1965 Lotus Elan S2

The knowledge gained, the lessons learned, and all the ingenuity and creativity that was demonstrated in racing were used in building the Model 26 Elan. It was a small, agile, nimble, and lightweight road car with a steel backbone chassis, a fiberglass body, an advanced DOHC 1,498cc (later 1,558cc) four-cylinder engine, four-wheel disc brakes, an independent suspension, and rack and pinion steering. The Elan rewarded the capable driver with light and direct steering, a correctly damped suspension, and powerful brakes.

Launched at the Earls Court Motor Show in October 1962, the Elan was available as a complete car or a kit at a reduced price. Introduced in November 1964, the Series 2 featured numerous detailed styling changes and improved brakes.

The Lotus Elan was the company's first commercial success and provided financial stability to continue with its racing endeavors. It enjoyed a rather lengthy production lifespan, with over 12,000 examples created. Continuous development in comfort and performance created a very refined and sophisticated vehicle, and given its background and specification, it would prove to be a highly capable circuit racer. The motorsport success achieved by privateers convinced Lotus to introduce a competition version of their own - the '26R' - in 1964. It featured a stiffened chassis, modified suspension, wider wheels, a BRM-built engine, and lightweight coachwork. Piloted by many of the top Grand Prix drivers of the day, including Jim Clark, Jackie Stewart, Jochen Rindt, Stirling Moss, and Jackie Oliver, the 26R racked up numerous accolades. In UK club racing, John Miles won every race at the Goodwood Easter meeting in 1966 driving a Willment-entered example. He won 15 races and the Autosport championship in 1966.

The Lotus Elan was a brilliant personification of Chapman's principles of lightweight, aerodynamic coachwork coupled with the brakes, suspension and transmission of a race car.

Mechanical Specification

The Lotus Elan rested on an 84-inch wheelbase with an overall length of 145 inches, a width of 56 inches, and a height of 45.5 inches.

The fiberglass body was bolted to the fabricated mild steel backbone chassis at 16 points. The chassis was the primary stressed component, with the body adding slightly to the overall rigidity of the structure. The engine and gearbox were located at the front, and the differential at the rear. Ford UK provided the engine, gearbox and differential, which Lotus tuned to higher specification. Three differential ratios were offered at various times during the production lifespan including 3.55, 3.77 and 3.9. The 3.55 became a popular option in later cars, the 3.9 offered the best acceleration and popular in early cars, while most examples received the 3.77 differential.

Engine

The first 22 cars built were powered by a 1,498cc four-cylinder engine and were known as the Elan 1500. Subsequent Elans received a 1,558cc engine and were designated the Elan 1600. Output ranged from 90 bhp to 113 bhp depending on configuration and state of tune.

Lotus Elan Series 2

The Lotus Elan Series 2, beginning with chassis number 3901, was introduced in November 1964 and ushered in numerous detail styling changes. Championship badges were now fitted to the lower part of the front fenders, a chrome flip-top fuel cap replaced the former screw on one, and an 'S2' chrome script could be found on the trunk lid. The interior gained a full width veneer dash with a lockable glove box, chrome window lifts and levers, chrome surrounds for the instruments, and revised pedal cluster.

Additional updates and improvements were made from chassis 4109 forward, new front brake calipers with larger pistons and revised rear brake discs, revised brake and master cylinders, and differential and inboard/outboard drive shafts. Eighteen cars later in the series, Lotus added new rear light clusters.

Approximately 1,250 examples of the Lotus Elan S2 models were produced.

Lotus Elan Series 3

The Series 3 introduced a fixed-head coupe version of the car (known as the Type 36), and in 1966, the drophead coupe Type 26 was replaced by the Type 45. The battery was moved from behind the left-hand seat to the trunk (boot). Full carpeting and additional sound insulation were added, dashboard fresh air vents were added, the trunk lid was enlarged which improved access to the trunk (boot), and the hood (bonnet) release was moved from the top of the dashboard to under the dashboard. The steering wheel now had Colin Chapman's autograph. There were electric windows with chrome glass frame, and the front suspension castor angle was reduced from 7 to 3 degrees.

Lotus Elan Series 4

The Series 4 models had two-speed wipers, electric windscreen washer, flared wheel arches with larger tires, conversion to negative earth, dual circuit brakes, integrated rear lamp cluster with reversing lights, and fail-safe headlamps. The interior gained flush dashboard rocker switches.

by Dan Vaughan

Coupe
Chassis number: 26-S2-34

This car was built to full racing specifications by Lotus Components Ltd. The S2 Denotes it as a Series 2 version of the 26R.

Series 2 Version numbers were 26-52-1 to 26-52-43. This number 34 car was built in January of 1966 for customer Mr. Peter Block. Later imported to the United States by Mr. Dan Rakawoitz.

This Lotus was raced in the United Kingdom, Japan, the United States, and Peru, where it won the 12 Hours enduro race.

The Lotus 26R was previously owned by Mr. Stephen Fouristall, Mr. Shigeau Kato, Mr. Brap Krause, and Mr. Michael Taradash.

The Elan 26R was the Lotus Factory Race Car, of which 45 Series 1 and 52 Series 2 units were produced. Many standard road Elans were also modified for racing with similar specifications to the works 26R and, although often called 26R's, these project cars were obviously not real commodity.

Lotus produced the 26R with lightweight, single-skin bodywork to accept wider magnesium wheels. In most examples, the pop-up headlights were replaced with the cowed lamp arrangement. A triangulated roll-bar was fitted; not an easy task with the backbone, central chassis. Competition suspension wishbones, sliding spline drive shafts, and a thicker front/rear anti-roll bar were installed. The chassis was strengthened at the front and rear suspension pick-up points. Dual circuit brakes, light alloy calipers with racing pads and a revised pedal layout were incorporated.

The engine was prepared by Cosworth or BRM to deliver 135-165 hp. An aluminum cross-flow water radiator and an oil cooler were added. The gearbox and limited slip differential were cased in magnesium.

In 1966 John Miles, driving the team Willment 26R, won the Autosport Championship in England. In the United States, the 26R was campaigned in SCCA events, winning national championships in 1964, 1982, 1983, and 1984. Elans, both modified-for-racing road cars and true 26Rs are very hard to beat. Usually competing with larger engined cars.

Convertible

The Lotus Elan Series 2 was produced from 1964 through 1966. Production of the S1 through the S3 was 7,895 cars. 'Lightweight' was always Lotus-founder Colin Chapman's first watchword. His second was 'simple' and third, 'aerodynamic.' The first Elans, those Chapman was personally responsible for, were the epitome of this three part philosophy. Fiberglass body, spine frame, and Ron Hickman's influence on the body shape. If there was a fourth, it would have been 'advanced technology' : in the Elan, the Lotus Ford Twin-Cam ('twink'), in-line 4-cylinder engine capable of a power output well beyond its cubic capacity.

Coupe
Chassis number: 26/4530
Engine number: LP3132

The Lotus Elan Roadster was introduced at the Earls Court Motor Show in October of 1962. They continued Chapman's principles of combining lightweight aerodynamic coachwork with brakes, suspension and transmission from a race car.

To meet demand for the new Elan, Chapman moved to a new factory. Full production did not start until May of 1963. In November of 1964, further updates and improvements were introduced, resulting in the designation 'Series 2'. Championship badges were fitted to the lower part of the front fenders and an 'S2' chrome script was placed on the trunk lid. Along with numerous detail styling changes, the Elan S2 received a chrome flip top fuel cap to replace the former screw on one. The interior now featured a full width veneer dash with a lockable glove box, chrome window lifts and levers, and chrome surrounds for the instruments, the pedal cluster was also revised.

Chapman continued to make improvements to the Elan during its production lifespan. Beginning with chassis 4109, the Elans that followed were given revised brake and master cylinders, new front brake calipers with larger pistons and revised rear brake discs, as well as differential and inboard/outboard drive shafts. Eighteen cars later in the series it received new rear light clusters.

The Lotus Elan proved to be a commercial success for Lotus, with slightly fewer than 9,000 examples produced by the time production came to a close in 1973, of which just 1,250 were S2 models.

This particular example is an original Norther American Market/U.S. delivered car. In 1980, it migrated to Canada wearing its original brown paint scheme. A comprehensive restoration soon began. The work was slow, taking two decades before the restored rolling chassis and painted body in Lotus yellow were re-united. Sadly, the owner passed away before the work was completed. In the early 2010s, the Elan project and all the spares passed into the car of Tom Munro of Victoria, Vancouver Island, who finished the project in 2015.

This car is powered by a 1558cc dual overhead cam four-cylinder engine fitted with 2 Weber carburetors offering 105 horsepower. There is a 4-speed manual transmission, independent suspension, and disc brakes.

by Dan Vaughan

Convertible

This Elan was hit badly in the rear and then left in a field in Michigan for nearly 40 years. Classic Motorsports called it 'restoration impossible'. Two years ago the current owners dragged it home and in 14 months completed a restoration in their home workshop. They thank the Lotus community for parts and advice and Classic Motorsports readers for help with the paint.

The 4-cylinder 1588 cc engine produces 125 horsepower.

Coupe

This 1965 Lotus Elan S2 is powered by a 1,558cc inline four-cylinder engine offering between 105 and 120 horsepower. Its chassis weighs approximately 78 lbs and its body about 220 lbs. A body off, top and bottom complete restoration was completed in 2019.

The Lotus Elan was the first modern roadster. That may sound like quite a claim, especially considering that novel cars like the MGB were also around for 1962. The Elan, though, had something no other cars of its time had, or rather it had a combination of traits that none of its contemporaries could match. The Elan was purposeful and cohesive. While a car like the MGB used advanced unitary construction, it also used ancient and out-of-date mechanicals that may have left people wondering why MG had to stop short of breakthrough innovation. When Lotus introduced the Elan, there were no such compromises made.

Lotus endowed the Elan with an advanced body construction. Its aerodynamically-shaped fiberglass shell was draped over a rigid steel backbone chassis. Before production began, Lotus wanted to build Elans using a fiberglass monocoque, an exceptionally modern building style that had been used on the incredible Lotus Elite (1957-1963). When Lotus began initial tests of the Elan, though, they used a separate chassis for manufacturing ease.

This separate chassis proved to suit the car so well during early testing that Lotus changed it plans and decided to build the Elan with its more traditional steel chassis instead of the proposed unitary construction. The Elan was likely the best handling car ever to be built with a separate chassis, and during its time it out-handled the overwhelming majority of unit-bodied cars. It continued the Lotus reputation for building the best handling sports cars in the world.

Housed within the Elan's fiberglass shell was a thoroughly modern take on traditional sports car mechanicals. Beneath the low hood line sat a bristling engine. In its final and most capable form, the Lotus twin-cam four displaced a mere 1,558cc. Its power output, though, was at an incredible 126bhp. Wringing over 80bhp per liter out of a naturally aspirated power plant is no easy task today, and the fact that Lotus was able to do so several decades ago stands as time-tested proof of the company's ingenuity.

That thoroughly impressive engine was used in the 1970-1973 Elan Sprint, the highest performing incarnation of the long-lived Elan. The Sprint's weight, as on other Elans, was incredibly slim. At barely 1,500lbs, the Sprint offered a power-to-weight ratio rivaling contemporary Ferraris.

After reviewing all these impressive features, it's easy to recognize the Elan as the grandfather of the modern sports car. Evidence of this claim can be seen every time a Mazda Miata drives by. The Miata, the first of a new generation of sports cars, borrowed heavily from the Lotus Elan's design. Both cars used peppy twin-cam fours of similar displacement, both had simple, uncluttered interiors to declare their simple, uncluttered messages, and both had a light weight and an endearing character.

Perhaps the most obvious connection between the two, though, was the Miata's stylistic homage to the 2-seater Elan. The Miata borrowed the well-integrated bumpers, sleek and simple lines, and great proportions of the Lotus. New cars like the Pontiac Solstice and Saturn Sky, in borrowing from the Miata before them, have all brought the excellent features of the Elan into today's automotive spotlight through transitive presence. Looking back, it's clear that the Elan's design and engineering were absolutely timeless.

Sources Used:

Wilson, Quentin. The Ultimate Classic Car Book. First. London: Dorling Kindersley Limited, 1995.

Cheetham, Craig. Hot Cars of the '60s. San Diego : Thunder Bay Press, 2004.

by Evan Acuña

Recalling Sixties spy-fi show The Avengers, the first thing men of a certain age remember is Mrs Peel's black leather cat suit. But the character's object of desire was her cute-as-a-button Lotus Elan.

The Elan was launched in October 1962 at the British Motorshow, just as the Sixties started swinging. Jaguar had launched the E-Type the previous year, and AC had the Cobra and Ferrari the GTO. Big, expensive, powerful muscles cars. The Elan was very different, and typically Lotus - ultra modern, lightweight, rapid and huge fun.

It summed up the Sixties: a playful topless two-seat ticket to freedom, it was technically innovative with the first backbone tube chassis of any road car, a fiberglass body, four-wheel independent suspension, 670kg with a peachy power-to-weight ratio, bang up-to-date styling beloved by Kings Road cruisers, and a liberating, rock n' roll attitude.

It came with luxuries that were a rarity at the time, like electric windows, carpets, a heater, and in vogue wooden fascia, but it was still light enough on the scales to outrun other automotive competition – not to mention groupies.

The Elan Sprint, a more powerful 1973 alternative, could hit 60mph in 6.6 seconds, which even now would be considered respectably fast. Back then it was Neil Armstrong territory.

Its pop-up headlights could wink at admirers. It turned heads on Carnaby Street, where the Swinging Sixties embraced cool new design. As well as its turn on TV, defeating baddies and complimenting Diana Rigg's risqué wardrobe, it found its way onto a magazine cover with Jimi Hendrix posing on the bonnet, and even inspired the lyrics to The Beatles' A Day In The Life.

The Elan was Lotus' biggest commercial success to that point, reviving a company stretched thin by the more exotic but in turn more costly to produce Elite. Four different series were produced up until 1973, including a coupe version. Seventeen thousand original examples, including the Elan +2, were produced.

The car was designed by Ron Hickman, who went on to make millions when he patented the Black & Decker WorkMate. He died last year, having earned an OBE for services to industrial innovation.

The Elan was the design inspiration for the Mazda MX-5, which was one of the biggest selling sports cars of the 1990s, and it's clearly the mother of the Lotus Elise, which has been a staple of the Lotus line-up since 1996 and is on its third evolution.

The late motoring journalist LKJ Setright summed up the Elan when, in the early 1960s, he wrote poetically, 'The package that results may not appeal to those conditioned to judge a car by the shut of the door, the depth of the upholstery or the weight of the paint; but to those whose sensual and cerebral appreciations of motoring offer more relevant criteria, the Lotus is as much a machine for driving as a house by Le Corbusier is a machine for living.'

Fifty years on, the Elan has never gone out of style.

A little more Elan history

First introduced in 1962 as a roadster (Drop Head), an optional hardtop was offered in 1963 and a coupé (Fixed Head) version in 1965. It was the first Lotus road car to use the a steel backbone chassis, a technology that continued until 1995 on all Lotus road cars including the Europa, Excel and the Esprit supercar, when it was replaced by the Elise's amazing extruded and bonded Aluminium chassis sub frame with a glass reinforced composite body.

It was also available as a kit to be assembled by the customer. Although a kit was not really the best description of these cars – they could easily be assembled in a weekend, as only a few key components had to be mated together.

The Elan was technologically advanced with a twin-cam 1558cc engine (early Elans in 1962 came with a 1.5 litre engine), 4-wheel disc brakes, and 4-wheel independent suspension.

Mirroring the changing lifestyle of Lotus founder, Colin Chapman, an Elan +2 was introduced in 1967 with two rear seats. These rear seats were compact but by no means occasional and it's not coincidence that it perfectly accommodated Colin's growing family – a car boss has to be able to use his own cars after all!

Elan production finished in 1972 and the +2 ended two years later. With a production run of 17,392 cars, the Elan family was one of the most successful in Lotus' history, surpassed only by the Elise. In the 1970s with Lotus' unprecedented success on the racetrack, especially in F1, Colin Chapman introduced the now legendary Lotus Esprit, Elite and Eclat ranges, taking Lotus into the higher value market and introducing the brand to the glamour and sophistication of supercar territory.

by Lotus