Lotus Elan and Lotus Elan Plus 2 Forums

garyeanderson wrote:Log14 signatures

Ron's on the left

Gary, what are the other names? I can make out Ron & Bill Allen (I assume of the Allen Brothers & the AB of ACBC)

garyeanderson wrote:
Log14 signatures

Ron's on the left


Gary, what are the other names? I can make out Ron & Bill Allen (I assume of the Allen Brothers & the AB of ACBC)

Moved to free parking.

free-parking-f19/log14-signatures-t22136.html

I met Ron at couple of the LOG events, first time I think at LOG 14, the Elite one. At a question and answer session after his talk, I asked about the regressive step from the Elite's elegant boot lid to the S1 Elan's simple water trap lid, but then reverting back to the Elite style with the FHC and S3. His answer was that they were developing the Elan as Chapman was still hanging onto the desire for the Elan to be a fiberglass monocoque. The original Elan boot was supposed to be accessible from the car interior, like a bug-eyed Sprite so that the rear of the car maintained the necessary strength. When they decided to proceed with the folded sheet backbone frame inside the Elan, Chapman allowed them to cut in a bootlid, but a bare minimal one, since he was still hedging his bets.

I finally bought an old Workmate last summer from a neighbor's moving sale and I explained to him and my wife that it was designed by the same person who had designed the Elan. In a way, I had completed my collection, since I'll probably never be able to afford an Elite.

Roger

Elan45 wrote:
I finally bought an old Workmate last summer from a neighbor's moving sale and I explained to him and my wife that it was designed by the same person who had designed the Elan. In a way, I had completed my collection, since I'll probably never be able to afford an Elite.

Roger

Was that one of the original Workmates with the die cast aluminium frame?
Did you have to pay much for it?
I wonder if they are considered collectible now?

"Sell the wife, sell the kids, telly & washing machine then buy an Elite"

John

I have and still use very regularly one of the first aluminium diecast workmates. The family have given up asking why I dont buy a new one - answers - "it was my dad's" and "they dont make them like that anymore". Both the Elan and the workmate have been with me 30+ years and have been fairly important parts of my life in a quiet sort of way. Thanks Ron!

John

"Sell the wife, sell the kids, telly & washing machine then buy an Elite"

Actually:

"Sell the television set, sell the washing machine, sell the wife's car, give up smoking, give up drinking, scrimp and save and buy an Elan, you will not be dissapointed" DSJ

Really John, which forum are you on?

Tim

Bill Allen, who was at LOG 14 is not one of the Allen brothers of early Lotus days. This Bill was one of the Team Elite drivers.

Foster

I'm puzzled by the last signature - John ??. As the LOG organizer, I should know. I checked my records and there were no other Johns as LOG guests.

The only "missing" signature is that of Jesse "Doc" Wyllie but that that isn't his signature. John Frayling didn't attend. One possibility is that the car was brought to LOG 21 and that is John Whitmore's signature but that doesn't look like Whitmore.

I'll think about it but at the moment I'm puzzled by it.

Foster

trw99 wrote:John

"Sell the wife, sell the kids, telly & washing machine then buy an Elite"

Actually:

"Sell the television set, sell the washing machine, sell the wife's car, give up smoking, give up drinking, scrimp and save and buy an Elan, you will not be dissapointed" DSJ

Really John, which forum are you on?

Tim

Well I nearly got it right

Hi Foster

Thanks for taking the time to reply and I appreciate that someone is willing to dig back into history for this question. Looks to me like they were all signed with the same pen.

Gary

Tim,

Is Jenks really responsible for that quote? I met him at Prescott Hill Climb in '93, just after he was sacked at MS.

I could always sell my other Climax powered Lotus to afford an Elite, but I'm quite happy with it.

Roger

I met Ron many years ago when I invited him out to dinner, whilst he was in Boston. After a long quiz by him, to ensure that I was not trying to hijack him! Nigel Halliday & I had a great evening. We then met up again at Donnington, where after dinner at the piggeries, he came back to our room, to quizz me on Caterham 7's. Ron wanted to make a hard top for the Caterham, which he felt would sell in large numbers. But Ron would not believe me when I told him that Caterham only made 5-800 cars a year, he was certain that Graham Nearn had told him 5000! This discussion went on till about 3.30 in the morning. For half of that time Mike Ostrov was hanging off a beam, in our room, streching his back!
Whilst speaking with Helen Hickman the next day, she mentioned that she was concerned over the amount of time Ron was spending on this project. I wonder what happened to it?
The sad thing is that he kept inviting me to come and visit and I never did. Nigel went and had a wonderful time. Out time here is short!

Elan45 wrote:Tim,

Is Jenks really responsible for that quote? I met him at Prescott Hill Climb in '93, just after he was sacked at MS.

I could always sell my other Climax powered Lotus to afford an Elite, but I'm quite happy with it.

Roger

Roger

Yes he is. It was in the final paragraph of his Motor Sport "Journey to Sicily" report of May 1965, which he undertook in Graham Arnold's S1/S2 796 TAR

Tim

elan_fan wrote:Another link to the Chapman days gone

Perhaps we should have a memorial run later in the year


Mark

Would be a fitting tribute in my opinion - how about an Elan parade lap or two at Donington Park at the Club Lotus Show in August? Alan M what do you think?

Hmmm, maybe also invite Black & Decker to put up a stand showing the history of the Workmate with some photos of Ron on show.
Maybe a competition for original Hickman Workmates; tattiest & best preserved?
Maybe the show theme could commemorate all of the old Lotus guys who are no longer with us? They're fading away quickly.

Some food for thought Alan?

Cheers
John