M200 wheels

[quentin]

Hi everybody,
Not new here but haven't posted since I upgraded my SE Elan a few years ago.
Before considering refurbishing my 15" alloys given their poor value (and look IMO), I had a look to other wheels.
The only one I like much better are the ones used on the M200, which are obviously period correct, which is important to me.
Probably 16" but not that sure; maybe their design leads to a totally different perception on the same 15" basis.
They look pretty similar to the OZ crono from the Venturi 260 LM (sorry I'm French ) but does anybody have any information on these ?

PS : actually using the Hi Spec 15", I was also wondering if only the disc changed between the 15" and 16" conversion kits, or callipers as well ?

Many other French owners within the Club Lotus France hang around here, and we support you !!
Thyank you for alle the resources

[HJ2]

Hi!

You should ask Henri-Elan, as he knows the owner. Perhaps he can bring you in contact, but don't blame Henri if the owner does not want to...

[quentin]

Thank you
he will soon get a PM

[Giniw]

Hello,
I for one think they look like the wheels from the Esprit Sport 350 ...
Not sure if that helps, though!

[JMP]

(sorry I'm French )

No need to feel sorry about that ... OK, you made a reference to a French car (Venturi) that is quite confidential.

Now, about the look of the wheels, 15" wheels look indeed poor when they are tatty. But once refurbished and with the correct Ruote O.Z. sticker, I just think that the genuine design is great!

I even consider that the design of those wheels or the very similar one of the federal wheels suit the car better than the one of the S2 wheels.

Just a personal opinion, of course.

[lotos]

Hello,
I for one think they look like the wheels from the Esprit Sport 350 ...
Not sure if that helps, though!

I think you're right! Nice catch.

[lotusflasherman]

The book of the Lotus Elan by Mark Hughes published in '92 has a few pages on the M200 and on page 181 says they are 17" O.Z. wheels with specially developed 215/40 Goodyear tyres with a uni-directional tread pattern.

I have an SE running on 17" BBS rims that are 7" wide and run 205/40 tyres to give me same circumference as original SE 15"OZ & tyre combination. If the M200 had 215/40 I'd guess it probably had 7.5" wide rims.

eln 17 inch 1.jpg

[quentin]

Thanks your replies. They indeed are similar to those on the Esprit 350, alternative and more common reference..
These wheels must be very hard to find though. I do not really appreciate the S2s either, and this S1 design is very "Stevens", re the wheels on his redesigned Esprit.
I'd better buy the M200

[Rambo]

For info.

https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/20143/lot/259/

[HJ2]

The owner even tracked it on Zandvoort track last year!

[quentin]

For info.

https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/20143/lot/259/

Just the wheels would be great !

[lotusflasherman]

The owner even tracked it on Zandvoort track last year!

I watched a youtube video of it on a perimeter road at Zandvoort a few days ago but can't find it just now. I watched one of the Ypres Lotus Day vids and Youtube was on 'play next' and that one eventually came up...

I've found these two though -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1WmSP8GCIpU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xtji0iE1PiI

I saw the M200 at Hethel during a factory visit in the early 90's and took some photos with a film camera. (Got a huge box to sort through but I'll find them one day.) It had big AA decals on (Automobile Association, not Alcoholics Anon') and a board that said it was going to be the AA's fast response car, but it was just after a Press Day on 1st April and they like a joke.

I have found some photos of the Type 119. Wonder if they sold that and for how much...

[lotos]

To my eyes they M200 wheels look like lots of wheels you could buy in the 90's and 00's, pretty generic in appearance. I bet you can find something pretty close, but the offset on the Elan is sometimes difficult to work with.

[abmunro]

What about my spare set?

Im not selling but how about the look.


viewtopic.php?f=79&t=17977

[quentin]

To my eyes they M200 wheels look like lots of wheels you could buy in the 90's and 00's, pretty generic in appearance. I bet you can find something pretty close, but the offset on the Elan is sometimes difficult to work with.

Absolutely true, they look quite similar to many other more recent wheels, but none has this special appeal to me. Something neater in that design, which I cannot find anywhere else. As you mention, the correct offset in another problem with recent wheel.

@abmunro : yours are nice, but i always come back to M200.. and Venturi. A bit neater... to me.

[abmunro]

Those on mine are lightweight Enkei Wheels - japanese

[lotos]

@quentin - I certainly relate - The heart wants what it wants, and I wish you luck finding them!

[Enright]

I dimly remember that they might have been Compomotive alloys.

[Fredjohn]

I dimly remember that they might have been Compomotive alloys.

Much too dim Neil!!! An earlier post by lotusflasherman quotes the Mark Hughes book which claims they are O.Z. wheels. But we can only assume Mark Hughes is correct.

As I get older I find my mind doesn't just wander, sometimes it bu***rs off completely

[lotusflasherman]

Recent photos of M200 in this thread and wheels look same as in Mark Hughes' book.
forum.lotuselancentral.com/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=24776