Lotus Elite Super 95 - Restoration Project

A rare opportunity to acquire a genuine Lotus Elite Super 95 for restoration.

Only a handful of 95’s were ever made, (opinions vary between 20 and 34, as in the HLR register and the plentiful discussions on the Elite IO forums and FB group), making this Elite a very rare find indeed. We would venture to say that this is probably one of the last, if not the last, Super 95 to be found in need of restoration and will make a fantastic project for the next owner.

Not only is this Elite a rare find, but incredibly the car has only seen 2 owners its entire life - the second owner buying the car when it was just 9 months old.

Chassis number 1997 left the Lotus factory in 1963 as an original Super 95 finished in Iridescent Dark Blue, and was first registered to a Mr L. R. Crawley. Less than a year later, he sold it (as he had purchased a Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta no less!) to Flt. Lt. Falconer of the RAF in March 1964 who went on to cherish and work on the car for the next 60 years, until he sadly passed away earlier this year.

Flt. Lt Falconer was an active member of Club Elite, and later the HLR with technical articles written and published within the Elite forum. Being a skilled mechanic, the car wanted for nothing – his wife often complaining that the car would get any new parts it needed, while she had to put up with “well I can fix that.” He also decided to change the colour from its original dark blue to opalescent silver/blue, which it still wears today, albeit with a few scars from the intervening years.

In 2004 the Falconer’s retired to the South of France and he took his beloved Elite with him. Still frequently worked on and updated, he changed the speedo to KPH, removed the heater that was not required in the warmer climate, and swopped the 4-speed box for a 5-speed gearbox conversion (from MK14 Components no less), the only change from original specifications, but a sensible upgrade for modern driving conditions.

Confirmed as a Super 95 on all the original paperwork, in the Historic Lotus Registry and by the UK Type 14 Registrar, Mr David Blacklidge, the car has now been off the road for over 10 years, so will need restoring to its former glory. However, the bodyshell appears to be in good condition, having spent it’s slumber years in a very dry storage environment.  There is no record or evidence of any accident damage. It has a solid underside and although we have not stripped away the GRP there appears to be a very well preserved front subframe - it having been changed by A.N.E. Bates in 1985, according to the paperwork. All mechanical, electrical and interior parts are present - albeit that some are in need of refurbishment.

The car retains its original matching numbers Coventry Climax engine, although we would strongly advise a strip down and overhaul as apparently, it came off the road with mechanical troubles, and comes with the Super 95 spec twin SU carbs, Monza fuel filler and original 10 gal. aluminium fuel tank. The car also comes with the original MPH speedo, the removed heater, front and rear bumpers and various boxes of spare parts (as pictured).

The car is now back in the UK at our workshop for viewing and inspection. It presents a unique, and perhaps one of the last opportunities to re-build a rare Lotus Elite Super 95 to original or your own specifications.

As leading specialists in Lotus Elites, we are able to help with advice on all aspects of the re-build or if required, undertake the restoration on your behalf and most importantly Mk14 Components hold the world’s most comprehensive range of Lotus Elite parts, to support you in returning her to original specification or perhaps, with a few of the more modern usability upgrades added in for easier driving in today’s road conditions.

Offers are invited for this superb project at around £39,950 and as always, we are happy to discuss a parts/restoration package with the potential new custodian of this lovely car, once having defined the required specification.