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S3 with arches

PostPosted: Wed Apr 25, 2012 9:14 am
by ardee_selby
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Lotus-Elan-Co ... 43af346d8c

Has anyone seen this car in the flesh?

Cheers - Richard

Re: S3 with arches

PostPosted: Wed Apr 25, 2012 9:39 am
by Pastapesto
Hi Richard

I was looking at this ad last night and thought it looked a nice car. Bit on the pricey side though but a nice one all the same.

Two things bothered me though:
On the dash where the handbrake warning light is, there is another light next to it. Isn't that where normally you would have a heated rear window "on" light - meaning did it start life as a Coupe? Wouldn't really bother me that much if it did.

Secondly, there does not seem to be a centre console. What is there is wierd and looks like he has either covered it with carpet material or just missed it out completely.

If you wanted to be picky, the engine bay is in body colour but again, would not really bother me except that the asking price is right up there with the best of the best so these things should be right (imho)

Looks nice though......


Adam

Re: S3 with arches

PostPosted: Wed Apr 25, 2012 9:44 am
by types26/36
.....new body and chassis and only 47000 miles... :roll:

Re: S3 with arches

PostPosted: Wed Apr 25, 2012 11:49 am
by adigra
The arches look great, but it now needs wider wheels. The dash definitely suggests it was a coupe, as Adam pointed out. I also agree with him regarding the console. I don't necessarily have a problem with it being modified, but there are much nicer ways to do it.

Really nice looking car overall, I'd say, even if the price is quite optimistic.

The body colour engine bay is an interesting thing to me as I see a lot of high cost restorations going down this route with "concours" finish in mind, but not only is it less practical to maintain, it also deviates from original for no particular reason. I don't quite get it.

Adi

Re: S3 with arches

PostPosted: Wed Apr 25, 2012 12:02 pm
by types26/36
adigra wrote:
The body colour engine bay is an interesting thing to me as I see a lot of high cost restorations going down this route with "concours" finish in mind, but not only is it less practical to maintain, it also deviates from original for no particular reason. I don't quite get it.Adi


Would this have any legal implications as I read somewhere that the engine compartment was black as the background for the registration numbers on the grill.
It conformed to regulations of the time and at the moment the letters/numbers on the grill is still allowed in the U.K. but would it still be allowed if it is not black.
(and yes I know the radiator is usually black)

Re: S3 with arches

PostPosted: Wed Apr 25, 2012 12:03 pm
by ardee_selby
adigra wrote:The arches look great, but it now needs wider wheels. Adi


That was my initial impression too.

Enjoying all your observations, guys.

Thanks - Richard

Re: S3 with arches

PostPosted: Wed Apr 25, 2012 12:07 pm
by types26/36
types26/36 wrote:(and yes I know the radiator is usually black)


Which brings up an interesting point .....radiators that are alloy and not black.

Re: S3 with arches

PostPosted: Wed Apr 25, 2012 12:26 pm
by batfish
S3 body with S4 interior makes it very expensive for what it is.
regards

Andy

Re: S3 with arches

PostPosted: Wed Apr 25, 2012 12:54 pm
by adigra
batfish wrote:S3 body with S4 interior makes it very expensive for what it is.
regards
Andy


That's a really good point! I didn't pay attention to it as there are S3s with S4 interior, but this is a '67 car so definitely too early for that. Hmm...

Re: S3 with arches

PostPosted: Wed Apr 25, 2012 12:55 pm
by AHM
batfish wrote:S3 body with S4 interior makes it very expensive for what it is.
regards

Andy


And S4 boot floor? s4 radiator?, s4 dash?

Re: S3 with arches

PostPosted: Wed Apr 25, 2012 2:11 pm
by Elanintheforest
Late Sprint or Plus 2 steering wheel and S4 cam cover.

It's a bitsa!

Mark

Re: S3 with arches

PostPosted: Wed Apr 25, 2012 2:32 pm
by trw99
Agreed, a bitsa.

So now taking bets for how long it remains for sale at that garage for that price! Any advances on oooo, let's say 10 months?

Tim

Re: S3 with arches

PostPosted: Wed Apr 25, 2012 2:49 pm
by jimj
Yes I`ve seen it, no I wouldn`t touch it. The paintwork and detail is excellent but it looks ridiculous with standard wheels and all those wrong bits. It was for sale with H&H, maybe a year ago and didn`t sell for, I think, around ?20k (RDS will no doubt search) which I thought was about ?5K too much. They tried again with Brightwells and it sold for scarcely more about 3 months later. Mark will probably know as he often goes.
Jim

Re: S3 with arches

PostPosted: Wed Apr 25, 2012 2:52 pm
by batfish
I would hazard a guess that the car was built from parts in the early 1990s and then had an age related number plate issued to it. The registration number is very close to one that I rebuilt in the early 1990s and had an age related registration number issued. I was told that these numbers were unused Scotish ones.

regards

Andy

Re: S3 with arches

PostPosted: Wed Apr 25, 2012 2:58 pm
by adigra
Andy, very interesting. I was just writing about the numberplate/identity when I read your reply.

At this price I think it will stay unsold forever, or go to someone who doesn't do any research at all.