Long time Lotus owner
Posted: Fri Sep 21, 2018 1:10 amI have been around Lotus's (Loti) since 1974 although I have never owned an Elan. My Lotus is a genuine 1970 Series III Seven. You have to admit other than the AC Cobra, the Lotus Seven is probably the most copied (cloned) car on the planet. I too have benefited and suffered the wisdom and folly of Colin Chapman. Many shared parts and design features. People often tell me "you wouldn't want to get hit in that thing". Considering the frame is tubing, it is not too safe, but when you compare it to the backbone frame on the Elans, the squishy bits are also not too well protected.
I have owned two of these street rockets since 1974. The first one cost me $2800 used but in a fit of stupidity I traded it and a Mazda RX3 wagon in on a 1974 Mercedes Benz 280. Why I wanted one of them back then is now a mystery. It wasn't long after that I realized I made a mistake. I was able to correct that mistake and found the first car I had a test drive in apart in a garage. The owner had two cars and four engines. Two Twincams and two Crossflows. One of the Crossflows was race prepared and he wanted to keep that one. I opted for one of the Twincams and took a winter to put it back together. $3000 so I guess the value was going up. That was a long time ago now and like grandfathers axe, three new heads and six new handles, there aren't too many original parts left on the car.
The car had a major restoration in 2005 that I documented on video. I used to be a television news cameraman, camera person. So that said if anyone is interested in watching, search Roadster Reno on Google and it will take you to Vimeo.com for 13 half hour shows. Enjoy.
Robert Woodcock
I have owned two of these street rockets since 1974. The first one cost me $2800 used but in a fit of stupidity I traded it and a Mazda RX3 wagon in on a 1974 Mercedes Benz 280. Why I wanted one of them back then is now a mystery. It wasn't long after that I realized I made a mistake. I was able to correct that mistake and found the first car I had a test drive in apart in a garage. The owner had two cars and four engines. Two Twincams and two Crossflows. One of the Crossflows was race prepared and he wanted to keep that one. I opted for one of the Twincams and took a winter to put it back together. $3000 so I guess the value was going up. That was a long time ago now and like grandfathers axe, three new heads and six new handles, there aren't too many original parts left on the car.
The car had a major restoration in 2005 that I documented on video. I used to be a television news cameraman, camera person. So that said if anyone is interested in watching, search Roadster Reno on Google and it will take you to Vimeo.com for 13 half hour shows. Enjoy.
Robert Woodcock