Chassis no. 0232K

1,558-cc, 126-hp DOHC inline four-cylinder engine, four-speed manual transmission, coil spring independent front suspension, Chapman strut independent rear suspension and four-wheel hydraulic disc brakes. Wheelbase: 84-inches

Introduced in 1962, the Lotus Elan was an innovative sports car with unconventional construction. A fiberglass body over a steel backbone frame, it used a Ford Cortina engine converted to dual-overhead-cam configuration. Four-wheel disc brakes and four-wheel independent suspension were other forward-looking features. With an ultra-light curb weight of barely 1,500 pounds, it was competitive with Corvettes in sports car racing.

This late series Elan Sprint has the more powerful big-valve engine. Understated in metallic gray, it has a black vinyl interior with matching carpets and wood-veneer dashboard. An Alpine stereo has been fitted. The engine compartment and undercarriage are unrestored, but generally clean. It’s easy to forget how remarkable the Elan was in its day, a genre that has since been thoroughly civilized by the Mazda Miata.