Lotus Elan

26/0538 - 60 year anniversary with one owner

PostPost by: Bill » Thu May 09, 2024 9:10 pm

As of May 10th I am celebrating my 60 years of driving my Elan 1600 (early S1).

I ordered my car from the factory in early December of 1963 (no dealers in Canada at that time) - The car was built and delivered in March 64 to the London docks and shipped by sea to Vancouver where, on May 10th, I watched it being lifted from the ships hold and thence drove it home to Vancouver Island (The Rock).

I am still enjoying driving it briskly at age 83. As the saying goes "It doesn't drive me".

Any other long time (older) owners out there???

Bill Rathlef
Bill Rathlef
Vancouver Island, Canada
"Keep your stick on the ice, boys."
User avatar
Bill
Fourth Gear
Fourth Gear
 
Posts: 716
Joined: 05 Oct 2003
Location: Vancouver Island, Canada

PostPost by: h20hamelan » Thu May 09, 2024 9:25 pm

keep them sticks on the ice!
Born, and brought home from the hospital (no seat belt (wtf)) in a baby!
Find out where the limits are, and start from there
Love your Mother
Earth
User avatar
h20hamelan
Coveted Fifth Gear
Coveted Fifth Gear
 
Posts: 2097
Joined: 25 Sep 2010
Location: RACECAR spelled backward, is——RACECAR! Kayak, Kayak. The Faster You Drive...The Slower You Age

PostPost by: pharriso » Thu May 09, 2024 9:43 pm

Happy 60th Bill !!

Our cars looked great together
ElanCollection_BritishColumbia_2013_04_26_029.JPG and
Phil Harrison
1972 Elan Sprint 0260K
User avatar
pharriso
Coveted Fifth Gear
Coveted Fifth Gear
 
Posts: 3685
Joined: 15 Sep 2010
Location: Long Island NY, USA

PostPost by: woodcock » Thu May 09, 2024 11:54 pm

Hi Bill, Same age but haven't keep my Elan as long. Saw an Elise in Australia in 1964 on leave from Viet Nam. Wanted one. Back to the States in "65 and off to England where at the "65 Earls Court show they introduced the Elan Coupe vice the no longer Elise.Had it shipped to the Port of New York, picked it up, I think in February of "66, #5192 It was my daily driver till I unfortunately sold it and acquired a 2005 Elise, then a Tony Thompson Elan GTS which I and now negotiating to get back in exchange for a Sprint. You were smart, I wasn't, too many trades. Nothing like an Elan & good health.
woodcock
First Gear
First Gear
 
Posts: 30
Joined: 08 Aug 2012

PostPost by: trw99 » Fri May 10, 2024 6:51 am

Nice one, Bill and happy Elan birthday!

Tim
User avatar
trw99
Coveted Fifth Gear
Coveted Fifth Gear
 
Posts: 3336
Joined: 31 Dec 2003
Location: Essex/Herts border, UK

PostPost by: RichardS » Fri May 10, 2024 6:57 am

Congratulations Bill, would be surprised if anyone can beat your record!
Bought my Sprint second hand in 1982 at the age of 23. Insurance was no problem back then.
Used to drive it a lot quicker back then, before the days of speed cameras and average speed cameras. And a lot less traffic.
Richard
Lotus Elan Sprint FHC 1973
User avatar
RichardS
Fourth Gear
Fourth Gear
 
Posts: 521
Joined: 23 Apr 2007
Location: Wirral, UK

PostPost by: cliveyboy » Fri May 10, 2024 7:03 am

WOW
Congratulations Bill
I have only owned mine about 27 years
Clive
1972 Elan Sprint FHC
cliveyboy
Fourth Gear
Fourth Gear
 
Posts: 889
Joined: 22 Sep 2003
Location: Oxfordshire UK

PostPost by: Andy8421 » Fri May 10, 2024 7:23 am

Congratulations Bill.

I am in the junior league in comparison, I have had my Sprint for nearly 40 years, the S3 for 20.

Andy.
68 Elan S3 HSCC Roadsports spec
71 Elan Sprint (still being restored)
32 Standard 12
Various modern stuff
Andy8421
Coveted Fifth Gear
Coveted Fifth Gear
 
Posts: 1272
Joined: 27 Mar 2011
Location: Surrey, UK

PostPost by: gjz30075 » Fri May 10, 2024 8:30 am

Congratulations Bill! You're allowed to raise your stick in celebration.
Greg Z
45/0243K Sprint
45/7286 S3 SE DHC
User avatar
gjz30075
Coveted Fifth Gear
Coveted Fifth Gear
 
Posts: 3601
Joined: 12 Sep 2003
Location: Roswell, Georgia, USA

PostPost by: ill_will » Fri May 10, 2024 9:05 am

Congrats Bill.

How many miles have you put on it? I've had mine 15 years but have only driven (part of) it 20 yards in that time...!
ill_will
Third Gear
Third Gear
 
Posts: 254
Joined: 18 Apr 2008
Location: SE London, UK

PostPost by: 2cams70 » Fri May 10, 2024 9:45 am

Congratulations and good on you. For everyone life presents many challenges so amazing you’ve managed to keep it for so long
1970 Ford Escort Twin Cam
1972 Ford Escort GT1600 Twin Cam
1980 Ford Escort 2.0 Ghia
Peugeot 505 GTI Wagons (5spdx1) (Autox1)
2022 Ford Fiesta ST.
2cams70
Coveted Fifth Gear
Coveted Fifth Gear
 
Posts: 2226
Joined: 10 Jun 2015
Location: Australia

PostPost by: Baggy2 » Fri May 10, 2024 10:03 am

Congratulations Bill
Bought my +2 for £800 in 1976 so 48 years - I'm the second owner.
Cheers
Baggy2
Third Gear
Third Gear
 
Posts: 282
Joined: 05 Feb 2010
Location: South East England

PostPost by: nmauduit » Fri May 10, 2024 10:04 am

Very Happy Birthday !

What a great testimony : I wish you both many more years of spirited motoring...

keep it on the road...
S4SE 36/8198
User avatar
nmauduit
Coveted Fifth Gear
Coveted Fifth Gear
 
Posts: 2094
Joined: 02 Sep 2013
Location: France

PostPost by: M100 » Fri May 10, 2024 12:29 pm

Congratulations Bill !

Just 40 years ownership for my 72 Sprint DHC coming up in September this year, I bought mine when I was 21.
Martin
72 Sprint DHC
User avatar
M100
Fourth Gear
Fourth Gear
 
Posts: 768
Joined: 16 Sep 2003
Location: Yorkshire

PostPost by: stugilmour » Fri May 10, 2024 3:15 pm

Congratulations Bill. Awesome milestone and story.

A good friend of mine had a very similar experience a few years after your car landed. He was with his father to pick up the first Elan SE to hit the Vancouver docks.

As he tells it the then relatively new Lotus dealer took them down to the docks on a calm Saturday for the unpacking. Firing the car was immediately followed by a few impromptu acceleration runs down the desolate dock apron. You know, to “Check the gears”. :D

On a whim they later toured the new car to California. Actually traded yarns with another new SE owner from LA at an impromptu meeting on the iconic Cali Highway 1.

So great that you continue to bomb around The Island with your S1. Wish I could be down your way for the epic BC Lotus Club Vancouver Island Staycation tour in the next few weeks. Hope you are able to post a few pics. :D

Enjoy the ride!
Stu
1969 Plus 2 Federal LHD
User avatar
stugilmour
Coveted Fifth Gear
Coveted Fifth Gear
 
Posts: 2111
Joined: 03 Sep 2007
Location: Calgary Alberta Canada
Next

Total Online:

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 31 guests