Fifty years ago today...

[RotoFlexible]

On July 25, 1965, the original purchaser of my Elan - or rather, his fiancee - took delivery at the Auto Europe location in London. The purchaser had arranged for European delivery, taking advantage of his fiancee's college trip. This is the only artifact remaining from the transaction.

The Elan was immediately shipped to New York. The owners picked it up and drove it to the Buffalo NY area. It lived there for almost two years (including two winters) before a growing family prompted the owner to offer it for sale in Road & Track, where my father spotted it. He and I flew up to Buffalo from our home in Connecticut and drove it home in the spring of 1967. This is the only photo I can find of the car in its original BRG.

August 1969

The Elan was my primary transportation through college and beyond. I ran it in auto-slaloms and high speed autocrosses (time trials on an open track). In the early '70s, an encounter with a raised manhole cover in a sewer project necessitated a new chassis, and we repainted the car red at some point. My circumstances changed, with my own family and the need for larger cars, but the Elan remained in active use. Until...

An inopportune brake line failure found me using the Oldsmobile that had pulled out in front of me for stoppage. The Elan sat in the back of the garage for about five years until I finally had a new front clip installed. I continued to drive it, but over the years everything got tired. About nine years ago, inspired by this site, I embarked on a major overhaul. An envisioned engine "freshening" turned into a major project with displacement increase to 1700cc (in the existing block); the frame was stripped, strengthened and repainted; suspension bushings were replaced and TTR "fast road" components fitted; CV joint axles installed; and Gary Anderson replaced the rotted lattice frameworks in the sills, and did a lot of other body repair. The renewed Elan was, and remains, a joy to drive.

A few years ago, with the help of Andy Graham at Lotus, I was able to track down the original owners of my Elan. We were able to arrange a reunion, and Arden drove the Elan again for the first time in 45 years. It was a thrill for both of us.

Original owners Arden and Mary, Oct. 2013

And so, on to the next fifty years!

As it is today

[richardcox_lotus]

Great story - thanks for sharing

[JC33supreme]

A lovely story and a lovely looking car.

[gjz30075]

Thanks! I love stories like this. The only thing missing now is a picture of you sitting in your car, like
the August '69 picture you posted.

[Mazzini]

Ha! Congratulations! I have a sister car 26/4891 that left the factory on the 21st July 1965, also BRG and now red with Minilites (whilst I try and find somebody that can really straighten the bolt ons). Great story, thanks for posting

[Geoffers71]

What a nice story Strange though as my S2 is 26/4726 left the factory on 17th August 1965, so I wonder why it sat around for so long ?

Incidently, I have a similar story with my Scimitar GTE, first purchased in 1972, bought again, wrecked, 3 years ago, but now completely restored. I have two pictures of my son sitting in the driving seat; one when he was 18 months old and one when he was 39 years old
Sorry to hijack your post and to stray off topic a tad

[dgym]

Great post and story!

[jbee]

Thatwas a great post, would love to try to trace the original owner of mine too.

[stugilmour]

Thanks for posting Andrew. Great story!

Stu

[Europatc]

Nice one, I bet he was tickled pink when you contacted him
all the best
Stuart

[Peter +2]

Great story, a joy to read and good to note you had help from Gary, like a lot of people have had one way or another......

Peter