Lotus Elan S4 Competition Coupé, 1969
Lotus Elan
Lotus Elan•
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Chassis No.: C144GLC
Engine No.: LP12839LBA
Estimate: £20,000 - £30,000 GBP
- Successful Road Sports Championship competitor during the 1990s
- Race prepared
- Present ownership since 2010
- Little used since acquisition
An Elite-type glassfibre monocoque having proved insufficiently rigid when applied to an open car, Lotus boss Colin Chapman came up with a simple but effective steel backbone frame for the company's new Elan sports car. So successful was this chassis design that it still forms the basis of today's Lotus cars. Suspension was all independent with unequal-length wishbones at the front, while a wide-based lower wishbone and modified Chapman Strut, as used in Lotus's Grand Prix cars, was employed at the rear. Rack-and-pinion steering was sourced from the Triumph Vitesse, and there were Girling disc brakes all round.
The Elan's engine was a highly-modified 1,498cc (later 1,558cc) Ford Cortina unit topped with Lotus's own twin-camshaft cylinder head, and both gearbox and differential came also from Ford. As development progressed the Elan became more civilised, the final Series 4 - introduced in March 1968 - benefiting from dashboard fresh-air vents and improved interior trim and fittings. The bodyshell was slightly thinner - and lighter - than the S3's and featured flared wheelarches accommodating wider wheels, side repeaters and larger Plus 2-style rear lights.
Adequately powerful, light in weight and endowed with exceptional roadholding and handling, the Elan proved an immense commercial success for Lotus, slightly fewer than 9,000 being produced by the time production ceased in 1973. Even today there are few more rewarding driver's cars around.
We are advised that this particular Elan S4 was raced successfully in the Road Sports Championship during the 1990s by Mike Freeman and Jeremy Bradburn. There is a large history file with the car containing details of its modifications, which include a race-prepared engine and suspension, roll cage, fire extinguishing system, etc. The current vendor purchased 'HHW 51G' at Bonhams' Silverstone auction in July 2010 (Lot 145), since when it has seen relatively little use. In the vendors ownership the car's engine has been dismantled and rebuilt by respected Lotus specialist Ian Symms including conversion to unleaded petrol, covering less than 2,000 miles since the rebuild.
Other new parts include the fuel tank, exhaust system, wiring loom, uprated alternator and the addition of a brake servo. Finished in blue with silver roof and black interior, the Elan is described as in good condition throughout and offered with a V5C Registration Certificate.
