I’m in the mid stages of building a GTS car - who else has decided to do this from scratch?
Are there enough interested people to start a thread to compare notes? I’m planning to have it on the track for this season, although I am predictably running behind schedule.
Hi Paul
I have been building my car for the last 7 years, more details are in page 5 of the racing section History of Elan wanted. The car is virtually finished but I have just discovered a major problem with the new race engine that I had built last year.
regards
Andy
I have to take the dangled bait… what exactly is a GTS car? I really do not know. Really. 
Elan S1 or S2 (but not a 26R) converted to race spec - at least, that’s my understanding!
I belive that an Elan GTS variant was sold by Lotus for a short time in North America.
Tim
Tim,
So are they the things without a windscreen, also raced in Australia? I always wondered why there was a proliferation of them, didn’t realise that it was an actual model from the factory. Thanks.
GTS is the designation given by the FIA for the class of car specified as Competion Grand Touring Cars. ie GT cars modified and homologated in period for racing.
regads
Andy
Hi Pete
Sorry Paul, we are wondering slightly off your topic here.
I’m not sure the GTS was a factory designation as such, more of a North American importers description. You can see here where perhaps the GT bit comes from: Lotus Elan GT (Sports Car Graphic 5/65)
And as I type this Andy seems to have come up with the better explanation, so I’ll go back to sleep.
Tim
GTS for sale at Paul Matty’s:
Yep. That would be Peter Shaw’s car which is an ex-Schryver one. I know that he’s putting together an S1 roadsports car to race in HSCC - looks like there’ll be quite an Elan contingent this year.
Paul
a little birdie who builds race engines tells me that gas-charged rear dampers make a big difference to an elan. 
turning money into nitrogen!
nudge nudge wink wink say no more.
Hi Paul… You have “PM” …
That’s a nice looking car…
should anyone feel tempted to build one, mine is still for sale… 
Great period shots, any one got S1 26r wheels hidden away?
I’m rebuilding S1 Elan which is similar colour to the ones in last post… and those early fully enclosed wheels do look right on narrow body… got me thinking.
Cheers
V
the elan we are rebuilding was a period gts car (1965) and was raced by the 1st, 2nd and 3rd owners. it left the factory with a 26r body and many parts that were fitted to 26rs but was not a 26r. if we had listened to the purists who claimed to be experts when we bought the car it would have gone from period gts to standard series 2 including hacking the flared wings of a factory body, what a disaster that would have been.
Im just about to start a GTS… 1965 S2. Been considering it for about 10 years and have finally taken the plunge, Will start with a new subframe(chassis) and a new lightweight body.
I have most of the 26R drivetrain already, this was bought to go onto my S3 but plans change!!! I will add some photo’s when i can and keep you all updated as things progress.
Spending most of my time at the moment looking at 26R and GTS cars to make sure I get it 100% as it should be…
