Lotus Elan BRM

[Montague]

Does anyone know more about the '67 Lotus Elan/BRMs, such as that which is awaiting a capital infusion in my garage, than what follows? From the garage of Michael Spence, Lotus F1 and Indy driver killed at Indy; records of how many made with BRM engine modifications, which I believe were essentially a revised cam grind, lost in a fire at the Spence garage. I have read a road test of the car, and know that it has a green body and orange bumper. Can anyone add to my information, or give me a guide to additional research materials? I'm in Virginia, USA, btw.

[cavvy]

A dear departed friend had one in NZ before I new him here in Aus - I'll put on the think music & get back to you. I'm sure I bought him a book....

[Montague]

Thanks - interesting to know how far afield these supposedly few modified Elans went. Whenever you get the chance I'll be eager to hear what you remember.

[gfm]

Well Montague, I’m pleased to relate a little on this delightful car. I worked in 69 for Malcolm Bridgelands Malaya Garage (which gave birth to a GT40 for Mac Daghorn, the Alan McCall Tuis which became Ian Williams Supanova and the Leda and McCrea F5000s) in the West Sussex countryside in Billingshurst.
We had a used Spence Elan BRM in stock and I had a few decent runs in it. It was an absolute DELIGHT. I’m assuming you know that the colour was the team colour for the F1 BRMs for whom Spence drove as well as Lotus. I think they had two levels of upgrade – 130 and 140 bhp motors but I don’t remember what they did to the chassis, but the car was perfectly balanced. Maybe slightly wider wheels and certainly a stronger noisier exhaust note I remember. About the only thing which you needed to heed was the ‘wind up’ in the rubber rear drive doughnuts. There weren’t many produced I don’t think and like the Elan itself, suffered a bit from being seen as a kit car and therefore lacking a bit of street cred against the bigger names.
With a drive in the GT40 a remote possibility, I had a run to Bristol to show the Elan on a hot summers day, I thought I would try a hot run to see whether my concentration dropped off when in a hot cabin. I closed the windows, turned the heater on full and drove hard the two and a half hours back. I was dripping with sweat but really revelled in the delightful handling on the back roads across Salisbury plain and the roads through Petersfield. I’m not sure what it proved … and I never drove the GT40!
I’m sure if you use the right search engines, the web will reveal more about these super little cars, but I remember it as being brilliant. Very special. Normal Elan stuff will be a good start.
(Pls excuse spelling)

[DAVID BRUCE PORTER]

I was most interested to read your comments on your Lotus Elan BRM as I supplied the car brand new when MD of Mike Spence Limited in Maidenhead during the time that Mike Spence was a BRM works driver in 1967/8.

We supplied very few of them - certainly not more than ten.

The engine was modified by BRM at Bourne (camshaft, gas flowing of cylinder head, etc.). The only other items were the BRM paintwork and BRM badge. I seem to remember that the car was roadtested by Autosport. Most cars were modified much more by their owners.

The other Lotus that we modified was the Lotus 7 which we commissioned Hugh Haskell to modify to independent rear supension using a set of Lotus 20 rear suspension parts and wobbly mag wheels which Colin Chapman gave us. In return we invited him to drive it in the 6 hour relay race at Silverstone. The car won many producion sports car races in 1962/63.

Kind regards,

DAVID PORTER

[terence]

I had a good look around a couple last year,just finished thier restorations,no chassis mods,as has been said,they just had the paint and 130 bhp engines.

[John Turner]

Welcome, David

[thunder road]

David ;I believe an Elan /BRM was Purchased by a New Zealander ,that went to England, to get or work for Lotus (after the family sheep station was sold owing to his Mothers ailing health),his family name was McFeedries (spelling may not be quite correct!!!) I'm sure that he shipped It back to Christchurch/NZ ,around 1968/69................does this bring anything to mind??......................regards427

[elansprint72]

Sadly David Porter has passed away, I e-mailed him re BRM and his widow kindly responded, this was several months ago..

[Henry Crun]

Hi all,

I would like to use the photo of Mike Spence's shopfront from higher up in this thread, in a book I am writing about Maidenhead. However, I am having trouble establishing how to contact David Porter's widow to ask permission.

I have already messaged elansprint72, but to no avail.

Any ideas anyone?

Thanks!

[elansprint72]

PM sent.

The contact address I had is now defunct.

[terence]

You could do worse than contact Rick Hall at Hall and Hall,not much he doesnt know about them.

[bauble]

Originally Posted by elansprint72

PM sent.

The contact address I had is now defunct.

Hi Elan, good to see your name on here, a much classier place than the last one we co-habited. Look forward to more from you on the Historic section, I often feel I am fighting a lone battle to bring common sense to the populous.

Cheers,

Your Old Mate Bauble.

[GaryDVO]

Originally Posted by DAVID BRUCE PORTER

I was most interested to read your comments on your Lotus Elan BRM as I supplied the car brand new when MD of Mike Spence Limited in Maidenhead during the time that Mike Spence was a BRM works driver in 1967/8.

We supplied very few of them - certainly not more than ten.

The engine was modified by BRM at Bourne (camshaft, gas flowing of cylinder head, etc.). The only other items were the BRM paintwork and BRM badge. I seem to remember that the car was roadtested by Autosport. Most cars were modified much more by their owners.

The other Lotus that we modified was the Lotus 7 which we commissioned Hugh Haskell to modify to independent rear supension using a set of Lotus 20 rear suspension parts and wobbly mag wheels which Colin Chapman gave us. In return we invited him to drive it in the 6 hour relay race at Silverstone. The car won many producion sports car races in 1962/63.

Kind regards,

DAVID PORTER

Alan Rigglesford worked at Mike Spence racing up to the end. Alan has a long history from Muller to the Present day at Specialised Paintwork https://www.specialisedpaintwork.com/ in Reading. Alan set up Specialised with his Son Karl many years ago. I have been going to the garage since 2000 with my Elise (owned from new nearly 20 years).

Alan worked on the build and painted all of the BRM Elans and his estimate is around 10. Additionally he can remember a 2+2 in blue that he think was built as well. Recently BRM owners have contacted Alan who has restored I think 2 (I may be wrong). One is now in a museum and the other in the USA.

Feel free to contact Alan now past his mid 80s and happily works every day.

Many stories and a great bodyshop. Ask him about the Diablo he painted for Lola with a B series engine, this later became the AC 3000ME

[HeySpencey]

Hi to anyone who may look back at this thread. I have just found and joined 10/10. My user name may give a clue as to my interest in this thread.
I am one of Mikes only two nephews, living in Australia.
Unfortunately I never knew Uncle Mike, and he was seldom spoken of due to the sadness it brought to my Grand parents.
I have recently started to investigate his life (I doubt I will find much more than was published in the recent biography "Mike Spence Out of the shadows". A great read, but I might be biased)
Anyway I am interested in anything people can share about Mike and the cars Mike Spence LTD built. I know he was mainly a figure head for the business but I would still sure love to track down a Mike Spence Elan.

I might reach out to Alan Rigglesford. The link above still seems to be active.
I've got a Triumph I need repainting (he says from the other side of the planet!)
A modified TR7 v8 I've owned for 35 years. Please God save me from myself.

[Alan Brown]

The present issue (March 2022) of Classic & Sports Car has an article on a S3 Elan Coupe SE BRM (1968 chassis 006-02). It says 21 BRM engines were built but not all as complete cars. Alan Rigarlsford of Specialised Paintwork helped with the restoration.

[Hamish99]

Hi, I have recently acquired Mike Spence's Riley Imp
H