The previous owner was a keen collector of classic vintage cars, and was custodian of over 35 years
Meticulously restored 15 years ago with a new steel chassis
Original cylinder head rebuilt with big valves and engine modifications, including unleaded conversion
Lotus Heritage Certificate of Provenance included
Advisory-free MOT until August 2025
The Appeal
Regarded as the quintessential and perhaps greatest of all British open-topped sports cars, the original Lotus Elan offers one of the finest driving experiences money can buy. This tiny fibreglass roadster was the testbed for the world-beating Ford Kent-based Lotus Twin Cam engine, and it is known to have inspired the Mazda MX-5 in later years. The Elan was the purest roadgoing embodiment of its creator Colin Chapman's "Simplify and add lightness" philosophy, a concept that would win him and Lotus seven Formula One Constructors' Championships.
We're delighted to offer one of the oldest surviving examples of the original Elan S1 which was in previous ownership for 35 years.
The previous owner being a keen collector of classic vintage cars. It’s understood he sold as found it had remained younger than his years. During his ownership, the car underwent a complete 'nut and bolt' rebuild. The condition is remarkable, nothing is left to chance; everything required to keep this stunning condition was undertaken whilst ensuring the vehicle was kept as new as possible to the original specification. A new steel backbone chassis was fitted, while the original cylinder head was rebuilt with big valves and other recommended engine modifications.
With only around 900 Type 26 S1s produced, this car is an ultra-rare piece of Hethel history. The original Lotus Sales Sheet suggests this example was sold in component form, common for early Elans, many of which were finished by their owners in order to avoid a hefty purchase tax. Seldom do such early, original Elans come to market and this one comes with unrivalled provenance and in impeccable condition.image.png2.41 MB
The History and Paperwork
Registration number 921 YNN, a London Central registration issued on 1 July 1963
Duplicate Engine No. 3058, confirmed by Lotus Archives
Previous owner for 35 years; restored 15 years ago
MOT until 8th August 2025
Exempt from MOT and road tax
V5C present
Lotus Sales Sheet including invoice numbers for the chassis/body unit and the engine, indicating that the car was sold in component form
Lotus Heritage Certificate of Provenance
54,185 miles indicated
The vendor offers the following chassis information:
Registration 921 YNN
VIN: 26/ 3090
Type: 26 – Elan 1600 (Series 1)
Series 3 – Confirmed by Unit No
Unit No: 3090
Chassis No: 113
Body No: 101
Colour Code: Sunburst Yellow. No Lotus code. A Ford and an Elite colour.
Engine No: 140 (This Engine No is a duplicate to that fitted in 26/ 3058)
Engine Type: LP – Lotus Power Weber carbs
Invoice Date: 21 June 1963
First Owner: Mr FL Cocker
The vendor adds:
"Around 900 Lotus Elan Type 26 S1s were produced between 1962 and 1964. The Elan S1 was the first version of the Elan, and was powered by a Lotus Ford twin-cam engine with 100–105 brake horsepower. All of them were roadsters (Drop Head), and a hard top became available from 1963.
"The total number of Lotus Elans produced is not known exactly, but John Bolster's book The Lotus Elan and Europa: A Collector's Guide estimates that 12,224 were made. This estimate includes: 7,895 S1–3 models, 2,976 S4 models, and 1,353 Sprint models."
Impeccably presented and highly original throughout
The restoration continues to hold up very well
The fibreglass bodywork appears in excellent order
Glossy paint finish and chrome with minimal imperfections visible in the photographs
OEM steel wheels complete with Lotus hubcaps and equipped with Goodyear radial tyres
Soft top present and in great condition, with clear PVC windows
Black interior in superb condition with no notable wear to the seat upholstery
Beautiful veneered dashboard with no obvious delamination
Engineering excellence aside, was there ever such a cute car to behold as an early Lotus Elan?! With its pop-up headlamps and jolly pastel paint colours, these are undeniably pretty little cars. And we do mean little. Out of context, you don't quite realise how small an Elan is, but park one next to even an original Fiat 500, and you realise it's one of the daintiest cars ever made. That made it exceedingly light, weighing in at just 584 kilograms!
As the photographs attest, this car continues to present beautifully and has clearly been very well-kept since the restoration. Fibreglass can be a challenging material to paint, prone to cracks, bubbling and 'spidering', but this Elan looks utterly fantastic with no notable wear visible or reported. There are of course some very slight imperfections visible on close inspection, and a little pitting to the chrome door handles, but certainly nothing major to report. The interior is similarly smart and very original, even down to the unlabelled Lucas switchgear; you have to live with an Elan to know what they all do!
Original cylinder head rebuilt with big valves and amongst other subtle (recommended) engine modifications
Lead-free cylinder head conversion, including hardened valve seats
All oil seals replaced during engine rebuild
New steel backbone chassis
Equipped with four-corner disc brakes from Girling
Pristine engine compartment
Some say that nothing comes close to the experience of driving a Lotus Elan, and we must say that we're inclined to agree. With such low mass, the power-to-weight ratio worked out to around 156 bhp per ton, while well-balanced weight distribution facilitated fantastic handling. The rifle-bolt-like gear change is addictive, and you could corner with pin-point accuracy too, as the Elan was blessed with steering described as "perfect" by none other than Gordon Murray.
This example is reportedly in very good health, as the engine has been rebuilt to a high standard with bigger valves and a few other subtle upgrades to ensure reliable performance. While exempt from MOT as a historic vehicle, the Lotus has been voluntarily submitted for testing, resulting in an advisory-free pass.
This sale is subject to the Car & Classic Terms and Conditions. By bidding and/or making an offer, you also agree to the following:
✓ The seller is registered as a private seller which means consumer rights stemming from EU consumer protection law do not come into effect. However, you are still covered by Car & Classic’s own Terms and Conditions..
✓ We request that a non-refundable fee be paid if you are the lucky winning bidder at auction or if your offer is accepted Please refer to our helpful FAQs and T&Cs for specific rates.
✓ This vehicle is “Sold As Seen”, on an “As Is Where Is’ basis and without warranty. Photos and descriptions are solely for guidance purposes and it's customary to carry out a full inspection of the vehicle prior to purchase for your own peace of mind.
✓ VAT is included in the buyer's fee. VAT may or may not be included in the final bid or offer price, as specified in the listing.
✓ We want a smooth transaction just as much as you do and as such we run all UK-registered cars and motorbikes for sale on Car & Classic through an online HPI check to verify that they show no insurance database markers for damage or theft, and have no finance owing, allowing you to bid with confidence.
✓ We also check whether vehicles are recorded as being written off as part of an insurance total loss claim at the time an advert is placed on Car & Classic and we helpfully provide write-off category labels (Cat C/D/S/N) for your assistance. However, the presence or absence of a label does not guarantee the vehicle’s status and it is always worthwhile carrying out your own full vehicle history check before making an offer on a vehicle.
✓ Buyers are responsible for vehicle collection
or delivery. Importing vehicles may result in additional customs duties and import taxes so it’s worth checking beforehand..
