• Only 3 owners in 51 years • Recently painted & mechanically exceptional
• Vast amounts of paperwork
• Refreshed interior
• Chassis replaced • Tax and Mot exempt
The Background
The epitome of Colin Chapman's theory of 'Add lightness' this series of Lotus Elan weighed in at under 700kg delivering a superb power-to-weight ratio giving a real edge to the design and ability of the era.
Fabricated using a steel chassis and fiberglass shell (or body) gave the Elan a super rigid feel yet retaining as little weight as possible. This allowed the 1.6L Ford derived and vastly improved engine to propel this lightweight sports car along in a way that would even now still feel impressive.
This particular Elan is not short on history and it all started in 1970 when it was bought new in Cardiff. The first owner used the car very little and we discovered that around its sale in 1981 the MOT certificate was marked at a very low 1900 miles.
After that it was then owned for approximately 36 years by a mechanic who had the chassis replaced in 1984 (this can be seen by a small plate on the chassis leg under the bonnet). It was also re-painted in its original white in 1984.
The current owner and vendor purchased the vehicle in 2017 sparing no expense and in their ownership has spent in the region of £6,600 not just in fastidious maintenance but also in greatly improving the overall aesthetics of the car, treating it to a fresh coat of paint, now two-tone blue on Silver and an overhaul of the interior.
Virtually nothing is missing regarding paperwork with this elan. It comes with a hugely impressive collection of MOT certificates (possibly every single one, though we did not count), tax discs and receipts for copious amounts of maintenance.
We did see evidence of an engine overhaul, a new hood in 2013, full repaint in 2017 and a new wiring loom complete with dashboard.
Also the original workshop manual that came with the vehicle was present and in superb shape along with the V5 document registered to the vendor.
It is fair to say the interior wasn’t far off being faultless. Having had new carpets, dashboard and the seats retrimmed in the last 4 years and only covering a handful of miles, the overall feel is crisp and clean but still retaining an original feel.
The instruments worked perfectly and the vendor pointed out the speedo was 100% accurate using GPS. The original steering wheel and gear knob remained and were in lovely condition too.
Recently finished in a high quality Lotus original colour scheme Blue on Silver, we were impressed how tidy this car was. The stainless exhaust looked the part, was highly polished and sounded incredible too.
All the wheels were in great condition and the tyres too. Having also had a new hood in 2013 this was in excellent shape, had clear windows, fitted tightly and when on the road it did not let any rain in whatsoever.
This is where this little lotus really shone! We had the opportunity to inspect it on a ramp and it was immediately clear it had been highly maintained and rarely saw the elements. The entire underside had been sealed, not recently so as to hide things but had clearly been done well some time ago to preserve.
All the bushings looked nice and tight and we also noticed the driveline donuts were also new giving real peace of mind.
The engine started on the button and didn’t emit any smoke on the throttle. The overall engine exterior was dry and leak free with the exception of some oil residue on the sump that we think is very normal for the age of a car.
Out on the road she drove perfectly, no rattles or knocks, just pure ear to ear grins as it zipped along with no effort and a firm grip on the road...Bliss!
Chances are if you are looking to buy a Lotus Elan, you won’t need much convincing of what is so good about these iconic sports cars.
A revvy 1600cc twin cam engine mounted in a car that weighs as much as a bag of Walkers crisps, mated with rear wheel drive and a snappy 4 speed gearbox, this car was designed for the UK and to be either taken to shows or driven briskly, whatever the case there is guaranteed smiles from not just the driver, but any passer-by!
Notice to bidders
Although every care is taken to ensure this listing is as factual and transparent as possible, all details within the listing are subject to the information provided to us by the seller. Car & Classic does not take responsibility for any information missing from the listing. Please ensure you are satisfied with the vehicle description and all information provided before placing a bid.
As is normal for most auctions, this vehicle is sold as seen, and therefore the Sale of Goods Act 1979 does not apply. All bids are legally binding once placed. Any winning bidder who withdraws from a sale, is subject to our bidders fee charge. Please see our FAQs and T&C's for further information. Viewings of vehicles are encouraged, but entirely at the seller's discretion.
Il modo più sicuro per acquistare un'auto d'epoca online
Il sistema di pagamento sicuro di Car & Classic protegge acquirenti e venditori. Al termine dell'asta, l'offerente vincente trasferisce il pagamento su un conto vincolato di terzi. Una volta completato il trasferimento del veicolo, entrambe le parti confermano di essere soddisfatte della vendita e il denaro viene rilasciato al venditore.
Maggiori informazioni su come acquistare con noi
1970 Lotus Elan DHC S4
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