Lotus Elan and Lotus Elan Plus 2 Forums

Jon, I sold my two Elan’s and Europa and bought an Elise. Everything works all the time, no oil leaks on the garage floors, it has AC and doesn’t leak inside the car when it rains........

More over, its a blast to drive (after a few modifications). The only “problem” is there is no longer anything to tinker with on my Lotus. It’s actually reliable. Thank goodness I have other hobbies otherwise I’d be completely bored.

I will miss the classic car shows and the group of early Elan owners I have made friends with over the years.

Certified Lotus wrote:Jon, I sold my two Elan’s and Europa and bought an Elise. Everything works all the time, no oil leaks on the garage floors, it has AC and doesn’t leak inside the car when it rains........

More over, its a blast to drive (after a few modifications). The only “problem” is there is no longer anything to tinker with on my Lotus. It’s actually reliable. Thank goodness I have other hobbies otherwise I’d be completely bored.

I will miss the classic car shows and the group of early Elan owners I have made friends with over the years.

This reminds me of the story, ( possibly apocryphal but I wouldn't bet on it ), of what was said to have been said by the board of directors of a large English motorbike company back in the 60's when the reliability of these "new" Japanese motorbikes was mentioned.
"But, but," ( getting red in the face John Cleese style by now....), "what would owners have to fiddle about with, and get all that satisfaction from after fixing something ".

Ralph.

JonB wrote:I actually had a Morris Marina 1.8 when I was errmm... 18 I think. Bought from a mate for £200. Remoulds all round, Axminster carpet in the foot wells. Was a workhorse, until my brother borrowed it and rolled the poor old thing. And on the first corner too! He was most perturbed when his lovely Mrs made him pay for it. Got my £200 back!

The Australian division of Leyland back in the '70s actually saw fit to slot a "big block" six cylinder engine under the snout of the Marina to compete with similar offerings from Ford and Holden (GM). No changes to the suspension layout from the 4 cylinder version.

So far I've never had the chance to drive one. It's one of my lifelong unfulfilled ambitions after I have a will written. Local car magazine "Wheels" at the time declared it their worst ever road test of a car.

JonB wrote:

Spyder fan wrote:

JonB wrote:I actually had a Morris Marina 1.8 when I was errmm... 18 I think....

Why are we all not surprised?

Alan, when you're young and skint you buy what you can afford. I wonder what automotive skeletons are in your closet?

I remember being young, but I don't remember a lack of taste even with the old bangers I could afford. 1st car Mini Mk2 998, quickly followed by a raft of other Mini's the best in hindsight being a real dog of a Mk1 970 Cooper S, Mk1 Cortina 1500 deluxe (that was my Dad's car that he gifted to me when he went a bit funny in the head and bought a new Austin Maxi), Mk2 Cortina 1600E, then I ran out of my own cars for a few years whilst I faced the horrors of a company car imposed upon me, I'm ashamed to say that I left a very good well paid job because they gave me a Morris Ital, the temptation of the much trendier Ford Orion injection Ghia at a rival company convinced me to take a pay cut, my wife thought I was mad and still does (no surprise there). In the 90's my wife had the very trendy Ford Fiesta 1.3 Ghia, I persuaded her to change it for a Suzuki Swift Gti (marketed as a Cultus or Geo Metro in other markets), that got me hooked on twin cams and lightness, the Suzuki also prepared me for the fragility of Lotus Elans, it was a great car and my wife still misses it (kept for 14 years), but it was quite fragile and there are very few good ones left now. The Swift Gti was usurped by a BMW Mini Cooper S in BRG, I loved that supercharger, I had a Honda Civic VTiS, at the same time, now that was a bonkers revving car.
My only admission to something strange in the back catalogue is a Riley Elf ( A mini with a boot) which I saved from the scrappers and rebuilt to Mini Cooper S specification. I sold this when I bought the +2 in 2004.

Lot's of forgettable cars in between all the above, but nothing embarrassing apart from that Ital

My first car was a Hillman Imp - Oh the shame!

My first minl was a 1964 1071 Austin Coopper S with 70 bhp on tap.
Fantastic for Karting on normal public roads and blowing everyone into the Weeds
Alan Barker

elanfan1 wrote:My first car was a Hillman Imp - Oh the shame!

No shame in having a car with an engine design based on a Coventry Climax

https://www.imps4ever.info/tech/kuzmicki.html

Spyder fan wrote:

elanfan1 wrote:My first car was a Hillman Imp - Oh the shame!

No shame in having a car with an engine design based on a Coventry Climax

https://www.imps4ever.info/tech/kuzmicki.html

Are you sure i thought it was a Fire Pump
Alan

My first car was a Morris 1000 traveller that I should never have bought - only lasted a few months before MoT wrote it off.
Then a left hand drive 2cv which I loved - not the fastest of cars But spacious and comfortable.
Dip stick for fuel gauge and mechanical wipers driven from speedo cable!
Whilst there was a lot less traffic in the early 1970s it taught me how to plan overtaking read traffic and gradients! Also became aware of wind speed and direction from roadside trees!
A 1995 Morris Oxford from my grandfather (very low mileage for a 20 year old car) column shift and front bench seat to slide around on.
Then Fiat 850 Sport Coupe - fitted like a glove and great fun.
Travelling in and around Leeds prompted getting Mk3 Cortina GXL (as per Life on Mars) 3 speed slush box made life easy and it would trickle in top at 15 mph.
A couple of company car Escorts followed the second a 1.6L that would cruise at 80 mph onthe first choke and the just pull away from impatient flashing Granadas on the second.
Dolomite Sprint from my father provided wood trim, velour seats and 6 speed box courtesy of 3-4 overdrive. Style comfort and performance! My son is threatening to get one now!.
A BX diesel with non stalk non cancelling indicators reinforced the fact that softly sprung well damped cars deliver excellent secondary road performance and journey times.
Company Legacy and A4 quattro provided surefooted travel for a growing family.
The last 20 years have been in a couple of Passats and a company Superb (18 months) that have done big mileage the first Passat clocked 300, 000 (220k with me) and was still good for many more when I reluctantly scrapped it as I couldn't find a buyer the second (an estate) is close to 250,000 (half mine) and should see our dog out as we only do 5k year in it.
Got a Superb estate a couple of years ago and it is just that - spacious with all whistles and bells and half the price of an A6!
Not a lot of cars so dealers needed to act quickly when I was with them!
Got the Elan in 1982 and I suppose I'll let my son have it in 2032 - 50 years seems long enough to keep a car!
Son says I should trailer it behind the motorhome to enjoy foreign roads such as Stelvio etc - maybe he will?

2cams70 wrote:
The Australian division of Leyland back in the '70s actually saw fit to slot a "big block" six cylinder engine under the snout of the Marina to compete with similar offerings from Ford and Holden (GM). No changes to the suspension layout from the 4 cylinder version.

So far I've never had the chance to drive one. It's one of my lifelong unfulfilled ambitions after I have a will written. Local car magazine "Wheels" at the time declared it their worst ever road test of a car.

This brings back fond memories I was working in Darwin a good few years after the 'Supercar Scare' was outlawed, but we had access to all the models that were too shot to be sold in the South. I never drove the Marina either, but my favourite was the Torana where Holden had just put in a V8. It was thought that a few models slipped through the net. Allegedly there was one in Darwin, but no one ever saw it There was a lot of bullpoo spouted around in those days

My fondest memory of those days was briefly owning a half (fully if the truth be told) knackered Falcon GTHO phase 2 that I ended giving away to a local Aboriginal camp! The same models restored now selling for over 250,000 bucks!