I was down at Paul Matty’s the other day and spotted on the forecourt a Plus 2 with a Estate/Shooting brake or whatever you will, rear end.
I’ve seen +0’s like this (called the Elanbulance?) but never a Plus 2. I think it was a customer car because it wasn’t there a couple of days later.
Anyone know anything about it?
Apparently (according to Robinshaw and Ross) at least 2 estate +2s have been made, one of which may have been a works prototype. They show a photo of one (reg 396JKA) converted using a Scimitar hatchback and Elite (type 75) side air vents.
C
A bit of Deja Vu happening.
I have just this week been thinking about a Plus 2 estate and how you would convert one.
New member to the family so lots of things to carry but still want an Elan.
It would have to be called a Shooting break or Sports wagon.
An estate does not quite fire the blood.
I suppose an Elan estate could be called an Elate. ( E-late)
Any more suggestions folks?
Cliveyboy
Hello,
I believe that this is a special for a customer. It had a ski hatch etc.
Yeah I seen it there wednesday, they said it’s going to be at Donnington, I think its been done to a very high standard.
Matt
Is this the metallic Blue one? If so, I saw it being put together a couple of years ago in a body shop close to PM. Very interesting.
Jeremy
Saw it yesterday, Don’t think it was met blue, but it was hard to concentrate as my 3 yo was getting rather too close to it with potential scratch producing objects.
PM said that it was unique, and it certainly looked really well put together…
Also saw his ?17K+ elan +2. looked just like mine after a polish 
Tim
have we any pics of this elanplustwobulance…
Apart from the bodywork, the big challenge would be the fuel tank. Any idea where you could put one?
Best regards, iain
possibly like the baby elan and in the boot floor???
well I suppose thats if youre making a ‘deck’…
there should be room in with the spare wheel just depends on what size it’d end up being…you may need to reduce the capacity a little…
I could try and sneek a picture next week as I have to go back to PMs to pick up the rebuilt water pump I left this weekend.
To me it looked as though the tank was below the boot floor as the boot floor was quite high…
Cheers
Tim
Pictures of babyElan Estate (1965) can be found here; pestalozzi.net/sb/lotus_elan … index.html
Looks like a combination of an Europa and a funeral car to me…
I’m pretty sure we’re talking about the same car.
The project was in its infancy about 3 years ago at PM. I saw the stripped down body, a pile of nicely rolled aluminium panels and specialised glass windows were all ready and waiting for the work to begin.
I was told it was a one off being built to a customers requirements & plans.
Can’t imagine what the final bill came to 
I have just recieved this email from Paul Matty’s web site for those interested in the +2 Estate
====================================================================
PMSC will be at the Lotus Festival at Donington this weekend.
Be there for the press launch of the long awaited, much talked about and very special Lotus Elan +2S 130/5 ‘Shooting Brake’.
Also on display will be;
An example of the first class restorations we carry out.
A dozen or so showroom cars for sale
The Parts Department are there with a huge selection of parts for sale.
Our apologies for any inconvenience at our Bromsgrove premises but normal service will be resumed by Monday afternoon.
I may as well be the first to post piccies…
Given the fragile nature of Loti… and taking a cue from Clive, I suggest calling it a Sports Break.
I understand they managed to reduce overall wieght by 200kg (maybe Helium in the tyres)…
Jeremy
It actually looked just as bad as we all expected, although the workmanship was excellent.
Outside was the Elite (original, not the wedge) hatchback; this is in a different league and looked like it was designed like that from the word go.
Cheers,
Pete.
I don’t think the lines of the overall shape is too bad, but there is a big difference between good workmanship and good automotive design.
My main quibble is the fact that the new glass sections bear NO resemblance to the originals.
They have the thoroughly modern treatment of black inside edges and no outer chrome surround, which jars with the original side windows.
Also the top corner of the new rear side windows has no relationship with the angle of the existing side window top corners. I would have thought these two points to be fairly obvious design clues to follow when someone put this much money into what is an accomplished conversion.
THOR ! That was my concern as well when we were building the car.
But worse would have been the case …if we had gone down the route and found that we had problems with leaking windows.
Paul and I have spent countless hours discussing this and I took his correct advice and eliminated that problem. Not having unmimited funds We had to compromise on that.
I’m, sure someone would have complained had we put perspex instead of glass in the windows. I also wanted to keep the rear 3/4 vents so familiar to us on a plus two, but that proved difficult as well. But we kept the rear light clusters and indeed the car is still recognisable as that from the back including the lip on the boot lid.
As regards the shaping of the car windows, after discussions with Shapecraft who crafted the aluminium top by hand - Paul and I had to come to a decision that I could either shelve the project or accept their interpretation of the design we had given them. In the end it was my decision to accept the design of a company that works with shaping cars for far wealthier individuals than myself.
It may not be perfect but it is unique. My family and I like it, and to me that is what matters most! It will serve the purpose for which it was built and if you look at the shooting brake website you will perhaps find other designs you may not like much more.
Above all let’s ALL enjoy driving our loti. I would hate to have to drive some boring mundane family saloon !
I look forward to enjoying our new family car.
Roger Makhlouf ,
(who commissioned Messrs Paul Matty Sportscars and Shapecraft with this project)
Ah, this is becoming interesting;
i didn’t pick up on the fact that you were the owner of this car, Roger.
Despite of the window treatment, I do like it, and find the inside boot area especially pleasing, and on par wth a DB4 shooting brake I remember from an article. If I can speak my mind, I find the quality of the work, and the pleasing line of the roof offsets my quibbles on the window treatment, though it might have been better with slightly narrower black edges on the inside of the glass. Certainly in another league than the Elanbulance. And the colour is good.
I would not like to guess at the costs…
