One of the first 200 Elans produced and an original right-hand drive carMatching numbers authenticated by Lotus Club GBChassis up restoration in 2010/2011Complete with original Workshardtop, hood and hood frameA superb example of one of the very first Lotus Elan S1sYour earliest inspection is encouraged and welcomedIn the early 1960s, before any production Elans were built, Colin Chapman decided to outsource bodyshell production to Bourne Plastics in Netherfield Nottingham. The mainstay of their business at that time was the production of fibreglass boat hulls, but in 1962 they won a 100,000 contract to supply GRP bodies for the new Lotus Elan sports car.This was seen as a breakthrough for thecompany and, remarked theNottingham Evening Post,represented the citys re-entry into the car industry. Special tools and moulding equipment were installed at the Netherfield factory to achieve the five-part body-forming process and over the next two years, Bournes went on tomake approximatelytwo hundred bodies before demand became too great and production was transferred in-house to Lotus Cars in 1964.Totallyrestored from the chassis up in 2010/ 2011, this particular S1 was actually exported to the East Coast of America in 1972 /73 before returning to the UK in need of some attention. This early Elan has now been bought back to life with a conscious nod to originality, forming part of a small Lotus collection ever since. Its condition is superb throughout and a testament to its fastidious owner. Attention to detail is paramount with vehicles of this type and this particular Elan is no exception with the underside and running gear almostas clean and as tidy as the top of thisdelightful Lotusand, as you might hope, the 'S Bourne & Co (Plastics) Ltd.'plaque remainsin place on the bulkhead and the engine bay, boot and underside still wear theirfaithful grey Gelcoat, exactly as it would have left Netherfield prior to final assembly.A much sought-after 60s sports car that was produced with minimum weight in mind whilst still providing room for a 6 tall driver together with practical luggage carrying capacity, the Elan was instantly popular. Around 900 of the early Series 1 cars were produced with many being converted to race specification, and a few lost in the mists of time making this Bourne-bodied example a very rare thing indeed.Complete with a comprehensive history file, including the buff logbook, invoices from its time over the pond and later paperwork, MOTs etc.You can now book a one to one appointment (up to one hour) to view this lot at our central location between 16th and 30th July. Please contact us on 01926 691 141 to secure your appointment or [email protected] to discuss the car in more detail. The health and safety of both our customers and team remains the utmost priority, we are therefore operating to strict COVID-19 guidelines and full instructions for arrival and inspection protocols will be given when making your appointment. LOT NO. 339 - 1963 LOTUS ELAN 'BOURNE BODIED' S1https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ku9R5sKmiM true