1958 Lotus Eleven S2 for sale at AGUTTES for EUR 160,000 - #Lotus #Eleven #classiccar #motorsport #forsale

1958 Lotus Eleven S2 for sale at AGUTTES for EUR 160,000 - #Lotus #Eleven #classiccar #motorsport #forsale

1958 Lotus Eleven S2


Seller's description

1958 - Lotus Eleven S2
Estimate: 110,000 – 160,000 euros
French registration papers (as a historic vehicle)
Chassis number: 533
Historic car with strong performance
A participant in several Le Mans Classic races
Serviced and ready to return to the track
With 270 cars built by Lotus between 1956 and 1958, the Eleven was intended for sprint and endurance racing for smaller-engined cars. True to the philosophy of Colin Chapman, the founder of the marque, who favoured light weight and aerodynamic efficiency in the design of his cars, the Eleven had a tubular steel space frame chassis and a slender aluminium body. Depending on the version, it was equipped with a 1098cc Coventry Climax FWA engine producing 75-85bhp or the 1460cc FWB developing 100bhp, with a total weight of about 990lb. In 1957, the Series 2 made its appearance: it featured significant improvements to the chassis in order to handle the increased power of the 1475cc Coventry Climax FPF racing engine, which produced over 140bhp. Its front suspension was fitted with double wishbones, as used on the Lotus 12 Formula 2 racing car. In 1956 and 1957, the Eleven won the 1100c category at Le Mans. In 1957, with a little 744cc Coventry Climax FWC engine, it also claimed victory in the 750cc category and in the Index of Performance. In the same year, it won the 1100cc category in the 12 Hours of Sebring race, with Colin Chapman part of the team.
The Lotus Eleven which we are offering for sale is a 1958 Series 2 model, chassis number 533, among the last cars built. It was imported into the United States by the Los Angeles dealers Jay Chamberlin and Bob Challman and sold to Peter Brock, who was then an amateur racing driver, but who would become known above all for his design work on the Shelby Daytona Cobra Coupé and the Corvette Sting Ray. Fitted with the 1100cc Coventry Climax engine, Peter Brock raced it with some success for several years. As time passed it became less competitive against newer cars and was finally sold in 1979 to George Paulus in Chicago, before being acquired in May 2000 by an English enthusiast, Mike Brotherwood, through a Florida-based specialist, Stephen Yanoshik. In December of the same year, it was bought by Peter Whyte, who had it restored in 2001 to compete on a regular basis in the races organised by the Vintage Sports Car Club (its certificate from April 2002 is part of the documentation which will be supplied with the car). The car was then sold to the Ely’s in Essex before being sold again to its current owner in France in December 2010.
The current owner entrusted the maintenance and race preparation of the car to the specialist Gildas Dréhan in Brittany; he also provided technical support during the various historic events in which the car was entered. The Lotus XI competed in many famous historic races, such as Le Mans Classic in 2012 (where it was 29th of 71 starters) and 2014 (15th of 75) in grid 3, as well as the Sixties Endurance grids in the races organised by Peter Auto; now, it asks only to race once again. During our test of the car on the speed ring at Montlhéry, it proved its excellent mechanical condition and effectiveness on the track. Now fitted with a 1500cc engine, the car was serviced prior to the auction and is in perfect order. Well known to the Lotus Club and Lotus Register, it has French registration papers (as a historic vehicle) and will be supplied with various spares, including a second tail panel, details of its history and its Historic Technical Passport.

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