Elan +2 or Excel?
Discussion
I've owned an Excel (briefly around 2012, it wasn't a pleasant experience due to damp damage inside) but drove nicely if a little underpowered.
I've owned an S4 (baby) Elan (in 1988) and again not the best experience as it seemed to keep falling apart (ending up with a collapsed chassis).
(I've also owned an S2 Seven (totally rebuilt it back in the 1980's).
Keep looking at the 4 seater route to replace the TVR I currently run and whist I see asking prices for both the Excel and the Elan +2 rising (TVR isn't) I wonder if either would be a good option. Would need to be able to use it regularly not just sunny days to a car show and experience with a leaky Excel and a rusty chassis Elan make me wonder if I'm in cloud cuckoo land.
The Excel is possibly the more practical, larger and galv chassis but my old one leaked badly. The Elan might be water tight but it's older, possibly more fragile and so dwarfed by these stupid big 4x4 things on the road I'd worry about it's safety and worry about parking it in a Tesco car park now and again in case it got damaged. (Talking dwarfed by modern, I also have a Caterham)
Any thoughts from people who have owned either, or both?
I've owned an S4 (baby) Elan (in 1988) and again not the best experience as it seemed to keep falling apart (ending up with a collapsed chassis).
(I've also owned an S2 Seven (totally rebuilt it back in the 1980's).
Keep looking at the 4 seater route to replace the TVR I currently run and whist I see asking prices for both the Excel and the Elan +2 rising (TVR isn't) I wonder if either would be a good option. Would need to be able to use it regularly not just sunny days to a car show and experience with a leaky Excel and a rusty chassis Elan make me wonder if I'm in cloud cuckoo land.
The Excel is possibly the more practical, larger and galv chassis but my old one leaked badly. The Elan might be water tight but it's older, possibly more fragile and so dwarfed by these stupid big 4x4 things on the road I'd worry about it's safety and worry about parking it in a Tesco car park now and again in case it got damaged. (Talking dwarfed by modern, I also have a Caterham)
Any thoughts from people who have owned either, or both?
Thanks to both of you for your honest answers.
My Excel stunk inside having been stood outside for too long before I bought it. Could not get rid of the smell which transferred to your clothes in minutes. Leather on dash was peeling and it was generally horrible to be in. That said the gearbox was the nicest I've used in 48 years of driving. Thought it was in need of a few more horses though.
The Elan I had was one that had been cobbled together I suspect as it had a later reg on it than it should. Gorgeous to look at, it drew attention everywhere but was continually in a state of not quite there, due partially to the bodges of previous owners I have to admit. When the front turret folded in I gave up and sold it. I think an Elan would be a mistake, except possibly for the free tax & no MoT required bit. I'd constantly worry about leaving it anywhere and worry too about chassis corrosion. I have however heard of Excels with chassis rust too, so although galvanised they can rot.
There's a +2 come up for sale about an hour from me (there's not a lot only an hour from me in Oban) and this is what sparked the question.
My Excel stunk inside having been stood outside for too long before I bought it. Could not get rid of the smell which transferred to your clothes in minutes. Leather on dash was peeling and it was generally horrible to be in. That said the gearbox was the nicest I've used in 48 years of driving. Thought it was in need of a few more horses though.
The Elan I had was one that had been cobbled together I suspect as it had a later reg on it than it should. Gorgeous to look at, it drew attention everywhere but was continually in a state of not quite there, due partially to the bodges of previous owners I have to admit. When the front turret folded in I gave up and sold it. I think an Elan would be a mistake, except possibly for the free tax & no MoT required bit. I'd constantly worry about leaving it anywhere and worry too about chassis corrosion. I have however heard of Excels with chassis rust too, so although galvanised they can rot.
There's a +2 come up for sale about an hour from me (there's not a lot only an hour from me in Oban) and this is what sparked the question.
Equus said:
If you thought that the Excel was lacking in horsepower, you'll definitely be disappointed with the Plus 2, especially if you're used to the torque of the Chimp (I owned a Griffith 500 for a while, and while I personally loathed the thing and wouldn't go near another TVR, I have to admit that the straight-line performance was in another league altogether).
Forget the fanboi owners who try to tell you that the Plus 2 is nearly as quick as the 2-seater Elan. It isn't (I've owned two of each): it is a much bigger, significantly heavier car and so is both slower and less nimble. As what is basically an Elan with extra weight (so extra strain on components) and more complicated electrics, and in some examples a very dodgy 5-speed gearbox (avoid these at all costs!), it's even more fragile and temperamental than the 2 seater.
The Elan/Plus 2 is a wonderful car, and I love them to bits, but you need to be a real enthusiast to run one even as a weekend car.
Ironically, the one thing you probably don't need to worry about any more is chassis rust. Fatigue cracks, yes (around the engine fork and more especially the differential torque rod mounts - particularly if it's been converted to solid driveshafts), rust, no. Almost all have had replacement chassis by now, and have lead sheltered lives since, even if those chassis weren't galvanised or one of the powder coated Spyder spaceframe jobs.
I actually think that the Grimaera generation TVR's will out-appreciate the Excel in the very near future (and I reiterate that I say that as someone with no love for them whatsoever - just a degree of pragmatic realism), so I'd seriously consider hanging on to the Chimp, unless you're desperate for 4 seats, to be honest.
Interesting comments and probably covers most of my thoughts although I don't use all the V8 torque much anymore.....Forget the fanboi owners who try to tell you that the Plus 2 is nearly as quick as the 2-seater Elan. It isn't (I've owned two of each): it is a much bigger, significantly heavier car and so is both slower and less nimble. As what is basically an Elan with extra weight (so extra strain on components) and more complicated electrics, and in some examples a very dodgy 5-speed gearbox (avoid these at all costs!), it's even more fragile and temperamental than the 2 seater.
The Elan/Plus 2 is a wonderful car, and I love them to bits, but you need to be a real enthusiast to run one even as a weekend car.
Ironically, the one thing you probably don't need to worry about any more is chassis rust. Fatigue cracks, yes (around the engine fork and more especially the differential torque rod mounts - particularly if it's been converted to solid driveshafts), rust, no. Almost all have had replacement chassis by now, and have lead sheltered lives since, even if those chassis weren't galvanised or one of the powder coated Spyder spaceframe jobs.
I actually think that the Grimaera generation TVR's will out-appreciate the Excel in the very near future (and I reiterate that I say that as someone with no love for them whatsoever - just a degree of pragmatic realism), so I'd seriously consider hanging on to the Chimp, unless you're desperate for 4 seats, to be honest.
moffspeed said:
I’ve had experience of baby and +2 Elan ownership in the distant past and would echo all the above.
Similarly I’ve just moved on from a TVR but only needed 2 seats, hence a rally spec. Lancia Fulvia Coupe. If you want 4 seats and reasonable solidity dare I suggest a Scimitar GTE or a Gilbern or - as this is a Lotus forum - a Sunbeam Lotus.
Funnily enough I had a Fulvia way back then too. Paid £190 for it, painted it red (in plant enamel, it was blue) and ragged it ridiculously for months until I burnt a valve. Head off, new valve off I went again. Lovely piece of machinery if a little prone to rust. Oft thought it would still do well in the up to 1400 class (roadgoing).Similarly I’ve just moved on from a TVR but only needed 2 seats, hence a rally spec. Lancia Fulvia Coupe. If you want 4 seats and reasonable solidity dare I suggest a Scimitar GTE or a Gilbern or - as this is a Lotus forum - a Sunbeam Lotus.
GTE deoesn't do it for me, although a GTC would. I have a Volvo 940 Estate which is better in most aspects than a GTE.
Gilbern looks lovely, especially the S3 Invader, Know someone who has had his since the 1970's!
Lotus Sunbeam another favourite but prices are following Escorts! (I also had a 1 litre Sunbeam for a while in the 1980's)
FHCNICK said:
It's an interesting topic. I can't say that I've seen an elan +2 on the road for an absolute age and other than admiring them from afar I have no knowledge of the practicalities of driving one. I have had a couple of scimitar gte's which were fun cars and true 4 seaters but not rapid by any imagination. If it has to be fibreglass and an occasional +2 how about a tvr 350i 2+2? I may however be somewhat biased 
2+2 FHC 350i in the store marked hens teeth...Actually did they do a 2+2 350? Thought that was the 280 V6 but you have more knowledge than me on that subject. My only experience of a 350i was one I owned a while back. Column shake and flexi chassis but a nicer sound than my current Chimaera
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