Sprint Spotted near Heswall

[elansprint71]

Why don't you guys come over to the Oulton Park Gold Cup on Sunday/Monday? Quite a few Elans going.

[mark030358]

Hi Pete,
I'm book in via Gareth ... See you for a coffee circa 10:00am I think...

Cheers
Mark

[ken ob]

Thank you Pete.
Unfortunately i'm not able to be there. I don't get out in the Elan as much as i would like these days mainly due to home circumstances. This year i have really only been for short runs to check everything is ok.


Ken

[RichardS]

I am down for the Monday via Gareth.
Will try and arrange a meet up at the Thatch when Mark is back
Richard

[EMA7K]

There are two other elans in Bebington. EMA7K -a yellow over white sprint and RDD880M a yellow Zetec +2 -both mine. Often exercising them around the Wirral but rarely seeing anyone else.

Gareth (EMA7K)

[davidc]

If I can ever get mine booked in for a respray you'll start seeing a laurel green 130/5 knocking round too.

David

[mmatthej1]

There do seem to be a few Elans in the Wirral area, judging by previous comments, but I guess the likelihood of a chance encounter is very low, if most are 'fun' cars as opposed to daily drivers.

[EMA7K]

There are a number of problems using an elan as a daily driver these days -not least
1. Modern traffic can't see you on a motorway-your likely to be run over!
2. You can't park your elan anywhere without someone reversing into it (I had a rear bumper destroyed this way in a University car park in Liverpool) or flinging open their door onto yours.

Having had Ema resprayed a couple of years ago (I restored her in the 1990s and painted her but in 2014 the paint needed to be done again) and uprated the engine(Motorsport 420) i'm unwilling to expose her to the mercy of the majority of todays drivers.

I use mine to drive from Bebington to Crewe using, as much as possible, only A and B roads. I have a lab in Crewe and go down a couple of days a week, usually early in the morning. This way each elan gets some exercise. I did go to the qualifying day on Saturday at Oulton Park and as far as i could see EMA7K was the only Elan on the infield. Couldn't make the race days due to minding grandkids!!
One observation in the paddock on the Saturday is the age of the Elan drivers, i'm guessing all over 60 -a rich mans game these days.
I've owned EMA since 1980. In those days we used to meet at the Yacht on the Chester high road. Back then we were all enthusiasts fixing the cars ourselves when required. Now that i am older and have less time ( and unwilling to lie on a cold garage floor) i have other people look after them.

Gareth (EMA7K)

[davidc]

i'm guessing all over 60

eh hem! sub 40 I'll have you know!

totally agree though with other people not giving a hoot about dinging your car. wife's MX5 is in body shop at moment for drivers door heavily dented and wing mirror destroyed due to a car park mishap that went un-confessed.

[mmatthej1]

My son spotted an "old Lotus" in Bromborough yesterday (Sunday) - it had just pulled out of a petrol station and was behind him but he reckoned it was white+dark colour (Sprint?)

Anybody on here, just out of interest?

[englishmaninwales]

I suppose I'm a 'nearly in Wirral' as I'm just over Offa's Dyke in Ruthin...
My far from perfect paint and finish means mine is a daily driver from April until the first salt gritter, hopefully no sooner than November.
Malcolm

[mmatthej1]

Just a suggestion but any nearby cars might like to attend 'Coffee & Cars' event at Chester castle on 23rd October - I took my car last time but was outnumbered 4:1 by Espirits !

It's just a low key event, turn up and park, then walk around look at good variety of interesting motors, chat about your own etc.

I wasn't planning on taking my car next time (go in my sons Peugeot 205 instead) but might if any other Elans want to meet up !

[mmatthej1]

No take up by Elan owners but, for interest, some pix as a flavour of the attenders:

https://www.facebook.com/samphotofilm/p ... =3&theater

[mark030358]

Hi,
Sorry just seen your thread re Chester. Unfortunatley I wouldnt have been able to make it as I leave for work tomorrow, thus a busy final weekend. However, is it run on a regular basis? if so I'll pop along when I'm back in a month.

cheers
Mark

[mmatthej1]

That was the last meeting in 2016 (quite chilly enough yesterday!) but I'm sure it will return in Spring '17.