Lotus Elan: How Fast Really?

[Jeff Short]

The old-school thinking concerning motor racing "safety" was that you'd be better off thrown out of the vehicle than going with it wherever it was headed, which was almost always into something hard.

Of course, they did without rollover protection in those days, preferring to have thier skull crushed and/or be decapitated than have Nuvolari call them a pussy (or something.)

Those guys in racing during the early 20th century had balls. They survived WWI, and WWII, niether of which has ever been remembered for its excess of joy. After that, the general mindset was that if those damn Germans couldn't kill them, how in the hell could one tiny car deliver their coupé-de-gras? ((sic)and it's a double pun... you didn't think of it!).

But kill them the tiny cars did. I think that through the 50's into the 60's one driver in seven finished his gran prix season in a box. The press started calling racing a "blood sport," and there was great outcry and wailing from the public. As soon as people took a liking to a driver, he was killed. Except for Stirling Moss, who is either a Highlander or Dracula.

In the 70's, things started changing. Safety became as important as winning, and team owners didn't want to see their star driver in pieces strewn through the branches of trackside trees. Some of the romance was gone forever, but so was some of the horror. Take your pick, I guess.

There are still probably ways to off yourself in a F1 car today, but after driving one off the top of a tall building into a volcano, I can't think of any. Senna's death caused a re-design of most circuits so that there's nothing to hit, and chicanes everywhere keep speeds reasonable (not too many super-duper high speed corners anymore.)

And everybody existed in a safe, cosseting world from 1970 onward.

Except Colin Chapman, who by that time was clearly as mad as a hatter (in the best way possible.)
An inexperienced driver will cause major damage just getting into an Elan, and the consequences of even a child on a Vespa colliding with the car in a side impact don't bear thinking about...

Really, this is only a car in a loose sense. It's more like a shifter cart with bodywork.

What was the question again?

Good post, Frank Gardner's famous quote "I don't want to be the fastest driver, jsut the oldest." Of course half the time he was the fastest as well anyways. I spoke to Frank about 3 months ago at a family BBQ. My GF hadn't met him before and told him it was amazing his achievements in motorsport. In true Frank form his response was "What's amazing girl is i'm here to talk to you about it."

I uhave unlimited amounts of respect for all forms of race drivers from the 50's and 60's.

[NicFromLA]

^ That's why Olivier Gendebien is my hero.

[fangio]

McReis: the YouTube video you posted is Jean-Marc Merlin in his Elan during the TourAuto.
I have some too and will try to post them on YouTUbe.

The silver Elan is now sold to France to another very quick driver, so M. Lejournade will not get a free ride at all, he will have to get even faster to beat the new owner!
My new car is a real 26R, living in the US.

[fangio]

Good post, Frank Gardner's famous quote "I don't want to be the fastest driver, jsut the oldest." Of course half the time he was the fastest as well anyways. I spoke to Frank about 3 months ago at a family BBQ. My GF hadn't met him before and told him it was amazing his achievements in motorsport. In true Frank form his response was "What's amazing girl is i'm here to talk to you about it."

I uhave unlimited amounts of respect for all forms of race drivers from the 50's and 60's.

Jeff, Frank Gardner took me around Zandvoort in 1965 in the Lotus-Cortina, when I was 15 years old.
I thought I could never drive that fast; amazing to think that many years later I would drive much faster cars both at Zandvoort and other circuits.

Give him my regards, he was one of my heros!!!!!!!

[henk4]

McReis: the YouTube video you posted is Jean-Marc Merlin in his Elan during the TourAuto.
I have some too and will try to post them on YouTUbe.

The silver Elan is now sold to France to another very quick driver, so M. Lejournade will not get a free ride at all, he will have to get even faster to beat the new owner!
My new car is a real 26R, living in the US.

just for the record, here it is....

http://www.ultimatecarpage.com/forum...img_3109.1.jpg

[henk4]

Jeff, Frank Gardner took me around Zandvoort in 1965 in the Lotus-Cortina, when I was 15 years old.
I thought I could never drive that fast; amazing to think that many years later I would drive much faster cars both at Zandvoort and other circuits.

Give him my regards, he was one of my heros!!!!!!!

but do you think you could drive as fast with a period Cortina as Frank once did?

[wwgkd]

So what does this all mean, really? Colin Chapman was a genius? Weight is the one true enemy? New cars are often over rated? Old cars are often under rated? Racing was just better back in the day? People who don't truly appreciate cars and only follow the latest, flashiest trend miss out on some of the greatest mechanical achievements of mankind?

[henk4]

So what does this all mean, really? Colin Chapman was a genius? Weight is the one true enemy? New cars are often over rated? Old cars are often under rated? Racing was just better back in the day? People who don't truly appreciate cars and only follow the latest, flashiest trend miss out on some of the greatest mechanical achievements of mankind?

I would say, draw your own conclusions

[carsie]

Well I think that the owner may possibly be correct. I own an Elan - '66 DHC it's phenominally fast not just kinesthetically but factually.

There are a number of factors that contribute to it's blinding performance; it's weight (lack of) chassis competence, steering input and a very responsive engine.

That old, old maxim of "it's not what you've got etc etc" is so very true in the Elan.

I guess like many of us, over the years I have had some fantastic cars, TVR, Sierra Cosworth, TR8 to name a few; the Elan I can assure you is totally different and in a different league, I can only describe it as being akin to putting on a second skin.

It's not a "steak and kidney pie" car more of a chilli tiger prawn (where on earth is he thinking up these analogies?? lol! )

For sure nowaday's a well driven STi or even a old Peugeot 205GTI will keep up, but not mile after mile and the reason is because of the fluidity and composure of the total package.

I must stress that I'm not myopic, of course there are faster cars, of course there are better drivers but in context the Elan is blindingly fast.

I would post up some Youtube clips but I'm struggling to get them posted correctly at the minute and don't want to be black balled have only just joined

There is one clip of an Elan harrasing an M3, I think it's around the 'ring and eventually he gets him. There are a couple of other's, one chasing an E type and then there's a Spanish S3, albeit racing spec, in a hillclimb/road race - my giddy aunt, search that one out to watch what I mean about fluidity in fast cornering.

Signing off... work beckons...have a good day

[Matra et Alpine]

Proper original twin cam competition car
Lost it on the exit of last, corner and ploughed through the timing gear and up a banking. SADLY tore the sill wide open , ripped the wheel off and if not for the full competition cage would have seen some serious damage.

[f6fhellcat13]

I would post up some Youtube clips but I'm struggling to get them posted correctly at the minute and don't want to be black balled have only just joined

There is one clip of an Elan harrasing an M3, I think it's around the 'ring and eventually he gets him. There are a couple of other's, one chasing an E type and then there's a Spanish S3, albeit racing spec, in a hillclimb/road race - my giddy aunt, search that one out to watch what I mean about fluidity in fast cornering.

Just copy the URL of the Youtube video into your post and the forum will automatically embed it for you.
Welcome to UCP, by the way, and I'm sure we'd all love to see pictures of your Elan.

[Odin]

I think, the Elan was a wonderfull car, but british made, that means, it broke down a lot and was very fragil. It had a good british Club Racer report, but internationally it wasn't so good, same with the Elite, too many breakdowns.
In the late 80th, historic racing was taken too seriously, by some guys and most Lotus and Jaguar were converted to something, they never were in their original time. Original, the Lotus TC had max. 155 fragil HP and in modern times it went close too 200 HP, but with steel cranks and big valve Heads, both not really legal. 26R bodyworks and stiffer chassis became normal in street Elans. Cortinas were faster than Alfa GTA's, Lotus Elan were batteling against Ferrari SWB's and E Types were outrunning Ferrari GTO's.
That never happened in their original times.
Remembering that Zandfoort Race in 87, their was in front a big battle between Roger Mac in the E Type and Fabrizio Violati in the Ferrari GTO. Both were protesting after each race, against each other. Both Dutch SWB's were steel bodied Lusso Cars, with normal street engines and the Elan was fully Race crooked, with all the goodies, that weren't legal, same with the E Type.
But it was David against Goliath and nice to see and nicer to remember.
Today it's a different world, the Cars are more original and Cortinas aren't Frontrunners, E Types are slower and you can hardly seen any Ferraris, because of the extreme value, or the high age of the owner and the changed role, that an old racing Car, became an investment, with lots of Dollars to win.
Painting and Carpeting is more important, then racing. Funny american Las Vegas style world.

[Matra et Alpine]

Most lighweight saloon/gt race cars in the 60s were "fragile" .... you expected to blow an engine
We forget sometimes now how often cars retired wit engine, gearbox and other mechanical problems.
The Elan's achilles in racing was all it's strength was in the chassis which gave NO protection to driver. THe one pictured above woudl ahve been written off and probably ahve injured he driver if it had not been fitted with a FULL roll cage. The wheel was ripped off ..... an hour later it went out for another timed run after a thorough check over

[Odin]

You're right, but Lotuses even broke down on the trailer
and in the continental Championchip Races, there was no Lotus.
Like I said, wonderfull Cars and with modern improvement, they drive.

[clutch-monkey]

but british made, that means, it broke down a lot and was very fragil.

ain't that the truth!
although redoing the wiring on british stuff works wonders imo