26/0538 - 60 year anniversary with one owner

[Bill]

High All

I will be at the Vancouver ABFM

Bill

[Ray Bell]

Hi Bill...

Congratulations on reaching this milestone!

I am going to be visiting a friend in Ladysmith about the first week of September this year. It's a specialty automotive visit, he owns a Peugeot 404 Coupe and, of course, I'm a devotee of the French make and have a 404 I'm working on at the moment.

A close friend of mine is also following along with the closing stages of the 404C restoration, but he's also an Elan (+2) owner here in Australia and he alerted me to your long Elan ownership.

I'm wondering if it would be possible for me to meet up with you and see your little red beauty while I'm there?

I have otherwise had a little to do with Elans, no 'in depth' stuff, but in a peripheral sense. I had a close association with the most successful owner of 26R-S2-37, supplying some parts and helping out a little at one race meeting.

If you would like to contact me privately, my e.mail is [email protected]

[MartijnElanS4]

Hi Bill,

Congratulations on your car anniversary. That’s great.

I recently bought a 1971 Elan from my uncle who got it from new! I am completly refurbishing the car to make it as it left the factory.

Fortunately my uncle is in perfect condition so it will be great for him to see when it is ready.

[ElanDNA]

Hello Bill
My pearl is 60 years old and today 60 years at home on the Swiss roads.
I owned this lovely car for 41 years now. I don't think I'll reach 60 years like you,
as I also have quite a few years on my shoulders.
Unfortunately, the weather has been bad for a while now. Nevertheless, every now and then I drive briefly over the next hills and back to warm up the engine and have fun.

Urs

[ElanDNA]

Had enough time in the bad weather to give the pearl a birthday present and shorten the "to do list":

Old and new work perfectly and display the same temperature.
The old one has done its job well in my car for 31 years, but never really matched the other instruments.

(I think the old one is from a +2 S 130. It is now for sale)
All the best Urs

[Quart Meg Miles]

Amazing record, Bill!

I'd wanted one ever since I saw the adverts in Motor Sport in 1962 or 1963 showing the chassis, it appealed to me as an engineering student, but it wasn't until 1969 that I could afford a secondhand one which I still have!

So I can only boast of 55 years ownership but, with my wife's help, have added 240,000 miles to its previous 52,000. It has always been a daily car and only been off the road for maintenance. Me too, and I'm 81.

[Bill]

Meg and Urs

Thanks for your comments gents. Vancouver Island is not big enough and gets a fair amount of rain to rack up high milage usage. I did use my Elan as a daily driver and for hill climbing competition thru the first decade of use. Now it is pleasure only in no rain conditions. It is about to turn 58K miles.

It has always been carefully maintained - I did a full restoration / refurbish in the mid 1990"s at about 37K and is serv/ced / inspected annually. Over the tears I have accumulated more than enough spare parts to build another car.

My time is running out for that now but I am happy to just keep 26/0538 in top shape and driving to preserve my skills as best as possible. I'm 84 now - I hope to have a few years left.

Thanks again and KEEP DRIVING

Bill

[elansprint71]

Well done Bill!

10th May is my birthday and on that day in 1972 not only was I twenty-one but my Sprint was first registered (but not to me unfortunately).

[andre.hine]

That’s amazing Bill. Well played to your 23yo self! Few purchases last that time. Let alone a new car! I’m new here myself. Joined after acquiring 26/0303 from my dear old dad. I’m at the start of a long journey to get this incredible machine back on the road. Can’t believe someone has had one since then. Dad’s car was tweaked and modified (raced) for decades. So the idea of someone having a “new” one is almost unbelievable. If I come to Canada (from Australia) I’d love to see it!

[Bill]

Andre

Thanks for your post on Saturday, sorry to not get back to you immediately but I had to get it out for British car show on Sunday. I, like your dad, bought my car for (hill climb) competition. I put it back to original factory shape in 1997.

If you might need any photos to guide you in the process let me know.


Regards, Bill

[andre.hine]

No need to apologise! Thanks for the reply. I’ll definitely be reaching out at some point. So great to have this forum’s members as a resource!