S3 Coupe Prototype on the market

[garyeanderson]

elan-f14/recently-acquired-coupe-t23312.html

This Coupe is 5938 (looks pretty original) and I don't see any hint of it being badged as a S3. What the paper says is another matter.

[Jens]

Looking at the pictures of the blue, the white and the red (mine) after reading P-A's comment tells me that all three then would be Pre-Airflow Coup?'s - or am I completely wrong now? They seem to be pretty much alike if you look at the bodywork, but the white one has a different steering wheel (leather with holes in the spokes instead of wood with slots) and seems to have dash mounted window switches.

Also the chassis number of the white one,5938, seems to say that it is an Airflow S3 - wich it evidently isn't. Or? Where am I wrong?

But hey, now I'm hijacking a thread, wich wasn't what I intended to do. Sorry.......

This Lotus thingy seems to get more and more complicated...

Cheers
J

[Elanintheforest]

I agree with Gary that there was no S3 until the DHC came out in June '66, and the FHC in July '66. Prior to this the Coupe was simply the Coupe, however it did have the Type 36 designation, as can be seen on the part numbers in the S1, S2 and Coupe Parts list, and of course, the Type 36 on the Chassis plate.

As for which was the first one, 4510 is quoted on the LotusElan.net 'Car Type by Vin'.....

http://www.lotuselan.net/publish/car_type_by_vin.shtml

Unfortunately it is quoted inaccurately as an S3 and not a Coupe.

The Robinshaw / Ross book has the same table, with the same chassis number, but correctly says 'Elan Coupe Available'.

So what became of that car? I guess that we may never know, but I suspect that you're right Gary, it was a prototype of some sort, as the chassis number seems to come from the March / April / May period of '65, which gives them a few weeks to develop the car prior to launch in September!

As for the steering wheel Jens, the original was woodrim with slots, as per S2 Elan. The S/E had the leather covered rim, and the last of the S3 cars had the Colin Chapman signed wheel, with holes not slots.

Mark

[LadyH]

Renowned Lotus historian, Nick Blunsden was responsible for the discovery & subsequent restoration of LNK 120C, he went to great trouble to restore LNK 120C to its original unique specification.

LNK 120C had a long family association the Blunsden?s as Nicks father, John Blunsden was editor of Sports Car & Lotus Owner magazine and drove LNK 120C.

Nick had many conservations with Graham Arnold to confirm LNK 120C?s history and specification.

Graham Arnold confirmed that LNK 120C was the prototype coupe, and was used as a launch / Demo car, and was originally Medici Blue.

In 1968 LNK 120C was painted Black.

A letter from Lotus Cars Ltd confirms that LNK 120C was originally Medici Blue and then painted in 1968 in Henry Ford Black. Graham Arnold said it was for Jim Clark?s funeral.

Being a press car LNK 120C therefore was not due to be retailed outside of Lotus Cars for the short term at least and the car was not initially built with a chassis plate in place. However when Graham Arnold was finished with LNK 120C it was only then that a chassis plate was fitted.

The provenance of LNK 120C is well documented.

[trw99]

Nick Blunsden posted on here as 67 SE Coupe, back in 2006: elan-photos-f18/old-english-white-t12923.html

LadyH

Welcome. Do tell about yourself as you seem well clued up on LNK 120C!

Tim

[Coupe]

So, I've been thinking I have a pre airflow S3 (Feb 1966 5358) and I have an Elan Coupe (which should have been no surprise as this is what it says one each front wing)

[Mazzini]

Renowned Lotus historian, Nick Blunsden was responsible for the discovery & subsequent restoration of LNK 120C, he went to great trouble to restore LNK 120C to its original unique specification.

LNK 120C had a long family association the Blunsden?s as Nicks father, John Blunsden was editor of Sports Car & Lotus Owner magazine and drove LNK 120C.

Nick had many conservations with Graham Arnold to confirm LNK 120C?s history and specification.

Graham Arnold confirmed that LNK 120C was the prototype coupe, and was used as a launch / Demo car, and was originally Medici Blue.

In 1968 LNK 120C was painted Black.

A letter from Lotus Cars Ltd confirms that LNK 120C was originally Medici Blue and then painted in 1968 in Henry Ford Black. Graham Arnold said it was for Jim Clark?s funeral.

Being a press car LNK 120C therefore was not due to be retailed outside of Lotus Cars for the short term at least and the car was not initially built with a chassis plate in place. However when Graham Arnold was finished with LNK 120C it was only then that a chassis plate was fitted.

The provenance of LNK 120C is well documented.

It's a lovely car, with unique history, I don't think anybody doubts it's authenticity, but it's had a hard life and whilst it's had a lot of work done on it's not perhaps quite as it seems in the photos...which might explain why it has never achieved at auction what many of us would have expected.

I saw it in HK SAR a few months ago, it's not being stored under the best conditions and it deserves to come home.

I apologise to all of you that requested photos, I'm currently traveling and I don't have the bandwidth to up load photos, I hope the situation will change next week.