Restoration Impossible: Driving Our Newly Restored Elan

With the Amelia Island Concours behind us, it was time to sort out a couple of things and begin to drive our 1964 Lotus Elan.

And Elan is a wonderful car to drive and we will have full driving impressions in the next issue of Classic Motorsports magazine.

Needless to say, we are thrilled with how this project turned out and will add the occasional update as we use and enjoy our now finished Elan.

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Comments
jr02518
jr02518 Reader
7/18/18 8:22 p.m.

Tim,

I think your going to find your time driving this car, is in the "top" of your behind the wheel experiences.  I owe it to Ken Gray for giving me a ride in his Series 2, back in Chico in the early "80's.  My ownership of a Series 1, serial number 509 lasted for 6 years.  Being located in Carmel Valley at the time gave me access to the roads the car was meant to be enjoyed on.

The stock springs are going to be a challenge.  From your picture the squat at the rear, under acceleration is a reflection of their less than 100 lb. spring rate.  How you address this will be the key.  I did get the chance to auto cross mine on a number of occasions.  I never did scrape the door handles, but I did get close according to those at the events.  That and driving on Pirelli 145 SR 13's teaches you to work with trailing throttle oversteer.  Then there's the camber changes at the drop of the throttle, from both ends!

David 

  

stylngle2003
stylngle2003 Reader
7/19/18 9:10 a.m.

Beautiful work Tim.  So happy to see it all finally come together.

 

One small nit to pick.  On the project page, you can't scroll through each update (specifically the "Next Update" button below the story.  Each update has the option to see the previous, but not the next.  

kriba
kriba New Reader
7/19/18 9:27 a.m.

i thought I would not like the color, but it is a beauty!  Hope to see your crew at Road America this weekend....I will 

be nicer this time

 

Kevin

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