Six thousand mile Elan
Can anyone help I have just purchased a 1969 S4 Lotus Elan You may have seen it advertised that had reputably done only 6,000 miles I have to say the car at first impression does not give the appearance one would expect of a 6000 mile car however on searching through the file that came with car it is with all probability is correct, The story as I am told is car was supplied new in 1969 the owner emigrated to Canada, But could not import the car he then decided to try and import car as spares so car was totally dismantled for some reason this also did not work, the car lay in a warehouse in London until 1991 (when Due to a divorce) was sold by Club Lotus ( I have the Club Lotus Magazine confirming this), the car was sold by tender on behalf of owner now living in Canada by the club, it was purchased by a Mr M Barton of Banbury for, £ 9,450.00 Who later moved to Mixbury the last invoice I have was dated June 2004 and looks as though the car was finally rebuilt by October 2001 mileage at this date was 3,628 it was taken to Paul Matty sportscars in January 2002 for final check over & engine tune Mileage 3,816 Mr Barton may have sold car in 2005 to a Mr Roger O’Donnell of Chulmeigh Devon mileage at this time being 4,479 it looks as though car was again of road in 2003 and 2004, he may have sold car in 2007 The MOT for 2007 shows the mileage of 4900 , the car has had a repaint not that great I think possibly due to damage whilst in storage so adding all this up the car was off road from 1969 until 2001, than chassis is as you would expect original and underneath all looks new, that’s all I have managed to find out about the car if any members can help please let me know Registration number is ENO 5G

Hi Twincams
Your car certainly caused some interest when it came up for sale recently...I'd have loved it!

Could you put some photos up? What are your plans for the car? I'm sure it will need some work, for whilst it has done such a low mileage, it is also 40 years old. But what a basis for a restoration to perfection.

Mark

Fascinating project - good luck...

Richard

I went to see the car when it was for sale and the first thing I noticed was that the colour isn't Lotus Yellow, which seemed a pity. Still, whoever had it painted may have opted for his own preferred shade of yellow - something about paying pipers and calling tunes perhaps.

Well done on the purchase. After a long search I bought a 1966 S1 elan with 7,590 original miles on it and loving it, have managed 2,000 miles in the last 3 months.

Enjoy the car

Gordon

Hello yes you are right well not quite right it has been repainted it is lotus yellow, but the yellow used on the later cars 1975/77 lotus lemon yellow code (L31) not as should be just yellow (L07), i think i will at some stage repaint correct shade but will just use for now, there are a couple of other things fitted such as, Alternater & alloy fuel tank, have just ordered alloy radiator also, i have no intention of making into a show bought to use and ejoy, had new one 1967

Sounds great Twincams, and welcome to the forum. We will have to prod you for a bit more info, as IIRC you have to make a few posts before the software will allow you to post the pictures. Enjoy the car!

Hello Gordon, you have a 1966 S1 ? Where did it live in it's first two years? Eric

SOUNDS LIKE A REAL' BARN FIND' ---ED --- [ 1964 s1 ---Its called a car jack ....Jack ]------Canada [ Ontario]allows cars 20 years or older in as vintage with no emission testing and 12 years old as classic ----I know the Feds are anal about the environment now but back then he should have been able to import the car with minimum hassle --when I imported my 7 from Over there they were not happy but couldn't stop me -their main concern was that all the duties and taxes were paid - B.C. is so full of f'n tree highers that life for car enthusiasts is abysmal so he may have gone there ----they all walk or ride bikes --- In B.C. cars are too difficult to operate for them the cause is a brain deficiency caused by too much crunchy granola and living better through pharmaceuticals -----we wait for the day of the big quake so B.C. WILL slide back into the ocean --[ along with the Quebec and its potine ] ed

Wait a minute Ed, don't hijack my hijack. What would that be called?

A bi-jack?

oops too long looking at a monitor "1964 S1" , I meant to say I have a 1966 S2.......doh

Another thing I noticed was that it didn't have the S4 chrome strips beneath the doors, which seemed curious for a car that had never been used much in its early life and only required re-painting as a result of deterioration whilst in storage. Ho hum.

Hello thanks for reply in have noticed that there is a picture of the car listed in cars for sale section of the Forum listed May 13th by Red 1, as you can see the car has the chrome strips below the doors, as I said previously it is unusual car that’s why I am trying to find more about its past history

Oops! Should've gone to Specsavers (the really sad bit is that I did - that's where I got my glasses )

For some reason (old age? senility?) I came away from viewing the car thinking there were no strips on it. I'm starting to get a bit worried about me.