1968 Lotus Elan S3 1.6 TC petrol
Summary:
English pocket rocket
Faults:
Overhauled and rebuilt in 1992-93 including rebuilt transmission and engine (big valve specification).
Frame of restoration. Fixed some rust in the frame and also strengthened it, then powder coated the frame.
Upgraded aftermarket brakes.
Fitted a roll cage.
Complete resprayed including fixed various glassfiber cracking and earlier botched repair.
Various other performance upgrades, like drive shaft conversion
General Comments:
The closest you can come to a go-cart. Faster than Ferraris from this era but at a fraction of the cost. Not very expensive to run either, easy to work on and parts relatively cheap.
If you keep on top of maintenance and repairs it's reliable too, never had a break down in 15 years even though it was driven extremely hard.
An absolute joy to drive in the summers.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 8th July, 2026