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Practising for a Wiki on LotusElan.net.

PostPosted: Wed May 22, 2013 12:30 am
by billwill
Practising for a Wiki on LotusElan.net.

SpyderFan (Alan Thomas) has pointed out that the entry on the big Wikipedia currently has the following paragraphs as the introduction to the page called Lotus Elan (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lotus_Elan).

Lotus Elan is the name of two convertible cars and one fixed head coup? produced by Lotus Cars. The original Type 26, 26R Racing version (of the S1 Elan), 36R Racing version (of the S2 Elan), 36 Fixed Head Coupe, 45 Drop Head Coupe, and the "Type 50" +2 Coupe, circa 1962 to 1975, are commonly known as the '60s Elans. The Type M100 from 1989 to 1995, is also commonly known as the 1990s Elan.


I think most of us will recognise that there are errors in that paragraph and it is clumsy, so let's have suggestions in this topic as to better wording for that intro paragraph. A quick look at the history file (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?tit ... on=history)of that page shows that it is pretty much what was written by the original page creator and has not been corrected since.

When we have a consensus here, one of us can go in and replace that crappy intro on Wikipedia with our version.



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Lots of other paragraphs on that page need amendment too, but lets just try get that intro better first.

Re: Practising for a Wiki on LotusElan.net.

PostPosted: Wed May 22, 2013 12:04 pm
by Spyder fan
I'm not qualified to write this as I'm not clear on the history of the types, but I think it should read more like this--

Lotus Elan:- The name originally given to a series of sports cars produced by Lotus Cars between 1962 & 1974. Originally launched in 1962 the hand built Lotus Elan with the factory designation of Type 26, later known as the Series 1 or S1 version became the benchmark for all sports car manufacturers. There were to be 3 further iterations of the original Lotus Elan the S2, S3, & S4 as well as a grand finale Elan Sprint version. All S1 & S2 cars were convertibles with the later S3, S4 & Sprint versions offered as coupes or convertibles. In 1988 Lotus Cars launched a revival of the Lotus Elan name in the form of a new convertible sports car with the factory designation of M100--------- etc etc etc someone please fill in the gaps

Re: Practising for a Wiki on LotusElan.net.

PostPosted: Wed May 22, 2013 3:18 pm
by AHM
I thought the previous one was better - Just correct the errors.

Re: Practising for a Wiki on LotusElan.net.

PostPosted: Wed May 22, 2013 3:33 pm
by Spyder fan
Yes perhaps a bit clumsy, I do tend to wax lyrical.

Perhaps correct the mistakes as you say and post it up for us all to approve?

Re: Practising for a Wiki on LotusElan.net.

PostPosted: Wed May 22, 2013 3:44 pm
by AHM
Not likely! - That is a Committee decision if ever there was one.

Re: Practising for a Wiki on LotusElan.net.

PostPosted: Wed May 22, 2013 3:49 pm
by Spyder fan
So we end up with a camel? ( a horse designed by a committee)

http://www.ministryoftruth.org.uk/2006/10/24/a-horse-designed-by-a-committee/

You can see why I like the howlers now.... I think the Wiki will be fun and it's got us all talking!

Re: Practising for a Wiki on LotusElan.net.

PostPosted: Wed May 22, 2013 5:27 pm
by billwill
Spyder fan wrote:I'm not qualified to write this as I'm not clear on the history of the types, but I think it should read more like this--

Lotus Elan:- The name originally given to a series of sports cars produced by Lotus Cars between 1962 & 1974. Originally launched in 1962 the hand built Lotus Elan with the factory designation of Type 26, later known as the Series 1 or S1 version became the benchmark for all sports car manufacturers. There were to be 3 further iterations of the original Lotus Elan the S2, S3, & S4 as well as a grand finale Elan Sprint version. All S1 & S2 cars were convertibles with the later S3, S4 & Sprint versions offered as coupes or convertibles. In 1988 Lotus Cars launched a revival of the Lotus Elan name in the form of a new convertible sports car with the factory designation of M100--------- etc etc etc someone please fill in the gaps



I think this is much better than the Wikipedia entry, which is really clumsy. If you try to correct that you find nothing fits.


Incidentally is the M100 the 100th Lotus in the same sense that the Elan is the 26th?

Re: Practising for a Wiki on LotusElan.net.

PostPosted: Wed May 22, 2013 5:54 pm
by billwill
Are all the S3 S4 and Sprint type 36? Or does that apply only to the Coup? ?

Re: Practising for a Wiki on LotusElan.net.

PostPosted: Wed May 22, 2013 6:16 pm
by types26/36
billwill wrote:Are all the S3 S4 and Sprint type 36? Or does that apply only to the Coup? ?


No, only fixed heads are type 36's ....they can be be a S3/S4/Sprint
Type 45's are drop heads and can be S3/S4/Sprints
Type 26 cars are Roadster's
http://www.race-cars.com/utility/lotusr.htm

Re: Practising for a Wiki on LotusElan.net.

PostPosted: Wed May 22, 2013 6:17 pm
by billwill
Hows about this version:

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Lotus Elan:- The name originally given to a series of sports cars produced by Colin Chapman's company Lotus Cars between 1962 & 1974. All the Lotus cars have names beginning with letter E but they start out with just a Type number. The Type 26 was designed by Ron Hickman and launched in 1962 as the Lotus Elan. There is also a racing version Type 26R. Hand built, they were available as completed cars or in kit form to be assembled by the owner to avoid purchase tax. The Elan became the benchmark for all sports car manufacturers.

The earliest Elans were later known as the Series 1 or S1 version There were to be 3 further iterations of this classic Lotus Elan the S2, S3, & S4 as well as a grand finale Elan Sprint version. All S1 & S2 cars were convertibles with the later S3, S4 & Sprint versions offered as coup?s (type 36) or as convertibles (type 45).

In 1988 Lotus Cars launched a revival of the Lotus Elan name in the form of a new convertible sports car with the factory designation of M100--------- etc etc etc someone please fill in the gaps
~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Re: Practising for a Wiki on LotusElan.net.

PostPosted: Wed May 22, 2013 6:21 pm
by billwill
types26/36 wrote:
billwill wrote:Are all the S3 S4 and Sprint type 36? Or does that apply only to the Coup? ?


No, only fixed heads are type 36's ....they can be be a S3/S4/Sprint
Type 45's are drop heads and can be S3/S4/Sprints
Type 26 cars are Roadster's
http://www.race-cars.com/utility/lotusr.htm



What's the difference between a roadster and a convertible? If any?

Re: Practising for a Wiki on LotusElan.net.

PostPosted: Wed May 22, 2013 6:28 pm
by billwill
Slight tweaks for extra clarity, shown in green for your convenience.

~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lotus Elan:- The name originally given to a series of sports cars produced by Colin Chapman's company Lotus Cars between 1962 & 1974. All the Lotus cars have names beginning with letter E but they start out with just a Type number. The Type 26 was designed by Ron Hickman and launched by Lotus Cars in 1962 as the Lotus Elan. There is also a racing version Type 26R. Hand built, the Elans were available as completed cars or in kit form to be assembled by the owner to avoid purchase tax. The Elan became the benchmark for all sports car manufacturers.

The earliest Elans were later known as the Series 1 or S1 version There were to be 3 further iterations of this classic Lotus Elan the S2, S3, & S4 as well as a grand finale Elan Sprint version. All S1 & S2 cars were convertibles with the later S3, S4 & Sprint versions offered as coup?s (type 36) or as convertibles (type 45).

In 1988 Lotus Cars launched a revival of the Lotus Elan name in the form of a new convertible sports car with the factory designation of M100--------- etc etc etc someone please fill in the gaps
~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Re: Practising for a Wiki on LotusElan.net.

PostPosted: Wed May 22, 2013 6:32 pm
by billwill
I don't think I have ever seen a Coup? Sprint are they very rare?

Re: Practising for a Wiki on LotusElan.net.

PostPosted: Wed May 22, 2013 6:34 pm
by types26/36
Generally speaking a "Roadster" does not have an integral side window frame and was was a term used with the older cars, if you look up Lotus literature of the time you will the S1/2 is referred to as Roadster....not a convertible or drop-head which came later.
Unfortunately the the window frame is not a definitive term as some later cars with fixed frames began to be referred to as "Roadsters"

Re: Practising for a Wiki on LotusElan.net.

PostPosted: Wed May 22, 2013 6:40 pm
by types26/36
billwill wrote:I don't think I have ever seen a Coup? Sprint are they very rare?


Oh yes....very rare and very very valuable :lol: ......and here you go....here is mine :mrgreen: