New Member. New S3. London. Hello!

[DamianB]

Hello all,

And thank you creating this amazing archive of useful and entertaining content. It has been invaluable as I searched for 'the one', and will be even more valuable now as I work to keep my new pride and joy healthy and on the road.

I am the delighted new owner of a '67 S3 DHC, purchased at the Bonhams Goodwood Revival auction in September 2022. You can see their listing here https://www.bonhams.com/auction/27523/lot/303/1967-lotus-elan-s2-convertible-chassis-no-457001-engine-no-lp7943lba/. [Yes, I know, It's not an S2 as listed...nice work Bonhams]

Not my first Lotus. In my 50's now, I restored, crashed and rebuilt (full engine, chassis, body) a couple of +2s back in my 20s and at last feel responsible enough to care for another one. I promise to be more careful this time.

I also had a daily driver Elise 111S for a few years from new, 'till demand for a child-seat forced a sale.

I'm a mechanical engineer by training. First job after leaving university was in the research foundry at Rover Longbridge, working out how to cast K-Series engines from the bottom up (double points to anyone who understands that double entendre) before we built the full production plant.

[bast0n]

Well done! S3s are the bees knees of Elan ownership. The best looking one of the lot. Later on Lotus added stick on stickers and duo paint jobs to revive interest. Really what a shameful thing to do!! D

[pharriso]

Welcome Damian!! Please ignore the Banter!...........

[ericbushby]

Welcome Damian, you have chosen the best version of the lot.
Eric in Burnley
1967 S3SE DHC

[Andy8421]

Damian,

Welcome on board. Car looks great.

FWIW the bottom of the sills should be matt black. Its a pet peeve of mine, I just don't know how restorers miss it. It costs virtually nothing, takes almost no time and makes a big difference to the appearance of the car.

Andy.

[cliveyboy]

Hello Damian
Welcome to the forum.
Clive

[Spyder fan]

Welcome Damian,
Thanks for introducing yourself, I look forward to your input to the forum.

Please Ignore references to sill bottoms and preferred types, we are trying to make the membership inclusive with regards to colour and diversity of design.

[bast0n]

" we are trying to make the membership inclusive with regards to colour and diversity of design."

Don't think so! S3SE owners are on a level far above the sticky tape brigade!! Running for cover now. D

[Mazzini]

Welcome Damian! Lovely car in a great colour.

@ Bast0n...what do you mean?

[The Veg]

Welcome Damian!

[phil1800]

Welcome Damian,

another gorgeous S3 in blue, well done, best of the lot (I am biased, but don‘t care about it). I very much agree about the sill color, it makes a huge difference.

Philipp
67 S3 S/E DHC

[DamianB]

Thank you all for the warm welcome to the Elan community. Do I detect some rivalry between different models?

Sill colour - point taken, and I fully agree. I just need to find the right opportunity, and some decent masking, to spray them up with matt black as they should be.

I look forward to sharing more detail about the car as I get to know it better. It is always risky to buy at auction, but so far the car has only surprised on the upside. It seems to have covered around 60k miles in its first 10 years of life. Was then garaged without turning a wheel for the next 30 years, before being fully professionally restored, including a replacement body shell, around 10 years ago. Since when it covered only 800 miles in total.

So my first task seems like going over the car and replacing hardly used, but perished, rubber parts. Hoses are easy, while throwing away a hardly used set of tyres seems a crime, but 10 year old rubber and 120 bhp at the wheels doesn't feel like a good mix. I read the many tyre discussion threads on the forum, took out a second mortgage, and have a set of Michelin XAS FFs on the way from Dougal at Longstones.

[The Veg]

I can relate about the tyres. My Plus 2 is on rubber from *2204* that still has the moulding-nibs intact around the shoulders of the tread, and nice deep tread. the car was inactive for a while and has been driven fewer than 1000 miles since those tyres were put on by a previous owner. The grip is still pretty decent, surprisingly, but make mo mistake, these tyres will be going away soon.

[mwhitaker]

Damian-you will love the XAS FF. I have them on my 69 Elan S4(French Blue) and they are just right. Look great, feel responsive-have had them for around 3k miles and seem to be wearing well. Congrats on your new purchase and enjoy.

Cheers-Mark Whitaker