WHAT IS AN ELAN 500?

[types26/36]

I was going through my Elan Parts Manual and I came across this reference to an Elan 500, now we know what an Elan 26,36 and 45 are but what is an Elan 500?
Is it a designation Lotus never used? or am I just missing something?

[Craig Elliott]

Suspect it's just a typo and should say 50 - ie a part used on the 2 seat elans and the +2...

...actually on second thoughts I'm stumped as the context is referring only to the 2 seat elan - either they've just included 500 by mistake or they've had the foresight to include the continuation Elan Sprints that are going to be made next century (or whenever Lotus have produced the Type 499).

It's been a long day!

Craig

[john.p.clegg]

Typo

John

[CBUEB1771]

The later +2 Service Parts List has the same typo, interesting as I never noticed that before.

[elansprint71]

I'm reasonably sure that this refers to the 500 Elan 26/Rs which are still around today.

[gordont]

Brilliant Pete, 500 and growing..... Or are they breeding?

[types26/36]

I'm reasonably sure that this refers to the 500 Elan 26/Rs which are still around today.

[oldelanman]

The Elan 500 was in fact a concept car which featured on the Lotus stand at the 1970 International Motor Show.

The vehicle was aimed at the more mature driver with loads of money and no desire to drive fast.

Based on an Elan S4 DHC the car was powered by a Fiat 500 air cooled twin cylinder engine mounted in the boot driving through a 16 speed Meccano geabox to the rear wheels.

The package delivered several horsepower and nearly enough torque to pull the skin off a rice pudding. In top gear at max rpm the vehicle could manage quite a respectable speed and indeed some pedestrians were quite unable to keep up with it.

The space under the bonnet was utilized to carry a folding table, two chairs, a Fortnum and Masons picnic hamper, primus stove, kettle, water carrier and a large tartan blanket ?each neatly stored in it?s own custom made compartment.

Sadly the car never made it into production and the prototype was thought to have been dismantled and lost forever?..until recently when it was discovered in a barn that used to belong to a good friend of the husband of the woman who used to clean for the secretary of the bowls club where one of COLIN CHAPMANS best friends once cut the grass. How spooky is that ?

Restoration is now well underway so keep an eye on Pistonheads !!

[richboyd]

oldelanman posted an excellent, creative, and definitive description of the Elan 500. Kudos.

[trw99]

Blimey Roger - a folding table but rigid chairs, they must have been both lightweight and small.

Seriously, I believe that I have the very tartan rug used in the prototype, because I took it to the well known Southend - on - Sea based shop King of the Tartans and was told it was a rare MacElan tartan, not to be confused, of course with the very much more common MacLean tartan. It is important to note that the rug was not fitted with the top end and bottom end flanges (sometimes erroneously referred to as tassels) for aerodynamic reasons.

Since you are well-connected with the restorer, would you like to let them know about the rug and that I would consider letting it go for a suitable sum - ?45,000 comes to mind for some reason!

Tim

[oldelanman]

a folding table but rigid chairs, they must have been both lightweight and small.

Tim,
Lightweight and small chairs are usually refered to as stools and you wouldn't want two of those under your bonnet - no, they were I believe directors chairs. My description was inadequate.

As for the tartan rug you have I think it is probably a reproduction - the original was a blanket, not a rug at all and the dimensions are totally different. Unlike a blanket, a rug is not easily folded and would not have been suitable for stowing neatly under the bonnet. I think therefore that, even though the tartan is correct, your asking price is a little optimistic.

It's also very difficult to find original Fortnum and Masons hampers in good condition these days - the wine is often corked and the cheddar cheese is generally discoloured and hard. The caviar survives quite well as it is in a sealed container. Modern reproductions use Lambrusco, cheese spread and crab sticks - not the same at all !

Regards,

[Elan45]

I hate to be the one to break up the party, but 500 must have been a code number that was used in the very early development of the type 45 Elan DHC, maybe when they were just considering if they could make a DHC to replace the type 26 roadster. You find 500 numbers on items like the aluminum retaining plate that is on top of the S3 screen used to retain the leading edge of the hood (top). You also find 500 numbers on some of the carpet and trim pieces unique to the back of the cockpit surround and hood tray, the hood sticks (top bows) and hood tray itself. And the numbers stayed on even after the type 45 went into production. Maybe they were numbers from an outside firm such as Radford who chopped tops off Minis and other saloons.

Roger

[peterako]

The Elan 500 was in fact a concept car which featured on the Lotus stand at the 1970 International Motor Show....

Excellent!

[types26/36]

The Dave Bean parts list appears to use a mixture of their own designations and Lotus prefixes to identify parts/cars, according to their catalogue a prefix of 500 is for a "Generic Twin Cam"....

[alexblack13]

I'm reasonably sure that this refers to the 500 Elan 26/Rs which are still around today.

You devil!!

Made me laugh though Pete..

Al' .....