Descripción
This is lot number 164 in the Bonhams Goodwood Members Meeting sale on April 14th 2024, please visit the Bonhams website for full details.
Super-rare Shapecraft body conversion
Single-family ownership for 50 years
Lotus Replacement chassis
Extensively refurbished in 2017 (in excess of £11, 000 spent)
Only 200 miles covered since
Hitherto unknown to the register
The number of Elans converted by Barry Wood's Surbiton-based business is not recorded but the general consensus is that no more than 15 of his Shapecraft conversions were completed. Consisting of an aluminium top bonded to the original lower body section, the Shapecraft design soon found favour with the racing community due to its superior aerodynamics, with some reports suggesting a top speed improvement to in excess of 120mph.
'JBW 86D' was purchased from Gibson's Sports Cars in Christchurch, Dorset on 16th April 1973 for £695, a Mk2 Lotus Cortina being taken in part exchange (invoice on file). The new owner appears to have fitted some then-fashionable updates, adding a vinyl roof, Harry Moss radio and Revolution wheels. He enjoyed the car considerably, the mileage total increasing from 53, 892 at time of purchase to 85, 303 by October 1982 when it was deemed necessary to replace the engine. At around the same time, the ageing chassis needed renewal so a Lotus Replacement ('LR908') was fitted, with the DVLC being advised in order to update their records.
In the early 1980s, the Elan was gifted to the owner's son, its keeper ever since. While never completely 'mothballed', the car enjoyed a period of almost complete inactivity for many years until 2017 when it was decided to undertake some mechanical refurbishment in order to return it to the road. In excess of £11, 000 was spent on bringing the car to a condition where it could be MoT'd and used again, albeit sparingly, with only 200 miles covered since.
While the Elan was undergoing repairs, it was viewed by another Shapecraft owner, who was able to authenticate the body conversion. An interesting observation was made regarding the lower roofline, which, until '26/ 5808' was discovered, was thought to exist only on the very first example before being raised on subsequent conversions. In late 2023, the Elan was subject to further mechanical refurbishment, although very little work was required for it to pass the MoT test again. Since then it has been exercised regularly and is running very sweetly.
Accompanying the car is the aforementioned invoice from 1973; recent maintenance invoices; the green logbook listing all the previous owners; and a current V5C document. There are also copies of email communications; a letter from Club Lotus chairman Graham Arnold, confirming this car to be a Shapecraft; and an online article chronicling Shapecraft's history and providing a register of known survivors. Unknown to the register and assumed lost many years ago, this is a truly historic find!
