Original Elan FHC Needed For Top Gear Photo Shoot

[trw99]

For all you car tarts who love to see your car in print! This was circulated today by Club Lotus to all Elan owners:

Dear Club Lotus member,

We've just received this from Top Gear magazine so we're forwarding it on to all our registered members with Lotus Elans. Apologies if you have a DHC and not a FHC but often this difference isn't recorded on our database.

I think that ideally they'd like a Sprint but the most important thing is that the car is as original as possible.

If you're interested please contact Piers at Top Gear direct and not the Club office.

Very best wishes,

Alan



From: Piers Ward [mailto:[email protected]]
Subject: Original Lotus Elan and Richard Hammond

Dear Alan,

Thanks for helping out with this.

What we're after is an original Lotus Elan Fixed-Head. If it could be as original as possible, that would be ideal. In other words, nothing too altered or tuned.

This is for a photo shoot with Richard Hammond down at Dunsfold (which is near Guildford in Surrey) at the TopGear test track, for an article that will appear in BBC TopGear Magazine. However, as it's purely a photo exercise, Richard won't be ragging the car - it's all slow speed stuff - so the car will be returned in exactly the same condition as we received it in.

It's on 18 April, from 0830-1730. We will provide catering throughout the day.

TopGear will cover the insurance of the car while it's on the track and in our hands, so any owner who is willing to help will need to supply me with the registration number and value of their car.

Thanks again and really hope a Lotus owner can help us out. It's a fun day, and they'll get a chance to see where the TV show is filmed. Their car will appear in the magazine and most of our 35 international editions, and this could be a great way to add value to their Elan.

All the best

Piers Ward | Senior Road Test Editor | Top Gear
Top Gear | 2nd Floor A | Energy Centre | Media Village | 201 Wood Lane | London W12 7TN t: +44 (0) 20 7150 5563
Facts: 34 International Editions, 1.9 million UK readers, 9.2 million worldwide readers

[Spyder fan]

I think a vehicle like that pictured below would be more appropriate for Mr Hammond

[trw99]

Ah! The DHC version.

Otherwise known as the Dead Hampster Cage.

Tim

[adigra]

I would be interested had I not taken part in a TG shoot with my FIL's AC a couple of years ago. Never again.

[AHM]

Ah! The DHC version.

Otherwise known as the Dead Hampster Cage.

Tim

Good! Very Good!

[reb53]

I would be interested had I not taken part in a TG shoot with my FIL's AC a couple of years ago. Never again.

Care to expand ?

Whatever they find it'll be like 99% of the Elans that end up in magazines or on TV.
It'll have some funny little non original steering wheel, the wheels themselves will be aftermarket and wider than original, ( what would Colin know...), and the motor will have had a bit of a warm over. The cabin will have been re-trimmed too as a mish mash of weird colours is way more appealing than the original.

Ralph.

[adigra]

Oh, it was pretty typical. We were told to be there in the morning, made to wait all day in a cold and damp warehouse (the old TVR factory in Blackpool) as they wanted to film after the sun went down... The "catering" was tea and coffee they charged for. They didn't allow us to watch the cars being filmed, but they treated us like they were doing us a favour for allowing us to be there.

This might be different, I don't know, but I'm not willing to waste another day "adding value to my car".

Adi

[elansprint]

When you see the way they abuse cars on that program i would not let either of those 3 T--ts anywhere near a car of mine
Ian

[Spyder fan]

Oh, it was pretty typical. We were told to be there in the morning, made to wait all day in a cold and damp warehouse (the old TVR factory in Blackpool) as they wanted to film after the sun went down... The "catering" was tea and coffee they charged for. They didn't allow us to watch the cars being filmed, but they treated us like they were doing us a favour for allowing us to be there.

This might be different, I don't know, but I'm not willing to waste another day "adding value to my car".

Adi

Sounds a bit like the Club Lotus show at Donington!

[69S4]

Oh, it was pretty typical. We were told to be there in the morning, made to wait all day in a cold and damp warehouse (the old TVR factory in Blackpool) as they wanted to film after the sun went down... The "catering" was tea and coffee they charged for. They didn't allow us to watch the cars being filmed, but they treated us like they were doing us a favour for allowing us to be there.

This might be different, I don't know, but I'm not willing to waste another day "adding value to my car".

Adi

Yes, once bitten, twice shy and all that - I can understand why you wouldn't want to repeat the experience. Filming may be different but when I volunteered my Elan for a magazine photo shoot a few years ago it was a very enjoyable day. It was a feature about 70's style with very easy on the eye models clambering in and out of what to them was vintage clothing but to me just looked like the contents of my wardrobe They were very respectful of the car and took a lot of trouble to make sure nothing got damaged. Never got to see the results though.

[rodlittle]

I too have suffered at the hands of the top gear team. They wanted to borrow not hire mark you, some equipment to measure speeds of their stars in a car round the track.
I also waited all day in the cold (very) no catering and not allowed to watch the filming either.
When it turned out that the Stars were only going at about 90MPH max they lost interest and I got neither thanks for providing the equipment nor the tickets to a recording they promised.
Stay away they're only in it for themselves.
rod