1969 Lotus Elan Plus 2 S

Recently repainted in a lovely period-appropriate colour, ‘LUR 99H’ is a delightful 1969 Lotus Elan Plus 2. Fitted with a galvanized chassis and uprated electrics, the seller has had it in his private collection since 2020.

He searched long and hard for the right car; never having had a Lotus Elan before he was careful to research their foibles and quirks first, eventually settling on this one. The seller was a “lovely chap” in York who worked as an engineer and had been through the car before selling it. 

The vendor enjoyed using the Elan for a while, sometimes in a convoy with a mate of his who’s got a Triumph TR4, trips he “thoroughly enjoyed”. But, as was the case with so many of us, Covid put the brakes on all that and it’s been dry-stored in his garage since, only coming out for the odd foray.

He says it’s now time it went to someone who’s going to use it properly again, and after spending the right money with the right people to fettle its few remaining issues (“it’s been well looked after”) it’s running beautifully and is ready to demonstrate to its new owner why the Elan is so revered.

Previously finished in blue and then red, the Elan has been recently resprayed in the modern MINI colour of Old English White. The colour works brilliantly and the respray was a proper job by a well-respected local company and it included having the windows removed in addition to all the exterior trim.

RS Autos is well experienced in dealing with fibreglass bodies and it’s done a cracking job, as you can see. The final bill was around £4,000 and the exterior was reassembled with stainless-steel screws and bolts in addition to new body fixings.

This work follows on from some that a Mr. David Grunberg carried out from 1999 onwards. He declared a respray in red to the Lotus Club in 2001, along with an engine rebuild and interior renovation. He told them he’d paid £6,400 in total for the work and they valued the Elan at £7,750.

Returning to the modern day, panel alignment has never been an Elan strength but this one is pretty well put together with decent shutlines and no dents, scrapes or other damage to the bodywork.

The chromework is all good too, with a bright and shiny finish and only minimal pitting to a few areas such as the door surrounds.

The steel wheels are finished in the original satin black and are beautifully set off by what we are told are OEM wheel trims. Avon CR322 tyres are fitted all round – including the spare - and all have good tread left on them.

We will never get tired of telling you that experience shows that matching high-quality tyres are an infallible sign of a caring and mechanically sympathetic owner who is prepared to spend the appropriate amount in maintaining their car properly. Their presence does not, of course, preclude the need for a thorough inspection - something the vendor would welcome, by the way – but it does perhaps give you a shortcut into their attitude towards maintenance.

The headlamps pop up and down as they should, something that can’t always be guaranteed. The rest of the lamp lenses are all good, as is the glazing.

The badges are pretty good too, and new numberplates have been fitted.

If you’re looking for a couple of small jobs to keep you busy this winter then the windscreen sealing rubber is starting to perish and the nearside corner of the boot lid doesn’t fit as neatly as the offside.

That’s not a bad To Do list, is it?

The black vinyl seats – and because this is a Plus 2 there are four of them – are all excellent. Firm and supportive and almost completely free of rips, tears and other damage, they’re a delight to look at and to use.

Speaking of which, the wood-rimmed Moto-Lita steering wheel is utterly gorgeous, and it’s matched by a round, wooden gearknob that sits beautifully in the hand. The Elan is a very tactile car to drive and interfaces like these contribute in no small way.

There’s more wood across the dashboard. Vast swathes of it, in fact, and it’s all in a good condition. 

Some of the original cardboard trim panels, the ones that warp and degrade over time, have been replaced with aluminium and recovered in vinyl. The parcel shelf has also been replaced, this time using slightly thicker plywood than standard before being padded and recovered to match the rest of the interior.

The boot floor was also replaced with the appropriate strengthening and supports and the rear cardboard panel again replaced with plywood. The boot lock was overhauled and reset and a new boot seal has been fitted to prevent water ingress. Oh, and the fuel tank panel has also been replaced with heavier ply than the original.

Other nice touches include a period-correct Pye radio and a chromed map light. 

As for flaws, while the headlining is largely good (it does have one small tear on the nearside edge between the front and rear seats) it is a bit grubby in places. There’s another small tear in the offside rear seat, and some of the switches are quite heavily patinated.

In other words, all stuff you could live with until you’ve got the time and money to get them sorted.

Last serviced in September 2020 at an indicated 17,624 miles, the Elan starts well and idles and revs as it should with no warning lights illuminated on the dashboard. 

As we mentioned earlier, a previous owner declared engine work had been carried out between 1999 and 2001. Other work under the bonnet includes new Weber carburettors in around 2001 and 10,878 miles as well as a stainless-steel exhaust system at 16,605 miles. 

As a result, the engine makes all of the right noises and none of the wrong - and while you might think the exhaust note is a little subdued, your neighbours will thank you when you set off on an early morning run. (Jaguar, et al, we’re looking at you…)

As we hinted earlier, the Elan has been subtly upgraded in a few key areas including the electrics. The system now includes a new WASP alternator that was fitted in September 2020 and a heavy-duty earth cable running from the boot to the dashboard and bulkhead, which eliminates any earthing problems. 

A new fuse box has also been fitted. This contains 12 fuses and is enclosed in an aluminium case, which should prevent the corrosion problems the original is notorious for. Between these two updates, probably 90% of the electrical gremlins will have been eradicated.

It looks like a Lumenition ignition system has been fitted too, as well as a temperature adjustable controller for the cooling fan. Both are sensible upgrades and will make life with the Elan a little easier.

Speaking of which, other modifications include an alteration to the fuel tank venting system to prevent fumes entering the cabin and to make filling a little faster. A new filler cap and seal have also been installed. 

The windscreen wiper and starter motor are also new, as are the door locks. The door hinges have also been stripped down and rebuilt with new bushes.

The engine and underbonnet area are nicely presented without being overly fussy.

As for the underside, the galvanized chassis was, the seller thinks, replaced in around 1993. It’s held up well and the underside of the Elan presents very nicely with only some slight (and cosmetic) crumbling of the lower edge of the fibreglass front valance and a small crack in the finish.

As for jobs that need doing, the offside indicator is stuck on, so that’ll need sorting.

The Lotus comes with some helpful notes on ownership as well as a summary of recent work and a bunch of old receipts and expired MoT certificates.

The Elan doesn’t have a current MoT certificate, and while it is exempt by virtue of its age, we would strongly encourage the new owner to have it MoT’d at the earliest opportunity. The cost of an MoT is a small investment when offset against the purchase and upkeep of any classic vehicle, and it gives an independent, third-party assessment of the car’s condition, which not only provides reassurance to the owner (and any subsequent purchasers) but might also be invaluable in the event of a bump when negotiating with the police and any interested insurance companies… 

The recent Vehicle History Check is clear bar the change of colour but the seller tells us that the mileage showing on the odometer is not accurate.

The Lotus Elan has been a stalwart of the classic sportscar scene for decades, and for good reason; still the benchmark for handling, the pretty little Lotus is easy to work on and parts are plentiful and, in the main, cheap.

They also hold their value, so whatever investment you make up front should hold fast as long as you continue to maintain it.

As for the amount of that investment, we think somewhere between £14,000 and £18,000 should be enough but the owner is happy to offer it with no reserve because he’s confident the market will accurately reflect his car’s value, so don’t let him down, will you ‘cos he’s a lovely chap. 

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located at the Bonhams|Cars Online HQ. Viewings are strictly by appointment. To make a booking, please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, and read our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.