Vixen vs Elan

[tomtrout]

I have never driven a baby elan but having owned a plus 2 (pic below) a few years before buying my Vixen I am fairly well placed to compare the driving experience. As has been said by others, the Elan is far more refined and comfortable and more stable under braking but for me no where near as visceral to drive. The twin cam in my Elan was in good order and built to standard spec but my Vixen which is mildly tuned certainly feels much quicker than my Elan ever did. Whether the fact that the Elan is more refined insulates the driver from the feeling of speed I don't know but my Vixen feels an order of magnitude quicker than my Elan ever did.

[tomtrout]

Having just done a little calculation for power to weight ratio it's no wonder my Vixen feels much quicker than my Plus 2 ever did. It's not a level playing field because my Plus 2 was a standard twink, where as my Vixen is hotter than standard with an estimated 135 hp according to the Vulcan Engineering spec that I have with my engine/carbs set up. With the 80 kg advantage in kerb weight my Vixen comes in at an estimated 177 hp/tonne compared to the standard plus 2 at 140 hp/tonne. Means absolutely nothing of course because you can obviously make a tuned twink push out heaps more power than standard crossflow. But at what cost in terms of £ and reliability?

[GTRene]

the elan plus 2 is indeed somewhat heavier...depends what model, but around 950kg...120<>130hp
the elan FHC is way lighter, 600<>715kg 100<>130hp
so thats a big difference, the plus 2 is more a "comfy" gt by specs also wheelbase compared to the elan fhc/sprint

a Vixen is around 760kg also depends on what type, and say around 100hp depends on what type, tuscan v6 has a bit more hp.

so a vixen 1600 is more comparable with elan fhc s4 by weight and power and wheelbase about 229 vs 213 (the sprint is lighter according to not a lotus book but a classic car book 2018 with prices etc, but also with many small mistakes, but still great to look in with 12.250 classics and youngtimers :-) )

[Moto]

Andrew Gray said:

The Vixen is so easy to work on unlike the m series where its a pain as i have said in the past of all my cars if i had to just keep one it will have to be the Vixen however once i have the MK3 Grantura restored i will report back just dont expect a quick answer
Andrew

Likeswise. Of the 6 TVR's I've owned the Vixen is the one I'd keep.

Moto

[Fiscracer]

The Elan is a far superior drivers car. There is no comparison. Stuff in the engine bay can be difficult to work on but otherwise not really any different to an early TVR.

My opinion is based on owning both

[GTRene]

yesterday I've read a piece in a Lotus book, about some famous (later in F1 I believe) race driver who drove the lotus elan (higher power then street model) in a race and I thought won, but said, it was the scariest car he's ever driven in haha, it was because of the short and narrow? wheelbase I believe the book said. something like that...not what I was thinking of when talking about such elan, considering most test driver stories, who also tell even today it drives like a 'dream' hm :-) ofcourse all/most cars are having different set ups and drivers etc, but still.

I guess its also pretty difficult to drive a Vixen S2 or higher on the limit? although its a bit wider and has a bit longer wheelbase I believe.

[anonymous-user]

GTRene said:

I guess its also pretty difficult to drive a Vixen S2 or higher on the limit? although its a bit wider and has a bit longer wheelbase I believe.

Similar to what the racing driver said, but a little twist.

Many will have driven Vixens to the limit, but probably their limit, not the cars. Ones I've followed on track seem to be fairly stable (for the short time I was behind them ).

[GTRene]

TVRMs said:

GTRene said:

I guess its also pretty difficult to drive a Vixen S2 or higher on the limit? although its a bit wider and has a bit longer wheelbase I believe.

Similar to what the racing driver said, but a little twist.

Many will have driven Vixens to the limit, but probably their limit, not the cars. Ones I've followed on track seem to be fairly stable (for the short time I was behind them ).

yesterday I looked back in the book who it was, it was Jacky Stewart
see here in the picture>>


hm, that porsche 904 with the YOU plate, could that be this one?

Edited by GTRene on Wednesday 14th February 22:50

[SRT Hellcat]

You should see pics of Gerry Marshal in his Elan 26R. God knows how he even got in it let alone raced it.

[vixen1700]

GTRene said:

hm, that porsche 904 with the YOU plate, could that be this one?


]

Was this picture taken at that Malden in Essex concours a few years back? It's the only time I've ever seen one. In fact did I take that very picture?

[GTRene]

I have no idea, have a lot 904 pictures on my pc (also many from this one), from originals and replica's, love those little lightweights.
cool that you take this picture and the rest of those set :-)