Colin Chapman Eclat for sale (for a silly price)

[anonymous-user]

I wonder if this Eclat is as quick as Chapman's fingers when reaching for a cheque! Don't get me wrong, I am a huge Lotus loon and revere Chapman as an innovator, but I reognise that he had feet of clay.

This jalope was one that Chapman tooled about in for a bit and then gave to his friend Gerard AKA Jabby Crombach, a motorsport journalist and later author of a Chapman hagiography. Crombach also had Jim Clark's Elan.


http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C670345

[Keep it stiff]

Price not quite as silly as I was expecting. I guess it is the usual story as to what extent a history of notable ownership adds value. I have seen sillier claims and figures elsewhere!

[ToneyCaroney]

Keep it stiff said:

Price not quite as silly as I was expecting. I guess it is the usual story as to what extent a history of notable ownership adds value. I have seen sillier claims and figures elsewhere!

Agree. A bit silly but not crazy. Great looking thing.

[TR4man]

I admit to quite liking the exterior colour although the interior is something of an acquired taste!

[wobblyweb]

Vague reply!
Friend of mine in the North East bought an Excel or similar for his daughter, it was the same colour and had a Chapman connection. I think it was his wifes car but the same green body and interior combination.

[elms]

Todays 'silly price' is tomorrows 'cheap'

[anonymous-user]

Mrs Chapman may have had an Elite at some point, IIRC. That's the shooting brake variant of the Elite/Eclat line. Perhaps she had an excel (the Eclat's successor) later on, after her husband's death. Chapman sometimes drove a Merc. When he was driving a (road) Lotus, he is reported to have said that he would take an Esprit if he wanted to make an impression but an Eclat if he wanted to get there quicker.

[anonymous-user]

Chapman racing Brabham, in hotbox Escorts. Super dicey!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKjLwkzL5rM

[viscountdallara]

I had to double take at the photos !
I had one in exactly the same colour in around 1993. It was fabulous, or I thought is was at 21 years old...Me, not the car !
Mine had velour interior and the optional saggy head lining !

I only have one photo of it though. Sadly, I cannot recall the reg to see if it still lives

Picture for you pee-taking included

[Hooli]

Is that a RS2000?

[rallycross]

Nice bit of lotus history it looks to be in amazing condition.
I suspect a lot of Lotus / Loti came with interesting histories my dad used to trade Elans Elittes/Éclat's and I remember at least one Elite having some story behind it of having been owned new by the family.

[anonymous-user]

Friend had an Elite in a similar if not identical colour about 10 years ago. I believe it was recently up for sale - very tempted until he told me how much he'd spent in the two years he had it!

[anonymous-user]

With all classic cars, "buy the one that some other dude has recently spent a ton of wonga on" is often a good idea.

I don't always follow that rule, but when I do it usually pays off. When I don't I usually pay out!

[anonymous-user]

I reckon that the plural of Lotus should always be Lotuses. There are enough fake Latin plurals around to avoid making new ones!

[anonymous-user]

Breadvan72 said:

With all classic cars, "buy the one that some other dude has recently spent a ton of wonga on" is often a good idea.

I don't always follow that rule, but when I do it usually pays off. When I don't I usually pay out!

I would normally agree but the previous owner in this case had already spent an eye watering amount. That said he had previously owned an S1 Esprit so he had a reasonable idea of what was inevitably to pass...

[Riley Blue]

A friend tells me the Eclat in the ad was voted 'Best in Show' for pre-1980's cars at Interclassics, Brussels at the weekend - and the colour is a Renault metallic green as used in the Renault 16.

[Pickled]

viscountdallara said:

Picture for you pee-taking included

Is that you Gary?

[viscountdallara]

Pickled said:

Is that you Gary?

Haven't heard that one for a few years !!



Cheered my day up no end !

[Pickled]

viscountdallara said:

Haven't heard that one for a few years !!



Cheered my day up no end !

I'll have cheese & onion with my pint please

[deltashad]

My uncle Eddie had one back in the day...... purity of modern sportscar design in the seventies with a hint of practicality. 26k is not a huge amount of money for this wonderful show piece. Maybe not his finest hour to the masses but incredibly endering non the less.
Yes please.