Lotus Elan and Lotus Elan Plus 2 Forums

Here's a few group shots, plus the first picture is Grumpy Bodgers/John Pelly's S4 Zetec with it's current custodian Mike Duff

Here is a link to approximately 42 photos that show every single +2 that took part in the lunchtime parade.

Photos courtesy of my cousin Leigh Thomas taken on his Sony SLR from the bank at Dean Straight looking towards Westway & Bobbies

CLICK ON THIS LINK https://www.dropbox.com/sc/xvnsowvx77ue ... yYfxEwl3ka

a couple of samples here

Just one group, tattiest first


Les.

I forgot to mention what a great day it was, and that it was good to meet up with friends old and new.

Special thanks to Tim Wilkes for arriving early to do car parking duties, we really didn't know if we would get close to fifty cars. My fear was that the 60th anniversary of the type 14 would overshadow us and that HLR/Club Elite would bring more type 14's than we could muster +2's, but I'm pleased to say that we came out on top and made a fine gathering.
Alan Morgan wasn't expecting us to use all of the grass bank next to the Strawford Centre, I think he was a bit taken aback by the turn out, and we had to use overflow areas to get all the cars near to each other. I think my bodged up signs worked well, did anyone take one as a souvenir?


Elan +2 parking only. Tim Wilkes on picket duty


Quite a few people made a huge effort to be there with their cars. Hazel & Albert Clements brought "Ronnie" the ex Ronnie Peterson +2 on a trailer as it had failed it's MOT and no time to fix, Peter brought his Hexagon +2 by road and trailer and so many others made long trips stopping over nearby in the local hostelries. I did over 500 miles for the weekend taking in a trip to see my cousin and his wife in Wales after the show and then we all shared an excellent Indian meal in Pontyclun with Steve "Elanfan1" and his wife, both of whom were a bit overwhelmed at two Thomas's and their brand of humour.

Thanks to all for making it a memorable and special day.

[quote="mbell"]Mine is one of the not included in those LL figures for the US. I think I read some where that about 300 were exported to the US. I'd guess 2/3 survive, with 1/3 on the road and 1/3 are in the weeds. So my guess is around 100 cars.[/quote]

Between February 1970 and August 1972 Hethel turned out 315 Type 50 N Elan Plus 2s, for export to Federal markets. Unfortunately I do not have a breakdown of which earlier cars were for which export markets. Of those 2,552 cars perhaps 25% were for export, so maybe 17% ended up in Federal markets, which is around 430 cars. So as a very rough guestimate some 745 +2s made it across the pond.

Tim

Given that there were only about 14 members of this forum who said they were going and that you had 51 there, it follows that there must be a LOT of Elan+2 owners who are not members of this forum.


Looks like we need a new-membership drive.

Bill, I was thinking the same thing. A good friend is contemplating purchasing an S2 Elan. I was trying to explain to him that not all the cars out there are listed on Tim's Registry, nor are all of the owners part our esteemed group. Sometimes it is difficult to explain that there are some changes to the cars that do not detract from its value, but make the car more enjoyable/reliable, and easier to live with, like a 3.55/3.54 diff.

trw99 wrote:Between February 1970 and August 1972 Hethel turned out 315 Type 50 N Elan Plus 2s, for export to Federal markets. Unfortunately I do not have a breakdown of which earlier cars were for which export markets. Of those 2,552 cars perhaps 25% were for export, so maybe 17% ended up in Federal markets, which is around 430 cars. So as a very rough guestimate some 745 +2s made it across the pond.

Tim

Thanks Tim, Interesting and higher than I thought. Just out of interest how does than number compare to the Elan?

It seems that there always quite a few Elan's for sale across here but very limited (often none) +2's. At that quite of number over here I'd expect too see them offer a bit more often. There obvious quite a few reason why that might not be the case thou.

just had some pictures sent thru from john gainsford whom we missed visiting on the day but he was able to find 15 taken during the morning of me & chris ... the most spectacular I think was his recording of the front LH wheeltrim coming off ! there was some serious steering shake as a consequence , so I indicated to the left and slowed down.... we got round that lap and exited . it was only as i stopped in the pits that the ring fell off with a clatter ... and then i ran over it with my rear wheel so its a bit bent now... Its been in the rear footwell ever since..

so the wheel spinners also serve the very useful purpose of being wheel trim catchers as well!

Here's a few more group pics for Randy, unfortunately all I had was and old 'dumb' camera phone.

Yup . . . what I'm talkin' about! Thanks again to all!

Interesting to notice how many cars have new Lotus cast wheels. I really like them (only wheels I'd replace my stock stamped steel wheels with). Looks like a trend in the UK?

Randy

Probably because Paul Matty is selling them again at GBP600 a set, roughly $800; a real bargain!

Whoa . . . thanks for that insight, Phil! And I've just realized: most - if not all - of those nice new wheels are sporting octagon nuts, not the three-eared knock-on/offs. Is that perhaps because the new wheel requires a special nut, or is it just personal preference (I've always liked the octagon nuts better myself). And I seem to remember reading that the nut or knock-on used on the steel wheels cannot be used on the Lotus cast wheels. Is this true? If so, a fellow would have to add the cost of a set of new nuts to the price of the wheels . . .

You can use either, they both have the same tapered seat, at least they do nowadays, so I guess it's as you say - personal preference. I haven't decided - I like both and the car came with the nuts, can't afford to replace them what with a bumper to rechrome and a possible head rebuild looming!

[quote="mbell"] Thanks Tim, Interesting and higher than I thought. Just out of interest how does than number compare to the Elan?[/quote]

Again, it all gets a bit murky. We have published a couple of articles on numbers of Elans made in the Club Lotus news magazine, though since doing so additional information has come to light which we need to integrate into those numbers.

At the time we knew that 70 J type SE later Sprint Federal FHCs and 319 K type DHCs were made from January 1970 to August 1972, when the last Federal Sprints came off the production line. That is from a total of 2,373 SE and Sprint Elans made.

6,832 Elans were made up until December 1969, though there was no breakdown between export market cars beforehand. Applying the same 17% as before gives a very rough figure of 1,160. Add in the 389 later cars gives us a guestimate of 1,549 Elans entering the Federal market.

Interesting little exercise but I must emphasise the finger in the wind nature of it!

Tim