Am I missing the point

[msd1107]

For goodnes sakes, use your Elan as a daily driver!

There may have been issues early in the Elan's life, but modern materials and ancilaries now make it possible to treat your Elan as a daily driver.

Make sure that everything is brought up to snuff.

Maintain the car religiously.

My experience in using my Elan as a daily driver is that it is less expensive on a per mile basis that a normal sedan. This was based on driving history over three generations of sedans.

Maybe I was lucky (and had good mechanics). Maybe my girlfriends had bad luck with their cars. But that shouldn't dissuade you from enjoying the Lotus experience on a daily basis.

Life is short. Drive an Elan first thing in the morning.

David
1968 36/7988

[steveww]

A complete new shell is a bit extreme! If you have seen this month's Classic Monthly you will see what a state the project +2 was in! Option 1 paint shop has managed to recue it very easily. IMHO you would only need a new shell after a big shunt e.g. a roll or a fire.

[denicholls2]

Clearly there are more purists here than pragmatists.

While it's true that a Twincam can be maintained in top order with available parts, it's also true that a Twincam is an ancient engine with many design issues.

Given that the Zetec is a near bolt-in, I would think that in its favor are torque curve, power per cost, option of EFI, fuel economy, and long-term reliability. Do you need one? No. Is it a problem to have one? No. And given the cost of rebuilding a Twincam vs. repowering, It appears there's a lot of economy there as well.

I'm sort-of in the market for an Elan and if I found one with a Zetec conversion and the original Twincam set aside I would thank my great good fortune. I do personally believe that if the car has original bits they should be kept with it for future purposes, but don't see how repowering a winner like the Elan makes it "a completely different car" . A better one, probably, but I would expect handling and other attributes to remain about the same.

[Elanintheforest]

How about a nice BMW turbo-diesel in the E Type, or a supercharged Ford V8 in the ?65 Ferrari 275? Same arguments apply?more reliable, economical and faster. Same car? More desirable? Count me in with the purists.
Mark

[trw99]

[quote="denicholls2"]
"While it's true that a Twincam can be maintained in top order with available parts, it's also true that a Twincam is an ancient engine with many design issues."

But we like our twinks as they are! It is not ancient either! It was designed after I was born so you think I am ancient? No, don't answer that question!

Any 40+ year old engine can be argued to have "design issues" when compared to Zetecs and others of more recent design. The Elan as produced is what we like, as a daily driver or as a work of engineering art or as an high days and holidays car.

Don't get me wrong, a Plus 2 Zetec would make a fine daily driver too. So too would say an updated Aston DB6, a JD Classics XK150 or an Autofarm 911 Classic Re-Creation. However, a "classic" Elan would have to retain it's twink, to my mind.

Tim

[graffiti]

Well, he finally made his mind and unlike me and some of the other pursists, he has decided to go for the Zetec and transmission.

I understand that a new Spyder chassis is also getting put on, another chap had a look at the body and said it was easily repairable so that's something.

After reading the last comment I think it's a good point if he at least keeps the original engine so if ever he sells the car the buyer has it available if they want it as a spare, it'd be a shame to lose it altogether.

I'll post some more pics whenever it's finished. Thanks for all the feedback.

[zeteclotus]

Another nice old elan dies

I think the Zetec route is ok for dead cars but that car looks like it could be sorted in less than 100 hours

basically a new car with the sprint reg plate. sell the sprint and build a new car!

[twincamman]

do you not think ol Chapman would not have jumped on the Ford Ze tech series of engines for any lotus he ever or would build ??? you bet he would ---and when my T.C. motors become boat anchors you can bet thats whats going in all 3 of my Lotus cars ---purists be damned ---ed