The Lotus Grand Tourers

Cheers. BTW, I don't know why Peter K above thinks that I've said that you can only get 25 mpg from a car with two Dellortos. He also says, in the welcoming manner that seems sadly typical of this surprisingly unfriendly Forum that I am a numpty, based on something that I haven't said. MPG, as any f...

Bazzer25 wrote:... I have a silver 83 car that has both Eclat and Excel logo's on the bodywork and is registered as an Eclat on the V5....

I am fairly sure that all Excels appear as Eclats on their V5s, because, it is said, Lotus wanted to save a few quid on a new type approval. This sounds very Lotusy.

I had the car checked over by Roy Gillard, a reliable bloke whom I trust with carbs and other such infernal contraptions, before I set off, so the state of tune is fine. I recommend Roy, by the way, for general old heap work - he charges 30 quid an hour, is very straightforward and competent, and co...

Italia! There are no hot starting issues. A hotel porter could not start the car because he was unfamilar with it; that's all. 22 mpg on day one included a lot of traffic jam traffic. Overall, we made it to Umbria averaging 25 mpg, mostly cruising at about 90 mph, with jams before and after Mont Bla...

The car is now resting for the night at Vault de Lugny in northern Burgundy, after behaving well all day. The only hot starting difficulty occurred when the hotel porter tried to take the car to the garage. I told him the technique, et tout va bien. The usually good stereo chose today to go on the f...

Another one? This is my first and only Excel, although it is the fifth Lotus that I have owned (I currently have three Lotuses, and previously had a 1973 Europa Special, and an early Elise).

The car is seen briefly in the Lotus Best of British DVD.

Thanks. I shall blog it a bit. First stop: mucho glamoroso - Folkestone Premier Inn. Talk about living the dream, eh? We shall dine at the Jackdaw pub, as featured in the film "Battle of Britain", and take an early shuttle tomorrow. Then on to Avallon, in Northern Burgundy, to stay at the splendid C...

Just to say.... "reader, I bought it!"

I would have posted earlier but had a registration faff. Spiffy car.

Hello; this is just to say that I bought Excel SE G848 ECF that was advertised for sale here a few months ago. Since buying the car, it has shown itself to be reliable and great fun to drive. It has been to Cornwall and back, survived mud plugging at the Silverstone GP and at the Latitude Festival i...