Lotus Elan and Lotus Elan Plus 2 Forums

I owned my first Plus 2 back when I was much younger (23!) in 1982-3 I guess. I have exchanged messages with the current owner and that car is still on the road. Even though I had some nice cars subsequently, in 30+ years it was the only car I regretted selling. Fast forward to about 7 years ago when I ‘scratched the itch’ and bought another, pretty much identical to the first also in Cirrus White with the Stromberg ‘bulge’. (Although it’s on Webers of course.)

Fast forward to this evening when I’ve just been for a sunny tootle. Brought home to me yet again how much I enjoy that car. The wonderful soundtrack goes without saying. The view from behind the wheel is sublime. (Even if you can’t see too far down the road sometimes! )

But it did get me to thinking… Is there any classic car dashboard that is more beautiful than a Plus 2S?

Yes , the Plus2 .

John

Hi

I do like the plus 2 dashboard very much, especially the early one. It’s not until you look at other cars that you realise just how nice it is. My recent project has its original one, but it seems to have been badly varnished in the past and it was a bit dark and ugly.

So I have “wrapped” it with 3M DI-NOC WG-364GN Wood Grain architectural vinyl.

In my opinion you would be hard pressed to tell it apart from genuine wood veneer. I have not applied the lettering yet but once so have I will be sealing the dash with an acrylic clear coat.

Berni

The Plus 2 dash is spectacular, and not too many older cars come close...and none of the newer cars that I know of!

But the old Mk2 Jaguar dash is very pleasing, and of course, a fair bit older, with the car being launched in 1959. This is my '67 car, much the same as the '59 !

3.8 Series 1 E-type?

...."when you know what you're doing"

Rothmans advert circa 1973

But I agree with John and Berni - the earlier Plus 2 dash is the nicest with it's bevelled instrument bezels, lower gauge count, toggle switches and generally less 'busy' look.

jono wrote:...."when you know what you're doing"

Rothmans advert circa 1973

Very interesting, I looked up the ad. You can find it on here (lotuselan.net) if you use google.
I thought John Player (Gold Leaf) and Rothmans were separate companies back in the early 70s. Seems strange to use a car company which is being sponsored by a competitor in your advert.

Elite Type 14 - equally beautiful

Elanintheforest wrote:The Plus 2 dash is spectacular, and not too many older cars come close...and none of the newer cars that I know of!

But the old Mk2 Jaguar dash is very pleasing, and of course, a fair bit older, with the car being launched in 1959. This is my '67 car, much the same as the '59 !

Hi

That is indeed rather nice!

Berni

I have younger friend -age fortyish- who I know from Lotus circles, oddly enough (he used to own an Elise) who is incapable of mentioning wood trim inside a car without referring to it as 'old man wood.'. He thinks that cold finishes like satin-silver and other such 'cold' surfaces you might find in the likes of say a BMW M-car or such to be the most alluring. I'm 54 but even in my adolescence I loved the 'warmth' of real wood trim (and despised the fake wood that Yank manufacturers were obsessed with for so many years!).

I'm also rather proud of the work I did to refurbish my Plus 2's dashboard. First time doing such work and it came out nicely!