1973 Lotus Elan Plus 2 S 130

‘BBK 232M’ is a well fettled Lotus Elan Plus 2 S130/4 that’s finished in British Racing Green with a Sable interior, a light colour that’s relatively rare as most cabins are finished in black.

With just the one former UK keeper since arriving back here from Jersey twenty-five years ago, it’s spent the past four and a bit years pottering around the south of England, including a few charity rally runs as well as to attend the Goodwood Revival.

It’s had some money spent on it in the seller’s hands too; he’s a pragmatic man who appreciates the need to keep on top of even the smallest jobs: “I’ve kept in in good shape and it’s never failed to start.”

The shutlines on a British fibreglass car from the early seventies might never rival those you’ll find on a modern Audi or BMW but the ones on this example stack up very well against its contemporaries.

Of course, the material the panels are made of means there’s no panel rust to worry about, and the absence of dents, dinks, and cracks on this one means you don’t have to worry about damage, either.

Originally black and since repainted British Racing Green, the paintwork has a good shine to it and our overall assessment is that this one presents very well and is of a sufficiently high standard that most owners would be very happy to focus their efforts on maintaining its current condition without fretting that they should really be trying to improve it. There are how ever various patches of micro blistering across the body

This extends to the alloy wheels, which are in an excellent condition being free of scuffs, scrapes and other parking damage. They are also retained by new wheel spinners and fitted with a matching set of 165/70R13 Dunlop Street Response 2 tyres, all of which are date-stamped 2019 and still have good tread 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.

The black Webasto roof slides fore and aft easily and provides most of the benefits of owning a convertible while retaining the coupé’s stiffer chassis. It also has a pop-up aerofoil on the leading edge to minimize interior buffeting at speed.

The headlamps pop up and down on cue, the presence Lucas foglamps are a nice touch, and the rest of the lamp lenses are free of cracks and other damage.

As for flaws, there are a few scratches on the bonnet, the windscreen is starting to delaminate and the chrome trim around it has some cracks on the corners.

There are also some microbubbles below the rear screen and offside front wing, and the rear chrome bumper is more patinated than the one on the front.

The Sable vinyl interior’s colour is the perfect foil for the traditional hue of the coachwork; tan and green is a classic combination for a very good reason and that reason is on full display here.

Of course, a British sportscar needs a wooden dashboard too and this one contains comprehensive instrumentation that covers speed, engine revs, distance covered, ambient temperature, oil pressure, battery charge, coolant temperature, fuel level, and the time.

The black three-spoke steering wheel is a model of simplicity, as is the modest round wooden gearknob. Both are in a good condition, which takes care of the driver’s two main touchpoints.

The passenger has access to an elegant chrome map light, and both get to enjoy comfortable and supportive seats whose face fabric is free of rips, tears, and other damage. Sure, there is a scuff on the outer edge of the driver’s seat but that is merely cosmetic and could be left as it is until you can be bothered to entrust its renovation to a local trimmer.

The rear seats might lack legroom but there is space there for kids – and besides, the fact they probably haven’t been used much over the years explains their condition.

The state of everything else is every bit as impressive, which means there isn’t really much work for the new owner to do.

If you’re picky then it would respond to a day spent valeting it, either on a DIY basis or by calling in the professionals but everything else – the sun-faded switches, the odd patch of lifting lacquer on the wooden veneer, a stained headlining, a split in the rubber boot around the base of the gearlever, and a little rust on the hinges of the sunroof’s pop-up screen – could be left as it is for a while yet.

The boot is very nicely presented and features a boot lid stay that’s an engineering masterpiece of minimalism and lightness.

It also contains a trolley jack, a fire extinguisher, what looks like a brand-new mallet for removing the wheel spinners, and an electrical cut-off switch.

The latter is especially useful as an anti-theft aid as well as the means to stop the battery discharging when it’s parked up; our seller has tried to use the car at least fortnightly which has ensured it’s always had a healthy charge to the battery, which means the engine has never failed to start as a result.

The seller tells us that: “It had the top end of the engine re-built by UK Sports Cars within the last 1,000 miles – and that was on top of £3,500 spent with Max500, an independent Lotus specialist in Guildford in November 2020. This mainly comprised replacing the exhaust manifold and exhaust system, having the gearbox reconditioned and the clutch rebuilt, the fuel breather hose system modified and the hoses replaced, and a modern indicator flasher unit and rear seat belt fitted at 46,064 miles.”

We would point out that while the work was done when he bought the Lotus four years ago, it has only covered around 800 miles since.

There are also receipts for, amongst other items, new driveshafts, a Facet ‘fast road’ fuel pump, four new wheel spinners, repairs to the rev counter, and much more from around the same time. These are in addition to many more invoices from earlier years for work and parts along with a handwritten maintenance record spanning the years from the late seventies through to the early nineties.

As you can see, the ‘Big Valve’ four-cylinder engine starts well and shows good oil pressure. The idle seems a little low to us but using the throttle to hold it above 1,000rpm shows the battery charge building.

It also revs very well with a great exhaust note, so you’re going to love redlining it through tunnels and throwing it along Alpine passes.

Like the interior, the engine bay would benefit from some elbow grease, but the overall condition is decent enough – and if you’re more interested in driving it than showing it then it could easily be left as it is bar, possibly, the air intake hose, which has been repaired with duct tape.

Note the presence of a new exhaust manifold and studs though, which spares you the pain of getting that job sorted.

Inspecting the underside reveals a very good exhaust system and a good chassis. It sits very low though, so it is hard to inspect properly but if it helps, while the last MoT ran out in June 2021, no MoT tester has ever mentioned structural rust or corrosion during any of the three tests it’s had since 2006.

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 apart from the marker for being an imported car.

The history file also includes a letter from Lotus confirming engine and chassis numbers as well as the original purchase details.

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

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

As for that investment, our estimate is that it’s going to find a new owner for somewhere between £15,000 and £20,000, which seems like good value for such a well-fettled and usable machine – and if you enjoy working on your classic cars then there’s the opportunity to continue to improve it too, which should add enjoyment and value in equal measure.

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located at Bonhams|Cars Online HQ. Viewings are STRICTLY BY APPOINTMENT and we are open weekdays between 10am - 12pm or 2pm - 4pm. To make a booking, please use the ‘Enquire About This Vehicle’ button on the listing. Feel free to ask any questions, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.