Dimensions

[SteveF1]

Hi all,
Newbie alert.
Hoping to buy a S2 very soon. Use to have one about 20 years ago, should never have sold it I have what might be a radom question.
If someone has time, I am looking for 3 measurements-
Underside of drivers door to the ground at hinge side, middle and open edge of the door.
i have a concrete plinth in my garage I need to make sure the door will open over it so that I can get out . I hope it does or I will have to make some major alterations to my garage LOL!
Hope someone can help!
Thanks Steve

[MPx]

Welcome (back?) Steve. My car is a bit hard to get at, but its Castle Combe next Saturday so it will be retrieved for that. If no one else has replied by the end of the week I'll do the measure then. Of course the car is 30 years old on original suspension so I'm guessing will have sagged a bit - probably more clearance on one with new springs/shocks.

[Tuga2112]

the short answer is "it depends"

that specific measurement will depend on the car you buy and how sagged the suspension is in it.

if i told you my figure and you relied on it it would be risky, as my car has new shocks and springs and its been set to the factory ride height, which is "very high" to most unexperienced eyes. as you may find the vast majority of M100s are running lower than factory due to the age sag.


however, i am NOT going to be a bearer of only bad news.

because if you get yourself a few planks of wood, you can drive over them when getting in the graage and make the car stand higher, which will make it easier to get in/out of it anyway.

[SteveF1]

Thanks for the replys, fully understand about the possible discrepancies, I am off the see the car tomorrow morning so can take the measurements whilst there, I guess I was being inpatient and excited….hence my post. .
I like the idea about fixing a couple of planks on the floor that might just work, I am hoping I don’t need to do anything….. but lets see… I will let you know.
So looking forward to getting back in an Elan again its been a while, I remember the fun I had..open top motoring “here we come” and just in time for the better weather!.
By the way the concrete plinth is 33cm high.
Many thanks again, will post poc of car when if I buy it.
Regards Steve.

[simonbuk]

It sounds like you've already set your heart on it - don't buy the first one you see !! (Unless it's brilliant and/or it's really close )

You could put a link to it to see if anybody knows it ? Sometimes people know it or have gone to see it already.....

[SteveF1]

Hi Simon,
Its with UK sports cars, medina Green, reg M100 TRO
Apparently used to be Paul Matty’s wife car at some point..!
It looks good in pics and I have spoken to them they say it really is a suberb example.

https://www.uksportscars.com/view/lotus ... 41k-miles/

Regards Steve

[Simon_P]

About 12" -13" not allowing for the curvature of the earth or variations in atmospheric pressure

By the way the concrete plinth is 33cm high.

Thats going to be close - You'll just have to buy it and find out.

[dapinky]

Pretending to be a mathematician and physicist I would say to just put a plank along the side where the plinth is...... that way, the angles will work in your favour and the gap will increase as the door opens. You'd be really annoyed if you got so used to it all that one day you had stuff in the boot making the car lower and hit the brickwork...... but it would mean fighting against the weight of the door whenever you opened it.

I'd be looking at options involving a Kango hammer!

[SteveF1]

Yeap will be close…!
The garage slopes down gradually by 3 inches from the entrance, so I could build a false floor to bring up to the same level as driveway.
Think the plank is favourable at the mo… will just have to see how close it is.
Thanks for everyone’s kind assistance.
Does anyone know of the car in question?
UK sports cars seem like a reputable specialist.

[Saltire]

Just measured my S2, drivers door (RHD). A pillar end, 300mm ground to bottom of door. B pillar end 313mm ground to bottom of door. Standard springs, replacement (Avo) dampers on standard settings.

Sounds like plank time! Alternatively, have you thought about reversing the car into the garage (assuming there isn’t a hump both sides)? I always reverse in to give myself a bit more room to alight; it’s a habit I picked up in my Elise days.

UK Sports Cars are long established Lotus specialists, and their cars seem of good quality whenever I’ve looked at them. However, their prices are usually quite . . . erm, optimistic. £18K is top money for an S2, even with that low a mileage and the provenance quoted. Having said that, all the scheduled service items look to have been covered recently. I wonder what the window seals are like?

Good luck!

[SteveF1]

Thanks for the measurements Saltire, yep does look like plank time at least for the interim,
I am reversing in, my garage is quite narrow which doesn’t help… LOL. I just sold a 1982 XR3 which went in ok and I could open the door to the plinth and still get out, but the elan is slightly wider. So if I drive in I definitely will not get out!. Maybe I will end up cutting a section of of the plinth but wanted to avoid that…Its going to be fun ,
I did think the car was on the expensive side, will see how the land lies when I get there!
Cheers…. Steve

[SteveF1]

There is always this one but is it good to buy one with such low mileage?
And basically £4k more
Whats the consensus?

[SteveF1]

There is always this one but is it good to buy one with such low mileage?
And basically £4k more
Whats the consensus?

https://www.carandclassic.com/l/C1706415

Sorry here is the link

[simonbuk]

Personally I don't think they are worth twice as much because they have low mileage (ok that second one is incredibly low mileage), but if you start to use it you will devalue it quite quickly. If you pay 20K it needs to remain a garage queen/museum piece.

Plently of good £10-12K cars out there to enjoy and reasonable £7-9K cars to drive about without worrying about losing money on them.

But it all depends on your budget and what you're willing to pay .

[Saltire]

I must say I agree with Simon. I would add that the red car is clearly a “garage queen” if it only has 7,000 miles in 30+ years. But things like rubber seals, bushes etc still deteriorate on the basis of age, not mileage. And if I buy a classic car, I do so to use it, not to tuck it away in a dehumidified garage and look at it, especially if it’s at the MG/Lotus/Triumph end of the market. If you’re buying, say, a 1930s Bentley, then it’s a bit different.

TBH, if I were looking to buy a(nother) Elan now, I’d be searching out a decent example owned by an enthusiast, preferably someone from this forum, LDC, or Club Lotus, and I’d buy on condition, rather than age and mileage.

[SteveF1]

Many thanks.
I had my reservations about the red one.
Let you know how I get on with the one at UK sports cars
Thanks again
Regards Steve