Photos by author.
Of the more than 1,000 automotive books in my private library, one of my all-time favorites is this softcover book on the early Lotus Elite, one of the most beautifully shaped cars of all time.
First published in 1977, this landscape-styled book totals 136 pages, with all the photographs, illustrations and charts in black-n-white. And there are many illustrations, more so than any owner or fan of the Lotus Elite could ever hope to find in a single publication. And that's because this book was clearly created by a true, and hardcore, Elite enthusiast, Dennis Ortenburger.
Back in 1966 when Dennis bought his first Elite, he then dedicated himself to an Elite fact-finding mission to collect as much literature and information about the cars as he could find, the results of which are the foundation of this detailed book. Rarely have other books on a single model car been so thoroughly compiled.
The book opens with an introduction by the very person who created the Elite's perfect form, Peter Kirwan-Taylor. Subsequent chapters delve into detail about the Elite's shape, and how the prototype made its way into a production model. The Assembly Line chapter is one of my favorites as it shows the Elite in various stages under construction. Other insightful information reveals the car's sub-frames and mechanical makeup, modifications that the factory made to the cars in order for them to race at Le Mans, maintenance details and what to look for when buying and restoring an Elite.
There are also chapters dedicated to the many personalities who made the car possible as well as those who raced them. Details about the Coventry Climax engine that powered most Elites is quite revealing, yet none more so than the extensive list of parts that interchange with other cars. All told only about 1,030 Elites were built, with many of the cars having been sold in kit form so their owners could assemble them at reduced cost.
Although sold out years ago, I've seen used copies of this book sell on Amazon for as low as $42, and topping out at around $75, which makes it a total bargain. No wonder Lotus enthusiasts and experts the world over agree that this is the most definitive book ever written about the Elite – and it is.
from Hemmings Daily - News for the collector car enthusiast http://ift.tt/1KPxAxw
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