Lotus Elan

Did Colin Chapman have any personal Lotus Cars?

PostPost by: lotuseuropabrit » Fri Oct 27, 2017 11:37 pm

I couldn't find this topic in "Lotus Elans" but if this subject has been covered previously please just refer me to the relevant text, website etc.
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Ray
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PostPost by: theelanman » Sat Oct 28, 2017 12:06 am

He definitely had an esprit eclat and excel.......then there's the pics of him with an elan and +2.........i suppose as a company owner it depends on if they were his personally just 'pool' cars as a tax fiddle....
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PostPost by: LotusEngineeringBuff » Sat Oct 28, 2017 8:03 pm

Hi,
A few years ago, I saw somewhere a Elan Plus2 for sale which was advertised as Chapman's personal Plus2. I cannot say how true this statement was of course.
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PostPost by: JimE » Sat Oct 28, 2017 8:50 pm

My understanding is that Chapman drove the various models and returned them to the factory so they wouldn't have been registered in his name. But I stand corrected if anyone knows different. The Chapman family did have a collection of Lotus in their personal museum but who know whose name the cars were registered in or where they are now. Jim
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PostPost by: cbguerrajr » Sun Oct 29, 2017 2:30 am

The Collier collection in Florida has a beautiful Elite that was supposed to be his personal car.

Carlos G.
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PostPost by: nigelrbfurness » Sun Oct 29, 2017 10:12 am

My S4's first owner is listed as Clive Chapman, which I've always been pleased to assume is THE Clive Chapman :lol:
1970 S4SE/1760cc big valve/SA-AX block, L2s, 45DCOEs, 1978 Jensen GT, 1962 AH Sprite, Alfa-Romeo 159, 1966 Bristol Bus, 1947 AEC Regal bus.
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PostPost by: trw99 » Mon Oct 30, 2017 11:17 am

I believe that by the time the Elan was in production Chapman was astute enough to know not to put his name to a registration document for one of his products. There have been a number of Fords, Jaguars and Range Rovers which have come to market which do have his name to them.

Apparently he would often take a recently completed car from the new car park and whip it around the local roads, going home for lunch or at the end of the day. He was testing for quality issues and to check the handling, ride and performance were what he expected, but most of all, he was concerned to ensure that the cars were kept to their stated weight limits.

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PostPost by: lotuseuropabrit » Mon Oct 30, 2017 5:17 pm

Thanks for all the responses.
Ray
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PostPost by: jeff jackson » Mon Nov 06, 2017 9:31 pm

this has just pitched up on Fleabay....
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1968-Lotus-E ... SwEaBaAMu0

I am always dubious about these claims.

Jeff 72+2
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PostPost by: richardcox_lotus » Mon Nov 06, 2017 10:08 pm

That was up for sale very recently, I think we even had a thread about it:-)
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PostPost by: clarko1230 » Thu Oct 24, 2024 12:43 pm

One of his very first cars was a Ford Prefect that used to carry a Lotus Eleven to Monza in 1956
https://ibb.co/Pt1mn6X
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PostPost by: clubsport » Thu Oct 24, 2024 2:07 pm

I have seen a few cars over the years registered to Hazel Chapman, usually in a mid green colour.
If there was a tax advantage available in registering cars that way, I am sure ACBC would have made use of it? :)
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PostPost by: clarko1230 » Fri Oct 25, 2024 8:33 am

One of Colin Chapman Elan Plus used in 1972
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