`Best driving Elans ever
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• Page 1 of 1
Post by: EdHolly » Sun May 18, 2014 3:39 am
Guys,
Hopefuly this thread will go on for a brief write up about Elan driving experiences.
As you may know some Classic Car magazines have written the Elan as the best sports car ever, and today I sampled an example that would have to be one of the best Elans anywhere in the world, and typifies exactly what Chapman produced immediately after the Elite.
The car in question is Rod Kennedy's 1963 Borne built Elan which has been on the road after restoration for around 18 months. The car itself was in fact the first to have raced in Australia in January 1964 at Catalina NSW by Terry Boom who's family owned Les Girls and the Latin Quarter at Sydney's Kings Cross in the 60s and Rod has restored the car faithful to its original chassis right down to trim etc. However, the engine is a 711 tall block with a Peter Larner modified head and suitable cams, original 2.5 1st gear - close ratio gearbox and is shod with correct 155x13 Mich-elan XAS tyres on hub-capped wheels. The car looks completely stock except maybe the exhaust is a little bigger and maybe a little lower, otherwise stock Elan - oh it does have race seats but very nice bucket types completely period in look. In fact the thing that sets this car apart from many other road/race Elans is that when you look at it now - from every perspective, looks, presentation, wheels, tyres, and under the bonnet - it is as you would have seen it 51 years ago. In other words except for the higher performance of the engine with a little more capacity - the car is as you would expect a series 1 Elan to be when new.
There was nothing else on the road that could compare and it is even today the archetypical Sports Car.
Now I drive my Elan everyday and have done so now for about 3 years, and stepped out of my Eleven to drive Rod's car. I have restored and driven an Elite for quite a few thousand miles in the past, had many other sports cars, MG's, a Healey, XK's, E-types and others, I have raced MGs, and single seaters by Lotus, Brabham and Elfin since the 1980s , so I think I am in a position to appraise something special.
And special Rod's car is. The first thing you note is the responsiveness of the engine from idle and the way it settles back to idle at 1000rpm. As you drive off you realize immediately that this is no ordinary Elan, there is no stumpling at any revs by the Webers, 1st gear goes on a long way with a rifle bolt change up through the close ratios. Bumps in the road are firmly but not harshly felt, and at speed with very little padding in the seat, the car tells you it is in fact firmly sprung, but with a purpose. Bends in the road is what you are waiting for, especially where there is a bit of a hill. To squeeze the throttle open on the exit to a corner and feel the surge and I mean SURGE of acceleration from the oh-so-willing twincam on 45's is about as good as it gets. The flatness of the car in corners and the way it puts its power down, the total absence of any rattles all clothed in a lightweight package in my mind makes one more than agree with those that have judged this car the best sports car ever.
Somehow my Elan won't seem quite the same !
Hopefuly this thread will go on for a brief write up about Elan driving experiences.
As you may know some Classic Car magazines have written the Elan as the best sports car ever, and today I sampled an example that would have to be one of the best Elans anywhere in the world, and typifies exactly what Chapman produced immediately after the Elite.
The car in question is Rod Kennedy's 1963 Borne built Elan which has been on the road after restoration for around 18 months. The car itself was in fact the first to have raced in Australia in January 1964 at Catalina NSW by Terry Boom who's family owned Les Girls and the Latin Quarter at Sydney's Kings Cross in the 60s and Rod has restored the car faithful to its original chassis right down to trim etc. However, the engine is a 711 tall block with a Peter Larner modified head and suitable cams, original 2.5 1st gear - close ratio gearbox and is shod with correct 155x13 Mich-elan XAS tyres on hub-capped wheels. The car looks completely stock except maybe the exhaust is a little bigger and maybe a little lower, otherwise stock Elan - oh it does have race seats but very nice bucket types completely period in look. In fact the thing that sets this car apart from many other road/race Elans is that when you look at it now - from every perspective, looks, presentation, wheels, tyres, and under the bonnet - it is as you would have seen it 51 years ago. In other words except for the higher performance of the engine with a little more capacity - the car is as you would expect a series 1 Elan to be when new.
There was nothing else on the road that could compare and it is even today the archetypical Sports Car.
Now I drive my Elan everyday and have done so now for about 3 years, and stepped out of my Eleven to drive Rod's car. I have restored and driven an Elite for quite a few thousand miles in the past, had many other sports cars, MG's, a Healey, XK's, E-types and others, I have raced MGs, and single seaters by Lotus, Brabham and Elfin since the 1980s , so I think I am in a position to appraise something special.
And special Rod's car is. The first thing you note is the responsiveness of the engine from idle and the way it settles back to idle at 1000rpm. As you drive off you realize immediately that this is no ordinary Elan, there is no stumpling at any revs by the Webers, 1st gear goes on a long way with a rifle bolt change up through the close ratios. Bumps in the road are firmly but not harshly felt, and at speed with very little padding in the seat, the car tells you it is in fact firmly sprung, but with a purpose. Bends in the road is what you are waiting for, especially where there is a bit of a hill. To squeeze the throttle open on the exit to a corner and feel the surge and I mean SURGE of acceleration from the oh-so-willing twincam on 45's is about as good as it gets. The flatness of the car in corners and the way it puts its power down, the total absence of any rattles all clothed in a lightweight package in my mind makes one more than agree with those that have judged this car the best sports car ever.
Somehow my Elan won't seem quite the same !
- EdHolly
- First Gear
- Posts: 29
- Joined: 22 Apr 2012
2 posts
• Page 1 of 1
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