One to Buy: ex-Jim Clark 1962 Lotus Type 26 Elan S1
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Launched at the London Motor Show in October 1962, the Type 26 Elan was conceived to replace the Type 14 Lotus Elite which had most famously incorporated a state-of-the-art fibreglass monocoque construction.
By contrast, the Elan was based around a light weight steel backbone chassis to which a Ron Hickman-designed fibreglass bodyshell was mounted. Although simpler and more cost-effective to build, the Elan was a no less formidable proposition and went on to achieve great success in every discipline of motor sport.
The Elan’s engine bay housed a potent 1.5-litre Lotus Ford twin-cam engine which had made its debut in the back of a Lotus 23 driven by Jim Clark at the Nurburgring 1000km race on May 27th 1962.
Elan number one (actually chassis 002; the first pre-production car manufactured) was loaned to Jim Clark following the conclusion of a successful 1962 campaign, during which the Scot had won three Grand Prix (Belgium, Britain and the USA) and finished second in the Driver’s standings (to BRM’s Graham Hill).
Chassis 002 was painted Carmen Red and fitted with a prototype hardtop (painted silver). During 1963, Clark covered around 15,000 miles in the car, during which it became a frequent sight in paddocks around the UK.
Towards the end of the season (in which Clark secured his first F1 Driver’s title having taken seven wins from ten races), 002 returned to the factory and was freshened up before being sold to Clark’s early mentor, Ian Scott Watson in Berwick.
