[RMV]

A little bit on the lotus elite courtesy of wiki (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lotus_Elite):
 
 
 
"Like its siblings, the Elite was run in numerous formulae, with particular success at Le Mans and the Nürburgring. Elites won their class six times at the 24 hour Le Mans race as well as two Index of Thermal Efficiency wins. Les Leston and Graham Warner were noted Elite racers in the UK, driving DAD10 and LOV1 respectively. In 1961, David Hobbs began racing an Elite specially fitted with the Hobbs Mechamatic automatic gearbox, and became almost unbeatable - in two years' racing, he won 15 times out of 18 starts. New South Wales driver Leo Geoghegan won the 1960 Australian GT Championship at the wheel of a Lotus Elite.
 
Advanced aerodynamics also made a contribution, giving the car a very low drag coefficient of 0.29 — quite low even for modern cars. This accomplishment is all the more remarkable considering the engineers did not enjoy the benefits of computer-aided design and wind tunnel testing. The original Elite drawings were by Peter Kirwan-Taylor. Frank Costin (brother of Mike, one of the co-founders of Cosworth), at that time Chief Aerodynamic Engineer for the de Havilland Aircraft Company, contributed to the final design.
 
The Elite's most distinctive feature was its highly innovative fiberglass monocoque construction, in which a stressed-skin unibody replaced the previously separate chassis and body components. Unlike the contemporary Chevrolet Corvette, which used fiberglass for only exterior bodywork, the Elite also used this glass-reinforced plastic material for the entire load-bearing structure of the car, though the front of the monocoque incorporated a steel subframe supporting the engine and front suspension, and there was a hoop at the windscreen for mounting door hinges and jacking the car up.[3] The first 250 body units were made by Maximar. The body construction caused numerous early problems, until manufacture was handed over to Bristol Aeroplane Company"
 
 
Weight: 1110 lbs (503 kg)

[mondi]

Have to find one that is a little uncared for, would love to restore one, one day.   

[RMV]

Have to find one that is a little uncared for, would love to restore one, one day.   

I could see one of those parked next to your Esprit.  Or my Elise, perhaps. 

The gentleman who owns JDV-762 restored it, and he did a brilliant job.  You'd have to be a member of the club if you wanted to undertake a task like that.  From what I can tell, it would be a fantastic resource, and the guys I met yesterday are bona fide car nuts.   

[mondi]

You'd have to be a member of the club if you wanted to undertake a task like that.  From what I can tell, it would be a fantastic resource, and the guys I met yesterday are bona fide car nuts.   

OK, OK - where do I sign up???   

[RMV]

http://www.lotusclubvic.asn.au/?page_id=20

[andecorp]

OK, OK - where do I sign up???   

They'll hate you 'cause you own an Esprit. They get really petty about that too. That's why you won't find many active Esprit members in the club.

Ferrari/Lambo clubs are a million times more friendlier and suited to us than the Lotus clubs.

[RMV]

They'll hate you 'cause you own an Esprit. They get really petty about that too. That's why you won't find many active Esprit members in the club.

Ferrari/Lambo clubs are a million times more friendlier and suited to us than the Lotus clubs.

Really? There were three Esprits there yesterday (including one new member) and the cars and members seemed perfectly accepted.  I'm not contradicting you; I'm just expressing surprise at your post which I assume is based on your personal experience.

If there is negativity directed at particular models, etc, that is the point at which car clubs lose me.

[andecorp]

Really? There were three Esprits there yesterday (including one new member) and the cars and members seemed perfectly accepted.  I'm not contradicting you; I'm just expressing surprise at your post which I assume is based on your personal experience.

If there is negativity directed at particular models, etc, that is the point at which car clubs lose me.

The new one most likely will stop being active after a couple of meetings. The white S3 is the ex-pres, so he'll always be there.

What I'll say below, is accepted and agreed by most modern Esprit owners in the club.

The average age of club members is 60+ Most of them have saved up most of their life to buy some old rust bucket, which they restored over 10 years+. They seem to have disdain towards modern Esprit owners for affording the more expensive cars while being so much younger (20s, 30s and 40's).

At the annual meeting next month, you will see how all the Esprits will be squeezed together in the driveway under the carport, while all the other Loti (even $10k bucket Eclats) will be displayed proudly on the lawns of the estate.

I have won the concours. Yet there was no mention or pic of me/my car in the club magazine. Every other car did though.

Every single modern Esprit owner that I know that is in the club will tell you that they don't attend the meetings/gatherings/drives because they are being felt unwelcome. Why do you think that we organise drives/meetings through www.lotusesprit.com.au ?
Same thing happened to me in WA too. Modern Esprits get together on their own, due to the animosity towards them by the other Lotus club members.

You are in an Elise though, so the club will be great for you to provide you with tons of oportunities to drive and race your car. But if you would have turned up in a modern Esprit, especially since you are so young, it would have been different.

The exception to all the above is Peter Murray and his wife (the owner of that yellow elite). always very friendly and smiles.

[RMV]

The new one most likely will stop being active after a couple of meetings. The white S3 is the ex-pres, so he'll always be there.

What I'll say below, is accepted and agreed by most modern Esprit owners in the club.

The average age of club members is 60+ Most of them have saved up most of their life to buy some old rust bucket, which they restored over 10 years+. They seem to have disdain towards modern Esprit owners for affording the more expensive cars while being so much younger (20s, 30s and 40's).

At the annual meeting next month, you will see how all the Esprits will be squeezed together in the driveway under the carport, while all the other Loti (even $10k bucket Eclats) will be displayed proudly on the lawns of the estate.

I have won the concours. Yet there was no mention or pic of me/my car in the club magazine. Every other car did though.

Every single modern Esprit owner that I know that is in the club will tell you that they don't attend the meetings/gatherings/drives because they are being felt unwelcome. Why do you think that we organise drives/meetings through www.lotusesprit.com.au ?
Same thing happened to me in WA too. Modern Esprits get together on their own, due to the animosity towards them by the other Lotus club members.

You are in an Elise though, so the club will be great for you to provide you with tons of oportunities to drive and race your car. But if you would have turned up in a modern Esprit, especially since you are so young, it would have been different.

The exception to all the above is Peter Murray and his wife (the owner of that yellow elite). always very friendly and smiles.

Thanks for that, Andecorp.  That's a real shame, as Esprits are an iconic car and owners shouldn't be made to feel isolated from the main club. 

I second your comments about Peter Murray and his wife - I sat next to Peter during lunch and he was outstanding company.  I think my overwhelmingly positive impression has a great deal to do with the Murrays and a couple of others who I sat with during lunch. 

[allanuber]

Thanks for that, Andecorp.  That's a real shame, as Esprits are an iconic car and owners shouldn't be made to feel isolated from the main club. 

I second your comments about Peter Murray and his wife - I sat next to Peter during lunch and he was outstanding company.  I think my overwhelmingly positive impression has a great deal to do with the Murrays and a couple of others who I sat with during lunch. 

Go the Esprits and their exceptionally good looking owners (apart from Mondi of course).