Footnotes

• Little is known of this Elan Sprint's history prior to 1980 but in the latter part of 1979 one Brian Perks sold the car to Ron Hickman, the principal designer of the Elan while Design Director at Lotus Cars. He kept the car for 20 years, lavishing much care upon it. Most of the extensive paperwork on file was handled by RH's personal assistant, Chris Forster, but there are some hand-written annotations and diagrams from the great man explaining for the benefit of his local garagiste the correct method of adjusting the bonnet catches! There is also a Jersey-issued buff logbook showing the car registered to his company, Tekron International Ltd.
  
  In 1980 the car was sold to Colin Storm who in 2002 commissioned an engine rebuild with Dave Wills Engineering costing £4,696.34. Invoices on file indicate that the engine was stripped, crack tested, bored out to approximately 1,594cc and fitted with Accralite 83.5mm forged pistons, modified ignition and a competition clutch. The dynamometer printout shows a maximum of 154bhp and 139lb/ft of torque.
  
  In March 2004 the car was sold to Tony Birchenhough of the well known endurance racing team, Dorset Racing Associates, and the colour scheme changed from the Sprint's blue metallic over white to Dorset Racing Green. Tony Birchenough had entered the Tour Auto on several occasions in an AC Ace and Lotus Elite. He purchased the Elan to continue competing with his daughter in this type of event in the Regularity section. For this purpose, in December 2006 a Tony Thompson Racing rear drive train kit and Koni shock absorbers were fitted together with a new well-sealed hardtop to keep out the inclement weather often experienced on these events. Unfortunately, health issues intervened and the duo only managed one event. The current vendor purchased 'OCL 601J' in 2010.
  
  Described as in generally good condition, the car is offered with sundry invoices, old-style logbook, current MoT/tax, Swansea V5 document and MSA Historic Technical Passport.
  

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Category: Motoring / Motor Cars

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