Tracking Down a Sprint

Post by: **trw99** » Mon Oct 12, 2009 3:00 pm

I have been contacted by someone via the factory who wants to track down his Sprint. At the same time, he had two other Elans before the Sprint, so on the off chance any of these might ring bells with anyone in the UK and be of interest, here is his message:

"As a young chap in the 1960s I had three Lotus Elans; all from new, as kits. They were - A 1967 yellow S3 Elan dhc on a pair of Weber 40DCOE18s (chassis # 45/6684) which was bought via the Len Street dealership in London in late January / early February 1967 and was road registered NMY 92E. It was part exchanged for the next car.

A 1969 yellow S4 Elan SE dhc on a pair of Strombergs (chassis # 45/8708) which was bought via the Victor Raysbrook Motors dealership in Watford on 5th March 1969 with engine # L18170B and was road registered YAN 5G. It was part exchanged for a Europa S2 which was a mistake!

A 1972 yellow over white Elan Sprint dhc on a pair of Dellortos (I have the chassis and engine number - Tim) which was also bought via Victor Raysbrook Motors in November 1972 and was road registered MMM 15L. I sold it in 1976.

I wonder if your know where the car is now and can put the owner in touch with me. I have no interest in owning it again but I do have fond memories and a few stories to tell of when I owned it."

If you know of the Sprint, do please let me know. It is the only one on the list still running according to the DVLA.

Tim

Post by: **elanfan1** » Mon Oct 12, 2009 5:21 pm

DVLA enquiries reveal:

NMY 92E - no trace on system

YAN 5G - No trace on system

MMM 15L - Date of liability (tax due) 1/5/2010 colour yellow

Looks like 1st 2 either written off/ exported or have been sat in someone's garage since before 1983

But the sprint is about somewhere (I'm sure I 've seen that reg no at a show or in a book)

HTH

Steve

Post by: **trw99** » Tue Oct 13, 2009 12:52 pm

Thanks Steve

There is a Sprint with MML that I know of.

Tim

Post by: **Jolly Jumper** » Wed Oct 14, 2009 8:53 am

trw99 wrote:I

A 1969 yellow S4 Elan SE dhc on a pair of Strombergs (chassis # 45/8708) which was bought via the Victor Raysbrook Motors dealership in Watford on 5th March 1969 with engine # L18170B and was road registered YAN 5G. It was part exchanged for a Europa S2 which was a mistake!

Oi! That's my car now!

And has been since 1988...

What a coincidence.

It's in Hamburg, Germany. Now running Webers though... Any more old stories or pictures? Would be great to hear from him.

Cheers
Jolly

Post by: **Jolly Jumper** » Wed Oct 14, 2009 9:04 am

Here is a pic of the car as it looks now.
If I can get in touch with the original owner he might tell me which type of yellow the car was originally delivered...

Post by: **trw99** » Wed Oct 14, 2009 10:24 am

Jolly

Wonderful! I have sent you a PM and let the original owner know we have tracked 'his' S4 down.

Great when something like this works!

Tim

Post by: **anglo4** » Tue Jul 31, 2012 3:05 pm

I know this is a bit too late but I have only recently stumbled upon this site . Anyway , in response to Tim's request , I still have MMM15L and I was the guy who spoke to him in 1976 when I bought it . I did get rid of his trademark green bumpers and it's pretty standard . I have had the hood blow off but not in Paris !! Hope this can be passede to him .

Post by: **Mazzini** » Tue Jul 31, 2012 4:19 pm

Close but no cigar

Still a great picture though.

Post by: **trw99** » Tue Jul 31, 2012 6:22 pm

anglo4 wrote:I know this is a bit too late but I have only recently stumbled upon this site . Anyway , in response to Tim's request , I still have MMM15L and I was the guy who spoke to him in 1976 when I bought it . I did get rid of his trademark green bumpers and it's pretty standard . I have had the hood blow off but not in Paris !! Hope this can be passede to him .

Anglo4

Thanks so much for posting and for your PM, to which I have responded.

Tim

Post by: **Georgie Raysbrook** » Wed Apr 22, 2020 10:57 am

Hi Tim, Jolly,

I've been tracking down all information I can find on Victor Raysbrook Motors and came across your conversation, I am his grand daughter.

He very sadly passed away last week at the age of 95 and forever called himself a 'petrol head' - he was a real car fanatic and knew everything there was to know about cars... I only wish I had done this sooner.

Tim - if you have any memories or pictures you can share with me from his garage or the cars you had owned/ purchased from him, it would be amazing if you could share.

Thank you so much,
Georgie

Post by: **trw99** » Thu Apr 28, 2022 7:07 am

I have by sheer coincidence, been able to supply additional answers to my question posed at the the start of this thread, thirteen years ago in 2009.

John Watson, who is the Lotus 7 Registrar at the Historic Lotus Register, had asked me to track down any of his three Elans, which he had owned back in the 1960s and 70s. The last of these was the Sprint MMM 15L. At the time it was owned by John Webb, who was it's custodian for 45 years. I was able to put the two Johns in touch. And there the story might have ended.

However, two days ago I collected MMM 15L myself. I had been on the lookout for as original a Sprint as possible, a late DHC on Dellortos, preferably in Lagoon Blue over white. MMM 15L, although Lotus Yellow over white, fits the bill. Mechanically absolutely on the ball, it still wears it's original factory paint and body, has it's original engine and chassis. It wears the patina of age well. It comes with the full provenance, including all tax discs and MoT certificates. It has done 78k miles and been used every year of it's existence as a runner. I am very content to be it's custodian for the next chapter of it's long life.

Tim