Return to my first love - Australia
Posted: Thu Dec 22, 2022 6:49 am
G'day from Australia,
I too have just returned to an earlier love, a 1967 Elan Series III SE roadster whom I first met in 1992 while undergoing a restoration/improvement by another Lotus friend Guy. We (Guy, the Elan and me) did the great Australian event Targa Tasmania in the car in 1993, but that's another story.
Guy sold the car in 1996 but I maintained a loose connection with the purchaser over the succeeding 25 years and, last month, by using a combination of crowbar and rectangular money, managed to prise it from his grip and now have exclusive custody of it. Over the last couple of decades the Elan has been much modified to become a Targa Tasmania weapon which entailed major work which has rendered it barely road suitable due to fierce square cut dog gearbox and racing "button" clutch amongst other changes. Visually the car is now characterised by having Lotus Type 26R headlights under transparent covers in lieu of the retractable items, which I reckon is a good look.
I'm now embarked on two fronts: (1) an engine-our refresh with a view for some club competition driving in 2023 and (2) trying to discover it's pre-1992 history.
So far the only information about the car's history I've been able to gather is that it left the factory as a kit. The factory plate in the engine bay has been somewhat obscured by time and only reveals Unit Number 7364, Engine Number 8605 LAA and Chassis Number 457364 (a best guess as this is particularly difficult to decipher). As expected, the car has been resprayed several times but has always been British Racing Green. The body is unusual, having what appears to be original (i.e. factory or as new in 1967) well-integrated modest front wheel arch flares and the rear wheel arches are notable for well-resolved curved extensions commencing from the door's trailing edges to the rear transverse panel, very much like a late Type 26R. The latter now cover 7 x 13 inch rims and the front are 6 x 13 inch items.
Should anyone be able to provide any information about this particular car or comment on the rarely-seen "wide body" styling, I'd be most grateful.
Cheers from Peter.
I too have just returned to an earlier love, a 1967 Elan Series III SE roadster whom I first met in 1992 while undergoing a restoration/improvement by another Lotus friend Guy. We (Guy, the Elan and me) did the great Australian event Targa Tasmania in the car in 1993, but that's another story.
Guy sold the car in 1996 but I maintained a loose connection with the purchaser over the succeeding 25 years and, last month, by using a combination of crowbar and rectangular money, managed to prise it from his grip and now have exclusive custody of it. Over the last couple of decades the Elan has been much modified to become a Targa Tasmania weapon which entailed major work which has rendered it barely road suitable due to fierce square cut dog gearbox and racing "button" clutch amongst other changes. Visually the car is now characterised by having Lotus Type 26R headlights under transparent covers in lieu of the retractable items, which I reckon is a good look.
I'm now embarked on two fronts: (1) an engine-our refresh with a view for some club competition driving in 2023 and (2) trying to discover it's pre-1992 history.
So far the only information about the car's history I've been able to gather is that it left the factory as a kit. The factory plate in the engine bay has been somewhat obscured by time and only reveals Unit Number 7364, Engine Number 8605 LAA and Chassis Number 457364 (a best guess as this is particularly difficult to decipher). As expected, the car has been resprayed several times but has always been British Racing Green. The body is unusual, having what appears to be original (i.e. factory or as new in 1967) well-integrated modest front wheel arch flares and the rear wheel arches are notable for well-resolved curved extensions commencing from the door's trailing edges to the rear transverse panel, very much like a late Type 26R. The latter now cover 7 x 13 inch rims and the front are 6 x 13 inch items.
Should anyone be able to provide any information about this particular car or comment on the rarely-seen "wide body" styling, I'd be most grateful.
Cheers from Peter.