Potential return to Elan ownership

[ab2cv]

Hi all,

Having owned an S2 Elan between 2004 and 2011 (Palacio, but affectionately known as 'Ribena') I find myself drawn towards the Elan once more - with all the usual regrets of I wish I'd never sold it etc. Sadly Ribena was written off shortly after I sold it so no chance of being reunited (unless someone has bought any spare parts from Douglas Valley Breakers recently!).

I find it's the people I miss just as much as the car and I still have fond memories of Donington in 2005 and 2009 and Malvern in 2010, not to mention numerous shows like the Callander Classics.

I've started my search far and wide, and am prepared to travel anywhere in the UK for the right car. With this in mind, I was wondering if there are any members in or around Hertfordshire that would be prepared to view a potential purchase for me? If so, please PM me and I'll pass on the details. Thanks.

Alan

[Artaban]

Good luck in your search. Are there any "must haves" in the car you are looking for? e.g. must it be another S2. Preferred budget?
You may coax me or someone else on here to part with theirs and I am sure people would want their car to go to a good home.

I can sympathise with you on your car passing to someone who wrote it off. My first Lotus was a Elan +2s/130 that I'd spent a fortune on and sold it to a student in London who promptly wrote it off. Later I had an Esprit Sport 350 that I sold (big regret) and later I heard the new owner had completely smashed that up as well. Would be nice to part with it to an enthusiast.

Andy

[ab2cv]

Good luck in your search. Are there any "must haves" in the car you are looking for? e.g. must it be another S2. Preferred budget?

Thanks for your reply Andy. My dream garage would contain a NMY Elan M100 parked next to a Calypso Red Esprit SE Turbo. I just missed out on Trigs yellow Elan SE that came up for sale recently. I'm not fussed whether it's an SE or an S2 as the age difference is no longer significant and condition far more important. Having had a more unusual colour Elan in the past I'm looking for a more 'classic' colour this time round (having said that I'm not a fan of BRG!). Yellow, white or red in that order. £6000 budget although could stretch for something special. I don't mind modifications as long as they're the 'sensible' mods that most forum members would do, such as exhaust, chip, brakes, gear cables, samco coolant hoses etc. My old S2 had a Peco exhaust, samco hoses, clear indicators and I was planning to add Hispecs front and rear just before I decided to sell it. I used to think that S2 wheels were a must but lately the SE wheels have been growing on me. I would miss not having a Nardi steering wheel though! Interior wise, not fussed here either as I expect this to need refurbished if it hasn't already been done. I'm also quite particular when it comes to history / documentation / receipts so the more of this, the better.

Alan

[rip]

I can sympathise with you on your car passing to someone who wrote it off.

IIRC, it was not wrecklessness which caused this, it was an unfortunate incident. Still sad to see something you cherished then sell on suffer in this way.

[theelanman]

cant remember if it was GUK who bought this or not....?????
I remember his ending up upside down due to a rear tyre letting go and sending him off the road
and that was a palacio......

[dapinky]

cant remember if it was GUK who bought this or not....?????
I remember his ending up upside down due to a rear tyre letting go and sending him off the road
and that was a palacio......

Your memory (and eyesight) are up the spout!

GUK had his misshap years before Ribena got wrecked - and Grahams was Medina!!!!

[theelanman]

cant remember if it was GUK who bought this or not....?????
I remember his ending up upside down due to a rear tyre letting go and sending him off the road
and that was a palacio......

Your memory (and eyesight) are up the spout!

GUK had his misshap years before Ribena got wrecked - and Grahams was Medina!!!!

eee......you know....now you mention it......it was green.......and yes it was a long time ago.....

[Artaban]

Alan,
I'll probably have to do a detailed ad in the For Sale section at some point but if you are in this direction mine would be worth a look at. I purchased it in Jan 2010 with not much in the way of service history so i passed it over to Steve at SJ's and asked him to look over it and if it was worth keeping for him to spend circa £2,500 on it straight away where he thought it needed it most. It was high mileage but he said it had obviously been looked after and it was a shame a lot of the history was missing. Since purchasing it I've now spent around £15,000 improving it (receipts to prove). The next project is to replace the rear wishbones and I have acquired some mint stainless steel ones for that purpose. Its now done 143,000 but drives better than it ever did as I replace/improve/upgrade the various components. This isn't an extensive list but its got:
New IHI (not rebuilt) turbo, turbo oil pipes and manifold in 2010
New PNM (cybox) SS exhaust with extra silencer; really good low level rumble
Hi Specs front and PNM rear brakes with new discs and pads
Wheels refurbished last year with new Toyo T1R's all round
Mountain chip upgrade with the V5 switcher
Refurbished leather interior by Leathercare Renovations; new foam etc circa £600
While the seats were out I checked the outriggers which were OK and waxoyled that whole area and replaced the sound insulation with closed cell foam
New A pillar seals and windscreen surround
Doors dismantled and all components services and restored, drivers window motor, drivers door lock mechanism, all window seals (inside and out)
Replaced door carpets with grey alcantara on thin perspex (look much better)
The headlights have been completely rebuilt with new parts and all stainless steel fixings. Just rebuilt both headlight motors.
Many parts painted or powder coated, bonnet lining replaced and with Lotus logo
Rocker cover stripped, painted, ISUZU removed, new head gasket (around 2009), just about to install 4 new fuel injectors.
Hall effect sensor replaced last year
New Toad alarm
New Sony stereo, bluetooth etc
Cambelt and water pump were done last summer, base timing set at the same time.
Lots of other things I've done but I just can't remember at the moment. I have a massive folder full of receipts.
Lotus Club Insurance Valuation was £12,000 in 2013 but I'm happy with circa £6,500 (£6,000 if I supply the wishbones but don't have to put them on). I can also supply powder coated front wishbones as well.
Sorry no Nardi steering wheel and as you can see its Calypso Red.
PNM do the servicing on it so you could always ring them up and get their opinion. Pete and John are quite happy to talk to anyone about it.
A few pics until I can do a proper advert. The reason I'm thinking of selling it is because I start a new job on the 5th May and for the first time in 30 years it doesn't come with a company car so I have to look around for something sensible; something with a V12 in it.

[Rob P]

Was this car not taken out by an Audi Q8, I seem to remember looking at a purple car that was for sale and it then suddenly disappeared off the face of the earth only to appear in DVB with lots of damage

[Rambo]

I think so. The guy was a Glesgae car dealer and had it up for sale and it got mysteriously written off after weeks and weeks of no sale. Make your mind up about that one. I, for one, thought it very suspicious

[Scott J]

Alan, the Borders Teuchter Tosser has 3 Elans so he says and i'm sure you can bargain a good deal if you lace him with malts and take him around the hairy triangle (though I hear its not so hairy these days)