Lotus Elan and Lotus Elan Plus 2 Forums

garyeanderson wrote:
Log14 signatures

Ron's on the left


Gary, what are the other names? I can make out Ron & Bill Allen (I assume of the Allen Brothers & the AB of ACBC)

Left to right

Ron Hickman
Jay Chamberlain
Bill Allen
Ron Bennet
John Wagstaff
Peter Cambridge
Warren King
David Hobbs
Ian Scott Watson
JOHN ?

I can't read the last name, I wasn't there so I can't say. Could be John Frayling, maybe someone has better eyes than I do or was there and remembers who was there.

I thought I would update the topic because it seems so popular. I am still not sure who's signature is the one furthest to the right but I was talking to Chris yesterday and he got hold of Dick and asked him. Seems Dick couldn't remember either. I guess Chris thought some more and remembered that Bill Allen Had brought one of his good friends and Team Lotus mechanic along. Bill Allen and Trevor Taylor Drove the number 38 Elite at Le Mans in 1961 to a 12th overall position completing 268 laps (3596.757 Km) of the circuit. So maybe one of the history buffs can remember, I looked though some books and did some Intenet searches but didn't find anything.

Thanks Gary

Gary,

I saved the pic and sharpened/softened etc. attempting to help read the missing name. (I just kept getting "John Prescot"!)

However, I ended up doing this to it....sorry.

Hope the mystery get's solved, so I can complete the messing around.

Cheers - rd

ardee_selby wrote:Gary,

I saved the pic and sharpened/softened etc. attempting to help read the missing name. (I just kept getting "John Prescot"!)

However, I ended up doing this to it....sorry.

Hope the mystery get's solved, so I can complete the messing around.

Cheers - rd

Hi Richard

I found a photo that was a couple years older and was taken with a 35mm camera and scanned. Not sure that its any better but there is no morning dew on the Elite.

my eyes hurt now

still cant work it out

More of the same but the question is still unanswered.

I can identify the John who signed your dash.

It's Mr. John Posselius attended also Log 14. John was the proprietor of European Motors a Detroit Lotus Dealer in the late 50s and early 60s.

John passed away in 2008 but was still the owner of his original Lotus Elite chassis 1158. That Elite is now with John's son near Harrisburg PA.

I have a personal recollection of the Elite that is captured in the attached article written for the Club Elite Newsletter a couple of years ago.

Clark Lance

Fabulous story Clark! Thanks for sharing and I'm sure Gary will be pleased that you have identified that signature.

Tim

Thank you Clark

Not one of life's mysteries but I figured that someone would know the answer. Most of us seem to suffer a bit lag on those memories of late and its nice to have help.

Gary

Talking of signatures; I collected one from Ron Hickman at Donington a few years ago (1997).
He signed a poster of the French ATS Elan cutaway for me with my ball point pen.

A couple of years later I bumped into him again at Donington & the top pocket of his jacket had a whole row of felt tip pens.
He explained that he'd discovered that ball point faded with time but the felt tips not.
His signature on my poster has indeed faded.
Ron was a "thinking man"

That added piece of information about that line of signatures could be described as the "climax" of an off beat thread; totally amazing the amount history that unfolds on this forum.

Oh & really great when an Elite story turns up, the way all threads should run! LOL
John

Ron used to carry around a stock of little plaques made of 1/8" three-ply, these were carefully sanded, with rounded edges and corners. On them he used to write "You can do ANYTHING on a workmate!" etc. He told me the story about the ball-pen ink fading and was, by this time using a 2B pencil for the plaques.
Although these were intended to be fitted to WorkMates I have a varnished one on my dashboard, I'll photograph it and post it here.

Top bloke.