1972 Lotus Elan +2S |

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1972 Lotus Elan +2S

This vehicle has now been sold - click ‘Register Similar’ below to get notified when we consign a similar vehicle.

Sold Price

£10,075

Mileage~80,600
TransmissionManual
Engine1.6L
LocationLeeds

SOLD

1972 Lotus Elan +2S

I WANT ONE

Introduction

Isaac Wass

Professional Consigner

Weighing in at 998kg, the Lotus Elan +2S was a lightweight and able GT, powered by a 1.6L engine it offers superb handling and buckets of B-road fun.

Originally produced between 1967 and 1973 the Lotus Elan was subject to many revisions over it’s nine year production run but ultimately stayed true to Colin Chapman's minimum weight design philosophy, culminating in the ~889kg Lotus Elan +2S with it’s nippy 1.6L engine, independent suspension, and well praised handling set up and roomier, more luxurious for a Lotus interior.

This particular example comes to us form current ownership of ~2 years as a weekend project in need of light recommissioning. Finished in black over a black interior, the bodywork and interior present in good condition, a solid example that would make an ideal winter project to get this car back on the roads again.

This auction listing was written from information supplied by Isaac after meeting Rob the owner, and having visited and photographed the vehicle.

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Secure Auctions

We verify all our sellers and buyers to keep our community safe whilst also providing the highest levels of website security.

Full Transparency

8 out of 10 people that buy cars via our service don’t feel the need to visit due to the transparency and thoroughness of our listings.

Vehicle Delivery

We're there every step of your buying journey and will even arrange pick-up and delivery of your new vehicle.

Meet the owner

This was to be a project for my granddaughter and I, however other commitments got in the way and we never got around to finishing.

Rob originally purchased the car during lockdown as somewhat of a barn find with the aim of recommissioning the vehicle with his granddaughter, however between the strains of lockdown, work, and family commitments, his plans of restoring the car never quite came to fruition.

After having spent the last couple of years stored and un-driven, Rob has seen fit to let his Elan +2S find a new home with someone who will have the time to recommission the vehicle and put it back on the road. It's a remarkably solid example, and really wants for someone to do some light recommission work like rebuilding/tuning the carbs, working over the brakes etc to then put the car through an MOT and back on the road once again. Rob will be happy to answer any questions in the comments section below.

Rob

Vehicle Owner

Rob saved £1,800* when they
sold their Lotus with us.

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EXTERIOR VIDEO

Exterior

With its attractive bodylines, pop up headlights, and low slung stance, the Lotus Elan +2S is immediately recognisable for the classic sports car that it is.

Wheels and Tyres

The wheels are of a black and chrome design, matching the rest of the vehicles black and chrome colourway. Whilst being somewhat in need of some TLC, the wheels themselves appear solid and not in need of any repair work, the chrome sections do feature some light pitting but these are only surface imperfections.

The tyres are Geng Shing in brand and are DOT marked 20E9, however they still have a good amount of tread present and the sidewalls do not appear to be perished. View the image gallery to see the detail.

Bodywork

The bodywork of the car appears to be in good condition, with no obvious signs of damage across the panels. All shut-lines appear straight and good for a Lotus and all panel gaps look even too. The underside of the car looks in good condition too, although there isn't any history with the car, we would hazard a guess that this car has been restored in the not so distant past.

We've highlighted in more detail our observations through our high resolution images and videos, so please take time to look through all the media files for a detailed view at what’s on offer, and for you to assess the condition of the car for yourselves.

Paint

Whilst it could use a good polish, the black paintwork isn’t in bad condition, there are no major scratches or chips to be found anywhere on the vehicle, and the paint appears free from any crazing or staining too. As mentioned above, when looking at the condition of the exterior, we would guess it has been restored explaining the condition it stands in today.

Again, we have taken high resolution images and videos of the car for you to assess the condition of the bodywork for yourselves. The images are taken from a few different angles to show off the car as you would see it if you were standing there for yourselves. So please take the time to fully assess these high resolution images and videos of the car, for you to make up your own minds about the condition of the paint.

Glass and Trim

The glass on the vehicle is without fault, on the day of our visit we checked the glass for any chips, scratches, or cracks, and found nothing of note.

The chrome trim on the car is also in good condition, save for a few spots of light pitting on the bumpers, and some mild weathering on the bonnet inserts, and the driver's side bump strip along the bottom of the vehicle has lifted away from the bodywork ever so slightly, but this is not immediately visible and does not massively detract from the vehicle's appearance.

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INTERIOR VIDEO

Interior

Whilst the Lotus Elan +2S design allows for up to four passengers, it also creates a more spacious and comfortable interior for the driver.

Seats and Carpets

The black interior is in surprisingly good condition for the age, whilst it would benefit from a clean and details, the seat covers are free from any damage with the exception of a spot of bolster wear on the driver's seat.

Likewise the carpets are in fairly good condition, with no excessive wear or fading from UV damage, the carpets need little more than a good clean to bring them back to their best.

Dashboard

The burl wood dashboard is in remarkable condition, with not a hint of de-lamination or damage in general present anywhere on the dashboard, it is easily the highlight of the interior. Again, it points towards a restoration in the past.

All dials and switchgear are present and correct, and whilst a couple of switches are somewhat faded, it would not be hard to restore these to their former glory.

Steering Wheel / Gear Stick

The steering wheel is in average condition for it’s age, with the leather beginning to show some signs of use, however the steering wheel itself is undamaged and the Lotus badge centrepiece is in good condition.

Likewise the gear stick is beginning to show signs of age, whilst the wood itself is solid and undamaged the finish is beginning to wear and there is some small delamination present.

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'ON THE ROAD' VIDEO

Mechanics

The 1.6L engine might be small but when dropped into a ~889kg chassis it provides plenty of power and along with it comes plenty of fun.

Engine and Gearbox

With the car not having been used for 2 years, when speaking to Rob it would appear that the carbs need some work to get the car running right. We actioned a cold start, it took a few turns of the engine before fuel was through, with the car not having been turned over in ~1 year, but when it did fire up the car didn't emit any smoke etc from the exhaust.

Given the issue with the carbs we were unable to take the vehicle out on the road, however you can see the engine start up for the first time in well over a year during our ‘On The Road’ video.

Suspension and Brakes

As we were unable to take the car out on the road we can’t comment on the suspension or brakes, however looking underneath the car, it just looks like some signs of surface corrosion. As the car hasn't been used in anger in ~2 years, we'd recommend the brakes are given a good going over before proper use.

The Drive

The Lotus Elan embodies the minimum weight design philosophy favoured by Colin Chapman and was often praised for its deft and nimble handling so it’s not hard to imagine this car being buckets of fun on the road.

Electrics and Other

On the day of our visit we checked all the electrics such as lights, electric windows, and gauges and noted that everything was working as expected. Due to not having been started in well over a year the battery was well and truly flat and as such had to be started using a jump kit so we will assume the battery is not in peak condition.

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History and Paperwork

Purchased as a weekend project, there’s little known about the car's past life save it having only two former keepers and appearing to have been restored at some point.

The exterior and interior of the car are in respectable condition and given some time and patience the right owner could quite easily rectify the mechanical fettling this car requires, we'd say it's what appears to be in need of a light recommission.

We’ve done all our usual seller checks including photo ID, V5 and also actioned a HPi check on the vehicle.

We've summarised our own view on the car based on information gained from the seller in the listing above, however, and as you can see, we go to great lengths to photograph and video the car in high resolution detail - this has been done for you to make your own assessment from the comfort of your sofa. So please sit back, have a cuppa and take your time to review everything on this listing in order to make your own assessment on the vehicle's condition. Viewings are also welcomed with all our listings, so please get in touch with us to arrange a suitable time - we just need to speak to you first and receive a valid photo ID before confirming.

If there's anything you're unsure about, no matter how small, then please first ask the owner in the comments area below before placing your bid/s, as bids can't be retracted and form a binding contract if you win the car - just like a traditional auction house.

Key Details

ModelElan +2S
TransmissionManual
Reg. Date17.03.1972
CC1,558
Mileage~80,600
ColourBlack
Interior ColourBlack
Chassis #72020633L
Engine #P26078
MOTNo
MOT ExemptYes
Road Tax ExemptYes
HPi ClearYes
Former Keepers2
Tyre TreadGood
Tyre BrandGeng Shing
Tyre AgeDOT 20E9
LHD or RHDRHD
VisitedYes
Sale TypePrivate
Owned~2 years
Key FeatureCondition, keen reserve
Auction ID522700

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All Images

History and Paperwork

All Videos

Vehicle Sold

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Ask Questions

Seller : RobM Sale Date 04.10.2022

Post a comment or ask the owner a question about the car.

Admin

Kulraj Salh

Update – The seller Rob has removed the reserve on the auction, this car is no selling at no reserve, the highest bid will win the car. Good luck if you’re involved in the bidding. Best, Kulraj – Trade Classics

Member

tel

Afternoon Rob,
The front nearside chassis tower behind the lower wishbone appears on the images to have been repaired/plated, the images are slightly out of focus at this point & masked partly by the wishbone can you confirm if this is a indeed a repair
Thanks

Author

RobM

Hi Its not a repair that has been undertaken by myself and im unable to confirm if it has been done prior to me purchasing the car Im also away so cant view the car myself to clarify either way Hope this helps Regards Rob

Member

johnmc

Do the headlights operate, they seem to be up in all photos. Thanks, john

Author

RobM

Hi Prior to the car going into storage 18 months ago they worked They now have a mind of there own and work when they want Hope this helps Regards Rob

Member

tel

Hi, Chassis condition has it been replaced at some point or is it the the original chassis

Author

RobM

Hi As far as i am aware its the original chassis Hope this helps Regards Rob

Member

johnmc

Hi rob. Are you sure it’s the carbs?
Has the head been converted to run on unleaded? Can I come and view myself?
Great looking car. Thanks, john

Author

RobM

Hi Unfortunately im not mechanically minded so i am going of info given to me by a local mechanic on the carbs Im away unfortunately so cant do any viewings The car is mint and 85 percent there just needs someone with the time to finish it off Hope this helps Regards Rob

Member

tel

Can I view the +2 in the next few days at a mutual convenient time

Author

RobM

Hi Unfortunately I am away until Tuesday All i can say is the car is 85percent there Bodywork and paint just needs a polish The engine just needs the carbs doing as it is running rich and probably a new battery Interior is mint aside from a bit of tidying up Hope this helps Regards Rob

Author

RobM

Prior to the car going into storage 18 months ago it worked fine

It now seems to have a mind of its own and works when it wants.

Hope this helps

Regards

Rob

Member

bbell

Thanks Rob, The photos show no vacuum pipe connected to the chassis vacuum reservoir, when was the pipe disconnected please? Best wishes, Anthony

Author

RobM

Hi Unfortunately i have no idea regarding the mechanics of cars and wasnt aware it was disconnected Im guessing that when i initially bought the car i took it to a garage to be looked at who maybe disconnected it then The car then went into storage during lockdown and i only brought it out a couple of weeks ago

Member

bbell

Many thanks, it may have been disconnected because the chassis reservoir is holed

Member

bbell

Please may I ask whether the headlight vacuum lowering mechanism works?

Author

RobM

Hi Prior to lockdown and storage it did work but now seems to have a mind of its own and works when it wants Regards Rob

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