1974 Lotus Elite M50

Sale price: $100,00 make an offer

Technical specifications

Manufacturer:Lotus
Model:Elite M50
Year:1974
Type:Coupe
Fuel Type:Gasoline
Color:Purple
Mileage:31,978
Transmission:5 speed manual
Interior Color:White
Engine:2.0L dohc inline 4
Number of Cylinders:4
Got questions?Ask the Seller
Current customer rating: current rating for this car (5)
based on 4 votes

Photos

Description

Up for sale is a 1974 Lotus Elite M50, number 172 of production. This was Lotus's first entry into the supercar market, designed to compete with Porsche and Ferrari. The car marked a huge jump from the Miata-type Elan and the specialty Europa, being a true 4 seater. Both those previous models were available in both factory built and kit forms, with the latter being a huge tax break in those days. The Elite M50 was the first car from Lotus available only in factory built form, at least for the previous few years, but is still designed like a kit car and therefore very easy to work on. I have often said I could take 80% of this car apart with a phillips head and a 13 mm socket. I have owned her for about 20 years now, she was my second Lotus and I showed her quite a bit. She won a trophy in 1999 which goes with her to her new home. Along with the trophy and a scale model, there are books including a compilation of 29 reprints from Car and Driver, Road and Track, etc. and a complete factory service manual. The original vinyl wallet containing owner's manual, dealer network list, complete wiring diagram and service schedule poster is also included. At around 10 or 11,000 miles, right before I bought her, there were new Euro bumpers front and rear installed (no big black rubber bumpers here!) and an engine out repaint that was an excellent job. It is a triumph blue and the paint code is the vinyl wallet also. Around this time, the rear windows and back hatch were completely blacked out, which is a great look. In addition, there are a few spare parts including the original front rubber bumper (poor condition), a chrome strip (?) and 2 lower body panels in the original milk chocolate brown, if the winning bidder wants them. The interior is completely intact and even the white corduroy fabric, famous for being near impossible to clean, is fairly good considering she is 45 years old. I always had seat covers on her to try to protect them. One thing with the interior is the driver's side sun visor was broken when I bought the car, it is included but the plastic shaft is broken. All the glass is present and intact. The lettering and stripping are vinyl and removable if the new owner desires to. I put those on after answering "what kind of car is that?" for near ten years, that is my way of shouting my answer across four lanes of highway! The paint job is about 90%, with a few spots of small paint chips (see photos). The hide away headlights are held down by a vacuum system that no longer works but it would be very easy to adapt her to electric motors from a miata, fiero, mr2, etc. Something I always meant to get to but never did. What I did do was a carb rebuild and engine out valve job at 16k miles which also included a new timing belt, new tensioner pulley and a new water pump. At that time all 3 mufflers were replaced with stainless steel units but the pipng was never replaced and on the drivers side where the pipe is bent to go over the axle there is a hole (see photos). Also she is equipped with dual cooling fans which were designed to click on when temp gauge reached halfway. Well in summer when I would get stuck in traffic or construction, by the time the fans clicked on the temp was still climbing. So I rewired them so one fan runs all the time when car is running and the other is controlled by an under dash toggle switch. Also bypassed sometimes dodgy Lucas electronic starter relay switch and installed push button starter. Much better. I also updated Formula One World Championship badge on rear hatch to include Penna native Mario Andretti's year, 1978. The car is fitted with a newer AC Delco battery and newer Jetzon Stealth Interceptor tires. She is powered by the "brilliant" Lotus 907 engine, the first modern multi-valve 4 cylinder engine with twin Weber side-draft carbs and K+N filters. Lotus was truly cutting edge with the multi-valve 907, and it took Ferrari nearly 10 years to introduce their own multi-valve engine(1983). It produces 160 horsepower with the optional Webers, and the Elite has a wind-cheating shape which scored one of the lowest drag numbers ever recorded: a flat .30! This number, along with a frontal area of twenty square feet, means she only needs 41 horsepower to maintain 100 mph! This same engine was used in the Jensen-Healey, and I have seen examples of those cars with over 100k miles on the 907 motor! It was also the original power plant used in the Esprit (the one James Bond drove which turned into a submarine was powered by the 907) and parts are available. Handling on a Lotus is their strong point, the balance on the Elite is highly desirable, with the front to rear weight distribution, with the driver in the car, registering at 51% front / 49% rear. She handles like a dream. About 10 years ago I bought my third Lotus, an '87 turbo Esprit, and the Elite has pretty much sat since then. Before she was parked she had been running fine but had developed a charging problem, at idle speed she was only pulling about 9.5 or 10 volts but at driving speed she would read a normal 13.5 or 14 volts. Probably an issue with the main ground (a common problem with these fiberglass cars) and I replaced both the alternator and the voltage regulator (Chrysler parts from that era) but this did not alleviate the problem. Also the passenger door side moulding has begun to come unglued and I taped it in place to stop it (see photos). She has been started sporadically over these past ten years, but it's been a few since the last time. When the decision was made to list her, I tried to start her but she acted like she had no spark. Since I bought the Esprit she has been a little neglected. I admit it. Due to her not running, the charging situation, and attention needed to the brakes (from sitting the brakes have completely frozen) she will need to be towed to her new home. But it is time for her to move on. She needs a new owner who is as enthusiastic as I was in the beginning. She is a perfect entry level Lotus. The engine turns easily and should be a very easy fix to get her running, a great winter project or father/son endeavor. Clean title in hand. There was a '74 Elite on e-bay shortly ago, a "barn find" with a totally destroyed interior, etc. and watching what that sold for helped determine the very low reserve for this car. This is no barn find! This car is strictly sold as is, with no warranties expressed or implied. I have enjoyed this beautiful car for many years and sincerely hope she finds the right home. A $500 non-refundable deposit is required by winning bidder upon auction close. Certified check or pay pal only. Good luck, happy bidding and happy motoring!

Also published at eBay.com

Questions to the seller

More Lotus Cars