A few observations which could all be wrong, but I have had a passion for the Elan +2 for about 35 years and have owned one for the last 15 odd years. Lots of caveats to the following as this car is obviously well modified, but I think this is an Elan +2S, which I thought was introduced in 1968. The clues are the spot/fog light apertures in the front of the body and what looks like a 2 main plus 6 additional gauges in the dash (the other clue would be rocker switches as opposed to lever switches but not obviously visible in the video). The front seats have been exchanged for those from a Mk1 Mazda MX5, the running gear obviously changed and the original remote servo brake assistance has been removed. If this was originally a +2S, the front lighting would have had a spot light on one side and a fog light on the other and they would have been Lucas Square 8 models. The rear lights on this model are Lucas items shared with some E-Type Jags. The very earliest +2 Elan +2 had Carello rear lights, which were shared with some Alfa Romeo's (noticable as there's no reversing lights in the Carelllos). Other trivia, front bumper shared with Ford Anglia, rear bumper a modified Riley Elf/Wolsley Hornet, windscreen from a Ford Consul Capri (also shared with the Reliant Scimitar). I'll stop now, I'm even boring myself!
A beautiful collaboration between you two. That may happen much more often. The sound of the throttle bodies fits well with this Lotus. I can't wait to see the video of Lewis doing the maintenance and Ian's video of the test drive!
My dad has one of those and it's definitely going to be a barn find example for someone. He bought it in the mid 1970s and ran it until we moved house in 1985. Money was extremely tight for the family after we moved and he couldn't keep a second car on the road. Since then it's been in the garage. Occasionally he used to fire it up and have it out of the garage and onto the driveway, but even then it's a good 25 years at least since it turned a wheel.
There was no dubt that the Toyota lump would fire up. Getting it running properly is another thing. It has taken me the best part of 3 years to get the 3S-GE in my 1991 Celica to run properly and it still isn't quite 100%. I'm looking forward to seeing some more Lotus content on Ian's or Lewis' channel.
Can't argue with Toyota reliability - my Mum drives a 1998 V6 Camry which in 24 years has never missed a beat and is itself on the cusp of classic status :) Not really a sports car guy, but I'd love to own either the Mk1 Astra (must be 20 years since I last saw one) or the blue 240 (I have a very similar one, but with a flat front rather than the 'coffin nose', and with somewhat more 'patina' than that beautiful example.)
I noticed the front seats were from an NA MX5. The owner may not be aware, but there are recesses in the headrest for speakers, accessible by unzipping the top section of fabric.
I drove the earlier Elan twin cam in my classic car apprentice mechanic days and it was certainly a peppy little thing, power to weight was awesome and it could definitely get a shift on. You'll have great fun driving this when its up and ready.
I appreciated the ingenuity of the fix! However, my understanding was that the design of the pop-ups was changed from the original Elan for the +2s, so that if the vacuum failed then the lights would default to up. (so if you're driving at night you're not stuck with no lights at all...) Maybe this wasn't the case with the earlier cars like this one? I have a '71 +2 and the lights pop up after the engine shuts off (and "mostly" stay down when running 😁)
Awesome! I really like this cooperation thing between HubNut and Whiteland Restauration… It’s good fun! What I like on the Elan is the car itself and the french fog lights. Cibié - mmmmhhhhh… 🚘🤗🚘
My cousin Trevor was a metallurgist for Rolls Royce Aero Division, and was seconded to Lotus to help develop new chassis designs, and was given a convertible Elan in white as a Company runabout (lucky for him, but his skills deserved it).
Have been eying these on ebay as a bit of a project to work on while i learn to drive, ready to drive a mechanically sound classic car, don't want any bells and whistles, as long as its got 3 pedals, couple dials and a radio, im sold!
Wow, Beautiful! Would love an Elan, especially with a 4AGE! Looks like the 4AGE came out of a transverse application (gap for engine mount in timing cover), so probably from an AE82, AE92 or even a MK1 MR2. Lots of interesting cars hiding there🙂
Haha, an old A Reg Vauxhall Astra - my first ever car! Mine was a 1.6S with reg A88 PTM in 'Brazil Brown'. Absolutely loved that car, but as a spotty teenager in the late 80's, insurance and fuel killed me, so it eventually went to be replaced by an awful Ford Fiesta 957cc Popular: so basic, it didn't have a passenger door window, rear parcel shelf or even a space for a radio/stereo (you had to buy the centre console separately!!).
my mom had a twin cam once, but that was a fiat 131 supermirafiori 2000 tc automatic. it had a toe hitch and was surprisingly good towing when renovating my brothers house
I went to school with Ron Hickman's son. He really made his money by inventing the Black and Decker Workmate. The Elan goes in the category of cars I can't fit into.
I have got the 4age red top in my westfield and that is running throttle body fuel injection like that one, I had it on the rolling road at Llandeilo and its pushing out 142 hp at the crank with 119lb torque and it will rev up to 8k which makes it alot of fun.
I once worked sound on a short film. Dealing with the incessant buzz generated by neon lighting is definitely frustrating. That's an interesting storage area with a Caterham and a BMW K100 in need of recommissioning. Once you revealed what is actually under the hood of this Lotus, the license plate looks like it was meant to be a hint.
What an interesting vehicle. A British sports car with a Japanese engine, what an interesting combination. I look forward to seeing the car moving under it's own power.
So many memories of going to shows and winding those owners up who would only take their cars out on fine days , . we were often told to polish the car
Elan was due to have glassfibre monocoque but Chapman needed a runner for investors so Ron Hickman designed the backbone chassis as a stopgap....... Front hollow crossmember was sealed and doubled as the gas reservoir off the exhaust manifold to operate the pop-up headlights. When they eventually coroded, people welded them up.... Several explosions naturally resulted from the fuel/air mixture trapped inside, luckily without serious injury but a few mechanics were blown out of garages!
Regarding the wiper wrapped in cellotape, the best fix is to tape a plastic teaspoon on to the end of the wiper arm so it doesn't scratch the screen. If you can find a plastic teaspoon in 2022. 😁
It used to be a common thing to roll cars on to mattresses to work under them, my Triumph Vitesse was on it's side many times to weld it together, undersealing? no problem,,, roll it over
Volvo 5 speed box? Details? Toyota have several 5 speeders that would suit. 200Sx, Supra and the AE86 which might be the 200SX one. The later +2's had 5 speed boxes anyway. This should be an interesting series.
The sound of those twin DCOE carbs is intoxicating, isn't it? I looked at an Elan 2+2 when I was buying the Stag as they were similar in price over here then. In hindsight, I should have bought the Lotus! I'll look forward to your future hooning.....er.....considered review of the wee beasty!
I’m surprised by the Toyota lump! I’d have thought a Mazda MX-5 engine and gearbox would have been the more well trodden path?! Sounded good though, all the same!
PS most of those sound issues seemed to be interference from Mobile phone signals. Turning off all data and call signals (ie airplane mode or just turn all phones off altogether) should resolve the problem.
Of all the cars I have had ,it's the Lotus I wish I had kept .Most of the models are silly Money now .With a lotus you don't just buy a car you are buying the Lotus British history as well ,no matter what model
Chapman considered using the Daimler v8 from the dart/sp250. However when he spoke with Lyons. Lyons would allow chapman to use the v8 but only if jaguar and lotus would merge with chapman taking over both lotus and Jaguars commercial vehicles and Chapman taking over the rest of the company when Lyons retired. Chapman had no interest in doing this as he was all about racing.
How to make a Lotus reliable put a Toyota engine in it after sitting for a long time replace a leaking hose clean the spark plugs and it started with very little trouble wow as they say Toyota reliability
