elan in the forest..photo posted

[lotusdelta]

Mark,
Read the thread you wrote to the fellow who is looking at a sprint...there was a photo attached of a sprint on a racetrack....I about fell over as I have this same exact photo sitting on my desk...same spot, position....everything....except it has Jochen Rindt standing next to it...he must have stepped away and they took your photo...thanks for the addition
David
72 elan sprint coupe

[trw99]

David

Some history for you.

In the summer of 1970 Graham Arnold wanted to introduce a gold leaf liveried Elan to enhance the car?s image and reflect the Formula One Team Lotus success and sponsor link. This, allied to falling sales, may have led Arnold to come up with the idea of a Sprint paint job for the S4, which in turn would have given him an excuse for a ?launch? and additional test reports. It resulted in the Sprint concept car, produced in July or August. Who thought of the Sprint name is not known.

There are a number of publicity shots of the car, a matt black over yellow DHC, showing Jochen Rindt at Brands Hatch posing with it, before his death at Monza on 5 September 1970. However, this was an S4 LHD car with the paint job and Sprint on the registration plates; underneath mechanically it was pure S4.

All this of course, pre-dated the official launch of the Sprint at the 1970 Earls Court Motor Show in October (the same car as above) and the subsequent re-launch of the Sprint in February 1971 (when it became available) with the Big Valve engine and colour over white livery.

Tim

[Elanintheforest]

Well here it is again, without the words around it so you can print it off and put it next to your other picture. I picked up the brochure at the Motor Show in 1970, and I'm sure I have one with JR on it somewhere....
Interesting that it has black wheels, the early Sprint brochures show silver wheels...then Arnold had his way I guess.
Mark

[timliggins]

Same car appears in John Bolster's book with JR sat behing the wheel

[lotusdelta]

Thanks everyone for th follow up and info . Will put the new pic next to my other...what a great forum...great people...
thanks,
David
72 elan sprint coupe....yellow over white with gold bumpers and black wheels...lol

[Elanintheforest]

Well now I know your car, you must have a look at this....
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1972-Ela ... dZViewItem
It's only up the road in NJ...what a great twin for the coupe
Mark

[lotusdelta]

Mark ,thanks for the photo...yeah saw the listing on ebay and just smiled ...i was thinking it would make a great book-end to my car...i was surprised at the selling price..i would guess the coupe is a bit less in value..always wondered why though...i,ve never seen another in all the events i,ve been to...
on another note i just finished getting her ready for the spring and took my first spin...and promptly got pulled over by my local cop..i think he just wanted a look though as he let me go with a slap on the wrist....i told him it was just a spring fever thing and that i would behave in the future......not....lol
thanks, David

[trw99]

David

I'm not suprised you have not seen any other Coupe Sprints in North America. According to my records, only 36 were made.

I am happy to be corrected on this; the earliest federal Sprint J type I am aware of is number 0033 and the last is 0068.

Tim

[lotusdelta]

Tim,
thanks for the reply.....i never knew just how many coupes there are out there...incidently my elan sprint coupe is, acording to the engine plate and number ,was made in dec 1971 and titled in 72' as was common practice then and does end in 0068J...!!!
Thanks david

[trw99]

Well David, if you learn of a later one than yours, please let me know!

Tim

[elansprint71]

Judging by the massive clearance between the front tyres and the wheel arches on the Rindt Sprint shots, I do not believe that there was an engine fitted to this car.

As I said at the time.