26r identities and other info

[rgh0]

Hi Dave
Yes it was good to see the actual Lotus build sheets for the 26 R's. I am sure the Lotus archivist would be interested in a copy of them if that was possible.


Steve
i guess the point was trying to make was that it is a big step between a build sheet and an actual car a lot of years later. The recent Angolan car being an interesting case as to what really happened. If I have the original Angolan papers can I rebuild the original car from that? The identiity of an old, many times rebuilt car race car is always an interesting journey.

cheers
Rohan

[elansprint71]

what is the point of all this bickering, i suspect it is money, a 26r is not going to go any better or win more than a carefully constructed s1 or 2 gts, but as an original it worth more therefore people are desperate to prove that theirs left the factory as a 26r. i think that some of the posts on this thread say a lot more about the posters than they do about elans.

Actually historic fact AND money. The case in point in this thread is fairly simple; we have someone who admitted here that he chalked an identity onto a car of unknown provenance in order to satisfy the registration authorities in his country. Unfortunately the unit number he chose was that of one of the most famous of all Elans, which has a known provenance from day one. There is a full list of owners, from construction to the present day, additionally one of our forum members was involved in the conversion of this unique car from rally to race spec many years ago.

The potential for litigation here is somewhat frightening; a point which I have been trying to gently put across for a long time. Sleeping dogs are usually best left alone, rather than woken up on the www frequently.

[elanfan1]

Steve
i guess the point was trying to make was that it is a big step between a build sheet and an actual car a lot of years later. The recent Angolan car being an interesting case as to what really happened. If I have the original Angolan papers can I rebuild the original car from that? The identiity of an old, many times rebuilt car race car is always an interesting journey.

cheers
Rohan

In my view to build a car you need a bit more of the actual car (how much is a debate for another time and place and I guess there will be many interpretations of that) rather than just the papers. In the past there was less regard for the documentation but today with computerisation in some cases it is the be all and end all - I'm sure the remains of many a crashed race car were sold 'at the trackside' after an untimely end without any official documentation changing hands.

All I am saying here is that rock solid evidence has been presented in support of the factory having contemporary records of 26R's. I'm not actually arguing here whether a particular car is or isn't a 26R or what happened to it over the years but I agree trying to link a particular car with a build sheet is all about provenance and continuous history but if your provenance happens to match the factory records I'm certain it helps a lot.

On the Angolan thing - that chap may well hold the papers for the car but as mentioned. if the wreck was sold trackside then the papers don't mean a thing (well in my eyes anyway).

[elansprint71]

Whilst most of this piece is about a GT40, sold new to Angola, there are some very interesting photos with Elans in evidence, two side by side at one point. Further down, there is a smart-looking Elan with an odd-shaped windscreen, can quite see the roof but could it be... ?

http://fanaticosdorally.files.wordpress.com/2010/08/1969_ford_gt40_p_1080.pdf

[twincamman]

NO NO I did not chalk any numbers on the fire wall Pete ---they were there I simply added an r and a s to 26 2 33 as they wanted numbers and letters ---TO BE CLEAR THE NUMBERS WERE ON THE REAR FIRE WALL SINCE THE CAR WAS BUILT . ed

[twincamman]

NO NO I did not chalk any numbers on the fire wall Pete ---they were there I simply added an r and a s to 26 2 33 as they wanted numbers and letters ---TO BE CLEAR THE NUMBERS WERE ON THE REAR FIRE WALL SINCE THE CAR WAS BUILT . ed

[twincamman]

the markings were r 33 and found under the ryno hide upholstery R 33 and JIM ARE WRITTEN THERE UNTOUCHED BY ME AND COVERED UP WITH LIGHT VYNAL I just added the 2 letters for the clerk at the wicket I have never denied that fact . ed

[twincamman]

sadly this thread was started to find some facts on these cars but has become used as a vehicle to attempt to discredit me by certain individuals . I have noted more urban legends being created here so I feel it is my best interest to not respond to any postings on the subject so stating there is was no intent to defraud or profit from my actions . A demand from the clerk was to licence the car led to the number used to get the car on the road led to my adding 2 letters to the number 26 2 33 . some feel threatened by this some see it as a circus to join in and some for character assassination soooo let your games begin I shan't respond to any more baiting . If there is a genuine attempt to produce true documentation not ' just came into my possession from a enthusiast who had it for 50 years and here it is taaa daaa ' stuff nor anything found in a jar in the desert or any documents found wrapped in a mummies bindings ---it would be refreshing to see it . but as the factory says ' we dont have any records ' that opens the door to much ---ed ................ no racial or inflammatory or derogatory statements were intended in this posting

[bigvalvehead]

ED
I posted the information solely to clear up the misconception that the factory never had any records of 26R production as you regularly state.

Which part of the letter from the Lotus Factory signed by the then Archivist cant you see?

Would you like me to blow it up to the size of a hockey rink?

The current archivist has confirmed the documents as authentic and others have also confirmed the identity of the author of the letter to have existed in his capacity as the Lotus archivist during the 80's.

So the following is a statement of fact.
THE FACTORY DID HAVE RECORDS OF 26R PRODUCTION AT SOME POINT IN TIME.

As regards the MUMMIES I think you are the only one who continues to bury his head in the sand.

regards
Dave

[jcocking]

I am locking this thread for a couple of days. I have questions out to several people about what the issue is. If you would like to explain the issue to me, please send me a PM.

Jeff

[jcocking]

This topic has been unlocked and is available for ongoing posts.

[marsdenal]

Does anyone know the current whereabouts of 7599VC? It was stolen from my driveway in July 1975. I still have the original log book and many photos of the car.

[trw99]

Hello and welcome.

I suspect this enquiry deserves a thread of it's own rather than getting planted into this erm, discussion!

Your car is listed by DVLA as having last been taxed to 1st Aug 1993, so it was alive then and may well be still locked up in someone's barn or garage. Alternatively it may have been sold abroad or have been made into a 26R clone and raced.

Your car was first registered on 1st June 1963 in Coventry, which would put it into the first 70 Elans built. Do you have details of the Unit number on that log book, by any chance? Any photos? Any other distinguishing marks?

Tim

[trw99]

And, further to my last, here is a recent thread which mentions an article and photo of your old car, in rally trim.

elan-racing-f12/rally-elans-t24471.html#p156958

Tim

[dgarrett]

http://www.xlrefrigerators.com/lotus.elan.26R.htm

At the bottom of the page: Lotus 26R S1 22 - for sale at around ?95K

26-4576, listed in the Lotus archive as "Racing Elan" in May 1965, and verified by Chris Brown at Lotus as being "built as a 26R".

So the answer to the question in the original thread 'is this a bargain 26R?' appears to be 'yes'...?
Looks like someone had $35K+ to 'gamble' as it has been removed from EBay ('no longer available for sale')

Matthew

Hi - have only just registered with the site and (don't laugh!) don't even know how to use this "forum/thread" thing. But will learn quickly (probably by asking the kids). But, browsing through, was very interested to see this post on 20th Jan 09, mentioning Lotus 26R-22, ?95k, as I am in the process of buying a 26R chassis 22.
Could you give me any more detail on the original entry? Thanks. David