LotusElan17

Looking great Graham, every time I see it I regret selling, looks so right it Monaco white with the black vinyl roof, cloth interior in the best condition of any of the cars I have owned. i hope to bring the Riviera to next years event, see you there. David

Okay will do, thought cars can be advertised on here as well, need to read the rules 🤓

1981 Lotus Elite S2.2 Galvanised Chassis Lotus 912 LC 2.2 Litre Twin Cam Engine Twin Dellorto 45DHLA Carburettors 160 bhp, Torque 160 ft lb @ 5000rpm Manual Getrag 5 Speed Gearbox Gold paintwork Cream leather interior Electric Windows Rear Seat Belts Rear Wiper GKN Alloy Wheels 80,000 miles Engine rebuild at 61,400 miles MOT Exempt Tax Exempt Many new parts, tyres etc. Cheap Classic Car Insurance Appreciating Classic One of just 133 S2 Elites £16,000, offers invited For sale, a superb original condition Lotus Elite S2.2 in metallic gold with cream leather interior. With just 133 Elite S2.2 models produced from 1980 to 1982 it is a very rare car, even rarer to find in this condition. Less than 50 remain with about 22 registered with DVLA, that is taxed, SORN or on the road. The stunning gold colour was only used on a handful of examples, I don’t recall seeing another in the flesh. Extensively refurbished in 1992 with 61,000 registered miles, documented in numerous pictures, current mileage 80,000, the fully rebuilt engine has covered just 19,000 miles over the last 30 years. The diff was rebuilt in 1992, the gearbox was rebuilt in 2016 and has had minimal mileage since with just 100 miles since. In view of minimal miles in last 10 years I have just completed the recommissioning process in anticipation of regular use in the coming years. New parts fitted:- Gates cambelt Tensioner bearing Alternator/water pump belt (Gates) Otter switch Thermostat Evans waterless coolant Spark plugs Genuine Dellorto rebuild kit MISAB O rings Air filter NGK Ignition leads Engine oil Gearbox oil Diff oil Tyres Battery Windscreen wiper Only selling as I have an Eclat Riviera to rebuild and I could do with the garage space. Having said that I am also advertising the barn find Riviera, whichever sells first I will be keeping the other one, I love both cars and have no real preference which one to keep, will leave that in the hands of the Lotus gods. Can be viewed anytime in Cheshunt North London EN76XR, not far from the old Lotus Factory, just contact me by email with your preferred date and time and I will endeavour to accommodate. The pictures show the superb condition, I believe it is even better in person so viewing is essential, view both at the same time, the barn find Riviera needs a complete rebuild and the Elite wants for nothing, excellent opportunity to view both ends of the spectrum if you are undecided about which route to take. Priced at the same level as numerous mundane classics that will rust before your eyes, will they be around in another 41 years, unlikely, however I am confident that the Elite will be around for another 100 years. An Esprit in this condition would be £40k to £50k, I predict that the Elite will achieve parity in the not too distant future as it is every bit as good as an Esprit and yes I have owned four Esprit models and have equal love for them. I said the same with the Elan and Elan +2, at one point 15 years ago the +2 was a quarter of the valuation of the Elan, now they are very much similar. Happy to discuss all things Lotus with interested parties, offers invited, sorry don’t need another car at present so no p/x. David davidrow17@hotmail.com

Not sure at the moment Don, will send you a PM when I dig out the V5

You’ve made excellent progress, very impressed particularly with the chassis, I fear that it is the route I must take, done it a few times before but still a daunting task. A33 Ice Blue, I particularly like that colour, it looks great in your pictures, I am sure you can sort out the imperfections. Mine will need a partial respray and I of course will be sticking with the A15 original colour, the bumpers will be going Amy Winehouse (back to black). Haven’t as yet started the rebuild as the Gold Elite is taking up my garage space, need to make a decision on wether to find a workshop for the restoration (expensive), find a lock up for the Elite as it will be destroyed leaving outside for any length of time, the final solution is to sell the Elite but I know I will regret that decision.

Never really named any of my cars, just the usual profanities when they break down. Having said that I just realised that my Avatar picture Exige S1 was known in Lotus circles as “BlownK”, namely due to the number plate B10WNK and the fact that it had blown two supercharged engines prior to my purchase and a third Turbo Technics TT230 in my possession at the inaugural Lotus On Track race at Brands Hatch March 2007, that’s it exploding in the picture.

It’s my mission in life, I must be a reincarnated masochist.

My 39th (ish) Lotus, a 1982 Eclat Riviera in Helleblau (light blue) paint code A15. Resprayed circa 1992, hence the lack of Riviera decals, engine rebuilt about the same time after catastrophic failure, then for some unknown reason parked in a garage in 1992, last tax disk displayed, and hasn’t turned a wheel under power since. Left with spark plugs removed and now engine seized. I purchased recently from a chap in Wakefield, he conveyed the sorry story to me but he had acquired it relatively recently so didn’t know the full story, I suspect it was kept near the coast as the amount of corrosion is frightening, I have never seen so much surface rust on a galvanised chassis and for a rebuilt engine to seize solid over that period of time is unprecedented in my experience. I have oiled the bores and will wait for some time to see if it will turn over, but I have decided on a full strip down and rebuild in any case, I have even budgeted for a new chassis but remain hopeful that I can fix the rust issues. On the plus side the interior apart from the dash is in excellent condition, and the all important Riviera parts are present and intact. I am not going to do a rebuild blog as Benco’s excellent thread covers it and is the same car, but I will post a few before and after pictures when I get around to starting the rebuild. David

Just above the bottom right corner of the tailgate🤓

1982 Eclat Riviera, needs full restoration, last tax disc 1992.

Surprised that no one noticed that there are two Lotuses in this picture, hidden in plain sight is a blue Eclat, so obvious when pointed out😉

Just completed the re-commissioning process, new cambelt, tensioner bearing, aux belt, otter switch, thermostat, hoses, rewired the engine bay loom to remove defunct alarm and hot wired fans, Evans waterless coolant, checked valve clearances, compressions, new plugs, timing adjusted, carbs rebuilt, new fuel filters ( I use three, confuses the hell out of people, god knows why), new fuel lines E10 compatible (not that I would ever use E10), new oil and filter, new air filter, brake fluid flushed, new pads and shoes, UJs inspected and greased, wheel bearings inspected, suspension and bushes inspected, diff oil drained and replenished, gearbox oil drained and replenished, etc. That’s just the mechanical side.

Good guess but you are not right, that is a Z4 Coupe, not really hidden in plain sight (not site as in typo), no the teaser is Lotus related.

No, the Elite S2 had the GKN alloys as standard with the Speedline alloys as an optional extra, so this is factory spec, all S2 Eclat had the Speedlines, I love the look of both so wouldn’t change them, the teaser isn’t on the Elite.

Hard work, diligence and sometimes pure chance and bit of good fortune, purchased this one last year within an hour of it being advertised, always wanted a gold Elite, my first one in that colour. Well spotted on the washer bottle, you must behave as I do, zoom in on each picture and spot every nuance, it’s called find the flaws, bit like finding Wally I suppose. Here is a bit of a teaser, hidden in plain site is something of interest which will be revealed at a later date, say no more, mums the word😉