Opinions please: Lotus Elan Plus 2 130 Spyder Cars Zetec conversion

[grayp77]

Hello forum members, I hope that all is well with you and you have been able to enjoy this brief glimpse of summer. 

I took my Esprit out yesterday to get it prepped for a trip to Goodwood on Saturday, it drove really well, I had a blast and felt epic! but it was short lived; an hour into the prep work the Engineer informed me that the car is one more pothole from disintegrating at the front, and one more fast pass from detonating in a geyser of hot oil ☹️

A short while after receiving this news that my S1 Esprit requires more expense, and that yet again I will miss an opportunity to drive it down to Goodwood to play at an event this weekend, my head was turned by a Lotus Elan Plus 2 130 special ed.

When I enquired about the car I was told that in 2006 it was subject to a Spydercars (www.spydercars.co.uk/lotus-elan-2-zetec-conversion-products/) chassis and 2.0 litre Zetec conversion (this car also has an Emerald ECU(?), Jenvey throttle bodies, and is tuned to 160bhp).

Inside it looks and smells like a 1973 Lotus, which I like; but not being able to take it out for a drive, and having never driven a Lotus Elan previously, I have no way of knowing whether it will be like driving an old Ford Focus with an Elan body, or a decent resto-mod that retains the Elans charms/quirks/driveability etc.

I am not yet sure whether the car is interesting enough to push me to sell the Esprit (I have an unhealthy and costly love hate relationship with it); but the idea of having a classic Lotus that is "easier" to maintain, relatively modern underneath, does not require me to get abused by SJSportscars(!) every few months, likely to start and drive when I want to go out, and can accommodate my family....is quite appealing.

Are Elan +2's really in the £20000-£28000 price bracket now?! (the exact car was for sale at £10k not so long ago)

I would very much like to hear your opinions on the Spydercars conversion and ownership.

......and if you fancy more stress and financial loss in your life then get in contact about buying my Esprit. Its got loads of great race car bits bits on it...45% of the time it always works beautifully, and during that time it may just win a race/class 🙂.

[Fridge]

44 minutes ago, grayp77 said:

Hello forum members, I hope that all is well with you and you have been able to enjoy this brief glimpse of summer. 

I took my Esprit out yesterday to get it prepped for a trip to Goodwood on Saturday, it drove really well, I had a blast and felt epic! but it was short lived; an hour into the prep work the Engineer informed me that the car is one more pothole from disintegrating at the front, and one more fast pass from detonating in a geyser of hot oil ☹️

A short while after receiving this news that my S1 Esprit requires more expense, and that yet again I will miss an opportunity to drive it down to Goodwood to play at an event this weekend, my head was turned by a Lotus Elan Plus 2 130 special ed.

When I enquired about the car I was told that in 2006 it was subject to a Spydercars (www.spydercars.co.uk/lotus-elan-2-zetec-conversion-products/) chassis and 2.0 litre Zetec conversion (this car also has an Emerald ECU(?), Jenvey throttle bodies, and is tuned to 160bhp).

Inside it looks and smells like a 1973 Lotus, which I like; but not being able to take it out for a drive, and having never driven a Lotus Elan previously, I have no way of knowing whether it will be like driving an old Ford Focus with an Elan body, or a decent resto-mod that retains the Elans charms/quirks/driveability etc.

I am not yet sure whether the car is interesting enough to push me to sell the Esprit (I have an unhealthy and costly love hate relationship with it); but the idea of having a classic Lotus that is "easier" to maintain, relatively modern underneath, does not require me to get abused by SJSportscars(!) every few months, likely to start and drive when I want to go out, and can accommodate my family....is quite appealing.

Are Elan +2's really in the £20000-£28000 price bracket now?! (the exact car was for sale at £10k not so long ago)

I would very much like to hear your opinions on the Spydercars conversion and ownership.

......and if you fancy more stress and financial loss in your life then get in contact about buying my Esprit. Its got loads of great race car bits bits on it...45% of the time it always works beautifully, and during that time it may just win a race/class 🙂.

They aren't fetching a great deal of money, especially as classic car prices are currently 20% or so down on 2-3 years ago. That said cars in genuine good condition will be worth paying a decent price for.

The Elan Plus 2 is a cool looking car, but it's not an Esprit, let alone an S1.

[jonwat]

2 hours ago, grayp77 said:

Are Elan +2's really in the £20000-£28000 price bracket now?! (the exact car was for sale at £10k not so long ago)

Plenty on carandclssic.com, expecially this beauty which has been on there for months so you'd probably get it for a few grand less 😃

[LotusLeftLotusRight]

Also, the classic Lotus Twin Cam is one of the great sports car engines of all time. The common or garden Ford Focus unit just isn’t. That conversion has to reduce the value significantly in my opinion.

[grayp77]

1 hour ago, jonwat said:

Plenty on carandclssic.com, expecially this beauty which has been on there for months so you'd probably get it for a few grand less 😃

Yeah, I had a good look about online. I wasn't sure I was after a proper Elan; I like the thought of it, but I am increasing put off by the hassle my Esprit gives me.

The initial draw to the Elan in my post was that it looked like an Elan but had less stressful undercarriage and running gear.... however this "benefit" is also the reason for my doubt.

I guess my gut says, if I am going to do Lotus then it should be 100% Lotus. 

Still interested to know if anyone has driven/owned a Spydercars version though

[jep]

Don't start me on non-Lotus chassis. 

We had this debate last month on another thread. It divides opinion.

I wouldn't touch a Lotus without a Lotus designed chassis.  And yes, I have owned a Spyder chassis Lotus many years ago.

Justin 

[grayp77]

1 hour ago, jep said:

Don't start me on non-Lotus chassis. 

We had this debate last month on another thread. It divides opinion.

I wouldn't touch a Lotus without a Lotus designed chassis.  And yes, I have owned a Spyder chassis Lotus many years ago.

Justin 

🙂 I read that thread just after I posted!

I do agree with your opinion... I am just looking for easier Lotus ownership... it would be great to have a car that starts and drives every time I want to go out in it; I have missed out on that the past 11 years!

I am 90% ready to stop thinking about the Spydercars Elan.... unless a fellow member tells me they are a fantastic daily and one can't notice the difference when driving 😉

[Fridge]

I know your fabulous S1 is highly modified and has been driven hard on track, but I don't consider the Esprit S1 unreliable. In my opinion it'll always be better than the models that preceded it as it was a big change in Lotus production. Though I admit that I am biased, even though earlier models are very nice indeed.

[grayp77]

15 minutes ago, Fridge said:

I know your fabulous S1 is highly modified and has been driven hard on track, but I don't consider the Esprit S1 unreliable. In my opinion it'll always be better than the models that preceded it as it was a big change in Lotus production. Though I admit that I am biased, even though earlier models are very nice indeed.

I agree; it's a "my car" problem. I am certain that the unreliability that I am experiencing is 100% due to the modifications on the car. It was not intended to go back on the road.  It performed fine on smooth tarmac for the 45-60 minutes of the average race.

But I started using it in its "race spec" and it created lots of problems. 

However, I have spent over £12,000 in the past 3 years to various "qualified" Specialists and Engineers who have returned the car to me saying its all good.... and it definitely hasn't been.  You would think, with the mess that was discovered yesterday, that the car had never been touched.

It wasn't safe to be on the road! and I parted with £4k for pre winter inspection and work last October to address the exact same problems 😖 ..... its got me ranting!

I am waiting on Allon White Sports Cars to send me a plan of attack and estimate (should have gone to them from the start).

My missus is constantly on my back, how much have you spent, when are you selling it, we could have gone on holiday for that money, get something we can all enjoy blah blah... but she has a point!

Not sure which is going to beat me into submission first! 😁

[Fridge]

There are a lot of dodgy so-called professionals out there that's for sure. Fortunately I haven't had to use them.

[grayp77]

1 minute ago, Fridge said:

There are a lot of dodgy so-called professionals out there that's for sure. Fortunately I haven't had to use them.

I wasn't interested in cars when my Grandfather tried to teach me about car mechanics, tuning etc.  I believed I could get everywhere on my mountain bike.

3 months after I bought my first car in 2003 (which was a 1975 sports car) he passed away! It was then I learned that he worked as a race car mechanic after the war (through to the late 70's)... bloody typical.

Despite trying to be handy with a spanner I tend to do more damage than good!