Another new Australian member...

[Rozzer]

Hi there,
Although I have yet to actually pick up my car, I have been lurking around here for a few months, reading, hopefully learning, researching and generally trying to be better informed!
Some of the locals will know me as Ashton (that forum name has been taken apparently!), and I also have an S1 Elise, which I have owned since 2000.
I have recently bought Alan Pate's beautiful early S2 DHC (ex Owen Wuillemin and Rex Hodder among other previous owners!) which he has painstakingly restored to its current "fast road" form. I pick it up this weekend; to say I am excited is a mild understatement
Having wanted an Elan since before I could walk and talk (well, it seems that way) I would have bought one in 2000 but for the fact that I was living in Edinburgh, had no garage, and needed a daily driver. So I have been on the lookout for the right car for about 15 years on-and-off, and so when Alan's came up for sale, it was too good a chance to miss!
I very much look forward to many years of happy ownership, and in all probability, rather a lot of daft questions here, for which I apologise in advance!
Apologies for the pics - they are the ones from the advert, so a bit grainy - once I have the car, I will try again!

[gordont]

Hi Ashton and well done, looking forward to seeing it out and about...

[robertverhey]

Greetings from five dock, Ashton. I too look forward to seeing your ?lan out and about. almost as much as I look forward to seeing my ?lan out and about! Robert

[Rozzer]

Thanks gents - Gordon, it was having you on the run south through the RNP a few years ago that re-kindled the desire! Thank you. Robert, if you need any (non-mechanical) help getting yours back on the road, you only have to ask!

[AndrewP]

Welcome Ashton from the otherside.

Now that you have the best, you can get rid of the rest. .

[Rozzer]

Funny you should say that Andrew - I was thinking as I looked at my sig that I probably need to find something good from the 70's - snag is, the choices are a bit thin on the ground

[rgh0]

Plus 2, S4 Seven or a S1 Esprit are all good 70's cars. Some nice mid 70's 911 Porsches also ( wash my mouth out !!!)
Welcome to the forum

cheers
Rohan
68 Elan S4 FHC
73 Plus 2S 130/5
78 Esprit S1

[Rozzer]

Hi Rohan, I think you may have inadvertently supported my hypothesis - that list is about it for the 70's (unless you want to talk silly muscle cars - I'll wash mine out too!) - a 74 911 is on the list of possibilities certainly

Thanks for your welcome - I look forward to catching up in Adelaide in 2015, if not before!

[gordont]

sorry guys but a S4 seven was never a good car (good motor but that was it!)

[rgh0]

If you have seen Mike Byrne in his S4 Seven rundown full race 3 Litre Porsche Carreras with $100,000 engines in group Sc historic racing you may change your opinion.

They are seriously quick cars, under 600 kg and when you take off the windscreen and put a nicely developed 190hp twink in them, there is not much that they cant give run for their money from the 70's

cheers
Rohan

[gordont]

okay quick but really ugly compared to the earlier sevens

[rgh0]

I agree but from the drivers seat you cant see the looks And Lotus are all about driving

cheers
Rohan

[Rozzer]

I'll leave that discussion for another time But yesterday I went and picked up the car, and shoe-horned it into the garage....

[robertverhey]

Yes, as Monty Python would say "You only purchased a five minute argument"

I see we have something in common, ie double decker lotuses

lotus-elan-f19/australia-now-has-one-more-elan-t21042.html

Robert

[Rozzer]

Indeed - I had to install the hoist before I could buy the Elan, as SWMBO also has a convertible that has to be housed, so our two car garage was no longer big enough! But a second hand TuffLift (which looks pretty much identical to yours) sorted that! And I took the opportunity to grind and clear-coat the floor too, so now it's easy to mop up the oil drips too
Hoping to have the car registered by this weekend, so may call over and see how the painting is coming along!