Lotus Elan S2 1965 26/4360

[Etienne 7]

Hello all,
Since Wednesday 24th Oct 7pm Paris Time, I am the lucky owner of this Lotus Elan. My plan was to drive the car from the French Alps up to my parents in Tours and do a one night stop on the way, approx half-way. Then I was supposed to drive to the "Club Lotus France" festival on the Autodrome of Montlh?ry. Then I would have driven to Bristol, UK where I live.
However, this plan failed terribly when after driving the car for half an hour, the bonnet flew away while driving at 110km/h (70mph). Luckily, it did not damage anyone or anything. I collected a few bits but it was dark, and on the motorway, you don't tend to spend to much time walking around. Lorries and cars were driving past, so there was not much left of my bonnet.
I slept in a hotel back to where I bought the car and after advice from my mechanics, chose to drive without bonnet for the whole trip (640km/400miles). The car slept at the recovery company under its cover.

The car is equipped with a 1600 Alfa TC engine and a 5 speed 'box, that allowed me to drive at 110km/h / 70mph at 3000rpm in 5th. Nothing else worked: no fuel gauge, no engine temp, no oil pressure. I drove hoping that everything would go well.
I stopped every 150-200km to fill up the car and to look at it to check that nothing looked wrong.
.... And it did go well. I arrived at my parents with dusk.

I drove the next day to a good garage to have the car worked on. It will stay there up to Christmas. I'll then drive it to its birth country. I can't wait! I'm very happy with it but look forward to driving it a lot!
Cheers,

Car on motorway without its bonnet

On the way

View of the engine while driving

What is left of the bonnet

Car in good hands

[Etienne 7]

I forgot to say that I first saw the car in January. During that long waiting time, I kept reading the forum and liked particularly the posts of Piss-Ant who drives his car daily and everywhere. That's my plan! So i'm glad to be here and look forward to participating more!

[garyeanderson]

PS: pictures are in reverse order, sorry for that!

I forgot to say that I first saw the car in January. During that long waiting time, I kept reading the forum and liked particularly the posts of Piss-Ant who drives his car daily and everywhere. That's my plan! So i'm glad to be here and look forward to participating more!

Nice Type 26, I like the color. Lots of fun to be had for sure but you have some of my story wrong. I am an occasional Elan driver now. It does not go out in the rain and snow, It is not used as a primary driver though it probably could be. I like to use it as a get away from reality car, have my way and put it away till I need the next fix of adrenaline. My last S4 was the best "daily driver" at least much better at that (it has heat and windows that worked). Good enough that I could just take and get lost in the U.S. for 3 plus weeks and log over 8500 miles and show up for work after that on the Monday following a 900 mile ride on the final leg of that trip. I used to commute it 70miles each way when I used to work. Please enjoy your new ride and I hope you have it a long, long, time.

Gary

[ElanSeries2]

Hi Etienne

My S2 Elan is also Medici blue, and hence will look a lot like your's... once its back on the road! Sorry to hear about your misadventures, but great to hear that it (and you) are safe and sound. And in the scheme of things, a bonnet isn't much. Good luck with it, and as Gary says, hope you have plenty of fun and end up keeping it a long time.

From a slightly less complete medici blue S2 owner...

[peterako]

Lovely looking Elan!
And the Alfa Twink looks well in there.

Did you fit the engine?
Easy? Difficult? Near Impossible??

Lost my bonnet at similar speeds....albeit during a busy period on a busy motorway

Thankfully, after the bonnet finally slipped off the windscreen the check strap held onto it as I made my way to the hard shoulder.....

A mate brought the bonnet home for me in his E-Type (+2) boot.

See....Jaguars have their uses too

Peter

[Maulden7]

drives his car daily and everywhere. That's my plan!

An S2 as a daily driver ...... hope you've got a good set of waterproofs to wear inside the car!

[gordont]

I drive my S2 daily and yes the door seals are a constant cause of concern, much trial and error with seals seems to have fixed the passenger door but the drivers side does still flood in when wet.... still Sydney weather is mainly sunny

Get out and drive it and enjoy

[elj221c]

drives his car daily and everywhere. That's my plan!

An S2 as a daily driver ...... hope you've got a good set of waterproofs to wear inside the car!

Not required! Well, only for her next door! (passenger side)

Never ever had any rubber seals on my doors in all the years and London commutes (in the '70s n '80s) that I have had the car.

S2s leak!

Not a Lotus Ford twincam but it looks like a nice tidy installation.

Have fun.....

[bill308]

Etienne,

When you get a chance would you kindly post a picture of the interior showing the gear lever position?

Thanks,
Bill

[Pistacchio sprint 72]

What an adventure!!! ? seven and an ?lan, that?s the Way to go!

[Etienne 7]

Hello all,

Thanks for your comments!

Few personal replies:
@ElanSeries2: The blue is Bermuda Blue, which was apparently used by Austin.
@Peterako: No, I didn't fit the engine myself so I have no idea how hard it is to fit the engine in. I still have to look for the history of the car and its previous owner.
@bill308: Please find below a picture of the interior, you'll see the gear lever position. I've also added some pictures from below to show the engine positioning. (if you right click on the picture and select "open in a new window", the picture will be in bigger size).
@PistacchioSprint72: Je t'appelle dans la semaine pour tout te raconter

When I say I'll use the car daily, I lied a bit . In fact I cycle to work everyday so I'll use the car as much as I can the other days! I know they leak, I had previously an Austin Healey Sprite mk3 and it leaked nicely. The difference with this one is that I will have the left leg wet, instead of teh right oen on the Healey .

Cheers,

[rgh0]

The Alfa sump and rear gear box mount and exhaust pipe look vulnerable to speed humps. Drive it carefully in urban environments until you learn where it grounds

It looks like a nice conversion and certainly an interesting period motor to change to

cheers
Rohan

[garyeanderson]

Hello all,



When I say I'll use the car daily, I lied a bit . In fact I cycle to work everyday so I'll use the car as much as I can the other days! I know they leak, I had previously an Austin Healey Sprite mk3 and it leaked nicely. The difference with this one is that I will have the left leg wet, instead of the right one on the Healey .

Cheers,

I would think the S2 may be a bit drier than a bicycle or motorcycle. I do know that my S4 DHC at above 45 mph only one sholder will be wet even in the heaviest thunderstorms, just don't slow down or you will need wipers on the inner side of the windscreen.

Gary

[Spyder fan]

Etienne,
As others have said, that looks a nice colour and is an interesting specification with the Alfa engine and gearbox. I was very sorry to see your bonnet in such a state after flying off, and I notice that Peter says he lost his bonnet some time back. I'm just wondering how this happens? I know that the catches on the bulkhead/firewall are very basic and that there is no physical connection to the body at the front. I'm guessing the catches failed and the positive air pressure pushed the bonnet up at the bulkhead and that perhaps you had no check strap or spring at the front to save the bonnet from sliding off?

After owning a +2 for some years it was quite a shock to realise how much different the Elan is. The bonnet of a +2 is a huge clunky assembly in comparison.

[Etienne 7]

Hello Alan,
After the incident, I am sure now that when I bought the car, the front spring was not fitted. Stupid mistake from me as I took the road without checking that . There is no way the bonnet can fly by itself with the spring fitted, it may lift if the front clamps are not doing their job, but not take off as mine did.
I heard since that some people don't fit the spring as it may distord the bonnet: no need to tell you what I think about that after what happened to me........
However, maybe the spring does not have to be as powerful as the ones that happen to distord the bonnet. That's an open debate and I am no expert on that.
Cheers,