Lotus Elans?

[Brian in VA]

Ok brain trust, anybody out there with Lotus Elan experience? Parts availability, difficulty to work on etc. I'm thinking of taking a ratty one and turning it into something like an AXer or something. (doing stuff I don't want to do to my basically stock p-car) Thanks in advance


B

[DARISC]

Miata be mucho cheaper, probably similar performance, no?

Edit: above was off top my head; just Googled this: http://www.cardomain.com/ride/2123271/1971-lotus-elan

[Brian in VA]

Yeah very true, and thanks for the link. We actually had a mk1 mx5 back in the day, it was fun to drive for sure. I'd like to try something else.....funny I'd go to something so similar. But I guess I could anticipate it being fun to drive. I think I can blame all those Peter(?) Egan stories in R&T for this one.

[FastCarFan]

I assume you are talking about the original Elan (love) & not the later FWD Elan (yuch).

Very cool car, but I always remember what Automobile magazine writer Jamie Kitman said about his: "When parts aren't breaking they are falling off."

But I still love them.

[AFC-911]

I actually like the later FWD Elans more than the original that the Miata ripped off.

(for one thing, I already have the knockoff. So the one that looks like a baby Esprit is just so much cooler to me)

[fred cook]

I had one for a short while. Didn't own it long enough to spend big bucks on it, though. The first day I owned it, I think I fixed about a dozen problems! I still have a factory service manual for the mid to late 60's Elans if you need one.

[Brian in VA]

Thanks Fred! I'll let you know if I end up doing this. This seems like a dumb idea but, well, you know....and yeah Doug, the old ones.