Find or Sell Used Cars, Trucks, and SUVs in USA

1970 Lotus Elan +2 Coupe Classic British Sports Car Plus Two Twin Cam Weber on 2040-cars

Year:1970 Mileage:42274 Color: Yellow
Location:

Granite Falls, Washington, United States

Granite Falls, Washington, United States
Transmission:Manual
Body Type:Coupe
Vehicle Title:Clear
Engine:Twin cam
Fuel Type:Gasoline
For Sale By:Private Seller
Condition:
Used: A vehicle is considered used if it has been registered and issued a title. Used vehicles have had at least one previous owner. The condition of the exterior, interior and engine can vary depending on the vehicle's history. See the seller's listing for full details and description of any imperfections. ...
VIN (Vehicle Identification Number)
: 50/2185
Year: 1970
Number of Cylinders: 4
Make: Lotus
Model: Other
Trim: Lotus Elan +2
Power Options: Power Windows
Drive Type: rear wheel drive
Mileage: 42,274
Exterior Color: Yellow
Warranty: Vehicle does NOT have an existing warranty

  This is a classic British Lotus Elan +2 that is in great condition and completely drivable.  It looks great, runs and drives great, has a fabulous interior and is generally in very good condition. This Lotus twin cam engine is the desirable Weber head with 2 DCOE 40mm carburetors.  This also means that this car doesn't have the slightly awkward looking square bulge on the bonnet that the later cars had to clear their Stromberg carbs.

The chassis is in excellent condition. I can't find any rust or problems at all other than minor surface rust. Underneath the car looks very clean. The glassfibre body is also in excellent condition with no signs of accident damage or repair. I was told it was re-sprayed around 12 years ago but then sat unattended for a long time. It has quite a few small chips and touch ups in the paint, There is one large chip (about 1 1/2") just ahead of the boot where I'm told something fell on it while it was stored. Also there is a couple odd discoloured spots on the left front wing (see picture). Despite the flaws the car shines nice and still looks terrific. The re-paint was very thorough and under the hood looks very clean and nice and the door jambs are also very clean.

  The Glass is all excellent, all the seals are nice. The doors fit great and don't droop.  The chrome front bumper is very nice but the rear has some flaking and rust spots. The Tyres are brand new Fisk classics. it has a good spare and the special tool needed for the center hub nut.  The vacuum operated headlamps work great and this car uses vacuum to raise the lamps rather than the other way around like the later cars. The benefit being that the lamps stay down when the car is parked. Inside the boot (trunk) is very clean with all its carpet and plywood sub floor intact.

 The Interior is excellent. The wood dash is amazingly nice. This car has the nice early style dash with toggle switches rather than the federally imposed rocker switches. The dash top and trim pieces are all present and in great condition. The seats are all excellent front and back. The front seats are the earlier low back seats which means unlike the later style they can tilt forward without hitting the ceiling and you can actually get in the back. The carpets are great. The headliner too is excellent as are the door panels. The seat belts have been updated to something more modern and work perfect and are quite comfortable. It's missing the lenses for the two rear interior lamps but they do work. All the gauges and warning lamps work and amazingly it still has its original radio that still works! It also still has its original Colin Chapman signature steering wheel in beautiful condition. The heater controls all work perfect and this car has astoundingly good heat and defrost.

  The suspension is excellent. The steering is tight and precise. The brakes work perfect. The brake booster has been removed but this lightweight car really doesn't need it. This car has single circuit brakes so it only had one booster. The engine has good power and runs very nice. It idles nice and smooth. The cooling system works excellent and it has the early wider radiator (later cars rad is much smaller). The water pump was recently rebuilt (a common problem and a big job on the twin cam) It doesn't leak any fluids but it does burn a little oil and occasionally is a bit smokey usually when cold or when accelerating away hard from a stop. Twin cams have a reputation for this. It isn't terrible but it isn't perfect either. The oil pressure is great. The clutch is a bit abrupt to release but works great, just takes a bit of getting used to. The 4 speed gearbox is absolutely excellent with no issues at all. There are no drips or problems from the differential. The rubber donuts (rotoflex couplings) in the rear axles look a bit old but still function well.  It can be a bit cold blooded to start on cold days but not hard once you learn the routine. It does have working chokes. The exhaust is in great shape, It has a sporty sounding glass pack muffler that some might find too loud but can easily be replaced.

  The 12V negative earth electrics are in very good order. All the lights, wipers, horn and even the glove box light works! The charging system has been upgraded to a modern internally regulated and cheap to replace GM alternator.  It is not currently licensed but it does come with a clear title.

    Overall this is a great car in very good condition. If you have any questions please don't hesitate to ask. If you'd like to chat on the phone send me a message and I'll give you my number.

I highly recommend and encourage a personal inspection if possible.
The Elan can be viewed by appointment in Granite Falls WA (near Seattle).
Buyer is responsible for shipping costs and arrangements.
I reserve the right to end the auction at any time.

  Please watch this video of the Lotus in action:




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Watch the Lotus Esprit evolve from 1976 to 2004

Tue, 21 Jan 2014

Seeing a model as long-lived as the Lotus Esprit evolve over time generally requires some clever photography or graphical work, kind of like this. This video doesn't require any of that trickery, though, because it features every single model year of Espirt in one glorious row of awesome British cars.
Taken at the 2013 Lotus Festival at Brands Hatch in the UK, it features Esprits from 1976 all the way to its last model year in 2004. It really puts into perspective the slow evolution of the mid-engined, wedge-shaped Lotus, as it went from a very 1970s design to something decidedly more modern.
We've got the full video below, which starts with a red 1976 model, travels down the line to a silver 2004 Esprit, and then all the way back to the original. Take a look, and let us know what you think.

Lotus stepping up to LMP1 in World Endurance Championship

Tue, 18 Feb 2014

Only a couple of years ago, it looked like the top tier of prototype endurance racing was in trouble. Peugeot shut down its program, leaving the LMP1 category all to Audi to dominate. Only six cars entered the Petit Le Mans in 2012, and the season was cut short. But the top class in the FIA World Endurance Championship has since blossomed. And it only looks poised to grow further.
Audi and Toyota will each be back on the grid this season, joined by Porsche. But the latest news has Lotus stepping up to the big leagues also. (Well, sorta: the German-run squad uses the Lotus name and colors, but has no more to do with the automaker than the Formula One team of the same name.)
The Lotus LMP1 will be based on the same Lola-based T129 chassis used until now in the LMP2 class, with former F1 driver Christijan Albers leading the driver lineup. In addition to Audi, Toyota and Porsche, the solitary Lotus entry will also compete against privateer Rebellion Racing in a nine-car LMP1 grid throughout the season.

Elon Musk buys James Bond's Lotus submarine, wants to install Tesla powerplant

Fri, 18 Oct 2013

Remember when we reported the long-lost-but-found-again Lotus Esprit submarine used in the James Bond film The Spy Who Loved Me had sold at auction in London for $966,560 (well, $863,000 plus a 12-percent buyer's premium)? At the time, the buyer's identity remained a mystery, but Jalopnik has reported and confirmed that the man with money to burn is none other than billionaire Elon Musk, CEO of both Tesla Motors and SpaceX. What's even more shocking (maybe not for Musk) is that he wants to install a Tesla electric powertrain in it and make it transform into a road-going car.
The story of the submersible Lotus' journey from movie star to prized possession of the eccentric Musk is remarkable. After filming ended in the '70s, the car was shipped to Long Island, NY and placed in a storage container that was paid in advance by the studio for 10 years. After the money ran out, the contents of the container were sold off Storage Wars-style in 1989 and won by an area couple. It was shown in public on occasion throughout the years, but its value remained a mystery until the gavel fell in London last month. While far from the most valuable Bond car to be auctioned off (that honor goes to the Aston Martin DB5 used in Goldfinger and Thunderball, which sold for $4.6 million at auction in 2010), the Lotus submarine is definitely the most unique.
Also worth noting is that the Lotus sub is more than just a prop. Without the aid of CGI, the film's producers needed an actual submarine that looked like a Lotus Esprit, and so they hired a company called Perry Oceanographic in Florida to build it and hired former US Navy Seal Don Griffin to pilot the sub during the film.