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Rare Lotus Elan +2. Big Valve Engine, Great Car With A Lot Of Potential! on 2040-cars

Year:1972 Mileage:56818 Color: Weather stripping good aged condition
Location:

Campbell, California, United States

Campbell, California, United States
Advertising:

1972 Lotus Elan "S" +2 Big Valve

Thank you for your interest. I purchased this vehicle with the intent of having it fully restored, and have begun some of the basics toward this goal. Over the past several months I have spent several thousand dollars making the car road worthy at a reputable car restoration company that specializes in antique and vintage vehicles. Unfortunately, my physical height has deterred me from pursuing this goal. I am 6'6" tall and am not comfortable in this car, despite toying with the idea of relocating the seats. As much as I would love to keep this car, I cannot justify the expense for something that I cannot operate. 

This car was purchased in a non-running condition and essentially this was a barn find. An older gentleman had the car for years and was part of a larger collection of cars, some completed projects and others waiting indefinitely. After several weeks of chasing him and the car, it was mine. The car has aged gracefully and is not perfect by any standard, however I purchased this car because it has great potential and will be a joy for the new owner. I will describe this vehicle to the best of knowledge and try to convey these findings honestly. However, due to the inherent nature of purchasing a vehicle of over 40 years, this Lotus will be sold as-is, where-is. Most of the issues are typical of older fiberglass cars. Appointments to see the car in person are more than reasonable and can be made upon request. The car is being stored at the restoration facility in Campbell, CA. 


Engine and Transmission: 
Engine starts easily, idles well, runs great, great oil pressure, no bottom end noise. Really is a great runner.
- At some point, due to the age and unknown prior history, the timing chain should be replaced. 
New Carburetor Rebuild and Tune
Clutch and Transmission in good condition, smooth shifting, no grinds, positive clutch engagement 
Brakes Rebuilt
-New pistons, seals and brake lines.
New Dual brake boosters and
Fuel tank flushed and cleaned
Fuel Pump providing good fuel pressure
New Battery



Interior: 

Front and Rear seats in great condition. Vinyl is intact, no tears or significant wear. 
Leather interior trim in good shape. 
Dash laminate is cracking throughout, needs to be restored.
Leather trim under steering wheel needs replacing
Radio is non-functioning
Window motors are slow and probably need better grounding
Headliner and B-pillar leather show stains
Dash has some cracking but otherwise in good shape
Needs carpet kit for discerning buyers

Exterior:
Weather stripping good aged condition (some cracking)
Paint in good condition as a vintage respray. Age of respray unknown. Typical fiberglass body issues with the paint. The car exhibits stress cracks along seems, but mostly isolated to the roof. Also a few knicks, dings and blemishes around the vehicle but all in all the car looks good. 
No rust- California car 
Missing lower bumper trim and foglight
Front chrome trim bumper hit an object and is slightly bent
Electrical system needs TLC. Again, a common issue with a fiberglass vehicle. 
Most lights do not function or function correctly. Turn signal, brake lights, etc. Needs parts like a brake light switch, available for $7.00
Headlight vacuum mechanism needs service
Wheels are in good condition with matching spare


This car to me is a wonderful platform to build a great car. It needs some TLC, but it is a fun and exciting vehicle. 

I have thought long and hard about selling this vehicle as I already have so much time and money into her, but it is time to move on.

Please contact me and I can provide video showing the car running.

International shipping inquries, please contact before bidding. 

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The time Elon Musk paid $1 million for James Bond submarine car that cost a couple $100

Tue, Dec 3 2019

Tesla CEO Elon Musk landed himself in court after insulting a diver who criticized his plan to rescue a Thai soccer trapped in a cave using a purpose-built mini submarine. Which reminded us that Musk's interest in submarines started years ago. The story begins in 1989, when a couple from Long Island put every barn-find hunter to shame by paying $100 for a locked storage unit, and cracking it open to find a 1976 Lotus Esprit buried under a pile of blankets. That's a cool find, the S1 Esprit is sought-after among enthusiasts, but CNBC reported they quickly learned their car was modified to star in the 1977 James Bond film "The Spy Who Loved Me." Ignoring Colin Chapman's "light is right" motto, the producers alchemized the Lotus into a fully functional submarine by welding in the wheel arches and the underbody, and adding winglets for more stability. Four propellers powered by a battery pack housed in the cabin moved the Esprit under water, and the coupe gained front-mounted missile launchers. The modifications reportedly cost $100,000. The couple had never seen a James Bond movie; they likely assumed it was a mad scientist's kit car, or a science fair project gone wrong. The $100 purchase price represents about $207 in 2019 dollars, so the unsuspecting buyers could have easily sold it as a parts car, made a small amount of money on it, and ended up with a free storage unit. However, they became aware of the Esprit's significance in Hollywood history when truckers identified it over CB radio while they were hauling it home. lotus-esprit-submarine-in-action-1 View 3 Photos They weren't collectors, and storing a submarine is terribly impractical, so they commissioned a cosmetic restoration and asked auction house RM Sotheby's to sell it in 2013. An enigmatic buyer paid $997,000 for the non-running movie prop. Musk later revealed himself as its new owner. "I was disappointed to learn that it can't actually transform. What I'm going to do is upgrade it with a Tesla electric powertrain, and try to make it transform for real," he announced. Even billionaire-owned project cars sit for longer than planned, and there's little evidence the Esprit is in swimming condition, let alone capable of morphing into a submarine at the simple push of a button. If it could, we're certain Musk would have hyped it up on Twitter. But while stalled projects normally draw the ire of loved ones as they take up garage space, Musk's turned into a well of inspiration.

1991 Lotus Elan | eBay Find of the Day

Fri, Mar 1 2019

Lotus has always been a company that goes its own way, and the 1991 Elan you see above is quite possibly the strangest vehicle that the British automaker has ever designed and built. It's powered by a 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that sends 162 horsepower to the front wheels through a 5-speed manual gearbox. This generation of the Elan, which was produced from 1989-1995, remains to this day the only front-wheel-drive vehicle that Lotus has ever sold. And it wasn't very popular, with only 3,855 sold worldwide and less than 600 imported to the United States. That makes it a very rare car indeed. Lotus promotional materials claimed there were "definite advantages in traction and controllability," and added that "drawbacks such as torque steer, bump steer and steering kickback were not insurmountable." Road tests of the front-drive Elan almost universally praised the vehicle's excellent handling performance. The car you see here, sold by Gateway Classic Cars of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, looks to be in pretty good overall condition. The mileage is on the high side at nearly 111,000, but it has new paint, a new convertible top, and a refurbished interior. The asking price stands at $16,995, which makes it one of the least expensive vehicles to wear a Lotus badge that you can park in your garage and enjoy.

Now’s your chance to buy Lotus founder Colin Chapman’s 1981 Turbo Esprit

Mon, May 18 2020

Lotus founder and Chairman Colin Chapman’s former 1981 Turbo Esprit Series 3 sports car is for sale, and it looks fantastic in its metallic silver exterior imprinted with “turbo esprit” on both sides and the bonnet, and contrasting red leather interior. Built in February 1981 but not registered until August, it was ChapmanÂ’s personal car until his death in late 1982, and was also driven at one point by former Lotus Formula One driver Elio de Angelis. Chapman even arranged for British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher to drive it, at the Norfolk Airport in 1981. Thatcher was quoted in the local paper as saying it was “lovely to drive.” Right, then. Lotus built the car to ChapmanÂ’s specifications, with a lowered and modified suspension, modified bodywork to reduce wind noise, special brake pads and features like power steering and air conditioning that didnÂ’t figure in production models. Chapman, who suffered from hay fever, also had pollen filters installed, plus a roof-mounted Panasonic stereo system. ThereÂ’s also a specially assembled, blueprinted engine; Esprit Turbos of that model year featured a 2.2-liter turbocharged inline-four that made 210 horsepower and 200 pound-feet of torque. This was also the first Esprit model to be fitted with BBS alloy wheels. After ChapmanÂ’s death, the car was maintained for a few months by the companyÂ’s Factory Service Department, and eventually made its way to a succession of private owners. The car is currently on its sixth owner across seven transactions (one ended up re-acquiring the car), but it has just a hair over 11,000 miles on the odometer, with a new clutch slave cylinder and radiator core installed in the past decade. “This vehicle has lived a pampered existence and is a testament not only to its rich pedigree but to those who have cared for it over the years,” says the listing at Mark Donaldson Ltd., which claims it comes with extensive records. According to Top Gear, the seller is looking to fetch at least 80,000 pounds, or around $97,000. Related Video:   Â