There's no other car for Vyvian White. He's just utterly smitten. He tellsOonagh Charleton about the irresistible appeal of the Lotus Elan.
The main problem with the Lotus Elan + 2 is that it won't let you drive it unless your wearing shades. It's not that it's a particularly vain car, it simply has a reputation to protect and that involves a little sensitivity on the part of owners.
Temperamental? Well, according to one of the lucky few who managed to acquire one, and who also sports a fancy pair of the said glasses, emotional upsets will never prompt sale of his 1971 +2.
Vyvian White, 24, bought his 1,558cc Elan in Britain for the tidy sum of £5,000 after being smitten with photographs of the +2. "I had a Volkswagen Beetle for ages, followed by a Nissan van and I started looking around for something different. I saw this advertised in England and I jumped at the chance."
While the journey home was something of an adventure, it's not unique among experiences many Irish enthusiasts have when trying to bring their favourite classics home.
"The problem I had initially was clutch failure on transport back from England. The gears just kept getting harder and harder to change until eventually it just locked in gear. It was an absolute nightmare. I had to get it recovered and transported to Rosslare and then on to Kildare."
It hasn't all been bad though. Vyvian is clearly wild about this elegant sportscar. "I don't actually want any other car other than this one. I'm actually really happy with this. I love this car. I love working on it and, when things break, I don't get angry. I just make time to work on it and love it."
Luckily for him, he is more than able to handle repairs and replacements - and he knows his way around the four cylinder, twin overhead cam engine. It's an engine hailed as one of the greats but with rather humble origins, having a block originally found in the Ford Anglia.
"I want to get the engine perfect," he says. "I'm close. It's currently running at about 80 per cent and I want to change a lot of the electrics - they were built on the cheap side."
The engine being as compact as they come, there are difficulties in getting under the bonnet of this particular model. "The engine is so tight," he says, "to change an oil seal can take the best part of a day, never mind work on the gearbox where I had to take out the whole engine and drop the gearbox."
What about the advantages though? "The advantage is definitely in the driving," he argues.
"The handling is unbelieveable. Of all the sportscars, it's definitly one of the best handlers. And then to hear the sound of the exhaust, to hear the engine."
The Elan +2, produced from 1967 to 1974, was a lengthened and restructured version of the two-seater. With a fibreglass body and two extra seats in the rear it stretches to 14 ft with 5 ft in width.
Front suspension holds independent double wishbones and coil springs with independent lower wishbones and coil springs to the rear. And all round disc brakes help stop the 1,558cc twin overhead cam engine.
SO, how does it handle fuel? "I get about 25 to 30 miles to the gallon but I only really use it at weekends - I can walk to work from where I live." Vyvian, who has classic car insurance, rarely needs to drive the car around Dublin.
Has he ever managed to squash four people into the +2? "I've got four people into it only once . . . handling just isn't good with more than two." Hmm. A bit of a faux pas on the part of Lotus who intended it as the 'family man's sports car'?
The +2, while neat and relatively spacious up front, would never house the average two kids and a dog with any ease. However, space aside, the aesthetics are quite impressive with a comfortable interior, beautiful dash and sleek streamlined body.
Some of the difficulties associated with the Elan are cosmetic . . . stars appearing on the exterior fibreglass, worn rubbers, seals and pipes. Basic servicing can be be quite challenging. They have been known to catch fire, start only when in the mood and become very cantankerous in traffic when overheating.
Nonetheless, they are much loved in the classic sportscar world and have featured in several TV series, most notably The Avengers. Owners, like Vyvian, are incredibly loyal, investing huge time and energy into a car that has serious personality.
So with shades back on and engine running, is he sure no other car in the world could tempt him away from this Lotus? Absolutely.With that, he's off like a shot.