Elan Plus 2 early chassis number 60

[Melodyk]

Hello
Our car is chassis number 60 and has some early features that I have read about. We've got the original wide windscreen chrome and the Italian Carello rear lamp units. I'm not sure what else might be different. If anyone needs photos or info please ask.
Regards
Melody

[512BB]

"If anyone needs photos please ask"

Of course we would love some photos Melody. Post some up of the car too

Well done on persevering with the clutch problems, many would have given up.

Leslie

[theelanman]

should this be one with the double curvature windscreen?
I think it should .......Ron Hickman, bless his soul, would have loved to have seen it if it is/was

[TeeJay]

If anyone needs photos or info please ask

Hi Melody, yes please post some photos.

My +2 is a Jan 1968, chassis 50/0173, so not as early as yours.
Also, as well as the wide windscreen chrome, Carello rear lamps, mine has Door handles with integrated locks and a boot lock with latch.

[Melodyk]

What is a double curvature windscreen? We have the original glass as it has the Triplex date markings. But I don't know what the difference is in curvature sorry.

[theelanman]

it was the original consul capri glass the had a main curve to the glass but had a second tightening curve to the glass to get back to the header/roof section.......
Ron Hickman had a gadget one year at Donington and literally tried every +2 in the car park looking for one

[Melodyk]

Well I can see the car outside in the car park but even with the binoculars it's a bit hard to see that sort of detail. I'm assuming it's not that obvious? When I go home from work I'll take a photo from the side and then hopefully you will be able to see. Don't hold your breath though as it looks pretty flat at the top to me!

In reply to the previous person, yes I have exterior door handles with integrated key locks and I have a twisting boot latch which also has a key lock built in.

[Melodyk]

I did ask the factory archive what records they had but they didn't have very much. They didn't know who it was sold to but it was registered a couple of weeks later on 31st Oct 1967. The registration is SPH44F and the PH registration letters mean Guildford, Surrey. They had the engine number recorded and that is still the same. I contacted DVLA in Swansea and bought a copy of their records but they did not have the original log book only a continuation book. I have bills etc going back to 1980s that match with the DVLA records. Coincidentally I met one of the earlier owners at a car event this year. He owned the car between 1999 and 2003. He sold it to the man I bought it from. I bought it in 2011.

[Hawksfield]

Hi all

I was not aware of the double curvature of the windscreen glass, but during a discussion with Ron Hickman at a Lotus show at the Donington circuit some years ago and was very pleased to describe his design of the +2.
He describe the double curvature of he door glass that was required to fit in the tumble home that the door closed into, and was very pleased with his contribution to +2 design.
He never once mentioned the windscreen having any double curvature.
Maybe someone knows more about it on the forum as I thought the Consul Capri screen was a usable replacement for a +2

Keep up the good work guys

[theelanman]

elansprint71 (aka Pete) along with several others were at the discussion with Ron....
so I hope theyll pop along shortly........
the whole things came out of the questioning of Ron over a) the gadget and b) what the heck it was for

[Elanintheforest]

Melody, I had Chassis 24, which left the factory on 1st September 67, and that had a couple of additional early 'features'.

The quarter-lights (in front of the door glass) were made of plexiglass as the glass items were not yet available. I have heard that these plastic quarter-lights found their way onto quite a few other early cars.

The wheels were painted grey rather than silver. Again, it may have been only the first few that were painted like this, and most have since been re-painted silver.

The cam cover was a very early 'type 2' cover, with the 'Lotus' script at the front. On both sides of the cover a ghost mark can be seen where the original Lotus script was cast in, but crudely removed in the mould.

The bonnet was lifted by 2 springs at the front rather than just the one. I think that practise may have continued for a while.

That's about it from memory. The early cars are a bit special so worth keeping it all original if you can, especially retaining the Carello lights and the Capri stainless steel windscreen surround.

Mark

[Melodyk]

I don't have Perspex quarter lights. The date markings on the glass is all 1967 so I think they have always been glass. I have taken a few photos including the windscreen. I forgot the engine bay. I meant to do it when I got home but I had a boot full of shopping to put away. I will do it tomorrow. We have replaced the dashboard and the crash pad and also the seat belts. But the rest of the interior is fairly original I think.

[richardcox_lotus]

Nice looking car. If it was registered near Guildford it may well have been supplied by Bell & Colvill.

Regards
Richard

[pharriso]

That windshield appears to have double curvature:

[Melodyk]

Hi Richard. I did ring Bell & Colville a few years ago and spoke to one of the older staff. He didn't have records from that year though so couldn't say if it was one of theirs. There was another Surrey dealer I saw an old advert for but I think they are long gone.