The Lotus Grand Tourers

Ratcheting effect? News to me, mine was just plastic which cracked around the join at top. Now replaced by a metal Lotusbits one, that will outlive the car and me

I have a long spring from the throttle lever between the carbs that hooks onto a little lug on the air cleaner backplate. Looks to be OE.

Some belated advice but I use a pipe wrench, clamped on the outer edge of the pulley and then turned until it eventually catches on something and stops the pulley turning any further. Works on most cars

+1 to Pete and Bash's diagnosis, that's where the play was in mine. A big plumber's tube is just the ticket to get that hex plug moving. And from memory can be done in-situ

Yep been there done that, in the snow late at night in the blue mountains. A long wait for the tow truck and then the damn thing fired up when he got there! But the pump was not to be trusted, so I got it towed.

A +1 from me for the electronic upgrade on the SU pump, hasn’t missed a beat since

Hi Glenn

Robert here, Sydney based, long term owner of '87 SE, if ever anywhere near five dock do give me a hoy.

I suspect it’s the sort of car that might only make sense one day every year.

A question from downunder.

How many sheep will fit in the back? Gotta be at least 3 to compete with locally produced utes

It's a long time ago but I vaguely recall modifying my door "cups" so that it was all held together with a through screw rather than that appalling bobbin arrangement. Could go and have a look at what I did if any interest.

Try the key both ways. Despite being double sided, mine only works one way, probably due to minor variations when I had it cut. And a bit of jiggling when you try to turn it......

Most stuff's been covered but I'll add: Brake parts readily available and cheap due to Toyota lineage Clunking noises from rear could be exhaust pipes hitting suspension arm where they go over. Not much clearance there. Or (a more depressing scenario), body she'll cracking near front of boot around ...

Pretty sure it was MA61 Toyota Supra front and rear throughout the model life. Reasonably easy and cheap to procure new or S/H Being Toyota it's all pretty rugged gear. You may however find that the backing plates have succumbed to rust, depending on the life the car has had. Replacing them requires...

Shared with some Jaguar XJ6 models of the era, but watch out for different orientation of solenoid. Mine runs a jaguar starter

Shockin' job from memory. Mainly because they used bolts and nuts rather than threading the bellhousing....if memory serves.

I own an '87 SE as well and the gauges are all over the place, it's always been like that and I gave up trying to sort it out. But as I recall from my early attempts, there isn't a voltage regulator in these later ones they run the full 12v to instruments. Is that correct or is my memory fading? Jus...

In order to fully discount the possibility of faulty otter switch (incl new one), you could do a stove top test with multimeter and thermometer, bringing it to a boil