https://collectingcars.com/for-sale/1971-lotus-elan-sprint
Some interesting upgrades to this early S4/Sprint. I happened to have a good deal of history and photos for this car, which I have passed on to the seller, Rob. Otherwise I have no commercial interest in it, but thought it might appeal to someone looking for a sorted Sprint.
Tim
Tim,
The although the verbage of the advert says Feb '71, the VIN is 7007XXXXX which would imply July '70. The V5 says first registered 1/4/71. Robinshaw / Ross says “In the authors opinion, therefore, a Sprint is not a true Sprint if supplied prior to Feb 1971…”
Mixed messages?
Nope, Andy, not at all. Time moves on and what R&R knew in 1989, thirty five years ago, gleaned from a lot of footwork and peering into engine bays, has been advanced with the internet and wider communication and data transparency. That is not to denigrate R&R at all, it is just that much more information and evidence has emerged since they went to print with their excellent book.
So may I please point you to this page of my website, where the S4/Sprint ‘variant’ is described: Lotus Elan Sprint | The S4/Sprint as well as to this page, too: Lotus Elan Sprint | Retro Fred 710000
We should bear in mind how poor record keeping was back in the 60s and how in the 70s/80s folk did not take much notice of provenance or originality, just that they could get the car to go, or modify it just so, or drive it into the ground in some instances.
Either way, the S4/Sprint up for auction was built to a genuine Sprint specification at the Hethel factory.
Tim
Tim, thanks for your insight.
I bow to your knowledge in this respect, though I suspect those Dell’Ortos weren’t fitted at the Hethel factory.
21k now. Be interesting to see where it goes.
No, indeed they were not. It would have left the factory with Webers.
Dellortos began to be fitted to Sprints around May 1972.
Tim
Just a couple of observations, the car looks great, finished to a high standard, with (IMO) sensible upgrades to suspension and driveshafts. Picky observations, the vacuum non-return valve seems to be missing, it has an early cam cover with the ‘big valve’ the other way around (which I guess would be consistent with the first batch of Sprints). The voltage reg is still in place although it has an alternator, the yellow heat shrink on the wires could have been a mistake. What is that gold topped thing in front of the radiator with pipes going to it? I couldn’t figure it out.
My advice, NEVER buy a Lotus, indeed ANY car, without having seen it and driven it, unless it is cheap. This Sprint is cheap at the moment. Your options, buying at auction, especially online auctions, are so limited, should things go Pete Tong. All the auction company care about is receiving their commission, and you have to give your credit card details prior to bidding, so you are stuffed. If there was a problem with the car after sale, they couldn’t care less.
’ the car underwent significant work at Lotus specialist, Max500, totalling £9,598.
How come I can never find people like that when I occasionally sell NOS genuine Lotus parts for a reasonable price.
Leslie
Leslie wrote:
How come I can never find people like that when I occasionally sell NOS genuine Lotus parts for a reasonable price.
Leslie,
I always check your offers, you are just selling the wrong parts…
Currently £25K bid. About what I anticipate my restoration costs will be.
It may be all the action on this site is in the last 5 mins, but at this price it is a bargain.
@Andy8421 Sold for GBP 29,500.00 (+6% buyer´s fee), still a nice price, I think!
I would agree. You would struggle to recreate it yourself for that price.
Send me a list of what you are after and I will see if I want to part with it. I shall be very careful in the future of selling expensive parts on ebay and will not be paying tax of any sort on stuff that I have collected all my life as a hobby. A NOS Big Valve engine perhaps? EXPENSIVE !
L
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