Famous Elan Owners

[Dan E]

Who me a plus 2 ...........never 

[ramjet]

10 hours ago, Andrew1 said:

I am pretty certain I own the ex-Jim Crawford Lotus Elan S4, delivered new to Sports Tune Motors in Longniddry, Scotland.

Lotus factory records say Jim Crawford.

Late 1968 delivery. Still matching numbers. Under restoration now in Australia.

Did he race it??

Drilled (for lock wire) and drilled brake caliper bolts, drilled sump plug, plus uprated shocks/suspension?

I would love to know any UK history.

UK then Zambia by early 1980s. Go figure!

Andrew M

Australia

 

 

Welcome to TLF Andrew.

Some photos of your car would be good. Maybe an entry in the Restorations area?

You should duck over to the Introductions area and say hi in there as well.

[nigeninja]

Sylvia Anderson  had a plus 2 elan  

[Bibs]

On 06/10/2018 at 16:49, Andrew1 said:

Any history of Jim Crawford racing an Elan in the UK.

From - http://www.lotuselan.net/forums/free-parking-f45/elans-owned-the-famous-t17559-30.html

Quote

Jim Crawford drove a Lagoon Blue over White Sprint; he raced in F1 for Team Lotus briefly before an untimely demise.

 

[Andrew1]

Thanks indeed for the info. This car was definitely met Blue (Lagoon?) at some point but it is a late 1968 normal S4 RHD with knock ons.

Perhaps it was painted like a Sprint? Or are we possibly talking different cars?

The Blue looked like it might just be closer to Ecurie Ecosse. Coincidental or not as Sports Tune Motors was located close by?

Any chance there are any images of the Jim Crawford with the car referred to? Did he race it or just road it?

This car has drilled bolts in callipers for lock wire, a wired sump plug, anti-surge hammer-head modified sump, period adjustable race spax.

Was about 7-8 colours in about 10-12 years so I was thinking was probably raced? Lotus says sold new to J.Crawford so that bit is not much in question.

BTW Jim also raced Indianapolis a few times, came 6th. Died of natural causes despite serious race injuries earlier.

 

Regards

Andrew 

Australia

 

Also own :

1998 Lotus Elise 190R S1 (delivered as factory carbon fibre),1998 ex-UK race Elise S1 (ex- Stephen Oliver 750MC, AMOC, BRSCC ), 1988 Caterham BDR, 1968 Alfa Romeo GTA Junior, 1970 Alfa Romeo Junior Zagato, 1964 Morris Mini Cooper, 1970 Datsun 240Z.

[trw999]

On ‎06‎/‎10‎/‎2018 at 16:49, Andrew1 said:

Any history of Jim Crawford racing an Elan in the UK.

 

Andrew, I am unable to find any evidence, after a quick look. He had three races in a Lotus 72, crashed twice and finished 13th in the other! He seemed to have more luck racing a Chevron or March. He didn't start racing F1 until 1975, though may have been on the club circuit before then. Elans in unmodified form were not really competitive by then, though they did well in Modsports, of course.

If you can track down a copy of "Jim Crawford: The Life of a Modest Racing Hero" by Kevin Guthrie you may get more info. It was privately published a year or two ago. Guthrie himself may be a good source for you to speak with.

Tim

 

[Andrew1]

Tim,  thanks for your efforts to try and turn up information. I do appreciate your interest.

This Elan may have just been a road car or one with enthusiast modification rather than a full race car

I will see if I can locate the book.

Andrew 

 

 

[Classic connections]

Possible famous owner ?

I currently own a 1968 Lotus Elan +2 which was converted by Christopher Neil in 1985 into a soft top. 

Originally a coupe II recently spoke to an elderly gentleman who owned the car back in the mid 70s who told me the car used to belong to a very famous rock star (the name he can’t remember) 

The car when he bought it in around 1973 was  Green with red flames up the bonnet and sides 

however I’ve also been told there is a dvla record of it being yellow (don’t know if it was yellow or green first) 

Can anyone shed light on who the rock star was and are there any pictures??

chassis number is 50/0710  

registration FUR 4G 

[chipp]

One famous Elan owners car now up for sale 

Used Lotus Elan for sale | PistonHeads UK

[jonwat]

Get your cheque books out 

[Bibs]

I popped over to view the collection with Russell Carr a few years back, they're pristine and one amazing selection of Elans! 

 

[USAndretti42]

I heard that the "Duckworth" Alan was written off. Someone worked out the chassis number was and "recreated" it.  Keith Duckworth never sat in it, let alone drove it.  Whether the seller knows this, I don't know.

[jonwat]

Love the colour of Emma Peel's car, never seen an Elan that colour before.

[Rambo]

Petar Sellers old Elan up for sale, amongst about 6 or 7 others 😲

https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/cars/article-11602669/Incredible-classic-Lotus-Elan-collection-set-sell-auction-700k.html

[USAndretti42]

On 08/01/2023 at 20:31, USAndretti42 said:

I heard that the "Duckworth" Alan was written off. Someone worked out the chassis number was and "recreated" it.  Keith Duckworth never sat in it, let alone drove it.  Whether the seller knows this, I don't know

 

I posted about this car on LotusElan.net and got this response:-

 "I wish to reassure you and all others reading this thread that the Duckworth Elan at auction at Race Retro is indeed the very car gifted to Keith Duckworth. It was invoiced by the factory in February 1968. No Colour Code or Engine No is recorded against the car, which was built up by the factory. This concurs with other cars gifted by the factory. Similarly, there is no dealer name but the first owner is recorded as D. LK. Duckworth (sic). The car was registered in Northamptonshire on 7 Jun 68.

We now come to that part of the story where I suspect some confusion has arisen. Around 2005 the car caught fire and was declared an insurance write-off. However, the fire had taken hold only around the carburetors, the remainder of the car being original. The car was then purchased back from the salvage company by Ken and Neil Myers and stripped, with the intention of a full restoration when funds permitted.

In 2016 the consignor agreed to pay for the restoration and to purchase the car. Once the car had been restored DVLA was approached for a V5, with the help and support of Club Lotus. Even the police confirmed that the identity of the car was legitimate and approved the re-registration. I do not know what more the consignor of the car, the DVLA, the police or Club Lotus could do to confirm the originality of this Elan. In addition, it would be incumbent on the auction house to satisfy themselves as to the legitimacy of this or any other car they put up for public auction. "

The consensus is that the car had a fuel fire and the insurance company wrote it off.  There is some information about it on the Autosport Nostalgia forums.  It was rebuilt and restored although some elements of the timeline are not clear such as how many owner's, when it was sold and bought by various parties and how severe the damage was.

Whether any of this is a concern depends on the fire of any potential owner, I guess.

 

[jonwat]

More on the Elans in the upcoming auction.

[jonwat]

Chapman’s Lotus Elan +2 s130/5 to be àuctioned

[LotusLeftLotusRight]

I wonder if Lotus will buy it back for the heritage collection?

[jep]

They should, though I'd like to see more evidence of ACBC use such as period pictures. I bet he had a lot of company cars available to him. 

Was it sold with the other Lotus cars in circa 1997? I was at the auction, I can't remember. 

The other Elans in the same auction don't excite me. Hickman one he bought in 1992. Rindt link is weak. Avengers is of very limited appeal. I should be excited but I'm not.

Justin 

 

[pixelmix]

Since this thread has been bumped and I noticed someone refer to Gordon Murray's Elan above, here is a tenuously related pic. This was at the GMA 'stand' at the Goodwood Members' Meeting last year where GMA was showing the T.50 and T.33 alongside his collection of cars that inspired him, including the Elite and a Miura.

 

 

[jonwat]

On 14/01/2023 at 15:36, jonwat said:

More on the Elans in the upcoming auction.

Harry's garage, 18:30 minutes in.

[Bibs]

@nigeninja, do you know what they went for mate?

[nigeninja]

Emma Peel £146,000 Peter Sellers I think was around £80,000 I was really only looking at the Emma Peel car, think the Duckworth was 40,000 ish , soz can't remember the others  

 

Edited February 25 by nigeninja

[Rambo]

1 hour ago, Bibs said:

@nigeninja, do you know what they went for mate?

@Bibs here....

https://www.silverstoneauctions.com/advsearch?keywords=Lotus&search_category=CAR&view=results

[jonwat]

Some of those non famous Elans went for decent prices. 😀