I finally managed to find the time to give the car a good polish and took this picture at the last Goodwood Breakfast Club. What a great event this, and the drive through the Sussex back roads on a good summers day is just Elan heaven!

--Antonio

Hi

Just thought I should let you now, your Sprint is the reason I'm getting an Elan! You may have noticed a rather tall fellow who spent a while looking your car over and taking about 100 pictures? It was my favourite car there, absolutely stunning. So thanks, for the inspiration!

Steve

Steve, I'm glad you liked it. That is exactly how I felt 5 years ago when I went to the Club Lotus Track Day at Castle Combe and saw a recently restored Sprint. That was my inspiration. I knew then I wanted one and sure enough a few months later I had one in my garage. I had been thinking of getting a classic for while and the Elan was top of the list but never had seen one for real until that trip to Castle Combe. Only in magazines and books. Seeing that magnificent Sprint at Castle Combe really started my passion for these cars.

Good luck with your search !!

--Antonio

Did I pass you on the A3 and you followed me in to the circuit? Parked by the Kart Track? There was a strong Lotus prescence of all ages last time out.

Ian

(Monochrome Yellow Sprint)

Ian, yes that was me on the A3 and I followed you all the way to Goodwood. It's not often I get to drive behind another Elan! I think I counted 6 Elans altogether parked in the grounds. Very good compared to other Sundays I've driven there.

I think it would be my S4 (in Gold Leaf colours) near the kart track.
You need to get there early to get on the track! Fortunately I only live 5 miles away
Bruce

Silly question - what's the Goodwood breakfast club?? - I only live 15 miles away!!

An early morning themed get-together, on the first Sunday morning of each month, at the circuit. See here:

http://www.goodwood.co.uk/site/content/ ... fault.aspx

It's free to go and look but you have to pay for breakfast (which is quite nice after an early morning drive).

If your car fits the theme you may well get to park up on the grid.

It's usually very well attended, and always good to go and have a look at what's there.

There's only one left this year, in December.

Paddy

It was very cold there this morning. Wish I'd worn my flying jacket.

Plenty of Elans there and a single +2 that I saw. A beautiful Elite and my M100. Contemplating buying an original Elan after thinking about it for 25 years. I met up with an old chum and Elan aficionado who was pointing out that this car had the wrong dash, that the wrong badge, the wrong flashers on that... Looks like I'll need to do my research!

If you've never been, well worth a visit - the 2010 diary of events for the Goodwood Breakfast Club:

07 March 2010 -Tax-free Sunday – for all pre-1973 classics
04 April 2010 - Sporting Family Favourites – four-seater fun
02 May 2010 - Everything but the Car – from bikes to buses, tractors to trucks; nothing is too bizarre
06 June 2010 - Supercar Sunday – the ultimate performance machines; cars and bikes
27 June 2010 - Soft Top Sunday – a taste of the British summer for all open-top cars
01 August 2010 - Performance Car Legends ­– post-1970 driver’s cars, including track day favourites
29 August 2010 - Classic Sunday – pre-1966 vehicles in the spirit of Goodwood’s golden days
03 October 2010 - Souped-up Sunday – modified and custom vehicles of all ages
07 November 2010 - Deutsch Marques! ­– a tribute to Germany’s finest motoring marvels
05 December 2010 - Christmas Cracker Special ­– cherished cars and Santa’s sled. Yule be glad you came!

There was a huge turnout today - I think the biggest I've seen there. Plenty of Elans, definitely more than on any previous occasion. See photos below - I know there are a couple I didn't get pictures of, and I think one more Plus2 I didn't get. Also 5 or more Mk1 LoCorts, and at least 1 Mk2.

If these cars below to any of you, speak up.

I decided to do the 1hr journey at -2 degrees with the hood down and lost about 3 fingers to frostbite.

Paddy

More photos ...

What a great turnout! I counted 8 Elans and a Plus Two. The yellow Elite was beautiful, I saw it arrive at the same time as an even more yellow Fiat 500. Paddy, your S1 was my favourite and bravo for driving with the hood down, I was fighting hypothermia just walking around. I'm sad mine couldn't make it, it would have been a good way to celebrate it's 40th birthday (in 5 days). I'm going to try and get it fixed for the next one, even though it's two seats short for the theme.

Paddy,

Thanks for sharing those excellent photo's. It just shows what us "oop north" miss out on occasionally.

Still just have to be content with our summer club meets when all the oldies come out to play.

Doug.

Antonio

I like the look of your headrests did you make them yourself. Have you got a close up shot as I was thinking of putting them on the roll bar of my sprint as opposed to cylindrical foam covers.

We missed the March one (didn't have the car yet).
Anybody going in June?

It's my wife's birthday, so we're making a mini-trip out of it. The XI won't be road legal by then so we'll probably be in the Elan and Elise.