What do I need to look out for when purchasing an Elan?
This is by no means an extensive list but should give you a good starting point! The most obvious answer is: Abuse and Damage. Inspect all the panels for starring , cracks and fresh paintwork. Always inspect the car when it s dry and there is good natural light. Red cars are very prone to fade and pinking. On red cars compare the bootlid with the soft-top stowage cover to gauge the level of fade. Panel alignment on the Elan is not that good, particularly between the soft-top cover and doors. Gaps between the front headlamp pods and bonnet/hood are rarely even. Numerous stone chips on the front bumper nearly always indicate that the previous owner has been a tail-gater. Tempting as it may be to test drive the car with the soft-top down, don t. Insist on driving hood up for at least part of any test drive to judge its fit, particularly at the rear where the soft-top bares down on the stowage cover. Badly aligned or damaged tops tend to lift up along the rear edge as speed increases. This
