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How about another shot at celebrating the Elan at LOG?

PostPosted: Sat Jan 19, 2013 1:28 am
by tvacc
Hi all,
Reading the posts in another thread, I got the idea that due to the following maybe we should think about celebrating the Elan at LOG 33 at Watkins Glen?

1. I love the Elan, Met my wife because of my Elan, The Elan has been the most important car of my life.
2. Back in 99 I celebrated the 7 because I had a Caterham 7 and I really like the 7, but I started my Lotus life with the Elan back in 1971 I would like to celebrate the Elan with a LOT of Elans.
3. Noted by some that the Elan really did not reach the North American shores till 1963. so it could be said that our 50th Elan anniversary is this year.
4.Every Elan owner should have the chance to get together with 50 of other Elan owners to celebrate the best driving car there is.
5. Can I get commitments from enough Elan owners to get more than the 32 7's we had in 1999 at the Glen?
6. It is a GREAT car to put on a LOG 33 poster. And I need an Elan poster.
7. It is the best shifting and best handling car there ever was, do we need an excuse to celebrate the Elan?

What do you all say? Can we get more than 32 Elans at the Glen August 2nd,3rd,4th?

Re: How about another shot at celebrating the Elan at LOG?

PostPosted: Sat Jan 19, 2013 5:26 am
by Ross Robbins
Tony,
I drove 4,198 miles to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Elan in Orlando and only three other type 26 Elans were there. I was really disappointed and assuaged only by the fact that my car was the only car at the LOG that looked like the one on the logo and poster.

Why didn't any more come then and what will make them be there at Watkins Glen? It would be another 4,000 mile trip for me.

Re: How about another shot at celebrating the Elan at LOG?

PostPosted: Sat Jan 19, 2013 10:30 am
by elancoupe
tvacc wrote:Hi all,
Reading the posts in another thread, I got the idea that due to the following maybe we should think about celebrating the Elan at LOG 33 at Watkins Glen?

1. I love the Elan, Met my wife because of my Elan, The Elan has been the most important car of my life.
2. Back in 99 I celebrated the 7 because I had a Caterham 7 and I really like the 7, but I started my Lotus life with the Elan back in 1971 I would like to celebrate the Elan with a LOT of Elans.
3. Noted by some that the Elan really did not reach the North American shores till 1963. so it could be said that our 50th Elan anniversary is this year.
4.Every Elan owner should have the chance to get together with 50 of other Elan owners to celebrate the best driving car there is.
5. Can I get commitments from enough Elan owners to get more than the 32 7's we had in 1999 at the Glen?
6. It is a GREAT car to put on a LOG 33 poster. And I need an Elan poster.
7. It is the best shifting and best handling car there ever was, do we need an excuse to celebrate the Elan?

What do you all say? Can we get more than 32 Elans at the Glen August 2nd,3rd,4th?


I think this is a fantastic idea. My room is already booked. :)

Re: How about another shot at celebrating the Elan at LOG?

PostPosted: Sat Jan 19, 2013 11:14 am
by pharriso
As long as I am in the country (!) I will be there!

Re: How about another shot at celebrating the Elan at LOG?

PostPosted: Sat Jan 19, 2013 3:36 pm
by tvacc
Ross Robbins wrote:Tony,
I drove 4,198 miles to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Elan in Orlando and only three other type 26 Elans were there. I was really disappointed and assuaged only by the fact that my car was the only car at the LOG that looked like the one on the logo and poster.

Why didn't any more come then and what will make them be there at Watkins Glen? It would be another 4,000 mile trip for me.


I just sort of assumed you would be coming with your car! I was hoping you and Jeff would drive out in your Elans!

As to why more Elans did not come one can only speculate. I imagine that the distance from where I believe most of our USA Elans are based was probably a factor, as was the potential for hitting bad weather during that time of the year. It is quite common to have ice and snow in the Northern climes during late October and Early November. On the way back we missed snow on Monday by just a few hours behind us in central Ohio. Hurricaine Sandy did not help at well with many people who where planning to drive up on Saturday. I know of at least two Elans that did not make it because of Sandy.

Which is more reason why we should "Do it Again". What I think will make them get to LOG 33 is Watkins Glen proximity to the wide base of Elan ownership in the northeast and Canada. It is only a one day "easy" drive on the back roads from most of the North East. Great reason to get in to that Elan. I am trying to get flatbeds on call (if I can find them like I did last time) to help anyone 1 hour or less out from the hotel.

Come on all. Only have 3 Elans so far. (But to be honest I know of at least 5 more coming)

Re: How about another shot at celebrating the Elan at LOG?

PostPosted: Sat Jan 19, 2013 7:52 pm
by archigator
Sandy did not help at well with many people who where planning to drive up on Saturday.

I drove through Sandy to LOG 32 (my first LOG) in my Elan, and it was actually quite an adventure!

...and only three other type 26 Elans were there

... the Type 26 is not the only Chapman-era Elan; in fact, the FHC type 36 is especially suited for "hurricane*" driving! :D

Gary
'71 Sprint FHC
Miami, Florida

*actually, Sandy was a tropical storm when it went by Florida during the LOG and didn't become a hurricane until just before landfall in New England several days later.

Re: How about another shot at celebrating the Elan at LOG?

PostPosted: Sat Jan 19, 2013 9:35 pm
by lotusgagne
Tony:

I already have my room reserved at the Radisson and was planning on driving my Seven, but if the Elan is being celebrated, I am more than willing to take my '64 Elan, only a 6-hour drive from Ottawa, Canada. Cheers!

Claude

Re: How about another shot at celebrating the Elan at LOG?

PostPosted: Sat Jan 19, 2013 10:29 pm
by DeanG
We are intending to take our S3 FHC.

Re: How about another shot at celebrating the Elan at LOG?

PostPosted: Sat Jan 19, 2013 10:40 pm
by woodcock
As I'm only 41 miles north of The Glen, of course I'll be there!
Ron Irwin
"66 Coupe

Re: How about another shot at celebrating the Elan at LOG?

PostPosted: Sun Jan 20, 2013 12:37 am
by tvacc
That makes 6 responded.....

Keep them coming.

Re: How about another shot at celebrating the Elan at LOG?

PostPosted: Sun Jan 20, 2013 2:13 pm
by DJThom
My ?lan will be at the Glen, but not until the US Vintage Grand Prix. What could be better than driving a Lotus to watch Lotus racing?

Re: How about another shot at celebrating the Elan at LOG?

PostPosted: Mon Jan 21, 2013 3:28 pm
by tvacc
The LOONYs will be at the Glen for the Vintage races as well. We usually just hang around the town on Friday, meet for dinner sometimes, sometimes not. We have a spot set up for Lotus cars to park right on Franklin St.

Re: How about another shot at celebrating the Elan at LOG?

PostPosted: Mon Jan 21, 2013 6:02 pm
by dlbutler
Me and my Elan will be there. BTW, there were 22 Just2 Elans and 5 Plus2 Elans at LOG30 (in the Concours photo).

Re: How about another shot at celebrating the Elan at LOG?

PostPosted: Tue Jan 22, 2013 1:03 am
by saildrive2001
I am planning on attending LOG since I just got my car back on the road in late October. Looking forward to driving to the Glen.

Re: How about another shot at celebrating the Elan at LOG?

PostPosted: Tue Jan 22, 2013 10:57 pm
by memini55
Not sure why a new post for this but as was said in the other post several of us have interest and look forward to the journey to the Glenn.
As Mike said the room is already booked.
Drove past this area a little over a year ago on route to pickup another project and I must say this is very pretty area.
Now if you can just keep the temps reasonable and low humidity?

Mark