# Lotus Elan 26R (1964–1966)

- Source: https://racingcarnetwork.com/wiki/lotus-elan-26r/
- Publisher: Racing Car Network (racingcarnetwork.com), the race car marketplace
- Type: car · Brand: Lotus
- Discipline: historic-racing, gt-racing
- Series: historic-sportscar
- Era: 1960s
- Last updated: 2026-11-06

The Lotus Elan 26R is the factory competition version of the Elan, built by Lotus Components in 1964–1966 for privateer GT racing. About 97 were made. Today it is a front-running pre-66 GT car in HSCC, Masters and Peter Auto events, and the most copied Lotus of its era. Buyers must separate genuine cars from conversions.

## Specifications

| Spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Engine | Lotus-Ford twin cam, 1,558 cc (first 22 cars 1,499 cc), two Weber 40 DCOE; Cosworth or BRM tuned [0][3] |
| Power | 140 bhp works Cosworth spec, up to 160 bhp later; BRM Phase 2 quoted at 158 bhp [0] |
| Weight | Homologated at 620 kg; cars run at 560 kg or less; one spec table gives 600 kg kerb [0][2] |
| Gearbox | Ford 4-speed manual, close ratios 2.92 / 2.51 / 1.64 / 1.00 [2] |
| Chassis | Pressed-steel backbone (75 lb) with reinforced pick-up points, lightweight racing wishbones, bigger anti-roll bars, sliding-spline driveshafts [0] |
| Brakes | Girling discs front and rear, twin master cylinders, light-alloy calipers [0][2] |
| Wheels | Wide cast magnesium centre-lock; early steel wheels cracked and were replaced [0] |
| Body | Glassfibre with flared front and rear wings, single-skin hardtop; fixed lights behind Perspex on Ian Walker cars [0] |
| Years | 1964–1966 [0] |
| Class | FIA Group GT, homologation no. 127 of 10 May 1963 [4] |
| Built | About 97; sources split them as 52 Series 1 and 45 Series 2, or 45 and 52 [0][1][4] |

## History

Lotus launched the Elan road car in 1962 with a glassfibre body over a steel backbone chassis. Colin Chapman at first kept it away from racing, but customers wanted a competition version. Lotus Components answered with the Type 26R in 1964, sold in kit form at £1,995 [0]. Cars were taken from the road-car line before delivery and rebuilt as racers, so a factory 26R often has no normal Lotus shipping record [1][2].

The 26R package was more than an engine upgrade. The backbone chassis got reinforced pick-up points, lighter racing wishbones, stiffer anti-roll bars and sliding-spline driveshafts in place of the rubber couplings [0]. Dual-circuit brakes with alloy calipers were standard. Bodies were thinner, with flared wings to cover wide magnesium centre-lock wheels after the first steel wheels proved prone to cracking [0]. The twin cam was tuned by Cosworth for the works cars, at around 140 bhp, with 160 bhp offered later. BRM also supplied engines, including a Phase 2 unit quoted at 158 bhp [0].

About 97 cars were assembled up to 1966 [0][4]. The FIA database places the competition Elan under homologation 127, dated 10 May 1963, with a 26R Series 1 workshop manual and chassis specification attached [4]. The last Series 1 car, chassis 26R/1/50, was kept by Lotus Developments and used as the mule for the Series 2, which gained wider rear wings [3].

The car's reputation came from the privateer teams. Ian Walker Racing ran gold cars with a green stripe, driven by Peter Arundell, John Whitmore, Mike Spence and Jackie Stewart; Stewart took fourth overall and a class win at Montlhéry in May 1964 [0][7]. Graham Warner's Chequered Flag cars ran in black and white. The Willment car driven by John Miles won nine races in a row on the way to the 1966 Autosport Championship [0]. Around twenty Elans were given Shapecraft aluminium fastback roofs, a conversion seen on some 26Rs [0]. Period criticism centred on chassis flex, snap oversteer and bump steer, which the Walker team cured by changing the steering rack height [0].

## Palmarès

Jim Clark won the Elan support race at the 1964 British Grand Prix meeting with Whitmore second [0]. Ian Walker Racing took class wins across Europe in 1964, including Jackie Stewart's fourth overall and class win at the Prix de Paris, Montlhéry, on 23 May 1964 [7]. John Miles won nine straight races and the 1966 Autosport Championship in the Willment car, plus races in Portugal [0]. Tony Thompson won four HSCC titles in the 1980s [0]. In the HSCC Guards Trophy the 26R took the GT title in 2019 (Ross Hyett), 2022 (John Davison) and 2023 (Eddie Powell), and finished second in class GTA in 2025 [5]. A 26R won the Tour Auto in 2019 [17].

## What to check before you buy

Match body and chassis numbers against Lotus Cars records: A car with a delivery date and destination in the archive was a road car. A unit number noted as sent to Lotus Components, or a 'Racing Elan' entry, supports a factory 26R. Ask whether the chassis and body are original or Tony Thompson replacements: Many cars, including some offered at auction, run a new TTR chassis and body. That is fine for racing but changes value and the originality claim. Read the FIA HTP or Vehicle Identity Form and check its expiry and spec: HSCC Guards Trophy points need an HTP or VIF. Replicas can get papers, but adjustable spring platforms and other non-period parts must be fixed first. Identify the engine builder, head type and last rebuild date: Period cars ran Cosworth or BRM heads. A current race engine may be a later build with a different head; ask for dyno sheets. Look for sliding-spline driveshafts and rose-jointed suspension: These were 26R fittings. Rubber couplings and standard wishbones point to a road car with a body kit. Inspect the chassis at engine, suspension and diff mounts: These are the known crack and rust points on the backbone frame; the frame also bends in accidents. Check wheels for cracks and the rear wings for the Series 2 width: Wheels cracked in period and magnesium ages. Wider arches on a car sold as Series 1 may show later modification. Confirm race history with results archives and team records: Driver names sell cars. Archive entries exist for Ian Walker Racing chassis, but some team cars have no verified chassis number.

## Did you know

- The 26R kit cost £1,995 in 1964 and the first 22 cars were recalled after they were built [0].
- Lotus Components took undelivered road cars for conversion, so a factory 26R often has no shipping date in the Lotus archive [2].
- Chassis 26R/1/50 was road-registered HJH 171C by Team Lotus and served as the Series 2 development mule [3].

## Frequently asked questions

**How many Lotus Elan 26Rs were built?** The usual figure is 97, which the FIA database and Motor Sport both use. Owners' records split them into 52 Series 1 and 45 Series 2, though other sources reverse the split. A dealer has claimed 101. Around 30 genuine cars are thought to survive, so most cars on grids today are conversions.

**How do I tell a genuine 26R from a replica?** Check the body and chassis numbers with Lotus Cars. A record showing delivery to a dealer means a road car. A unit sent to Lotus Components or listed as a Racing Elan supports a factory car. Then look for sliding-spline driveshafts, rose-jointed suspension and the thin body. Ask who made the chassis.

**Can a 26R replica get FIA HTP papers?** Yes, if built to Appendix K and the homologation form. Papers describe the specification, not the originality. One replica listing noted that adjustable spring mounts had to be fixed before papers would be issued. HSCC accepts an HTP or a Vehicle Identity Form for points.

**What engine should a 26R have?** A Lotus twin cam of 1,558 cc with two Weber 40 DCOEs. Works cars ran Cosworth-tuned units of about 140 bhp, later 160 bhp; BRM also supplied engines. Modern race builds give 160–170 bhp. An original BRM or Cosworth head adds value, so ask what the car runs now.

**What is a 26R worth today?** Genuine cars are rarely sold in public. The last clear auction sale found was £112,000 in 2013 for the ex-Lotus Developments car, and 2021 and 2025 lots went unsold with estimates to £100,000. Tributes on Tony Thompson chassis sell for about £30,000 at online auction.

**Where can I race a 26R?** HSCC Guards Trophy class GTA and the Twin-Cam Cup, Masters Gentlemen Drivers class CLP, Peter Auto and Tour Auto, Le Mans Classic and Spa Six Hours under Appendix K. Goodwood grids are by invitation. Equipe GTS runs pre-66 FIA GT cars, but check its current list.

## Sources

- Lotus Elan 26R — https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/june-2009/116/lotus-elan-26r
- 26R identities and other info — https://forums.lotuselan.net/t/26r-identities-and-other-info/10565
- 1964–1966 Lotus Elan 26R — https://www.supercars.net/blog/1964%E2%86%921966-lotus-elan-26r/
- 1964 Lotus Elan 26R Factory Racecar, chassis 26R/1/50, London 2013 lot R156 — https://rmsothebys.com/auctions/lf13/lots/r156-1964-lotus-elan-26r-factory-racecar
- Lotus Elan – FIA Historic Database — https://historicdb.fia.com/model/elan
- Guards Trophy Championship — https://hscc.org.uk/?p=9422
- Masters Gentlemen Drivers eligibility list 2026 — https://cms.mastershistoricracing.com/files/uploads/2026/03/masters-gd-eligibility-list-2026.pdf
- Complete archive of Lotus Elan 26 Racing — https://www.racingsportscars.com/suffix/archive/Lotus/Elan/26%20Racing.html
- 1964 Lotus Elan Hardtop Coupe to 26R FIA Spec at Bonhams' Goodwood auction — https://www.racecar.com/news/92968/market-and-auction/1964-lotus-elan-hardtop-coupe-to-26r-fia-spec-at-bonhams-goodwood-auction
- Bonhams 18 Sep 2021, 1964 Lotus Elan 26R Hardtop Coupé to FIA Specification, chassis 26-R-22 — https://www.theclassicvaluer.com/vehicle-details/bonhams-2021-09-18-lotus-elan-26r-3f7839
- Aguttes 30 Nov 2025, 1965 Lotus Elan 26R, chassis 26/4576 — https://www.theclassicvaluer.com/vehicle-details/aguttes-2025-11-30-lotus-elan-26r-41c87c
- Collecting Cars 1 Jul 2026, 1963 Lotus Elan S1 26R Tribute — https://www.theclassicvaluer.com/vehicle-details/collecting-cars-2026-07-01-lotus-elan-26r-d13c8f
- Lot 23, 1964 Lotus Elan 26R Replica — https://www.berlinetta-auctions.co.uk/manor/car-auction/35/lot-23-1964-lotus-elan-26r-replica
- 1965 26R Elan re-creation — https://forums.lotuselan.net/t/1965-26r-elan-re-creation/19950
- Lotus Elan: fit Rotoflex couplings or CV driveshaft conversion — https://lotusmarques.com/info/knowledge-base/1534-lotus-elan-fit-rotoflex-couplings-or-cv-driveshaft-conversion
- Lotus Elan S2 26R listing archive — https://www.classic-trader.com/au/cars/listing/lotus/elan/elan-s2-26r/1965/452748
- Search: elan 26r — https://racingcarnetwork.com/?s=elan+26r
- File:Lotus Elan 26R Tour Auto 2019.jpg — https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lotus_Elan_26R_Tour_Auto_2019.jpg

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