Lotus' fastback, fixed head, competition ready Elan: Lotus Elan 26R Shapecraft

The Elan was Lotus’ first attempt at making a road car after making plenty of race cars such as the legendary Super 7, the Eleven, or the Type 18. The car was the smallest roadster money could buy, and ended up being a source of inspiration for the design of the legendary NA generation Mazda MX5. Of the SI Elan, 52 26Rs were made, and another 49 SII 26Rs. There was conversion (named the Shapecraft conversion) which turned the 26R into a fastback. It was basically Lotus’ Low Drag.

Of the Shapecraft Elan, 20 were built and only 3 of them were originally 26Rs. In general, the car was not much different from regular Elans, the only true difference was the fastback roof that was fixed on top, which does make the car more aerodynamic than a regular 26R with a removable hard-top, and makes it look a hell of a lot cooler.

As it was merely a body conversion, the car always had either the road going 1.3-litre engine, or the 26R’s 1.3-litre engine.

The car you see before you is one of 3 original 26R Shapecraft Elans, which was sold to a gentleman racer named Richard Crosfield in 1964, who raced it through that year and the following, and even faced off against Dickie Stoop in his Porsche 904 Carrera GTS. The car changed owners a number of times until 1967, when it was sold to the service manager of Lotus dealers “The Chequered Flag”, who enjoyed it until 1975, when it was sold to Gerry Marshall.

26R-07 changed owners one last time in 1987 when it was sold to Roberto Causo, who was the head of FIA Historic Cars Commision at the time. The car is now for sale at Duncan Hamilton in the UK.

What do you think? Which Elan do you prefer, the regular 26R or the Shapecraft 26R?

Personally, I love it, and if I would start participating in lower-class historic motorsport, this would definitely be my car of choice.

• MH

(Pictures by Duncan Hamilton ROFGO, UK), the Classic Driver ad of the car below