New Owner

[Jean Pierre Lunie]

Hi, just bought my first Lotus, an 86 Excel (unclear if it is an SE or not - assumed not for now), in need of some cosmetic improvement (like its new owner) but mechanically on the button (not so like its new owner).

Its done 98k but had a top end rebuild at 66k miles and there is a full and detailed history which is why I am unsure if it is an SE or not. The V5 says its an Eclat, the cam covers are back to natural alloy colour, half the invoices refer to it being an SE (including those seemingly computer generated by HR Owen in London), the first owner was Lotus Cars (for about 3 years), dash has been replaced twice, once in wood and once presumably the current black - if anyone can give me any guidance on how I could decide definitively I would be grateful. I thought of compression testing each cylinder but realise that age and use would mean the answer would not be 100% reliable.

Anyway, looking forward to driving this more than the 200+ miles I have already done in the last couple of weeks and will no doubt be asking for help from you all when things may go wrong. When I work out how to upload pictures I will do so.

[Hawaiis0]

Welcome to the mad house

The engine number will help.

Cam covers will tell you which head is fitted

Post a piccy of the engine.

Due you have air con push buttons on the heater control panel?

What is the registration?

[Pete Boole]

Yep - welcome to the forum! Once you get your head around posting photos it's straightforward. Looking forward to seeing some pictures!

Pete

[Lotus-e-Clan]

Cam covers changed on engines after engine number 22902 with the filler cap at the rear of the new style smaller inlet cam cover, prior to this the filler was at the front of the cover. SE's were painted red but yours has lost paint from what you say.
Prior to engine no 25190 the cam covers were painted black on a non-SE car. After 25190, all engines had the rachet-type oil filler cap so your engine number should be a lower number than this if it's an original 86 MY. If yours has the rachet filler cap then it's a later swap after manufacture.

Definitively, the inlet cam is a 104 on the SE compared to a 107 on the std 160 BHP car, but that's hard to verify without taking off the cam covers. Cam ID is ahead of the front journal. Green alignment dot on a 104 cam pulley.

Main jets on a SE (under the DHLA top float cover) are 135 (bottom of emulsion tube ) with a 150 air correction jet (top of the emulsion tube), the std engine has a 160 main with a 230 air correction jet.

Dizzy should have a vacuum advance capsule if it's an SE. The std car of this vintage should not have a vac capsule. Spark plugs for a std car should have NGK BPR6ES and the SE has BPR7ES plugs.

Tha alternator adjusting strap is a straight (nylon) strap on the SE, the std engine has a stepped (kinked) steel one.

That gives you a number of references to check. report back with what you find.

[Alan_M]

Welcome. A guide to posting pics is here - viewtopic.php?f=7&t=11571

Don’t worry about it being registered as an Eclat, my 85 registered, 86 MY SE is also registered as an Eclat. It was how Lotus got a round having to redo type approval for the Excel.

Besides the engine, there are some visual clues on the body with larger rear spoiler and spats behind rear wheels, although these can be retro fitted to non SE models.

[Valley Boy]

Hi there,
A Big Excel welcome to this Forum.
I too am a relative new boy and have found this medium very useful.
I even sourced my 1987 Excel SE through this Forum.
Looking forward to seeing some photos of your baby and perhaps, as the world opens for business again, catching up at a meet or 'show'.
All the best,
VB

[Hawaiis0]

Ever thought of changing your name to Smith?

[KevW]

Welcome to the forum Jean Pierre, I've found it invaluable for keeping my Excel in good order.

[Jean Pierre Lunie]

Hi everyone and firstly thank you for all the replies, welcomes and suggestions on deciding if it's an SE or not. I shall be looking at as much of this as I can during the week to see what I can find to ultimately decide but.......

It does have the aircon controls, but the compressor and pipes have been removed. There is a number on the cam cover starting 911 and ending 0302 (I assume a part number?)

The engine nr is 22691, and the filler cap is at the front. The alternator adjustment is straight steel but having examined the old invoices that came with it both HR Owen and Bell & Covill show 'BPR7' plugs being fitted and also the HC Timing Belt (including one where the LC belt was charged initially and then corrected to HC @ £39.95 instead of £19.95) - so it seems it could well be an se.

One other thing I have noticed is my car has no rear seatbelts - first registered Mar 86 before law changed for 87 - not sure if that points one way or another on it being an se or not.

For sure I will get my head around the photo posting and get some pictures up for you all to try and get to the bottom of this.

Thanks again

Peter

Oh, by coincidence it was a Smith that gave me that nickname when I was knee high to a grasshopper

[Lotus-e-Clan]

Even my old Elite had rear seat belts. I used the anchor point to fit a Britax child seat on the centre rear tunnel over the diff. Unfortunately the rear seat belt anchor brackets are thin mild steel and corode badly.
Mine have been replaced with stainless steel brackets available from SJ sportscars.
It's likely yours have coroded and the previous owner opted not to replace them considering the hassle and what you found out about the law changing in 87?

It does sound like your engine is original and you have an early SE.

[Lotus-e-Clan]

Refering to above picture ...
Might be worth checking the vacuum take-offs on the inlet manifold. Std engine distributor should have no vacuum advance so they have 2 X number 5 take offs (for heater controls and brake servo). SE has distributor vacuum advance so has 1 x No 5 and 1 x No 6 (for the dizzy vac).

Std engine has a a blanking plug in the end of the water rail (item No7). The SE, with vac advance, has a brown cold enrichment thermal valve in place of No7 blanking plug and a green thermal ignition valve at the centre position (std engine blanked). The SE valves are labelled 43-05A in the picture.

[Ray-s]

Hi Jean Pierre Welcome I too found it hard to decide with mine Eng-No 25626 Cam covers painted black badly but found traces of red will have to have another look now with more info.. ( But not bothered either way).. Love the car...
Ray...

[richardw]

Welcome Jean Pierre!

Lots of good advice already.

You say the dash panel is black but it is the third to be fitted with the previous one being wood. I believe only the non-SE cars originally had the black panel - not many about and I’ve never seen one.

Probably the best thing to do is to get a certificate of provenance from Lotus. I think you now need to buy this: https://www.lotuscars.com/en-GB/certificate-provenance/ - or does anyone know if you can still get just the certificate from Andy Graham?

Cheers, Richard

[Hawaiis0]

Oh yes. Second mortgage now required to get CoP.

You do get some useless gizzits to go with it but at £165 disappointingly ripoff.

However, it is really nice to have. Glad Santa only paid £60.

[Jean Pierre Lunie]

Thanks again all for the replies, I think I have saved £165 thanks to Lotus-e-clan, as there is definitely no thermal ignition or cold enrichment valves which means it is not an SE.

As Ray-s says, ot that it matters in terms of the road driving experience (.1 of a second 0-60 and a couple of mph top speed I believe) but it does make me wonder if having had SE parts fitted in the past (or at least charged for) if that could have done any damage etc - but as it's still running well many years later I would assume not.

Richard W, I think the black dash panels work well as, because of the colour scheme of the car, the binnacle and all of the switches are also black - hopefully I will get the opportunity to show you at a gathering in the future. I was hoping to go to LITP but my wife tells me I'm actually going to a christening that day instead!

I have decided the first job for me to tackle is the interior (roof lining and filthy back seat) so have been reading various posts/blogs about this and think I have plan for this but am torn on colour of fabric for the roof - yes it would be good to do it to match original but its never going to be a concourse car and I am quite drawn to doing it in black instead to continue the sports them to more of the interior and this would also make replacing the visors easier as I have read that Mercedes ones fit and they are widely available in black - does anyone have any views/experience/advice on using black?

Thanks

Peter