Elan S4 / Sprint Big Valve 5 Speed - SOLD
Posted: Wed Aug 31, 2011 7:20 pm
A couple of months ago Tim (TRW99) was contacted via his Sprint website by a lady who had inherited an Elan from her father, and wanted to move it on. As I am closer, I went to appraise the car to see what it was, and to value it for her.
The car is a late S4 painted in Sprint colours with a big valve engine and a Lotus 5 speed box, all done about 20 years ago. It is an original convertible, not a decapitated Coupe. It has an early Spyder chassis fitted, which looks in fine fettle. The car was last on the road 2 years ago, but has recently been run up, and everything works. It is not MOT?d or taxed.
The paint is very good with a couple of gel coat cracks, a few chips and a very small scuff at the rear....all of which will touch-in very easily. The wheels and bumpers need painting again just to smarten it all up, preferably in black for the wheels!! I would certainly go through the brakes just to make sure, and the interior has been re-done in brown leather and brown carpets. Original seat covers and carpets are available from Paul Matty, Sue Millar and others for those wanting to return the interior to original specification.
The two smaller instruments are not original, and neither are the choke and heater cables / knobs. The windscreen wiper and windows are slow...probably just poor contacts / earths. I didn't check the rotoflex couplings, but assume that they will need doing. The tyres are XVS but are probably 20 years old, so will need replacing.
The exhaust system is hanging a bit low and need to be re-hung properly. A home made bracket is used at the back, and a small amount of fibreglass damage is evident where the silencer has previously clunked the underbody.
This is a lovely small project for somebody, and it would probably be put on the road after a few days work. With a bit more work on the interior, and a little touching up of the paint, it would be a really smart looking Elan to use and enjoy.
The car is now for sale for ?13k or (very) nearest offer. Given that the bodywork, chassis, engine and gearbox are very good, and the car just needs a little fettling, it represents a great opportunity to get a solid driving car at a sensible price.
Contact the owner, Anne, on 07788 757822 if you?re interested. She?s near Banbury in Oxfordshire. She wants the car to go to an enthusiast, and not somebody who just wants to make a few bob out of the car. I?m tempted myself but have way too many other projects!
Mark
The car is a late S4 painted in Sprint colours with a big valve engine and a Lotus 5 speed box, all done about 20 years ago. It is an original convertible, not a decapitated Coupe. It has an early Spyder chassis fitted, which looks in fine fettle. The car was last on the road 2 years ago, but has recently been run up, and everything works. It is not MOT?d or taxed.
The paint is very good with a couple of gel coat cracks, a few chips and a very small scuff at the rear....all of which will touch-in very easily. The wheels and bumpers need painting again just to smarten it all up, preferably in black for the wheels!! I would certainly go through the brakes just to make sure, and the interior has been re-done in brown leather and brown carpets. Original seat covers and carpets are available from Paul Matty, Sue Millar and others for those wanting to return the interior to original specification.
The two smaller instruments are not original, and neither are the choke and heater cables / knobs. The windscreen wiper and windows are slow...probably just poor contacts / earths. I didn't check the rotoflex couplings, but assume that they will need doing. The tyres are XVS but are probably 20 years old, so will need replacing.
The exhaust system is hanging a bit low and need to be re-hung properly. A home made bracket is used at the back, and a small amount of fibreglass damage is evident where the silencer has previously clunked the underbody.
This is a lovely small project for somebody, and it would probably be put on the road after a few days work. With a bit more work on the interior, and a little touching up of the paint, it would be a really smart looking Elan to use and enjoy.
The car is now for sale for ?13k or (very) nearest offer. Given that the bodywork, chassis, engine and gearbox are very good, and the car just needs a little fettling, it represents a great opportunity to get a solid driving car at a sensible price.
Contact the owner, Anne, on 07788 757822 if you?re interested. She?s near Banbury in Oxfordshire. She wants the car to go to an enthusiast, and not somebody who just wants to make a few bob out of the car. I?m tempted myself but have way too many other projects!
Mark