Clan Elan

[lotusflasherman]

This is an open letter to Moderators and Elan owners prompted by one of our members struggling around France with a duff injector....

Background:

On the DVD "Evora, The Making of a Modern Icon" Roger Becker says 'when you buy a Lotus you don't just buy a car, you become part of a family' ...

At our 30th Birthday Bash at Castle Combe it was evident that M100 owners are the closest, friendliest family within the big Lotus family, and it was also great to meet Barrie Wills there.
Barrie played a key role in the development of the M100 (but completely ignored by Hughes in his book) and was great to talk with him about M100's and his time at Reliant ...

I mentioned to Barrie that I ran two Scimitar GTE's, from 1974 to 1990, and was a member of a great Owners Club - RSSOC - Reliant Sabre and Scimitar Owners Club. Founder and Chairman Robin Rew had a unit on Silverstone Circuit.
His company 'sharpened Scimitar and Sabres' and published an entertaining monthly magazine called SLICE. No internet or mobile phones then so the magazine was our only 'What's On' for local club activities, which were numerous.
Such things as a member wanting to do a body off restoration holding a Bar-B-Q with beer so 8 or more members were there to lift the body off ... and again later when it needed to be lifted back on..

In 1986 I went to buy an Elite but bought my Eclat Riviera instead and joined Club Lotus - which was not a great owners club then. Stuck up and Snooty are two words that come to mind.

Whilst Slice clearly promoted Robin's company, it also had in the back pages a Directory of all the dealers and tuning companies for the Ford engines, very useful, ... and the best idea - a Directory of "Scimaritans"

Scimaritans were RSSOC members who were prepared to help out fellow owners in trouble, in any way ... use of tools not usually carried, a garage to work in, loan of parts, provide overnight accommodation - perhaps just a garden to camp in, etc etc..

Proposal:

Basically for moderators ... Can we set up a Board as a Regional Directory of members who are prepared to provide a similar service... as Clan is an extended family, I've called the post 'Clan Elan' as I cannot think of anything as neat as Scimaritan for Scimitar owners..

Suggestions welcome for a better name...

I'm in Suffolk with a big collection of spares, a complete SE on SORN, and a large garden available for camping - even have some tents...
I'm also virtually on the route most European owners would use if they crossed the Channel for a trip to Hethel and I'd hate to think of somebody limping along with a duff injector when I have a spare sitting here...

Think you've probably got the idea so I'll post this to open the debate ...

[Saltire]

I’m in!

I may not have many Elan spares, but I have a reasonable selection of tools, a double garage, an accommodating wife, and a friendly classic car mechanic who knows Elans and has a two-post lift with premises less than 1/2 mile away

Shout if you’re in the North Wiltshire/Gloucestershire area and you need anything.

[Rambo]

Good name. As long as the well known and established "Clan McElan" co-exists under the larger banner and doesn't seek independence !!

[Brit-Car-Nut]

Maybe reverse the words to be Elan Clan? That way it probably doesn't impinge on many others also adding Group would make it more unique?

[Andy_J]

More than happy to add my name to the list.
I have a few parts knocking around from the red Elan I dismantled a few years ago.
Got plenty of space for parking/working on cars and I am on the NC500. Can only offer camping space at the moment as I am renovating part of the house, but accommodation will be available in a couple of years

[GeoffSmith]

Before I was elevated to the dizzy heights of fiddledom, I laboriously cut and pasted the member list page by page (while waiting for IT support to remotely fix my work computer) and extracted what addresses I could. Google-Al stuck them on a Google map but that died when he stopped hosting the Wiki. I am on another forum where they have allowed members to add (and change) addresses (as accurately or vaguely as they like) to a map and it really is good. I will make some enquiries.

[uk08462]

Read this post and thought it was actually about Clan's, here is my Crusader from the 1980's.

I've been on their page on FB and contributing to their current debate about their failing owners club. I pointed them in the direction of LEC as a thriving online community which is a far more moden way of operating than the more magazine led traditional approach that they are wedded to but "a lot of our members are not online" highlighted what their issue is, I think....

[lotusflasherman]

Maybe reverse the words to be Elan Clan? That way it probably doesn't impinge on many others also adding Group would make it more unique?

'Clan' is usually before the family name. These are my forefathers so don't argue .. wikipedia: Clan Johnstone

[Brit-Car-Nut]

I understand that, but found several links to Clan Elan when I searched it on Google and thought that it would impinge on another's group or family.

[Rambo]

So, you have some real Scottish blood in you Phil. And your own tartan. In that case I will give you one of my Clan McElan stickers

And I live in your old stamping ground of the Scottish Borders. I'm pleased to hear that you only raped and pillaged the English and not your rival Clans

[HJ2]

Maybe reverse the words to be Elan Clan? That way it probably doesn't impinge on many others also adding Group would make it more unique?

'Clan' is usually before the family name. These are my forefathers so don't argue .. wikipedia: Clan Johnstone

So it's not " Lotusflasherclan" ?

[Rambo]

Maybe reverse the words to be Elan Clan? That way it probably doesn't impinge on many others also adding Group would make it more unique?

'Clan' is usually before the family name. These are my forefathers so don't argue .. wikipedia: Clan Johnstone

So it's not " Lotusflasherclan" ?

[lotusflasherman]

I'm pleased to hear that you only raped and pillaged the English and not your rival Clans

Any books on the Border Reivers, such as The Steel Bonnets, would suggest otherwise. Plenty of forays to Carlisle for rich pickings but Clan Moffat and Clan Maxwell were severly reduced in numbers. The Devil's Beef Tub was usually full of cattle 'borrowed' from neighbouring Clans.

Did you watch the TV series The Borderers in 1970? Makes the Nasty Neighbours programmes look like happy families...

[Saltire]

I'm pleased to hear that you only raped and pillaged the English and not your rival Clans

Did you watch the TV series The Borderers in 1970? Makes the Nasty Neighbours programmes look like happy families...

I remember that series. All my Scottish relatives thought it was absolutely historically accurate. And all the English ones thought it had a totally skewed perspective . . .

[GeoffSmith]

Moved to new topic area.

[JusNoGood]

Great idea Phil.

I'm J8 M25 (Reigate). I've not got any spare injectors but do have garage, tools, some parts and a large garden for tents too - but will try and offer more depending on what is happening in the house.

I'm considering a road trip to Scotland at some point so it would be reassuring knowing I had help if I need it

[Rambo]

There are some very clever and knowledgeable M100 owners in Clan McElan......no particular order.... Par, Jamie the seal, JohnW....who are renowned for their inventiveness and spannering capabilities. They are the premiership and I count myself in the 2nd division but I can always help out in many other ways

[par]

While I would consider myself more Sunday Pub League standard than Premier League, wouldn't like to see anyone stuck. So would be prepared to help out (if possible) anyone who ventures up this neck of the woods, if they run into problems.

[John_W]

I'm considering a road trip to Scotland at some point so it would be reassuring knowing I had help if I need it

You do! Just let us know when you’re coming. Even if you don’t need help, a meet-up could be arranged.

We’ve put up a few other Elan owners over the years, so if anybody fancies a trip to Aberdeen let me know.

John

[JusNoGood]

I'm considering a road trip to Scotland at some point so it would be reassuring knowing I had help if I need it

You do! Just let us know when you’re coming. Even if you don’t need help, a meet-up could be arranged.

We’ve put up a few other Elan owners over the years, so if anybody fancies a trip to Aberdeen let me know.

John

Thanks for that John. I would love to meet up.

In your view what is the best time of year to drive around Scotland? I'm thinking of May/June, prior to the schools breaking up or September when the kids have gone back to school. The wife is warning me about the midges We won't be camping so is that really a worry?