1966 Lotus Elan S3

The subject of a full rebuild on its original, fully restored and galvanized chassis, this Elan Coupe – correctly badged as such, too – is an absolute gem. The paperwork to support its recent restoration is comprehensive, and the work has clearly been carried out by an experienced and talented (the two do not always go hand-in-hand) engineer.

Fully finished and looking stunning, it's barely been run-in. It’s now looking for a sympathetic owner to nurse it through the inevitable shakedown period; there might be a few minor niggles but patience will be rewarded thereafter as this is one of the nicest, if not the nicest, restored Elans to have passed through our hands. God, I’ve got sweaty palms just typing that.

Glassfibre can be an unforgiving medium, and one that not even Colin Chapman et al weren’t entirely successful in using. So, it’s something of a revelation to see that this tidy little Elan Coupe is, well, such a tidy little Elan Coupe. The body panels are free of ripples and other major defects, which isn’t something that could always be said of the factory cars when they were new…

So, while most owners would have tried – and failed – to save a few pounds by doing the work themselves, the chap who restored this example was clearly a pragmatic man who was confident enough to farm the bodywork out to someone who knew what they were doing.

And they are clearly masters in their field because the panel fit (all four of them) is better than anything Lotus managed to achieve in period – and the same can be said of the paintwork, which has a depth and a gloss to it that would have had them scratching their heads in bewilderment back in Norfolk in the 1960s. It’s a top-quality job from Boss Motors in Norfolk, and while work of this quality doesn’t come cheap (it cost almost £5,000 in total back in 2013) he did the right thing in paying to get the job done right the first time.

The modest chromework is in excellent condition, as are the painted bumpers. The tiny little steel wheels have been restored with equal care, and the chrome spinners look fabulous, being such a delightful contrast between utility and engineering finesse. Shod with matching 155/80x12 tyres natch, they are impossibly small and dainty. But unsprung weight was the name of the game back then, and handling benefited exponentially as a result – and if their ultimate grip isn’t up top modern-day standards, the loss of grip is progressive and communicated perfectly: a good driver can make an Elan dance in a way that is all but impossible in modern sports car with their wide, low-profile rubber.

Oh, and just take a look at that tiny little rear exhaust pipe. It’s the absolute antithesis of the faux-quad tail pipes we see today into which you could place your fist. Utterly joyous and it helps reestablish faith in a world in which the BMW X6 exists.

The wooden veneer on the dashboard is perfect-authentic in so far as it looks like plastic, but it should look like that – if it looks like wood, then it ain’t authentic. It’s in fine condition though, and sets off the shiny chrome instrument bezels beautifully.

The three-spoke SE steering wheel is as dainty as the rest of the car and perfectly finished, as are the two low-back black vinyl bucket seats, which came from Kelsport (marque expert Paul Matty contributed parts, too, as did just about everyone in the Elan world with a decent reputation; the invoices read like a Who’s Who of the classic Lotus world).

The padded armrest is a nod, but no more, to luxury and the door cards are as simple as only Lotus could get away with. The headlining is clean and taut, which is about all you can ask of a headlining, isn’t it? In fact, the whole interior looks like new, which it almost is. 

An aluminium fuel tank dominates the boot space, leaving just enough room for a spare wheel. You’ve got everything you need in there and absolutely nothing you don’t, which is the Elan all over.

As you might have inferred from the finished car, the mechanical work was as comprehensive, and professionally done, as the bodywork. Take the engine, for example: the owner spent £120, plus VAT, on cylinder head bolts alone. Plus another £16.80, plus VAT, on cylinder head bolt washers. More importantly £200 went on crack testing, regrinding, and then balancing the crankshaft and connecting rods and Forge Enterprises then spent 24 hours rebuilding it. Cooling, long an Elan issue, has been taken care of thanks to an aluminium radiator, uprated fan and associated gubbins that set him back another £867.25.

A very rare and expensive, genuine Lotus 5-speed gearbox was also added to the mix during the restoration.

The brakes, suspension, exhaust and clutch assembly were all replaced and restored too; the receipts and type-written summary tell the full story but the total cost of the project was a hair’s breadth away from £25,000 – without the owner’s labour being accounted for. We could go on, but you get the picture…

Being glassfibre, the underside has been left painted rather than undersealed as there is no risk of it rusting. This enables potential bidders to see for themselves just how thorough the work was; almost everything under there looks new including the hugely expensive rear driveshaft conversion kit, a much-favoured upgrade that does away with the car’s only significant weakness.

The underside is as clean and fresh as the topside; the car has barely been used since the work was finished so the car hasn’t developed the inevitable patina that results from regular use. A serious plus is that we are told the original Lotus chassis was savable in the restoration, there was no need for the frequently-mentioned  'replacement Spyder chassis', although as part of the restorative works required, some Spyder enhancements were included. 

The engine bay is clean and simple – and simplicity like this takes some achieving, so you can take it as yet another sign of the quality of the restoration. The foam performance air filters might be a little jarring to the aesthetics, but there’s no denying the effect they have on the car’s performance, or the induction roar they amplify. Originality fetishists might want to revert to a more authentic look, but the rest of us will revel in the noise and performance they facilitate.

The car does not have a current MOT test certificate. While it is exempt by virtue of its age, we’d encourage the new owner to get one at their earliest convenience; it’s an independent assessment of the car’s roadworthiness and it worth every penny of its modest cost.

The car comes with a thick sheaf of invoices, bills and photographs to confirm the recent work that has been done to it; this record even includes typewritten notes and a USB memory stick containing information on the restoration, which occupied a period of three years between 2013 and 2015. Sadly, a change in circumstances forced its reluctant sale before the owner could enjoy the fruits of his labour.

Please visit the documents section of the gallery of this listing where you will find photos of this and other paperwork to support our claim that this car has been restored to the very highest standard.

After years in the doldrums, the price of the best Lotus Elans is finally on the move. And yet, despite a rising market, they’re still bloomin’ cheap for what you get: this one should sell for between £25,000 and £30,000, at which price point they offer staggering value for the performance and joy they bring; you practically get their place in the Automotive Hall of Fame for free.

And, please do remember that someone else has done the heavy lifting on this example; you simply couldn’t replicate it for the money it is likely to make, so unless you derive your joy from the doing rather than the driving – and many do – please stop looking at £10k basket-cases and do yourself and favour and come and look at this beautifully finished example because viewing is always encouraged, and this car can be seen here at The Market HQ in Abingdon; to arrange an appointment please use the ‘Contact Seller’ button at the top of the listing.

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If needed, please remember we have a network of trusted suppliers we work with regularly and can recommend: Classic & Sportscar Finance for purchase-financing, Thames Valley Car Storage for storing your car, AnyVan for transporting it, and Footman James for classic car insurance.

BORING, but IMPORTANT: Please note that whilst we at The Market always aim to offer the most descriptive and transparent auction listings available, we cannot claim they are perfect analyses of any of the vehicles for sale. We offer far greater opportunity for bidders to view, or arrange inspections for each vehicle thoroughly prior to bidding than traditional auctions, and we never stop encouraging bidders to take advantage of this. We do take a good look at the vehicles delivered to our premises for sale, but this only results in our unbiased personal observations, not those of a qualified inspector or other professional, or the result of a long test drive. 

Additionally, please note that most of the videos on our site have been recorded using simple cameras which often result in 'average' sound quality; in particular, engines and exhausts notes can sound a little different to how they are in reality.