The Lotus Grand Tourers

Looks like the one at Castle Combe. In a garage showroom. Spotted by a Club Lotus Staffs member on holiday this week.

Different Wheels & wing mirror intact. These are rare aren't they?

You’re right, it’s not the Sprint at Castle Combe. Would love to know what it’s on the market for and more info about condition, history etc...these cars are rare!

Cheers, Richard

Theres one turns up at the club lotus meetings in Lincs, Im pretty sure that it is the one at cc.
I probably will get proved wrong here but my understanding is that they were something colin chapman came up with long before porsche, take stuff off and charge more. Porsche seem to like putting some scaffolding in the back to hold the roof up but take all the toys out.

Bash

I thought they were supplied with steel wheels not the alloys?

There is some dispute over the origins of the Sprint model in the Uk (in the USA all Eclats were called Sprints.) I believe Graham Arnold was back at Lotus then, and he claimed the credit for the Sprint concept. Oliver W was asked to come up with a livery for a number of unsold white Eclats - another of his Saturday morning jobs, as I think he was at the boat company then. Anyway, apparently the 30 or so Sprints thus created sold off the page by the middle of the following week.

I don’t think Chapman had much to do with it (probably apart from shouting at somebody about the unsold cars) but he does have form as I believe he had a number of unsold Elans dressed up with a glitterflake roof.

Regarding steel wheels, it would depend on the underlying Eclat model spec. The 520 based sprints would have had these along with a 4 speed gearbox in standard trim,

The car at Castle Combe belongs to a gentleman who lives not far from Bristol. It is thought to be the first Sprint as the markings are all in paint, not decals as on subsequent cars. I’m not sure if he ever took it up to Lincs.

As Oliver would have said, ‘Read My Book!’

Cheers, Richard

Theres at least 3 left then.

Bash

ISTR the Sprint used different front brakes as well with smaller o/d discs.

Pete

. Different Wheels & wing mirror intact.

Looks to me like the same wheels and mirrors (both original), but looks like the Paignton one has black base and mirror backing.
Pods are up though ( vac actuators Donald ducked) and the door waist line is coming unstuck. Would like to know more about (inc price), but I suspect it needs much TLC.
Tony

Pete Boole wrote: ↑

Wed Sep 08, 2021 07:39

ISTR the Sprint used different front brakes as well with smaller o/d discs.

Pete

Yes, the 520 based Sprints did - the steel wheels were Ford 13” as used on the Lotus Cortina and Elan originally, and I’m pretty sure the hubs/disks are Ford also.

Cheers, Richard

Funnily enough, I am going to be in Paignton for work this afternoon so if I can find the garage I will call in and see if I can get more details. It would be great to see this car back on the road, although I am not sure I am the man for the job!
Nigel (new member currently looking for an Excel).

If anyone is interested, using Streetview I have identified the location as Roundham Garage, 20 Roundham Rd, Paignton TQ4 6DW Phone: 01803 553999. Unfortunately, I was running late yesterday (courtesy of the roadworks on the A380) so was unable to make a visit.

My private detective down in Paignton has sent some more info. Nigel in the post above is correct it is the Roundham Garage but it appears that the garage as a business has probably closed. It seems someone is storing 2 Eclats in there. There is lots of random stuff in there and it doesn't give the appearance of a working car showroom.

The Sprint was registered in Nov 1997 and the MOT expired 19/7/12. Last recorded mileage a year earlier was 67,034
The Eclat (not a Sprint) was registered in Jan 1982 so a late modal. MOT expired 16/10/19. Mileage a year earlier was only 18,476.

Interesting - am in Cornwall this week so was planning to persuade my wife that a detour to Paignton on the way back would be a good idea. The temperature dropped a degree or two when she found it was to look at ‘another old car.’

Anyway looks like there ain’t a lot of point until the owners can be found.

Cheers, Richard

Edit: done some research in the company and it appears the owner was jailed last year for 16 years for some pretty nasty deeds. The official paperwork suggests that the business assets may have reverted to the Crown.