26b Vs 26r Bodywork

I am starting dis-assembly on an S1 elan. By and large the body is in excelent shape except the nose. The nose has had a botched repair performed. The decision point is on the repair, I can go back to stock like I have done before, or I can go 26R.

If memory serves right, the cost of geting the light pods refurbished about buys the front kit including the bumper. and I have labor in it anyway so, call it a net sum zero.

My concerns are the preservation vs value vs iwanna hot-rod arguments

any one care to offer a viewpoint ?

I see a certain amount of interest developing to restore S1s to original, so you would be straying from that path. I would expect that, over all, you would best protect the value of the car by staying with the original bodywork. 26R bodywork, if well done, might enhance the value to a smaller market, but it only takes one buyer :slight_smile: You would, of course, need to do the rear wings as well, and both bumpers. I think you could take your choice with either fixed or retracting head lights. You’d also have to fit some suitable wheels.

Personally, I would consider 26R bodywork to be a plus. Now, I mean honest-to-goodness 26R, not anything else, which would be a MAJOR detraction. Someone who wants to run E-Modified would probably take a different view.

Proper 26R bodywork is subtle and very attractive. Several years ago, at a show, Andy Dijak’s yellow S2 with 26R bodywork was parked near, but not next to my yellow S2 with standard bodywork. It took me a while to realize that Andy’s car had the modified bodywork: I’m sure many people never realized it at all.

All just my humble opinion :slight_smile:

  • Bill

Greetings, here’s my two cents worth’

Less than 1000 S1’s were built. How many hundred survive? Is the body the original shell? Do you know if the car has had an engine swap? If it’s all original, it would be nice to keep it around as such.
but…

A kit car is a kit car, and a 26R format done properly is hard to beat…lots and lots of hidden costs though

Bill and 64 S1,

Near as I can tell this is an orginal car. when you take into account it is a true US model ( 3 red lights with floor board mounted high-beam switch ) puts it into a smaller production run ( around 300 is the figure I have seen quoted else where).

This would be the second us s1 I have done ( the pictures of my first are scattered all over he internet) I went the other way on the last one ( from race to original with detured race motor) . spent lots of time and money geting the right S1 bitsa’s . When it came time to thin out collection to support more expensive vintage race cars the S1 was put up for sale ( mistake !) .

looking back after the sale , the market did not care about the correctness of the restoration. new owner ugly-fieded it for racing … Tony Thompson’s opinon is that the early cars are the best candiadte for racing and the later cars ( s4 sprints) make the best road cars ( he may have a vested intrest in this position though) .

Even after playing with these cars for 20 years I still can’t read the market… I figure the last one went out the door at 60cents on the $ , the question is would a period corect 26R be like flushing money down the drain ? or is it like a any early elan …

I think that, financially, the safest course is to restore the bodywork to original. most people would like a nice S1 with correct body work, wiring, and general appearance, but I doubt you’d get your money back on chasing down each special S1-USA widget. Gear reduction starter, alternator, alloy wheels, later brakes are mods that most people would appreciate, and may pay extra for.

I doubt very much that 26R mods would add enough to the value of the car to recover their cost. I think that most people would like to have such a car, but not enough to pay extra vs buying a standard S1 or S2. At the same time, though, it only takes one buyer who’s willing to pay the price, so it is quite possible to beat the odds.

Even though most Elan people aren’t slavish about originality, a car maintained in close to original condition is much easier to live with, as the shop manual and parts list tells about all you need to know. Modified cars need reams of data and info about the mods, and are frequently specialized enough that they’re not at their best in daily use.

My own S2 is a good example. When I got it, it was lowered down onto the deck, had fully sdjustable suspension, and a detuned racing engine. Despite the fact that the work on the car had been done to very high standards, I have spent quite a lot of time and money returning the car to more standard specs. The car is now much better for everyday use, although the peaky engine is still not the best for normal road use.

BTW: I think you did fairly well on your previous Elan - 60 cents on the dollar is not bad for a project/restoration car. I hate to think of how much time and money the previous owner had in my car - I’m pretty sure he didn’t even come close to that return.

Seeing we are having fun with all of the new Sprint posts I came across this oldie and I know all the players on this topic. Here we are 5 years later and how does this topic compare to this past thinking?

older is still betta…

   Gary

hi Beau —glad your back --I lean to the Chineese eye treatment —ed :slight_smile:

Hi Gary,

I’ll take the bait - the safe money is with a 26R replica , properly done. Better return potential if the car has race history in period - Engine spec to FIA requirements will mean more Euros and or quicker sale. at least that’s what the S2 taught me.

As for the S1 , you know the story there .

George