JonB

815 miles in 2 days Santander in Northern Spain to Lagos in portugal, via La Coruna so following the coast rather than direct. In 40C heat too! Car was an R reg Elise in Deep Purple and it didn't skip a beat (was less than a year old at the time). 785 miles in the way back, stopping over in Cordoba. Fab holiday!

I reversed the speaker connections at the plug to get the handsfree coming from the rear speakers on my Pioneer unit. I think your approach is pretty good - I might try and 3D print something along these lines, having discovered that there is some space under the dash at the sides, above the fore/aft chassis rails trhat might take speakers but they would have to be quite small. There is a triangular shaped aperture there on both sides of the car.

Hi I'm about to get my hands on a lovely S1 and I'd like to fit front speakers. My question is, has anyone actually done this, and if so, where were the speakers situated? I know lots of people are going to make comments about how it's better to hear the engine noise but I'd rather listen to music.. or at least have the option to! Thanks JonB

Well the guy selling the Macau notified me of another one - a 1.6 in orange with black grilles and other bits. Cat C, only had clamshell damage (repaired now), but 96k miles. I think it was £17.5k. Looked stunning but the mileage killed it for me. Oh well, keep looking!

Quite so, Pete. He won't sell it for £9k I shouldn't think! So I have walked away from it (figuratively speaking). I will have to keep my powder dry - there are not many Elises out there that are good value but I am sure one will come along eventually. I have a budget of about 18k. There's one on eBay at the moment that could be tempting. It's a 2015 1.6 Club Racer in Saffron Yellow, low mileage and looks fabulous. Only problem is it's £25k. I don't get it. The CR was supposed to be cheaper than the base model due to having loads of stuff stripped out. They were £27k new (so I read). So how come a 5 year old model has depreciated so little? I smell a rat. Meaning by that, a greedy piss-taking dealer. This one: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/303570316555

Couple of questions for S3 Elise owners: Macau edition as far as I know is a standard 1.6 with A/C for Asian markets. However they were not ready in time so got sold in the UK. I'm looking at one now, but it appears to have some extras. Motorsports seats and the rear diffuser / front maintenance cover are black. Also has radio fitting kit and four speakers. Only problem is it's Cat S - damage to one or more front suspension pickups, headlamp unit, clam shell but not the crash structure - claimed to have been repaired properly (by means of a new cross member bonded into place instead of attempting to weld, with bolts where the factory fitted rivets usually sit). Seller claims experience with this type of repair. For sure he's been around for a while, fixing up sports cars. It's "Freedco", anyone know of them? Car is cheap for what it is. So the main question is how much of an impediment is Cat S on a car's record, if it can be demonstrated to have been repaired properly? Other questions are about the Macau and 2014 options specifically: I read that Macau editions have a crossed out VIN on the VIN plate, with a replacement number underneath. Correct? Does the black diffuser signify any specific option? Or are all Macaus like that? It also has black wheels, I am pretty sure these were options. Care to correct me? Anything else to be aware of? Thanks all JonB

You're right, of course. Sigh.

Not so sure! When I go to see a film, I have only driven five miles, so 10 mins. Some of these cars are over 4 hours away... Still, patience is a virtue, and I have not sold the Elan yet.

The risk is what if the car isn't right, after driving all that way?

That must have been hard.. I think I will drive to see some of them but all the way to flippin' Knaresborough (for the red MMC one) from here is a 4.5hr journey. Ye gods..

Fair do's. Lotus folded chassis (if original) will most likely be on the verge of collapse by now (due to rust in the base of the front turrets). Lotus LR chassis (galvanised) will likely be warped due to heat encountered during the galvanising process. Spyder space frame chassis is more rigid and it's easier to access parts for service / repair. Plus, has a tow loop at the front. Pay your money, take your choice... You're actually the first person I've talked to who would exclude a car due to having a Spyder chassis. Most people don't really care as long as it is sound (which it is). I mean Plus 2s aren't that precious, are they? Meanwhile my hunt for a good S1 continues. Why are so many of them "oop Noorth"?

What the purple Plus 2? I agree... as it is currently sitting in my garage waiting for a new owner to amble along!

Shame on you! Maybe you can redeem yourself: https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C1206211

Sorry, can't really justify one of those...

I think if you buy a S2 or 3, all fab of course, you will pine for a S1 as that is the car you had before. That is quite possible, Justin. However, I did have problems with my brand new S1; the seats were not terribly comfortable , the roof leaked and I didn't really like the anaemic sounding engine. It was difficult to hear the stereo (I like music when I drive) as the car was quite noisy. I thought it was in dire need of A/C, not just for hot summer days, but to help demist in the rainy cold winter. Finally, there is the question of age. An S1 is going to be over 20 years old. Even the S3 I linked to is 10 years old. Any S1 is likely to need new bushes and possibly the suspension arms repainted (ha! just like my 47 year old Elan!). Plus the radiator - I have read the originals have plastic ends that crack over time, and need to be replaced. MMC is important to me as it is one of the special features of the original S1s. Reduces unsprung weight, your wheels don't get covered in brake dust and the disks and pads tend to last forever. So.. If I found an original, unmolested S1 in yellow or orange with MMC and less than 50k miles for £10-12k I think I'd grab it. There's actually a green one for £9000 listed but it needs a respray. It looks badly neglected, too. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/133353317142 Oh, and not MMC (listing says the disks and pads are new). By the way, if you swapped your Excel for an Esprit, and added an Elan Sprint, I think you'd have my dream garage!