I’ve found a replacement for my Sprint as i get older. To still enjoy driving in comfort.
A Z3 2.2ltrs 6 cylinders for the music.
What would you boys choose as replacement.
Alan
At 72 I’m still cruising in the Elan. I don’t have trouble getting out of it and after an hour or so I have to get out and stretch for a bit. I think and hope I still have a few years.
Sure Fred,
A few more years. I’m 75 nearly 76 in Jan.
But i know in my Sprint after an hour it’s time to take a break.
No problem getting in and out.
I also have a 1978 TVR 3000S + 1976 TVR 3000M. Both the TVRs are comfortable to drive for hours.
This is replacement for Elan not a +2.
I did think first about a Honda S2000 but most of them have been thrashed on a Circuit.
In my TVR 3000S i’ve just driven 1,000 kms over 3 days no problem with comfort.
Alan
Alan, the Beemer will not break down; bits won’t come loose or fall off…nothing to fettle and tinker…But if you keep the TVR you have the best of both…Happy motoring; enjoy while you can, and before the nanny state bans it…!
Tony
I think you have made quite a good choice there Alan!
Difficult isn’t it as we age…Needs to be sporty with a bit of flair but also easy to get in and out of to cope with the creaky knees/back problems etc that we accululate as the years roll by.
I think for me though my choice it would have to be between a couple of vintage classics that I have owned previously…
I have a strong desire to own another vintage Alfa so possibly an an Alfa Romeo 2000GTV of '72-75 vintage or the earlier 1750 GTV. Obviously in Red. I had one in the mid 1970’s but unfortunately it came to a sad end when I rolled it and wrote it off!
Alfa rust though is always a concern…
So…If I could find one, and it would be hard i think…
My first choice would be a car I really loved at the time and would really love to own one again and that is a BMW 2002tii, which of course has the Kugelfischer mechanical injection. it would have to be in Golf Yellow though as per my old car. It was brilliantly very quick with a 0-60 in 7.3 sec whch was quite amazing in the mid '70’s and the handling was really superb.
The 2002tii was and still is a great car, however finding the right car nowadays could be challenging at a price I could now affford.
.
Today, right now though, I am quite happy with my +2S130 which I have no problems (Yet!) in getting in and out of and the 5speed gearbox I have fitted has improved it’s useability enormously.
Alan.
Come back when you have got some time in you lot. I am 85 and love driving my Elan. I bought it when I was 72. My limit will come when I can no longer get under to fix it or more likely when I can`t get back up. If it had to go, I would buy an MX5.
Eric in Burnley
1967 S3SE DHC
Hi Eric,
Strange you say MX5 because where i bought my Z3 he sells only Z3 + Z4 + MX5 cars no others. I had direct comparison with fors and against of both all colours.
I cracked for Z3 and the 2.2 is not banned from Cities pollution.
Have a look at his Website " SPORTCARS" ROYAN France. Mr DeSilva has a fantastic choice of low Kilometrage/Mileage.
Brush the dust off your “schoolboy french” take a look. A glass of french wine might help.
Alan
Nobody offended then?
Thanks Alan, I can`t imagine myself buying a BMW.
I know they are good from friends who have them but I also know the workshop hourly rates and by then I would not be able to fix it myself. You have to take into account that I am a cheapskate.
I have driven a friends MX5 and I found it to be sublime, quiet, smooth and responsive. Nearby, there is a small backstreet garage who only works on MX5s. That is the sort of garage who gets my custom.
Meanwhile, for now, the Elan is in regular use. We do have two Fords for when it looks like rain.
Cheers
Eric in Burnley
1967 S3SE DHC
Eric,
I had a ride in a freinds MX5 RF the one with the electric folding roof very chick.
I liked it.
My Z3 has only 47,000 kms on the clock and only 2 owners before.
Tour of Ireland and Scotland planned 2025.
Alan
I ran an Alfa S2 Spider Veloce alongside my Plus 2 for a few years and quite liked it though it was a completely different driving experience to the Lotus.
Often fancied another one - they are very charismatic, along with the other 105 series models
I enjoy BMW, I like many things about the later Volvo C70 (2006-9) like the roof engine and transmission. I suppose as I have many Benz too, I quite like them.
BMW quality I think was good in the Z3 -4’s
Same for pre 2014 Volvo, ViDa Dice ended then.
MB you can still buy Star, but when they were with Chrysler 2002ish till 2012ish’ crap.
I suppose it’s not 1960 and quality and reliability is a wee bit better.
Glad you can drive your 2.2 through the city, and dont need a trailer for your e-bike/scooter which takes its smog from outside the city.
I have a 2002 MX-5 I bought new and have put nearly 250,000 miles on. I’ve changed a lot of timing belts, plenty of fluids, one alternator, the diff, a few sets of shocks, brakes, wheel bearings, and I had to reweld a cracked weld in the exhaust. The original clutch finally gave up and needs replaced now.
Though I can’t speak to the newer generation of MX-5 the first two provided a great analog driving experience and are dead simple and cheap to work on. My mother had a 2001 BMW M roadster at the time and that thing was a hoot with 315 horsepower. It was a more refined driving experience than the MX-5 and sounded great, but was also a bit of a tank.
The Elan makes the MX-5 look like a Viper, but they’re a pretty good match.
I too, sway between (sometimes both at the same time), an Elan and Alfas.
I’ve had two 105 Giulia Coupe’s, and for the last nearly 8 years, have had a '63 Giulia saloon, all with the 2 litre engine, gearbox & LSD.
They’re just as nice a driver’s car as an Elan, but in a different way.
A couple of years ago I owned both at the same time.
Currently looking for another S3 Fixed Head, preferably a pre-airflow, but not essential. I wouldn’t say no to a good DHC again though.
What about Lancia Fulvia
Alan
How about an Abarth 124 Spider? It has the advantage of not being an MX5 (even though quite a lot of it is really, but those are the bits that you want to be Japanese) It is nearly as loud as an Elan, loves to rev, and almost practical. Not everyone likes the shape, but I do, which is what I find really counts.
Weirdly though there is less room than the Elan - except for shoulder width. Mind you I am 6ft4in and not exactly skinny so have to lever myself into quite a few things.
This photo was taken in Yorkshire on the way to going round the North Coast 500 (the wrong way, naturally) shortly after Covid restrictions were lifted, a trip that was the very essence of freedom again.
Apart from from English Ford derived cars I’ve always liked the early Hondas. They had some very out there and interesting products back in the early days. Soichiro Honda was a real innovator, was interested in racing and unlike the other Japanese manufacturers Honda did not start out by just copying or building under license products from the West. Soichiro Honda Honda was a very unique individual especially for a Japanese.
I once had a Honda Coupe 9 for a while. Like the model T’s association with Henry Ford the coupe 9 was Soichiro Honda’s design baby built around what Honda had learnt in Formula 1 and motorcycle manufacture at the time. It really was something special.
See Honda links below:
Really enjoying this discussion. I have a slightly different slant on this. With my classic car stable I have tried to make sure I have different driving experiences so I have a car for as many different uses as possible. This tends to include a soft top sports car of some kind. In the past this has been a car for short fun drives along twisty country lanes. Depending on available funds over the years this has included a spitfire 1500 when I was young, a Tr6 (not very nimble, but built like a tractor) and an mg midget with a modern 1.8l k series twincam, power over handling!
I’ve have paired this with a tintop for when the weather is not so good but I still want fun. Hence 2 +2s over the years. For a while when funds were tight bringing up kids my TR6 doubled as a tiptop with its hard top fitted. Actually I think this is it’s best form. Finally I have a car that my wife/mum enjoys being in with me. For a while it was a triumph 2500 TC which everyone loved and was a great load lugger. Now it’s a stag with a rover 3.9l V8. This i use for work on motorway trips and it’s a star for this kinda stuff.
Combining these three types mean that apart from having a 4wd all my moods are covered by my cars.
We now have the elan +2 with a britax sunroof, spitfire mk IV for my son and stag.
Tim
I glad i started this topic.
It’s reminded me of a freind’s 105E Anglia that a group of us worked on.
He found a 1600GT Cortina Engine that we slipped in under the bonnet to have fun. + Disk brakes, anti-tramp bars, neg camber, 51/2 J wheels. All sprayed up Aubergine very tasty.
Many evening spent driving looking for “burn ups”, favourite prey was MGBs. Great fun.
Alan
Hi Folks,
Great you mentioned a cortina, I refurbed and recommissioned my cousin’s Mk1 Cortina Delux over COVID lockdown.
My cousin was really chuffed with it (he last drove it in 1992), we lowered it and put it on low profile minilights and it looked fab. Then this year he came back to me saying he was frustrated with how slow it was… so out came the tired pre-crossflow. I refurbed it (bores were hardly worn, it only has 35K miles, but all valves were leaking) and upped it to GT spec with a twin choke downdraft weber, GT inlet and exhaust manifold, and Cosworth cam… He drove it back to brighton… All smiles… It actually feels pretty pockey for a 1500 but now needs a rolling road tune.
Tim
The favourite for the 1500 was to bore to 1650, piper fy2 cam or cossie cam, if rich twin 40 dcoe, and richer still en40 crank.
The 1071 Austin Cooper S i had would give many a good run for their money.
Alan