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Films:
This 1972 Lotus Elan +2 Is A Classic Purchased Without Regret
I was late to play a round of practice golf,but had no transportation . I was 45 min. minimum away from the 1st tee,and it was at Pebble Beach which was a rare treat to play on.. so I walked fast to get there. About half way, the sound of Lotus came from my back.. I put out my thumb and it stopped and drove me to the 1st tee. I was early ! The driver,Jack Flaherty,of Monterey . I had seen this car around but had not yet had a good look so being a passenger on my way to PB with a talented racer at the wheel .. well lets just say, that was a good afternoon !
Beautiful story!
I don’t like these Lotus (and most british cars of this period), but one thing’s for sure Mr. Brieuc – You’re not an idiot! The fact is that, most wifes (as lovely as they are) just don’t get it :).
It’s all about the passion of owning a classic car and driving it!
All the best to you, and your journey to recovery!
PS: Petrolicious, you’ve been to Germany, France, Italy, Spain – what about Portugal? 🙂
A beautifully filmed treatise, with lots of recognizable Paris icons (the street along the Seine, the passage through the Louvre, etc). I owned the Elan roadster, a close cousin, back in the ’70’s, and viewing the actual car scenes brought back all my bad memories of this decidedly beautiful car.. From the first frames of the first start off, it is easy to see the stubborn jerkiness from the rubber Guibo halfshaft couplings. That trait alone would be grounds for suicide, as a smooth takeoff can be virtually impossible.
Then there is the jumpy tach needle, not at all unexpected in this thoroughly British car. Add to this the all fiberglass, non-grounded body, and you will be assured that never will ALL the lights and turn signals function at the same time!
And, of course, in spite of what anyone says, this is by no means a quick (the specs show 0-60 times of just shy of 8 seconds, but it doesn’t even feel that fast) nor particularly great handling car with its narrow track and even narrower tires.
Bundle it all together, and you are guaranteed a genuine love-hate relationship, but it is certainly a little car with instantly recognizable iconic looks and one sure to appreciate in the future!
Lotus became synonymous with Lots of Trouble, Usually Serious, but the early cars are obviously excellent. This one in particular (the Elan +2) is a cracker – room for four, looks like a two-seater coupe with superb engines. A true practical classic and this one comes with a fantastic story too.
Errr .. much as I loves them … Lotus’s have always been unreliable . fickle and a pant load of trouble from day one . Still are as a matter of fact . The thing with Lotus is .. if you go into them with Eyes Wide Open … they have one of the highest SPM [ smiles per mile ] factor of any car on the road … when they work . So you need to be prepared for the worst … cause it aint a matter of if … but rather when and how bad will it be . And as long as you can deal with that reality . You’ll be fine . Otherwise you’re setting yourself up for a world of hurt and aggravation
A wonderful car . A touching story . Fantastic cinematography [ is there any better time to be in Paris than the night ? OK .. well maybe on a gently raining night ] with some pretty decent and appropriate background music to boot
Two thumbs up .. and to Mssr . Brieuc I say ;
Rock On – Drive On ( despite it all ) Remain Tasteful .. and please do Carry On
