Lotus Elan and Lotus Elan Plus 2 Forums

I've just been browsing through some bits on the library pages, as you do on a Sunday eve, and was interested by the Elan GT. Does anyone know if there are any of these knoccking about, or if many were made? It looks like an interesting little car...

Hmm.

Rob...there was a fastback Elan made by Shapecraft...is this the one you mean? This pic was taken recently at Yokohama speedway at an Elan gathering. Don't know how many were made, but I'm guessing very few...10 or so? According to the Ross Robinshaw book the modification was offered for ?170, and Paul Matty had one...or maybe still does. Next time you're up there, chat him up
Mark

I think I know the cars you are talking about.
They were nicknamed, at the time, "the Elanbulance".
The cars were based on either S3 or S4 FHC's? and were superbly converted to "Estates" by "Hexagon" (of Highgate).
I'm also pretty sure that they made only two of these cars & I know that up until only a couple of years ago that they were both owned by Malcombe Rickets.
The lucky man also has a Mk 14 Elite that has also been superbly converted into a hatchback, but not by Hexagon.
I think that was a one off. It was shown at Donington a couple of years ago after restoration.
One of the "Elanbulances" in metallic blue has also been shown at Donington.

I think rob is refering to this
http://www.lotuselan.net/publish/article_364.shtml

I think this is a 26R that was brought in to the U.S. and the magazine of the time coined the phrase Elan GT

Gary Anderson

I'm fairly sure that there are photos on this forum somewhere, if you go right back to the home page and search from there.
Hexagon made 2, Ian Walker 2(?) in alluminium, Shapecraft several and iirc, Sterling Moss's SMART team had one alongside their odd-ball hard top one.

Cheers,
Pete.

I have a picture of a shapecraft elan in the gallery section of my site: www.stig.uklinux.net

The picture was taken at Classic Le Mans 2004, the car was run by an English team.

Steve,

the "unknown but lotus powered" in your Gallery was photographed at Curborough sprint I guess?
The car is a "Dulon" & was a one of prototype it used to be raced by a friend of mine. He built the car together with Dulon. First rngine was a Twink with an FT200 Hewland. Later it was raced & sold on with an FVA.

Errm sorry for the hijack.
John

John,

Thanks for the info. I did have a chat with the owner when I took the picture but I forgot all the info he told me

I will update my site with the new info.

I think the Elan that's seen flying on the stig.uklinux.net is for sale on mobile.de....

Kind of remember the colour scheme, they have more goodies with the same color scheme if I recall things right...

//J

Elanintheforest wrote:Don't know how many were made, but I'm guessing very few...10 or so?

Mark,

According to William Taylor, approximately 20 were made by Barry Wood's "Shapecraft" in 1963-1964. Unlike the one pictured, the racing versions had rear quarter windows. Taylor implies that they were modified 26Rs.