New Member Old Lotus Owner

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Cappies85Lotus
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Posts: 20
Joined: Wed Oct 23, 2019 21:20
Model: Excel
Colour: Monaco White
Year: 1985
Location: Hereford

New Member Old Lotus Owner

Post by Cappies85Lotus »

Lotus Excel, B832SAH, 1985, Monaco White, 37,000miles,
2 Owners,1st Owner 1985-1988 up to 13k and me 1988 to present date.
Car is all Original except new headlining just completed.

Hi All

I have just joined LotusExcel as a new forum member, but not a new Lotus Owner, in fact I am an Old Lotus Owner in every sense of the word.Bought my first Lotus a White Elan+2 regd 1967 from Surrey in 1974 and drove it daily, mostly from Hereford to Croydon area for 2 years. Our first came along in 1975 so first a carry cot was balanced in the back followed by a kiddy seat. Then a boy racer forced me into a kerb one night and the chassis cracked. A new Spyder chassis in 1976 was £250 plus fitting. Sounds nothing these days but I was earning £25 a week as a design engineer. So it was a no brainer ...had to pay the mortgage and put food on the table so the car had to go. An American who designed the control gear for the warheads on the American Polaris Submarine purchased it to ship back to the states  as the chassis number was 007, so did not have to worry about emissions.I handed the car over one dark wet winters night at Chepstow Services, on the  Severn Crossing (the original bridge) and although I made £250 on the deal I don’t mind sharing with you, a few tears were shed on the way home.

Whilst travelling around with my work I used to call at two places Christopher Neil in Nantwich and Paul Matty in Bromsgrove...just to have an ogle at some motors. On this one winters day in 1988, Paul Matty had this Excel (above) for £13999. I was tempted, well more than just tempted and placed a £100 deposit down to secure the car. On the way home I was having to think fast on my feet how to explain to the wife that we were going to be Lotus owners again. It did have 2 rear seats and we did have 2 boys….no not a good enough reason.  Came up with this excuse that the firm were going to pay the HP on the car, so it wasn’t costing us nothing...and she believed me!!!
Unfortunately my business was like a roller coaster ride making profits and then bigger losses on a regular basis due to the many recessions that we traded through. So the car was garaged in about 1990 and during the next 29 years was frequently brought onto the drive, washed, polished, run up to temperature and then garaged again. Some years I managed to have the car MOTd and drove it on limited mileage insurance.I carried out general maintenance on the car with my youngest who trained as a mechanic with the local Ford dealership to keep the car up to scratch.
This year, as I am nearing 70, I decided the car must go back on the road and have a bit of fun ( before I get called to Gods’ Waiting Room) and also let others see and admire the car. The local Classic Car Club want me to join them for displays.

I sourced out Tim Baker of Lakeside Engineering Addlestone Surrey to carry out a full maintenance check and full service and he was brilliant. If you cut Tim in half it would say Lotus Trained, Lotus Enthusiast.
Then I was recommended to Dayne of TOC Trimming in Blackwood South Wales to do the new headlining. After much agonising whether to keep to the original spec I decided not to maintain the original  dull grey colour and opted for a pierced Cream Leatherette which has made the interior brighter against the half red leather.
I had also retained a 1990 Lotus Safety Recall Notice to stiffen up the front anti roll bar mountings. I contacted Lotus and they agreed to carry out the work at Lotus Cwmbran.

So now the car is all tickety boo and ready to roll except for a Dellorto strip down and service followed by a rolling road tune which I have arranged to be done at Nutts Performance Classics near Usk, Monmouthshire early next year.

I was hoping to come to the NEC and see the show stand  and meet a few guys but unfortunately I’m nursing the wife after a full knee replacement so hopefully next time.
The stand and cars look really good and a good advert for Lotus Classics.
Well that’s me chapter and verse.
Brian

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Lotus-e-Clan
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Model: Excel SE - EWP/Waterless!
Colour: Not Blue or Green
Year: 1989
Location: Swaledale

Re: New Member Old Lotus Owner

Post by Lotus-e-Clan »

Brilliant Brian! Proper Lotus man!

Must see photos of the headlining job if you can get them posted (I STILL need to do mine -maybe next year) .pierced leatherette sounds good...it might deter me from putting 4-way stretch carpet on mine! The OE headlining material is a 'fail' for the Excel's trim procurement team ...but to give them the benefit of the doubt, Mercs, VWs and others of the period also suffered from dreaded premature droop too...

The Excel is a FAB driver's car.
Peter K

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Cappies85Lotus
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Posts: 20
Joined: Wed Oct 23, 2019 21:20
Model: Excel
Colour: Monaco White
Year: 1985
Location: Hereford

Re: New Member Old Lotus Owner

Post by Cappies85Lotus »

Thanks Peter
I have got some photos but can not fathom how to upload them.
Being an old fart I don't share or store photos with cloud thingys, just got them on my hard drive. I can photoshop and edit any way you want and send in any format.
If someone can give me a list to follow, not too technical, will happily upload photos of car and interior.
Brian

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Hawaiis0
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Posts: 4130
Joined: Sun Jun 30, 2013 18:39
Model: Excel SA (No 3); Elite 504
Colour: BRG; Dirty White
Year: 1986
Location: West Oxfordshire

Re: New Member Old Lotus Owner

Post by Hawaiis0 »

Welcome Brian. Look forward to seeing you and car around the circuit
Nothing is fool proof. Fools are clever!

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Sirclip
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Posts: 281
Joined: Mon Apr 07, 2014 09:18
Model: Excel Celebration
Colour: Marque Lotus
Year: 1991
Location: Wiltshire

Re: New Member Old Lotus Owner

Post by Sirclip »

Hello and a very warm welcome Brian,
Thanks for sharing your Lotus story, very nice. Obviously a very devout Lotus fanatic. Your car's history sounds amazing!
Martin.

Johnwindwood
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Posts: 473
Joined: Sat Mar 25, 2017 14:34
Model: 1984 Excel
Colour: Monaco White
Year: 1984
Location: walsall

Re: New Member Old Lotus Owner

Post by Johnwindwood »

Welcome! Your car is almost identical to ours- 1985 model year, white with red trim.
Kind regards

John

John Windwood

1984 Lotus Excel (1985 MY wide body)
1952 Austin Sheerline A125 Harold Radford Shooting Brake
1949 Austin Sheerline saloon (Parts car)
1997 BMW Z3 1.9
2002 Volvo V70XC Cross Country AWD

richardw
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Model: Elite S2.2 Automatic
Colour: Essex Blue
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Re: New Member Old Lotus Owner

Post by richardw »

Great to be able to welcome you Brian - what an interesting story and it sounds like you've found some very competent people to work on your car. I'm looking forward to seeing it. You're also quite local to me (and a few others) so do post on the forum if you're going to any classic car meetings and I'm sure there are a few of us who would like to meet you and see your splendid Excel.

Cheers, Richard
Image

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Ray-s
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Joined: Tue Dec 06, 2016 15:04
Model: Excel
Colour: calypso red
Year: 1988
Location: Grantham (close to)

Re: New Member Old Lotus Owner

Post by Ray-s »

:) Yes welcome Brian good to see another one being sorted sounds like you've done a good job.. Ray...
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
Ray...
Why is there always bits left over ?

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Sirclip
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Posts: 281
Joined: Mon Apr 07, 2014 09:18
Model: Excel Celebration
Colour: Marque Lotus
Year: 1991
Location: Wiltshire

Re: New Member Old Lotus Owner

Post by Sirclip »

Cappies85Lotus wrote:Thanks Peter
I have got some photos but can not fathom how to upload them.
Being an old fart I don't share or store photos with cloud thingys, just got them on my hard drive. I can photoshop and edit any way you want and send in any format.
If someone can give me a list to follow, not too technical, will happily upload photos of car and interior.
Brian
Here's a useful guide on how to post pics, but you need to be able to make a 'link' to them, which means some kind of hosting/cloud account I'm afraid:
viewtopic.php?f=16&t=10114

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Cappies85Lotus
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Posts: 20
Joined: Wed Oct 23, 2019 21:20
Model: Excel
Colour: Monaco White
Year: 1985
Location: Hereford

Re: New Member Old Lotus Owner

Post by Cappies85Lotus »

Hi Fellas,
Sirclip - Martin, Ray-s -Ray, richardw - Richard, Johnwinwood -John, Hawaiis0 ??? and Lotus-e-clan - Peter
Thanks for your kind messages of welcolme which I appreciate.
Firstly John, mine was registered Feb 85 chassis 1773
Peter, I am in process of learning this photo sharing and will post soon!!!
Martin, Thanks for message I have joined up to Dropbox and just printing out the instructions...something new to learn. May take a while to fathom.
Brian

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barker_001
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Posts: 905
Joined: Mon May 07, 2007 19:50
Model: Excel SE
Colour: Calypso Red
Year: 1990
Location: Cardiff, South Wales

Re: New Member Old Lotus Owner

Post by barker_001 »

Welcome Brian - from another Bryan!

I'm not too far down the road from you just outside Pontypridd - and I work in Blackwood!
Bryan

1990 Excel SE

"Look, there's a Ferrari..."

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Cappies85Lotus
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Posts: 20
Joined: Wed Oct 23, 2019 21:20
Model: Excel
Colour: Monaco White
Year: 1985
Location: Hereford

Re: New Member Old Lotus Owner

Post by Cappies85Lotus »

Hi Bryan
You are quite close. Our youngest lives in Cwmcarn opposite The Scenic Drive Bike Track. The car trimmer is actually in Pontllanfraith near Blackwood. I went to Willfield motors Abercynon to see about their rolling road but they were closed. Do you know if they have closed down??
Perhaps we could meet up for a chat next year when the wife is back on her feet.
Brian

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DavidOliver
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Posts: 688
Joined: Fri Nov 07, 2014 11:18
Model: Excel
Colour: Calypso Red
Year: 1985
Location: Malaga Spain

Re: New Member Old Lotus Owner

Post by DavidOliver »

Hi Brian. I am Dave the cog, another Old Lotus Owner with an 85 Calypso red since 8 years ago and an Elite owner in 1980-ish, (no longer, it burnt up in Calais on route to Spain).
If you are about to review some things on the Excel may I suggest the following:-

Your car is an 85, not SE and different to many items mentioned on this Forum.
Dellorto carb revision, If you remove the accelerator pump from the carb you will need a very special specialist to reset it. You can refurb without undoing the adjustable arm nuts. The full SU kit is a bit expensive but very complete.
The distributor has a plastic dog which locates the centrifuge weights and rotor arm to the main dizzy shaft. It deteriorates and breaks up and new ones are available from SJSportscars, SJ912E0027 at 4.50 p.s., you might also consider renewing dizzy cap clips.
Renewing the distributor coil is not expensive.
I renewed the fuel pump internals for SU Originals, finding the rubber mountings for the pump had weakened the fibreglass car body which required reinforcing, an easy DIY.

I have photographs but I do not have photo-posting capability, have tried several times to fathom it out. If you are interested send me an e-mail.

Good to have you on board, you will find many helpful members on this Forum.

Dave the cog.

Johnwindwood
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Posts: 473
Joined: Sat Mar 25, 2017 14:34
Model: 1984 Excel
Colour: Monaco White
Year: 1984
Location: walsall

Re: New Member Old Lotus Owner

Post by Johnwindwood »

Cappies85Lotus wrote: Firstly John, mine was registered Feb 85 chassis 1773
Ours is chassis 1662 so not too far away! 8)
Kind regards

John

John Windwood

1984 Lotus Excel (1985 MY wide body)
1952 Austin Sheerline A125 Harold Radford Shooting Brake
1949 Austin Sheerline saloon (Parts car)
1997 BMW Z3 1.9
2002 Volvo V70XC Cross Country AWD

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barker_001
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Posts: 905
Joined: Mon May 07, 2007 19:50
Model: Excel SE
Colour: Calypso Red
Year: 1990
Location: Cardiff, South Wales

Re: New Member Old Lotus Owner

Post by barker_001 »

Cappies85Lotus wrote:Hi Bryan
You are quite close. Our youngest lives in Cwmcarn opposite The Scenic Drive Bike Track. The car trimmer is actually in Pontllanfraith near Blackwood. I went to Willfield motors Abercynon to see about their rolling road but they were closed. Do you know if they have closed down??
Perhaps we could meet up for a chat next year when the wife is back on her feet.
Brian
Yes, a meet up sounds great. Willfield Motors seems to have reopened under the banner of T2 Motorsport:
http://www.t2motorsport.com/
An old-school tuner called Tommy used to run it when I went there 7-8 years ago. Can't say I was massively impressed. I left with the same hesitation I went in with. I don't know if he is still there now though - if I get a chance next week I'll do a drive-by on the way home from work and see if there's any signs of life.

Years later I went to Mosley's Rolling Road (01550 777626 and on Facebook) in Llandeilo, and Vince Mosley nailed it first time!
Bryan

1990 Excel SE

"Look, there's a Ferrari..."

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