Vehicle Description
Following in the wheel tracks of the radical Elite, Lotus' equally
brilliant Elan proved to be Colin Chapman's most successful venture
to date. The Elite made headlines with its highly advanced
fiberglass semi-monocoque body with a steel backbone chassis that
gave it exquisite handling in a featherweight package. While the
Elite was highly regarded for its deft handling and brisk
performance, it suffered from quality control issues and a high
price which hampered sales. With the Elan, many of the Elite's
quality issues were addressed and the costs were kept low by
replacing the costly Climax engine with a Ford-based four-cylinder
topped by a twin-cam head. The rigid and light backbone chassis was
retained, to ensure typically exquisite handling. The Lotus Elan
proved to be a massive success and Lotus production was booming
throughout the 1960s and into the 70s. Very early into the Elan's
development, Colin Chapman ordered the addition of a "family man's
Lotus" to the lineup; one that would return nearly the same
performance as the Elan, but with more luxury, sophistication and a
bit of extra space for children. Chapman asked for a car with "the
front of an Elan and the rear of an Elite", so designers set about
stretching the Elan's chassis and revising the styling to better
suit the longer wheelbase. The result was the Elan +2, introduced
in 1967. Despite the brief for a more luxurious Elan, the +2
continued with Lotus ethos of "simplify, add lightness", and even
with the additional 7 � inches of length added to the chassis, the
bigger car exhibited superior stability in cornering and at speed.
Throughout production, the +2 was continually fettled by the
factory, with the renamed Plus 2S arriving in March of 1969 with
larger carbs and a host of other refinements. The Plus 2S 130 added
yet another boost in performance courtesy of the Big Valve cylinder
head, and enlarged Stromberg carburetors on US spec cars. The Elan
Plus 2S 130 was a worthy competitor to the likes of the Porsche
911, Datsun 240Z and even the E-type 2+2. Despite its comparatively
tiny displacement horsepower deficit, the Elan came in at just
1,975 pounds - that's nearly 400 pounds lighter than a 911E and a
whopping 1,300 pounds shy of an E-type 2+2! Proof that power isn't
everything, as soon as the road gets bendy, the Elan truly shines.
Our featured example is a rare and desirable 1973 Elan Plus 2S 130
finished in the original colors of Lagoon blue with a metallic
silver roof. It is one of just 153 US market cars of this type and
is a very well-documented two-owner example that has been sorted at
no regard to cost and treated to numerous yet discreet performance
upgrades. It presents in beautiful, standard appearance, yet has
been thoroughly upgraded to deliver outstanding performance.
Records indicate the Elan was delivered new in 1973 from Lotus Cars
UK to the primary East Coast distributor Lotus East of Millerton,
New York. From there, it was sold via F.A. Kinsella Auto of New
Milford, CT to Boris Churyk of Stamford, CT. Mr. Churyk cherished
his Lotus, as shown in a letter to his insurance company dated 1991
which states: "Under no circumstances will anyone other than myself
be driving the 1973 Lotus Elan". He goes on to explain that he
bought it new as a present to himself - clearly a man who was
passionate about his Lotus! After 34 years with his prized Elan, it
was sold to Alan Andrea of Lake Forest, IL. Mr. Andrea kept the car
for another decade, performing extensive restoration work and
performance upgrades, all while ensuring the car retains a stock
outward appearance. The paint presentation is very good in the
factory correct Lagoon Blue (LO12) on the main body, accented by a
metal-flake silver roof. The paint is attractive and glossy, with
just a few superficial flaws visible. The included Lotus Heritage
Certificate confirms this as the original paint scheme - including
the metal flake roof, which was a standard treatment for S130s.
Body fit is very good, consistent and factory appropriate, while
the chrome bumpers, window trim and rain gutters are in excellent
condition. The car retains its original Lucas fog lamps with their
plastic covers as well as an original tool roll and jack. It rides
on beautiful 13" knock-off wheels with Vredestein sprint classic
tires that give the right look without sacrificing performance.
Speaking of performance, a highlight of this Elan is under the
bonnet in the form of a 1,721 CC Twin Cam built by PHP Racengines
Inc. of Wauconda, IL. Built in 2008 at a cost of nearly $12,000,
the fully documented build includes 10:1 compression pistons, a
flowed head, enlarged 34 mm carburetor chokes, and numerous other
upgrades for power and reliability. Breathing through twin Weber
carbs and a custom exhaust, this little powerhouse produces 140
horsepower at 6,000 RPM - on its way to a screaming 7,000 RPM
redline. Wisely, the owner used a donor engine and the original,
numbers-matching Stromberg-spec engine is intact and will be
included in the sale. To handle the extra power, the rear axles
were upgraded with billet units from Tony Thompson Racing, and the
brakes upgraded with stainless caliper pistons. Cooling is handled
via a high flow alloy radiator. Suspension features new Tony
Thompson shock absorbers and thoroughly refreshed bushes and
hardware. A large binder of receipts from the previous owner
documents the tremendous amount of work that went into this
fabulous Lotus. Like the body, the cabin has been maintained in
exceptional factory correct condition. Much of the interior,
including the dash, door panels and seats, remains in remarkably
good original condition. The wood dash is an excellent original,
showing a few cracks in the lacquer which is not unusual, and
retaining the original labels, gauges (including the S130s ambient
temp gauge) and even the original Clarion radio. The tachometer has
been upgraded to work properly with the Pertronix ignition and the
electrical functions work as they should. Extensive documentation
courtesy of the most recent owner demonstrates how no expense was
spared to ensure this is one of the best driving examples of its
kind. Included in the sale is the original tool roll, factory
service manuals, owner's manual, original brochure, a Lotus Classic
Certificate of Vehicle Provenance, and copies of the original
registration verifying this as a two-owner example. We are thrilled
to offer this outstanding and very rare Lotus Elan Plus 2 S 130; an
exciting car that is sure to charm its next keeper with its
intoxicating power astute handling and understated good looks.
