meticulous engine building yielded real performance. The car's historical documentation includes a rolling-road dynamometer printout proving it produces a healthy 140 Brake Horsepower (BHP) a massive leap from the standard S4 SE's original output.
Solid Driveshafts: One of the best drivability upgrades for a classic Elan is deleting the original rubber "Rotoflex" couplings, which are notorious for wind-up and degradation. Your car was fitted with modern solid-mechanical driveshafts to deliver more direct, reliable power transmission to the rear wheels.
Enhanced Cooling & Ancillaries
Aluminium Radiator & Fuel Tank: To save weight and prevent the heating struggles common to classic British sports cars, a high-efficiency aluminium radiator was installed along with a lightweight aluminium fuel tank. [1, 2]
Cartridge Water Pump: The original Lotus Twin Cam water pump is famously difficult to replace because the front timing cover has to be removed. The Mick Miller build upgraded this to a modern, user-serviceable cartridge water pump paired with high-efficiency Poly-V belts.
High-Torque Starter Motor: A modern high-torque unit was fitted to give the engine rapid, reliable starting power under any temperature condition.
Chassis & Driving Dynamics
Adjustable Suspension: The car was rebuilt using a new galvanized replacement chassis and upgraded with a fully adjustable suspension setup. This allowed its previous owners to finely tune the corner weights and ride height for optimal handling.
Purist Braking Setup: Notably, the car was intentionally put together without a brake servo. This was a conscious choice by the builder to offer firmer, completely linear, and unassisted pedal feel preferred by driving purists.
You want history …..how’s this….
Built at Lotus Hethel factory in 1969 this Elan was registered ALP 291H on 11th August 1969 to a Mr Keith Rogers who kept the car for eight years before selling it to Mr John Fitton on 10th January 1978. Photographs on file suggest the Lotus was finished in Burnt Sand , a rather nice period colour current from October 1967 to October 1970, though described by the third owner of this car as horrible Lotus Brown - each to their own - and it was configured as a fixed head coupe though more on that later. Bills on file from the 1970s and 1980s attest to ongoing maintenance including an engine rebuild in the mid 1980s and a note in the Elan s history file states the Elan was driven hard but not thrashed with an indicated 135 MPH once being achieved on the M56 ! We assume the M56 is quite downhill
Though successfully MOT tested on April 4th 1987 with 23,371 miles indicated on the odometer, it was purchased by a pilot, Captain Derek Smith on 19th May 1987 for £3,300 (Bill of Sale on file) with the intention of conducting a full restoration. Just six days later the work was started by Captain Smith who meticulously documented progress right down to the exact time the body was removed from the chassis (17.00 hours on Saturday 30th May since you asked). Over the next four years the restoration continued starting with a new galvanised Lotus chassis (LR 2051), the engine was rebuilt by AKS Engineering and the body repaired and repainted in Jaguar Dark Racing Green. The running gear was rebuilt with progress photographically recorded throughout (again, photos on file).
A house move and change in marital status resulted in the Lotus being advertised as a 90% finished restoration project in the 25th July 1991 issue of Exchange and Mart which yielded at least five written enquiries, though for some unknown reason a sale was not completed. What is known is that by 1993 Captain Smith had sadly passed away and the Elan was inherited by his son Malcolm, also a pilot; Lotus was clearly in the blood, both father and son being Club Lotus members with Malcolm and his brother already Elan owners. Clearly having an emotional attachment to his father s project, Malcolm decided to have the restoration completed and he contacted Mick and Susan Miller who had earlier advised Captain Smith and are renowned for the outstanding quality of their restoration work. After some discussion a brief was outlined in a letter to the Millers dated 7th May 1993 which makes it clear that by this stage the decision had been taken to virtually rebuild the car again, to the exact specification Malcolm required; drop head coupe bodywork finished in Norfolk Yellow with black leather trim, double duck hood and Wilton carpeting. The letter also included myriad smaller details such as deleted badging and indicator repeaters, body colour bumpers, green tinted glass, a walnut dashboard with no ashtray or cigarette lighter and even green tinted instrument lighting. Tellingly Malcolm also gave Mick carte blanche to effectively start again with the engine if he or his builders of choice, Holbay, felt the work already carried out by AKS was of a less than high standard ; clearly no corner was to be cut. As is so often the case with top quality specialists, Mick did not expect to be able to make a start for almost a year and in reality it was January 1995 before he could even provide an estimate of the likely cost of the project; something in excess of £14,000 plus VAT. Even then work did not get underway until the autumn of 95 though after some two and a half years gestation, the project actually only took six months or so to complete. There is a detailed final account on file which lists every item of the restoration from big ticket items such as the brand new Lotus drop head coupe body and associated closing panels at some £2,600 before VAT, down to new door handle gaskets at 72p the pair. Running to seven pages and some 250 items, it is hard to imagine any part of the finished car that was not either brand new or refurbished to as new condition and it is a frankly eye-watering illustration of the sheer number of components that make up even a relatively simple car. Including VAT (then just 17.5%) the bill came to just under £20,000 including what looks to be a very reasonable £5,500 in labour, especially as that included preparing and painting the new body-shell. This document was accompanied by a covering letter from Mick explaining that the project had turned out to be a lot more expensive than was originally estimated due to the large number of missing or unusable parts. To quote the insurance valuation produced at the time, This car is virtually new and has been rebuilt to the highest standard which must have sweetened the pill somewhat as would have the estimated replacement value of £24,000.
Photographs on file of the car taken during and after the restoration certainly show it to be in frankly stunning condition and one could have been forgiven for tucking it away in a climate controlled garage. However, that was never the owners intention for what was to then be his everyday car and just ten weeks after collecting the Elan (with its freshly zeroed odometer) it was at Lotus main dealers Daytune for a service having covered a mightily impressive 4,000 miles. There was little let off for the rest of the first post-restoration year with over 16,000 miles covered. Following this, usage tailed off to average a mere 6,000/year until 2002 by which time it had covered nearly 53,000 miles and since then the Elan has virtually put down roots clocking up on average just over 1,000 miles between MOTs though it did see 4,000 miles pass under its wheels in 2012.
So twenty-five years and ******** miles later, how is the Lotus looking? In short, amazing and a true testament to the standard of Mick Miller s work, doubtless helped by the stepping off point of a brand new body and chassis. The paintwork (actually Norfolk Mustard ) is still virtually blemish-free with a great depth and glassy finish, there being just one slight mark inside a door shut as shown in the photo gallery. There are no signs of any of the dreaded crazing that frequently affects fibreglass bodies and the panel fit is excellent throughout, as shown in the photo gallery. Longevity is the absolute litmus test for quality and this superb example is a testament to Mick s skills. The chrome-work, clearly well cared for since its restoration when virtually all of it was replaced, is still in lovely order including the susceptible Mazak light units. Inside, the leather is just taking on that nicely mellowed feel while the carpets and dashboard are still in excellent shape. The underside and engine bay are perhaps a little more functional but do have the look of being well maintained with the chassis still well protected.
Yes, covering that sort of mileage will take its toll mechanically but the Elan has been maintained to the highest standards and there are a raft of bills with the car for consumables such as brake pads, tyres, trunnions and ball joints. Rebuilds have also been carried out to the major components of the drivetrain using renowned specialists such as QED (engine), JR Dain (gearbox) and Alan Voight (differential). The weather gear (hood, full tonneau and hood envelope) has been replaced but the leather interior and burr walnut dashboard are those fitted by Mick and are now just nicely mellowed.
Over the years, many improved components have been fitted such a solid drive-shafts and an aluminium fuel tank courtesy of Sue Miller, a set of stronger hubs and an aluminium radiator/swirl pot combination from Tony Thompson Racing along with Spydercars rear struts and tubular wishbones. Adjustable suspension and brand new, slightly stronger than original, steel wheels have been fitted while Kelvedon provided twin throttle cables, heavy duty engine and differential mounts plus a PowerLite high torque starter. A Burton cartridge water pump kit and uprated alternator are driven by Wilcox Poly-V belts and pulleys while silicone water hoses, an Aldon Ignitor ignition system and custom made stainless steel exhaust system round out the engine related goodies.
The proof of the pudding and all that but driving the Elan certainly didn t disappoint with all the usual attributes of light and direct steering, a super-positive gear change and puppy dog levels of enthusiasm to take off down the road present. Feeling more spritely than a Sprint (never mind a Sprite) it is no surprise that there is a dynamometer print out on file from Ric Wood Tuning which shows 140 BHP being produced at 5,500 RPM.
The impressive History File (case) referred to and shown in the photo gallery contains a number of registration documents of various vintages along with correspondence and an enormous number of bills relating to the Elan s maintenance and restoration. There are also nearly twenty MOT certificates, a spare set of keys, an Owner's Handbook (in poor condition) and copious photographs of before, during and after the Lotus restoration.
Great looking S4, all the better for being a bit different.
I had a 1970 S4SE DHC on Strombergs that my late Uncle fully restored on a new galvanised Lotus chassis. After he finished the restoration he downsized his house and could not store the car...which is how I became the fortunate custodian for 12 plus years.
My pal is a Lotus race mechanic ( retired) so with his help and skill we 'revived' the car. Mine also originally had the brake servo, but after problems with the servo unit, we decided to remove it completely, and it remained that way until i sold it ....after 35,000 hard miles, including a great trip to The Alps.
The earlier Elan iterations did not have a servo; the car is so light some say the servo 'over braked ' the car, and the absence gave a better feel to the pedal ( IMO)
After that long trip, it needed a new HG, so the head was removed and treated to the unleaded conversion and upgraded to Sprint spec with the bigger valves. That was followed by a proper 'performance tune' by a local race specialist, and the car was transformed with the extra power from the bigger valves.
I also fitted solid drive shafts, and a diff strengthening bar ( standard on the Sprint IIRC) plus a Spyder Engineering roll cage with the door tubes : this tightened up the whole car...and also gave 'peace of mind' ..... you will know that there is no steel at all between the central tunnel and the door skins...just fibreglass ...
I like the colour combination on your car, but ....could I suggest ....the chrome wheel embellishers from the Sprint...which would break up the black wheel/black tyre ....but thats just IMHO of course.
I also installed a bigger battery across the rear axle...ie between the rear suspension towers in the boot, which made the weight distribution much better, and prevented the battery weight causing the gel coat to crack on the outside offside rear corner of the bodyshell.
Elans are wonderful cars...but perhaps a bit too fragile for the modern world...!!!
Keep the thread coming as you progress with it !
I had a 1970 S4SE DHC on Strombergs that my late Uncle fully restored on a new galvanised Lotus chassis. After he finished the restoration he downsized his house and could not store the car...which is how I became the fortunate custodian for 12 plus years.
My pal is a Lotus race mechanic ( retired) so with his help and skill we 'revived' the car. Mine also originally had the brake servo, but after problems with the servo unit, we decided to remove it completely, and it remained that way until i sold it ....after 35,000 hard miles, including a great trip to The Alps.
The earlier Elan iterations did not have a servo; the car is so light some say the servo 'over braked ' the car, and the absence gave a better feel to the pedal ( IMO)
After that long trip, it needed a new HG, so the head was removed and treated to the unleaded conversion and upgraded to Sprint spec with the bigger valves. That was followed by a proper 'performance tune' by a local race specialist, and the car was transformed with the extra power from the bigger valves.
I also fitted solid drive shafts, and a diff strengthening bar ( standard on the Sprint IIRC) plus a Spyder Engineering roll cage with the door tubes : this tightened up the whole car...and also gave 'peace of mind' ..... you will know that there is no steel at all between the central tunnel and the door skins...just fibreglass ...
I like the colour combination on your car, but ....could I suggest ....the chrome wheel embellishers from the Sprint...which would break up the black wheel/black tyre ....but thats just IMHO of course.
I also installed a bigger battery across the rear axle...ie between the rear suspension towers in the boot, which made the weight distribution much better, and prevented the battery weight causing the gel coat to crack on the outside offside rear corner of the bodyshell.
Elans are wonderful cars...but perhaps a bit too fragile for the modern world...!!!
Keep the thread coming as you progress with it !
PS the comment about the windscreen surround looking fragile...That is absolutely true...Elan owners soon learn NOT to pull on, or lean against the screen surround, : it is as if the glass gives the body shell extra rigidity, as does the lovely wooden dashboard....
Colin Chapman's "Added Lightness", or "one component does two functions"...!
Like the hollow front chassis cross member acts as a 'Vacuum Reservoir " for the headlight mechanism ( if indeed you can actually have a "Reservoir of Vacuum "....!!)
Colin Chapman's "Added Lightness", or "one component does two functions"...!
Like the hollow front chassis cross member acts as a 'Vacuum Reservoir " for the headlight mechanism ( if indeed you can actually have a "Reservoir of Vacuum "....!!)
Wow, that looks like a great find. It’s unusual to see one stripped of all the side repeaters, badges, etc. I’ve seen another Mick Miller restoration (I think) also without the front bumper / front bodywork cover strip. I guess he didn’t like it, or see the need for it. It must have slipped Chapman’s eye too as being surplus to requirements, unless it served 2 purposes!
As you’ve explained the ride height is noticeably lower. Are the door window frames in black instead of chrome or is that just the angle of the picture?
The chrome wheel trims would break the black up but if the window frames are black then there’s almost no side chrome to link it up with. Also fitting the trims eventually leads to the rim surface paint being damaged, then rusting as they are a push fit.
I’m very much looking forward to reading more about a sorted Elan some 56 years later in 2026 driving conditions.
I too had a 1970 S4 SE DHC with Strombergs. By the time I bought it was already 7 years old, I think I was the 6th owner. Typically they were driven hard and in my case often moved on just before servicing was due. At the time they weren’t expected to last 10 years, so it’s amazing to see some great examples have survived this long.
Mine cost £1240. Another £200 would have got me a Sprint but it was £200 I couldn’t stretch to. Within 10 years that £200 had turned into a £2000 difference!
Two friends at the time had a MGB roadster (all round too slow) and an early 150nhp TR6. That sounded better and had over-drive on 2nd 3rd and 4th and was only marginally slower in a straight line but with more torque. But as soon as it got to a roundabout it understeered at quite slow speeds. The Elan was just in a completely different league, at least as I saw it.
With the doughnuts and generally it did teach me to drive smoothly to get the best out of it.
However, unlike the MGB and TR6 the Stromberg versions could run very hot/overheat, mine had had a small engine fire (not totally unheard of), the handbrake only ever worked for the MOT, the wipers worked when it was dry but not when needed in the wet, the electric driver’s window went down under it’s own weight but I needed to keep a wooden clothes peg handy to pull the window up manually and wedge one part of the peg at the front and the back.
Today they are just so small on the road compared to today’s car sizes, 4’- 8” wide from memory. That gave the driver plenty of space on their side of the road to get the best cornering lines.
Enough of my reminiscing, looking forward to reading more.
Oh just one more thing. I still have this pinned on the pinboard despite the car being long gone:
Please excuse the damp spots, it says what it says and it’s been there for decades.
(Also note the wheel trims look.)
As you’ve explained the ride height is noticeably lower. Are the door window frames in black instead of chrome or is that just the angle of the picture?
The chrome wheel trims would break the black up but if the window frames are black then there’s almost no side chrome to link it up with. Also fitting the trims eventually leads to the rim surface paint being damaged, then rusting as they are a push fit.
I’m very much looking forward to reading more about a sorted Elan some 56 years later in 2026 driving conditions.
I too had a 1970 S4 SE DHC with Strombergs. By the time I bought it was already 7 years old, I think I was the 6th owner. Typically they were driven hard and in my case often moved on just before servicing was due. At the time they weren’t expected to last 10 years, so it’s amazing to see some great examples have survived this long.
Mine cost £1240. Another £200 would have got me a Sprint but it was £200 I couldn’t stretch to. Within 10 years that £200 had turned into a £2000 difference!
Two friends at the time had a MGB roadster (all round too slow) and an early 150nhp TR6. That sounded better and had over-drive on 2nd 3rd and 4th and was only marginally slower in a straight line but with more torque. But as soon as it got to a roundabout it understeered at quite slow speeds. The Elan was just in a completely different league, at least as I saw it.
With the doughnuts and generally it did teach me to drive smoothly to get the best out of it.
However, unlike the MGB and TR6 the Stromberg versions could run very hot/overheat, mine had had a small engine fire (not totally unheard of), the handbrake only ever worked for the MOT, the wipers worked when it was dry but not when needed in the wet, the electric driver’s window went down under it’s own weight but I needed to keep a wooden clothes peg handy to pull the window up manually and wedge one part of the peg at the front and the back.
Today they are just so small on the road compared to today’s car sizes, 4’- 8” wide from memory. That gave the driver plenty of space on their side of the road to get the best cornering lines.
Enough of my reminiscing, looking forward to reading more.
Oh just one more thing. I still have this pinned on the pinboard despite the car being long gone:
Please excuse the damp spots, it says what it says and it’s been there for decades.
(Also note the wheel trims look.)
I bought my first Elan S4SE, 1968 model, out of Exchange and Mart in 1975. After a succession of ‘sporty’ stuff ie Escort GT, MG Midget, Cooper S and MGBGT I was hooked from the first 5 minutes of a test drive. Nothing has the steering feel and handling of a well sorted Elan, although my Europa TC ran it close.
Fifty one years and nine Lotus later I still have my M100 S2, 27 years ownership, and an Elan Sprint that’s been in the paint shop far too long. They’re fantastic cars but do need regular service and maintenance. Fortunately I have had a brilliant self employed mechanic for the last thirty years, my tinkering days are long gone!
Fifty one years and nine Lotus later I still have my M100 S2, 27 years ownership, and an Elan Sprint that’s been in the paint shop far too long. They’re fantastic cars but do need regular service and maintenance. Fortunately I have had a brilliant self employed mechanic for the last thirty years, my tinkering days are long gone!
Gassing Station | Readers' Cars | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff