LOTUS ELAN PLUS 2S 1970 32,000 MILES

[graboo45]

I AM SEVENTY NEXT YEAR AND MAYBE IT IS TIME TO PASS ON THIS SPECIAL LOTUS TO SOMEONE ELSE. I WOULD NOT BE SURPRISED IF THIS IS NOT THE MOST ORIGINAL ELAN PLUS 2S IN EXISTENCE, BUT WOULD RESPOND TO DAILY USE LIKE A MODERN CAR.
THERE IS NO AFTERMARKET CHASSIS, ALL NUMBERS CORRESPOND TO BUILD CODE, EVEN THE GIRLING SERVO. THE ATTACHED PHOTOS WILL SHOW ALL TRIM AND CARPETS ARE ORIGINAL, SOME IMAGES WILL SHOW THE CAR WITH BRM LIGHTWEIGHT RIMS WITH NEW BRIDGESTONES, THAT IS BECAUSE THE ORIGINAL CHROME AND BLACK WHEELS WITH THE ORIGINAL FACTORY FITTED DUNLOPS, ARE STORED BUT WILL BE AVAILABLE WITH THE CAR.
PRIOR TO MY OWNERSHIP, SOME TEN YEARS AGO, THE CAR WAS OWNED BY A MUSIC PRODUCER, AND IT WAS PART OF HIS PRIVATE CLASSIC CAR COLLECTION. RESEARCH MAY DISCOVER SOME SEVENTY'S ARTIST BEING THE ORIGINAL OWNER.
EPC 396J IS NOT A FAKED UP CONCOURS CAR AND WITH THE EXCEPTION OF AN ENGINE STRIP TO ACCOMMODATE LEAD FREE SUITABILITY, THE CAR IS VIRTUALLY AS IT LEFT THE FACTORY. AN EXAMPLE OF MY DETERMINATION TO MAINTAIN ORIGINALITY IS THAT I HAVE A VERY PROFICIENT AUTO GLASS FITTER READY TO REPLACE A TARNISHED FILLET TRIM TO THE REAR WINDOW BUT I AM RELUCTANT TO DO IT. SIMILARLY I AM FEARFUL TO ATTEMPT REMOVAL OF SOME (MINOR) CIGARETTE OR CIGAR TARNISH TO THE HEAD LINING.
ALTHOUGH THE FRONT END LOTUS LOGO IS GREEN AND YELLOW, THE REMAINDER, HORN PUSH, COAT HOOKS ETC ARE BLACK, MAYBE A JIM CLARK MEMORIAL EDITION.
YOU HAVE MY BLESSING TO RESEARCH THE PROVENANCE OF THIS LOTUS WITHOUT INTERFERENCE FROM ME, AS I WILL ONLY ACCEPT ENQUIRIES FROM A SERIOUS LOTUS BUYER. I AM THINKING OF AROUND ?16,000. PHONE 01939 210865 CAR IS LOCATED IN SHROPSHIRE.

[RichC]

v nice!

[EPC 394J]

As you can imagine from my login name, my heart skipped a beat when I saw this car!

For a moment, I thought it was my old one from 30 years ago! It was a white +2S too!

Would love to come and view it next week if you're about?

I will PM you.

Regards, Andy

[Plus 2]

graboo that car is indeed remarkable and looks exactly like mine did originally in the detail.

My chassis vin is 2468 so I bet yours is not that far away and we both have the stainless windscreen surround with wipers parked correct side, bonnet bulge even with webers and the cam cover actually for Strombergs etc etc. Even got the black plastic shields behind the spots but you are missing the Lucas front covers by the look of it.

Albeit my current Elan is a 70 H registered I had a J registered 71 (FPE 85J) that had the plastic windscreen surround and a galvanised chassis IIRC. My H reg car chassis was non galvanised but has since had to be changed so fitted a Lotus galvanised one fitted so interesting to know if your chassis is galvanised or not as I do not know the exact chassis number intro. Unfortunately my pre resto photo's are in the UK so I can't upload them and the car does look a bit different now and in many ways has deviated from original.

One other point purely from interest I see yours has the airbox with the three bolts where as mine only has the one centre and again this is some factor someone probably has an answer to.

As for the brown stains on the H/lining I would leave them as it may be the clear contact adhesive (Dunlop 1358) permutated through from the rear with age it turns brown and it cannot be removed. I had to replace a lot of my trim though as the PO was a smoker and there were burn holes in various parts of the vinyl door, seats and centre console.

Changing the rear window insert strip will not spoil or devalue I did mine a couple of months ago and it is a simple job. Despite having the correct tool I was able to insert it easily with plenty of washing up liquid and a side to side snake action.

If your chassis is in good condition around the front turrets and the bodywork not covered in crazing or osmosis blisters then given the originality and increase in prices being seen on classic Lotus you are asking a fair price IMHO.

Well done for maintaining it this way even got the speedwipers I see.

The black badge comment I still find interesting and I corresponded with Graham Arnold many times on what was known in many circles of CC's intentions but Graham would never print any of my articles in the Club Lotus magazine. It remained with Graham the longer board survivor and certainly the one who objected to the proposals perhaps who got the last say on the history matter.

I actually though have an original Lotus brochure with the White Elan +2 taken I believe as many were outside CC's home and it clearly shows the Black nose badge even fitted to the car.

I suppose many stories have to be left to the individual to make up their own mind on what they choose to believe.

Regards

Steve

[alan]

Albeit my current Elan is a 70 H registered I had a J registered 71 (FPE 85J) that had the plastic windscreen surround and a galvanised chassis IIRC. My H reg car chassis was non galvanised but has since had to be changed so fitted a Lotus galvanised one fitted so interesting to know if your chassis is galvanised or not as I do not know the exact chassis number intro.
to my knowledge no car had a galvanised chassis fitted when manufactured. if a car has a galvanised chassis it is a replacement

[graboo45]

v nice!

Many thanks Rich.

[graboo45]

As you can imagine from my login name, my heart skipped a beat when I saw this car!

For a moment, I thought it was my old one from 30 years ago! It was a white +2S too!

Would love to come and view it next week if you're about?

I will PM you.

Regards, Andy

Hi Andy,
What a coincidence, I was selling new cars in those days and it was a habit of dealers to book a block of reg numbers so it seems more than likely that our cars, being almost identical twins, originated from the same dealer at the same time, small world eh!
Will be around next week, anytime but not the following week as we are away. Look forward to hearing from you.
Regards
Graham

[graboo45]

graboo that car is indeed remarkable and looks exactly like mine did originally in the detail.

My chassis vin is 2468 so I bet yours is not that far away and we both have the stainless windscreen surround with wipers parked correct side, bonnet bulge even with webers and the cam cover actually for Strombergs etc etc. Even got the black plastic shields behind the spots but you are missing the Lucas front covers by the look of it.

Albeit my current Elan is a 70 H registered I had a J registered 71 (FPE 85J) that had the plastic windscreen surround and a galvanised chassis IIRC. My H reg car chassis was non galvanised but has since had to be changed so fitted a Lotus galvanised one fitted so interesting to know if your chassis is galvanised or not as I do not know the exact chassis number intro. Unfortunately my pre resto photo's are in the UK so I can't upload them and the car does look a bit different now and in many ways has deviated from original.

One other point purely from interest I see yours has the airbox with the three bolts where as mine only has the one centre and again this is some factor someone probably has an answer to.

As for the brown stains on the H/lining I would leave them as it may be the clear contact adhesive (Dunlop 1358) permutated through from the rear with age it turns brown and it cannot be removed. I had to replace a lot of my trim though as the PO was a smoker and there were burn holes in various parts of the vinyl door, seats and centre console.

Changing the rear window insert strip will not spoil or devalue I did mine a couple of months ago and it is a simple job. Despite having the correct tool I was able to insert it easily with plenty of washing up liquid and a side to side snake action.

If your chassis is in good condition around the front turrets and the bodywork not covered in crazing or osmosis blisters then given the originality and increase in prices being seen on classic Lotus you are asking a fair price IMHO.

Well done for maintaining it this way even got the speedwipers I see.

The black badge comment I still find interesting and I corresponded with Graham Arnold many times on what was known in many circles of CC's intentions but Graham would never print any of my articles in the Club Lotus magazine. It remained with Graham the longer board survivor and certainly the one who objected to the proposals perhaps who got the last say on the history matter.

I actually though have an original Lotus brochure with the White Elan +2 taken I believe as many were outside CC's home and it clearly shows the Black nose badge even fitted to the car.

I suppose many stories have to be left to the individual to make up their own mind on what they choose to believe.

Regards

Steve

Hi Steven,

My Vin is 7007120301L. Actually, one of the spotlamp covers is in the boot, missing one.
I know what you mean about the adhesive staining, I don't think in my case this is the situation as the staining is confined to a small area around the vent outlets in the b posts. My description may have been misleading, because the headlining and visors are fine. Luckily my interior remains burn free and in very good condition.
Unusually, my chassis remains as it left the factory, turret tops being unaffected by the steel weevil. To be super super critical there is a little fatigue cracking in the grit deflectors on the rear struts. I assume these have no role to play on the Lotus and were attached to the strut to keep grit away from the steering bearing in its front Ford application.
The maybe half a dozen small areas of touched up chips on the paint (made no attempt to disguise them) and in artificial light there is some original orange peel/micro blister which would have been there and stable for 45 years.
There is absolutely no crazing, nor any sign of local repair ever having been carried out. The good condition of the car and bodywork is probably down to the fact that it has spent the vast majority of its life in dry storage. My trips out in the last ten years being for MOT purposes only in the main.
The nose badge being so easy to change, the coat hangers and horn push being less so, leaves me to believe, the car started life in all memorial logo-ing and a previous owner found the black nose badge possible depressing and morbid. For myself, being the Jim Clark fan that I am, I would absolutely no difficulty with all black.
Thanks again for your interest, if you are ever in my neck of the woods, or would like any further images of the car, please let me know
Regards
Graham

[graboo45]

Albeit my current Elan is a 70 H registered I had a J registered 71 (FPE 85J) that had the plastic windscreen surround and a galvanised chassis IIRC. My H reg car chassis was non galvanised but has since had to be changed so fitted a Lotus galvanised one fitted so interesting to know if your chassis is galvanised or not as I do not know the exact chassis number intro.
to my knowledge no car had a galvanised chassis fitted when manufactured. if a car has a galvanised chassis it is a replacement

Hi Alan,
No galvanise on this one, nor deterioration, thank goodness.
Regards
Graham

[alan]

Hi Alan,
No galvanise on this one, nor deterioration, thank goodness.
Regards
Graham

i'm happy to say my 19730+2s130 is also on original chassis (still solid)
we must be two of the very few left
best regards Alan