New member....but not new to Elans!

[RoscoP]

Hello one and all!
After lurking on this site for a good while I've decided to surface!
Bought my first Elan, a sprint dhc reg SJE 420J, in the late 70's and since then I've owned an S4 fhc reg KEJ 48H which I bought from Simon Hadfield, the reasonably well known (in the UK anyway) historic racing driver, in the early 80's. This was quickly followed by another Sprint dhc, reg SWX 159L; this particular car was bought by Classic and Sportscar magazine after I restored it and was offered as a competition prize in 1982. The crazy thing was that a friend of mine won the car which he still has to this day! In the 1990's I restored an S3 coupe reg RWB 650E but from then until this year I was without an Elan until , in a moment of insanity, I bought (unseen) an S3SE dhc resto project from Dave Hughes - "bigvalvehead"- on this forum!
So, I'm at present spending ????s sourcing missing/unuseable parts from everywhere and am amazed at the cost of some of the bits which were so cheap even 20 years ago; still in relation to the cost of some of the parts for my Porsche 356A I suupose it's bearable...just!
In addition to the car history, I started the N. Staffs/S. Cheshire regional meets of the Lotus Drivers Club, this must have been around 1981 but I don't think that the area is still going...shame. Suffice to say, I've got to meet and know a lot of Lotus friends and contacts over the years, which has been really useful in trying to pice my Elan jigsaw together, glad to know that most of them are still alive!
Although my post is obviously UK centric I enjoy reading some of the articles from Stateside and it's interesting to see a UK/US forum that seems to work so well, hopefully I can contribute my 2 pence worth (about 3 cents!) when the occasion demands!
Anyway, that's the intro...........now who's got a weber metal airbox backplate for sale for ?20??.....ha, ha.

Cheers
Ross

[RoscoP]

Oops,
First post, first error!
My Elan Sprint was given away by Classic and Sportscar magazine in a competition run in 1987 not 82.........finger dyslexia!
Cheers
Ross

[billwill]

You can re-edit your messages using the EDIT button on the top row of the message if you make a typo.


I hardly ever get a long message right first time.

[GrUmPyBoDgEr]

A very sincere welcome to you Ross,
I enjoyed reading your "Intro", great credentials for a top C.V.
I think that Simon Hadfield is still doing blooming well in historic racing or am I confusing him with an other Hadfield?
Anyway it will be great hearing more from you when you feel like it.
Seems like you have a lot of stories & info' filled away in your memory.

Cheers
John

[RoscoP]

Thanks for the welcome, John!
Yep, it's the same Simon Hadfield, but I'm afraid that from my personal experience "fame" has somewhat tainted him....still that's another story!
When I was running the LDC area in the early 80's I knew every bit of minutae regarding Elans, +2's,, Europas, sevens etc but I've had to re-learn a fair bit recently! I live in Cheshire quite close to an old friend of mine, Robin Longdon, and have lusted after DADIO for many years! There still seems to be a healthy early Lotus scene in these parts andI hope to get more involved as the resto of my S3 progresses!
My next post will probably be on the "Parts Wanted" section, ha, ha!

Cheers
Ross

[jimj]

Ross, if you live near Robin then you must be in Knutsford. Elansprint71 or Pete lives in Wilmslow and is (amongst other things) the president, in a Mogabe sort of way, of the Cheshire Lotus Owners Club. CLOGS. They meet in the wotsitsname pub in Sweetenham around 2ish on the first Sunday in each month, so near you.
Jim

[GrUmPyBoDgEr]

Thanks for the welcome, John!
Yep, it's the same Simon Hadfield, but I'm afraid that from my personal experience "fame" has somewhat tainted him....still that's another story!
When I was running the LDC area in the early 80's I knew every bit of minutae regarding Elans, +2's,, Europas, sevens etc but I've had to re-learn a fair bit recently! I live in Cheshire quite close to an old friend of mine, Robin Longdon, and have lusted after DADIO for many years! There still seems to be a healthy early Lotus scene in these parts andI hope to get more involved as the resto of my S3 progresses!
My next post will probably be on the "Parts Wanted" section, ha, ha!

Cheers
Ross

Such a small World; please send my love to Robin & yes I share your lust for DAD10.
I got to know Robin through Millers Oils some years back.
I think I know what you mean about Hadfield having seen him racing in historic F2 together with F5000 cars; he takes no prisoners.
But he is a quick (if not very fair) driver.

[elansprint71]

Me no Mogabe, me MUGABE.

Cheshire Lotus Owners Group- next meeting this coming Sunday at the Swettenham Arms from about 13:30 ish.

[RoscoP]

Thanks for the replies guys!
One of the CLOGS guys that I know is Brian Gush, he has a v. nice red S2 Elan, ring any bells?
Believe it or not I live about 3 miles from the Swetty Arms, actually in Siddington and I'll come along on Sunday if poss,,,,,if the weather's decent I might arrive in my Ashley/Sebring Sprite replica or 2.8 Kremer 911RSR rep as long as I don't get castigated!!!
Cheers
Ross

[jimj]

Ding dong, I know Brian, you know Brian, Pete knows Brian. There was even a film of his life.
Jim

[RoscoP]

Any Oscars though, Jim?!
Ross

[elansprint71]

Kremer vs, Kremer rings a bell too.

[Elan45]

Welcome Ross, from the other side of the pond. I've a knowledge of Simon Hadfield, from his Modus days. Don't know if he's still involved there or not.

If you have a Sebring replica, then you also know Martin Ingles and you would know of my Falcon bodied Sprite, still slowly coming together. One of my unobtainium needs are a pair of Austin "flying A" brake/clutch pedal pads that were used on my Sprite. I have the originals, but the years have taken their toll.

I too have lusted after Climax Elites, but I can't complain since the ex-Keith Hall Eleven, 4DTN is in my keep since 1985.

Roger

[RoscoP]

Hi Roger,
Thanks for the welcome, I have indeed corresponded with MI as it was he who got me a couple of Sebring stickers that adorn the front wings of my car!
I'm going to the NEC Classic car show in the next week or so, I'll have a look out for the flying A pedal pads if you want me to, if so what price should I pay?
Cheers
Ross

[William2]

Hi Ross, we have something in common, I too bought an Elan S4 DHC from Dave Hughes last December. I also have a similar problem to you in that the car is missing quite a few parts, particularly interior trim. Some of the prices on Ebay are crazy!!