Highlights
Will come with a fresh 12 months MOT
- Rare S4 SE in classic red and retaining all factory features
- 3,000 miles since extensive cosmetic and mechanical rebuild in 2019
- Work included respray, brake overhaul, new dashboard and other work
- Chassis refurbished and powder coated in 1990s
- Full engine rebuild to correct factory specification in 2015
- Part of a small classic car collection by enthusiast seller
- Voluntary MOT to June 2025 with no advisories
- Very tidy and highly presented SE
The Appeal
Even Colin Chapman, famed for his obsession with lightness, was prepared to make a few concessions to luxury. Towards the end of Elan production, that meant the ‘Special Equipment’ SE model, featuring such mod cons as electric windows, inertia reel belts, and a carpeted boot. The SE notably received better brakes, a long-standing issue with earlier cars. And, of course, it was still light as a feather and therefore utterly brilliant to drive.
Less than 500 of the 3,000 Series 4 models produced are believed to have been SEs. That makes this strikingly red 1970 example rare and, with those improvements, desirable as well. It has been highly cherished by its collector-keeper who acquired it in 2017. Since then he has treated it to a full respray, brake overhaul, new dashboard, new clutch slave cylinder, battery and alternator. It also benefits from a 2015 full engine rebuild and earlier chassis renovation. It has covered less than 3,000 miles since the later work was completed.
The car is pleasingly factory-correct, retaining the array of details that set good Elans apart, such as the knock-off wheels, bucket seats and correct colouring and badging. There is even a factory-correct leather-rimmed wheel rather than the more common aftermarket wood versions.
It is a testament to the current keeper’s approach that the car comes to market with a voluntary MOT valid until June 2025. Naturally, there are no advisories and we expect a new MOT to be advisory-free too. That independent assessment adds further reassurance to the buyer that this is a very good, factory-correct example of one of Britain’s very best sports cars.
The vendor says:
“The engine starts on the touch of the starter, it is a standard SE engine, it has the letter H stamped on the engine, indicating it has the high compression SE engine. It performs extremely well.
“This a very fast car with excellent power assisted brakes to stop you. The gearbox is smooth and precise a joy to drive. The car handles extremely well, steering is precise and pin-sharp.”
History and Paperwork
- Registered new on 1 March 1970
- Eight registered UK keepers
- French registration documents indicate time spent on the continent
- Repatriated to the UK in 2015
- Current keeper since November 2017
- Restored in 2019 including full respray, new dashboard, and brake overhaul
- Receipts available for recent work, including an engine overhaul around 2015
- Reported restoration in the early 1990s on a powder-coated chassis
- Original handbook supplied
- Factory workshop manual
- MOT and tax exempt
- V5 present in the owner’s name
- HPI clear
- Voluntary MOT to 25th June 2026 with no advisories
- 78,931 miles showing on test and now showing 78,795 miles in photos
- Part of a collection and vendor states that this was the best car
- Various invoices documenting maintenance as shown
SE model features:
- Servo brakes
- Knock-off wheels
- Inertia reel seatbelts
- Electric windows
- Carpeted boot area
Recent work since 2019:
- Full respray in correct factory red
- New dashboard
- Brake calipers
- Brake discs and pads
- Brake master cylinder
- Brake slave cylinder
- Clutch slave cylinder
- New battery
- Alternator
The Condition
- Resprayed in the original red colour scheme in 2019 and continues to present well
- Any areas of blistering or microbubbles (as shown in photos) have now been professionally restored and no longer show
- Pillars, sills and other vulnerable paint areas in good order
- Factory standard car with silver bumpers and correct lights and badging
- Bodywork in very good order with good panel fit and no obvious cracks
- Small area of damage to bodywork beside nearside headlight shroud has been professionally repaired
- Roof in very good condition with clear screen and folding and operating correctly
- Black painted steel wheels with correct SE knock off spinners
- Matching quality classic Vredestein 15in tyres all round showing good tread
- Chrome work in very good order with bullet mirrors fitted to both sides
- Lights present well to front, back and sides with no reported damage or functional issues
- Undersealed underside with no structural advisories on current MOT
- Chassis refurbished and powder-coated in 1990s according to seller
- Factory standard SE interior with black vinyl bucket seats in very good order
- Interior features a new dashboard and functioning electric windows
- Dashboard veneers are very pretty and well kept as shown
- Correct leather-rimmed three spoke factory wheel with Colin Chapman signature
- Lotus wooden gear knob as shown
- No radio fitted but in a car like this, you surely don’t want one
- Black carpets to cabin and boot and cubby behind seats in great shape
- Neat and tidy boot with a fresh steel spare wheel
- No reported faults with electrics, dials, lighting or switchgear
The Mechanics
- 1,588cc Lotus twin cam engine to factory specification
- H stamped engine indicating this is the high compression SE motor
- Twin SU carburettors
- Very tidy engine bay as shown with black cam tops
- 4spd manual gearbox
- Limited slip differential
- Engine fires enthusiastically and pulls strongly according to seller
- Refreshed brakes are effective for a car of its age
- Maintenance records show significant care and attention in recent years
- Recent components replaced since 2019 as detailed above
- 195 psi compression on all cylinders according to seller
- No reported running or driving issues
- Voluntary current MOT with no advisories
- Will come with a fresh 12 months MOT
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