1969 Lotus Elan S4 Coupe FHC

This Elan was first registered in 1969. With two owners during the first 17 years from 1969 to 1986 - during which time it was raced by Tony Ingram. The Elan looks to have been used and well maintained up until the service paperwork trail pauses in 2000. It might have then been used for two years in 2000 and 2001 before being taken off the road as the SORN documentation from 2001 to 2013 shows.

The latest service invoice from “Road to Race” covers work to the car after bringing it out of storage which indicates it might have spent a further decade in storage after the SORN documentation ends.

It has now had a recent re-commission and even has a valid MOT until 2024.

Being a fiberglass body over a steel chassis, there is less surface area to worry about when it comes to corrosion. The fiberglass body is in fine condition and even the shut lines around the car are still tight and uniform.

The paint is in good condition overall, there are a few minor blemishes and marks, but for its age and considering it was used for racing at one point, it has survived in remarkable condition. The bonnet is showing an outward dent, which has caused the surrounding paint to crack slightly, but it is localised.

The Elan is sporting a set of white steel wheels with reverse knock off centre caps, in good condition. There are a few minor marks here and there, but they don’t look to have been curbed or show signs of structural corrosion. The tyres were also a new set as of Feb this year so have plenty of life left in them.

All fixtures and fitting around the body are in good condition, the chrome shows little sign of pitting, the front and rear white bumpers are in fine shape and the glass all appears to be free of chips and cracks.

Also, important to note is the fact that the Elan comes with a spare passenger door, steering column and steering wheel. The driver’s door handle is currently not working as intended either so will need tinkering with to be able to open that door from the outside.

Further evidence of this car being looked after well is the interior condition. The wood takes up much of the attention when peering in through the open door and luckily it all seems to be in good order with little wear, cracking, or lacquer peel. It might not be concourse, but it is far better than you’d expect of a car this age.

All the dials, instruments and switchgear are reported to be working as intended and the dials chrome surrounds have survived well. The tiny Mountney steering wheel is in good shape too with no obvious signs of the leather covering coming undone.

The carpet looks to have very minor wear and still retains its structure and shape, the upholstery on the figure-hugging bucket seats is in great condition with little creasing, no obvious rips or tears and the bolsters keeping their structure too.

There is some minor discolouration to the headlining, but it does not look like it’s sagging, nor does it show signs of any rips or tears and the interior light is also working which is good to see.

Flashes of the Elan racing past can be seen in the cabin with the rear roll hoop and the bars underneath the carpets in the footwells. We can quite imagine this car to be rigid in all the right places, enabling the driver to make use of that wonderful twin cam engine.

In the boot you’ll find 7 bottles of Millers VSP Plus 2-point octane booster, as well as a large cotton cover for the car which presents in slightly used condition but still good overall. The carpet in the boot is also in good condition with no signs of any leaks, rips or tears.

The fiberglass body underneath looks to be in good condition save for a few scuffs and scrapes. The chassis also looks to have survived quite well despite our salted roads, much of the components under the car are also in good condition too, save for what looks to be a superficial layer of corrosion.

The car was given a complete check over during its recent recommission so buyers should be able to take some solace in the fact that a trained mechanic has cast an eye over the vehicle for any obvious defaults.

Under the bonnet you find the 1558cc, twin cam, four cylinder, and whilst not easy to wedge a camera in, everything we can see in the engine bay looks to be in order. There are no obvious splits in the wiring, piping, or ducting and the unit itself looks, visually to be in fine condition. Please do take some time to watch the start up in the video to make up your own mind too.

The Elan comes with two large binders containing a workshop manual and service parts list. And in addition to this there is a stack of well organised paperwork marking its history.

The history file also includes a book which shows the car with a written description and Tony Ingrame racing the car at Mallory Park (as shown on page 161). This has also been personally signed by authors Paul Robinshaw and Christopher Ross.

The most recent invoice is the Elan’s re-commission after a lay-up by ‘Road to Race’ in Bedford, the highlights of which include a new battery, ignition parts, radiator and brake system flush, new oil and filters, new clutch master system and new tyres.

There is also evidence of chassis work completed in 1997 as well as an engine rebuild which represented a large financial outlay. This was done by the same garage that had looked after the car for many year previous, all the paperwork is present to show all routine maintenance the car received.

This is a well presented S4 Elan that has a story to tell, after being laid up for a while it feels like this little racer is itching to see the open road once more. With the additions fitted for racing and the road of that twin cam in front of you, it would take a stronger will than ours to keep from opening the taps at every available opportunity. We’re sure this car will find a home where it will be looked after and maintained for years to come.

We estimate for this car to reach anywhere between £25,000 - £30,000.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located with us at The Market HQ near Abingdon; to arrange an appointment 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, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.