1964 Lotus Elan (1962-1975)

This 1964 Lotus Elan is a left-hand drive S1 roadster that was acquired by the seller in 2021 and subsequently refurbished. Work carried out over the past two years involved repairing the body and chassis, reupholstering the interior, and rebuilding the 1.6L twin-cam inline-four, four-speed manual transmission, and rear differential as well as overhauling the suspension, braking, and electrical systems. The car features a black vinyl Robbins soft top, 13″ steel wheels, AVO adjustable coilovers, dual Weber 40 DCOE carburetors, a high-torque starter, a PerTronix ignition system, an alloy fuel tank, and a custom exhaust system. This Elan S1 is now offered with refurbishment records and photos, a tonneau cover, and a clean Illinois title in the seller’s name. Following the seller’s acquisition in 2021, the body was removed from the chassis and disassembled before being soda-blasted and sanded. It was subsequently sealed, primered, and painted in the current shade of Honda New Formula Red by The Paint Spot in Addison, Illinois. The chassis was blasted, reinforced with 26R-type supports, and powder-coated satin black before the refurbished body was refitted using a closed-cell foam pad between the fiberglass tub and the steel central chassis tunnel. A replacement windshield and chrome surround were also installed, and the chrome trim and hinges were refinished. A black vinyl Robbins soft top, pop-up headlights, silver-finished bumpers, Elan 1600 fender badges, and a bullet-style left mirror are further details. The seller notes scratches in the passenger-side window glass, and a black tonneau cover is included in the sale. The 13″ steel wheels were sandblasted and painted silver before being fitted with chrome hubcaps. Vredestein Quatrac tires measuring 165/65 are mounted at all four corners. The suspension was modified with installation of AVO adjustable coilovers and smaller-diameter springs on adjustable perches in addition to replacement tie rod ends, CV joints, rebuilt trunnions, and an overhauled steering rack. The braking system was also refreshed with rebuilt front and rear calipers with stainless-steel pistons and soft lines as well as copper hard lines and replacement rotors and pads. The rebuilt bucket seats were reupholstered with black vinyl, which extends to the dashboard pad and replacement center console. The seller states that the door panels were constructed using fiberglass, and other interior work has included replacing the burl walnut shift knob, lap belts, pedal covers, and ashtrays as well as the door-glass channels and brush strips. A refinished wood-rimmed steering wheel fronts a refurbished teak dashboard. The Smiths 140-mph speedometer, tachometer, and auxiliary gauges were overhauled by Mo-Ma Manufacturing of Albuquerque, New Mexico. The tachometer has been retrofitted for electronic operation. The five-digit odometer indicates 43k miles, approximately 100 of which have been added by the seller. True mileage is unknown. The 1.6L twin-cam inline-four utilizes a Lotus LBA block with a Lotus-designed cylinder head and was overbored and rebuilt by Twin Cam Sportscars of Sarasota, Florida, with 0.020″ oversized CP Carrillo pistons, used 125E connecting rods, QED Q360 camshafts, and replacement valves and springs. Dual Weber 40 DCOE 151 carburetors are paired with a refurbished airbox, and additional work is said to have included installing the following components: PerTronix electronic ignition Replacement wiring harness Gear-reduction starter Mini-sourced alternator Battery with a cutoff switch mounted on the battery box Rebuilt four-row radiator Boiled heater core Stainless-steel oil pressure lines Replacement engine mounts Alloy fuel tank with replacement sending unit Stainless steel exhaust header paired with a stainless-steel oversized muffler Power is sent to the rear wheels through a close-ratio four-speed manual transmission that was reportedly refurbished with a replacement front main bearing, synchros, seals, and gaskets. Stainless-steel clutch lines were installed and remote bleeder lines run through a heat-resistant fire sleeve, per the seller. The differential was also disassembled, cleaned, and inspected, and a CV-axle conversion has been performed. Refurbishment records will accompany the car. Photos taken at various stages of the refurbishment can be viewed in the gallery.