Lotus Elans

[C M Smith <cmsmith@domain.elided>]

Surely we all remember when Lotus was basically just a division of GM, 
don't we? How else do you think an Isuzu got tarted up as a Lotus, and 
another sported a badge "suspension by Lotus". Are we really wondering why 
they didn't sell like hotcakes? Isuzu still makes terrible little cars and 
mediocre trucks. (Reliable though, more's the pity!) Then we remember the 
C4 Corvette with that monster quad cam aluminum engine designed by Lotus 
and built in Ammurrica by Mercury Marine (also a GM company I believe) 
which no self respecting Corvette lover would touch, and those who 
understood about engines couldn't stand in the C4 Corvette, more rigid than 
previous 'vettes but still a creakmobile).

There were only two or three real Elans, depending upon how different a car 
has to be to be a different model. All were brilliantly conceived, magical 
cars that made great conversation pieces for your garage, and provided 
endless entertainment between test drives. Anyone who compares the handling 
of any of the real Lotus Elans with the modern Miata must be desperate for 
conversation. The Miata is a lovely little car but the Loti were detuned 
racing cars for the street. Even the S2 which was pretty heavy for a Lotus, 
could easily be turned out onto the track for a blast and then driven home, 
assuming it was still running that is.

BTW, someone opined that the S2 had a 105 hp engine. My sources tell me the 
"Big Valve" Cosworth head on the Ford 1600 block, with twin "two barrel" 
Dell Orto or Weber sidedraft carbs made 125 hp. In that slip of a car you 
had plenty of acceleration, and even on those skinny tires the cars gripped 
like slot cars. Ah yes, if you can find a Lotus Elan that has not eaten its 
backbone, buy it. The body was not structural (thank God) as the backbone 
was designed as a rolling chassis. However, to strengthen the BODY it was 
bonded around the backbone without regard to the tinworm who gets in when 
the fibreglass crazes and eats the backbone away, unseen by the owner. One 
day the car breaks into pieces, hopefully not in mid corner.

Back to our regularly scheduled litany of busted defective Euro cars and 
why we luv 'em so much.




Michael Smith
White 1991 164L
Original owner
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