2014 Katie's Cars & Coffee - Great Falls, VA
#22
Lotus Elan Pop-Up Headlights
The Lotus Elan was one of the very earliest production cars with 'pop-up' headlights, allowing for a clean front-end. The mechanism for the moving headlights was a vacuum system. The early versions of the Elan used the vacuum to raise the headlights. This was OK, until you were driving thru the mountains, in the snow, uphill, when the engine was taxed enough to... run out of vacuum. The lights (just one, or both, and still turned on) would slowly disappear behind the front bumper - not fun, and potentally dangerous. The engineers at Lotus recognized this as a problem.
Later versions of the Elan (like Jeff's, in my pictures) used the vacuum system to keep the lights closed. At some point during every late Elan's life, the system will develop a leak, and the lights (pretty reliably in tandem, thanks to the improved system) creep their way back open. Not as attractive, but not dangerous.
One other Elan-related fact. It was the car that Mazda based its Miata upon. The basic shape is the same, though a Miata is very much larger.
--Bob Collum
Later versions of the Elan (like Jeff's, in my pictures) used the vacuum system to keep the lights closed. At some point during every late Elan's life, the system will develop a leak, and the lights (pretty reliably in tandem, thanks to the improved system) creep their way back open. Not as attractive, but not dangerous.
One other Elan-related fact. It was the car that Mazda based its Miata upon. The basic shape is the same, though a Miata is very much larger.
--Bob Collum
Last edited by rcollum; 04-05-2014 at 07:50 PM.
#23
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Katie's, 04/05/14 - Part 2
One of our regulars brought out a car you probably haven't seen - a Moal Aerosport. This car, custom-built on a '36 Ford chassis, has a 312c.i. Y-block V8 from a '57 Thunderbird, with twin Novi superchargers. The body is custom-built, with incredible attention to every detail. (Google Steve Moal to see some examples.) The owner opened a hatch in the trunk to show us the inboard Buick drum brakes, quick-change center section, and DeDion suspension. Inspired by WWII airplanes, this is a beautiful machine!
--Bob Collum
--Bob Collum
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Ken, I live on the Eastern Shore, it is an hour and fifteen minutes for me to go. I go maybe 3-4 times a year just to mix it.
Bob, looking forward to see you, your Lotus and the light weight E type .... especially after seeing the Posies E type in Hunt Valley last weekend ...
Bob, looking forward to see you, your Lotus and the light weight E type .... especially after seeing the Posies E type in Hunt Valley last weekend ...
Last edited by Schwabe; 04-11-2014 at 05:24 PM.
#34
Katies, 04/12/14
Judging by the weather today -- SPRING IS HERE! Weather and events brought out LOTS of Jaguars.
The lightweight E-Type was down from Philadelphia. A group of local E-Type owners also gathered this morning. I believe I saw Schwabe drive by, but never met him at the event today.
--Bob Collum
The lightweight E-Type was down from Philadelphia. A group of local E-Type owners also gathered this morning. I believe I saw Schwabe drive by, but never met him at the event today.
--Bob Collum
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sklimii (04-12-2014)
#38
Tawdry? No way... there's always plenty of cars, in all sorts of conditions. This crowd appreciates patina as well as anybody. Note the Lancia below, from 4/12/14.
I hope you can make it out to our Jaguar event, being held Sunday, May 4th at Fair Lakes, VA -
https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/m...2014-a-115031/
--Bob Collum
#39
Tawdry? No way... there's always plenty of cars, in all sorts of conditions. This crowd appreciates patina as well as anybody. Note the Lancia below, from 4/12/14.
I hope you can make it out to our Jaguar event, being held Sunday, May 4th at Fair Lakes, VA -
https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/m...2014-a-115031/
--Bob Collum
I hope you can make it out to our Jaguar event, being held Sunday, May 4th at Fair Lakes, VA -
https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/m...2014-a-115031/
--Bob Collum
#40
There are, I think, three separate shopping areas in the Fair Lakes area. East Market (the one we use) is the one with Kohl's and Dick's Sporting Goods. It's two blocks from the big Fair Lakes, with Target, Walmart, and BJ's. That larger shopping center also has Applebee's and Olive Garden.
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East Market at Fair Lakes, VA is about a 5 minute drive from the intersection of 66 & 50 in Fairfax, VA. We hold the Cars & Coffee events in front of the Starbucks in the East Market at Fair Lakes shopping center - there's also a Kohl's and a Dick's Sporting Goods in the complex. You can use your Nav system or MapQuest this parking lot, using the address for Kohl's -
12551 Fair Lakes Circle
Fairfax, VA 22033
Here's the link to the thread I started on the event we are holding on Sunday, May 4th -
https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/m...2014-a-115031/
...Sure hope you can make it!
Thanks,
Bob Collum