NZ newbie to forum

[KiwiPom]

Hi all, new to here, I have no lotus at the moment but am looking for an older one (more than 30 years) to replace my current “VCC” car (vintage car club) which is a ‘52 Armstrong Siddeley.

I owned an Excel SE up to 1999, reg E67 ELN and I have seen recent pics of that car when googling for Lotus forums (I find forums useful given the relative rarity of some old bikes and cars I own in NZ), I owned that Excel only for a couple of years before emigrating to NZ.

If the current owner of E67 ELN is on here feel free to ask questions on the little history I can recall.

One question, what (apart from the body badging) is the best way of identifying an SE as opposed to standard Excel? From Engine no 02912840921826 ?

[richardw]

Welcome to the forum!

Red cam covers, although there is a risk these have been fitted by a previous owner.

I think that registration Excel belongs to Bill in Club Lotus Staffs.

Cheers, Richard

[Tanz]

Yes that's Bills car. Used to belong to Dave at Lotusbits who fitted fuel injection. He obviously had access to other parts at Lotus bits hence he fitted later wheels, wing mirrors and other parts.

[KiwiPom]

My guess is I sold it to Dave, I wasn’t actually present at the sale as I had left for NZ and my brother sold it on my behalf, because of last minute issues getting it an mot etc I failed to shift it before I left. Although I lived in the London area at the time, my brother lived in Macclesfield so thats where it was advertised. It was in a poor state due to leaks from a badly fitted windscreen courtesy of my insurance company

I have photos of the car but don’t seem to be able to post them, maybe because I’m a “newbie”.

I viewed a red Excel (non SE) yesterday, but I have some concerns on what work is needed to fully re-commission it after very little use over the last 20 odd years. It’s had a lot of recommission work done but has some issues remaining, notably a clutch that doesn’t disengage until it is virtually on the floor, despite a new clutch slave and master cylinder being fitted by a Lotus expert workshop. I’m thinking that’s now an engine out job, with all that goes with that.

Am I right in thinking an Excel with the old style dash (radio in separate central console) and 14” wheels will be a pre 85 model therefore non SE?

[DavidOliver]

Hi KiwiPom

I have a 1985 Excel LC with 15 inch wheels. I t has black saddle type cam covers, single coolant expansion tanks, no vacuum diaphragm distributor, no Air Conditioning (saves 8HP) and plain black instrument panel, all exactly as Colin Chapman intended. It is RHD on Spanish Historic plates, Calypso red.
Car is fully restored and has
if you want more info send me an e-mail.
I may be selling in the near future as I am getting a bit long in the tooth.

Dave the cog.

[richardw]

I have photos of the car but don’t seem to be able to post them, maybe because I’m a “newbie”.

You are not alone. This site is hosted at minimum cost meaning we don’t hold pictures natively - they are shared from members’ own photo sharing apps.

I use Microsoft OneDrive. Using OneDrive in a browser (not the pc based version), upload the photos you want to share from your files - select the ‘upload’ option and browse.

For each image you want to share, select it in OneDrive, then select ‘embed’. This may be behind a … symbol.

You will then be shown a box with a link to your picture. Do not select the html option but copy the link. When prompted for image size, I normally select medium unless the original is small.

Go to your post and click on the pictures icon in the message header. Paste your link between the two terms that appear in square brackets.

That should work. It’s like riding a bike, do it a few times and you won’t forget! If anyone spots an error in what I have said or can offer further clarification, please comment.

Am I right in thinking an Excel with the old style dash (radio in separate central console) and 14” wheels will be a pre 85 model therefore non SE?

Yes.

Cheers, Richard

[KiwiPom]

I have a new (to me) car

It’s a 1984 with 58,000 miles, and an all leather interior which needs work.

The clutch also needs work as it only disengages with the pedal nearly at the floor. Might be bent pedal, might be something wrong inside the clutch housing.

The car has hardly been used for 23 years, and quite a bit was spent re-commissioning it, new clutch master/slave, new front discs, rebuilt callipers all around, new fuel pump etc.

[KiwiPom]

I hope to improve this …..without spending a fortune

Seat side/back has a 3” rip.

Cat has scratched up the door card top

[richardw]

Well done, looks a good basis for a nice car.

I think one or two members have had clutch problems that turned out to be a bent pedal - if you search you should find the posts.

Anyway good luck with it, post progress, and just ask for help if you need it. There is lots or real world Excel experience here.

Cheers, Richard

[KiwiPom]

Hi KiwiPom

I have a 1985 Excel LC with 15 inch wheels. I t has black saddle type cam covers, single coolant expansion tanks, no vacuum diaphragm distributor, no Air Conditioning (saves 8HP) and plain black instrument panel, all exactly as Colin Chapman intended. It is RHD on Spanish Historic plates, Calypso red.
Car is fully restored and has
if you want more info send me an e-mail.
I may be selling in the near future as I am getting a bit long in the tooth.

Dave the cog.

Sorry Dave I missed this and your car sounds ideal but I live in nz and shipping could be pricy

[AndrewWebber]

Hi, if like me you want a repair that blends well with the general age / patina / wear / dirt, I went for a very used leather chair via e bay and got a local upholsterer (not a classic car specialist) to take the ripped section out at the seams and put my supplied piece in (cut from the same position on the chair to help the crease lines / wear / dirt suit the location)

The front base section of this seat (if you zoom you can see the leather grain is a little courser than the remainder) Ebay £15, letting section in £180

Good luck with it



Andy

[Tanz]

Another idea for a seat repair - see my old thread here viewtopic.php?f=14&t=9807&p=73821&hilit ... her#p73821

[KiwiPom]

Well done, looks a good basis for a nice car.

I think one or two members have had clutch problems that turned out to be a bent pedal - if you search you should find the posts.

Anyway good luck with it, post progress, and just ask for help if you need it. There is lots or real world Excel experience here.

Cheers, Richard

Progress has been made on the clutch (not sure if should post here), basically the issue was a bent clutch pedal. I bent it to a better shape “in situ” by putting a block under a strong part of the pedal and a large adjustable spanner on the slave end after disconnecting the slave push rod. I bent it by the minimum required to avoid the possibility of bending the pedal box.

The push rod as found was obviously in misalignment, and also at the very end of its adjustment if not beyond that hanging on by a couple of threads only. The split pin was missing from the clevis pin, and the adjuster nut was found to be loose. The fork boot on the gearbox is also missing. Not good work (by a proper workshop) when the new master and slave cylinders were fitted just a few miles ago eh .

I also adjusted the clutch pedal stop for maximum movement eg its higher than the brake pedal now.

The clutch action is not perfect, but its acceptable now. Not particularly heavy for the era.

[KiwiPom]

Hi, if like me you want a repair that blends well with the general age / patina / wear / dirt, I went for a very used leather chair via e bay and got a local upholsterer (not a classic car specialist) to take the ripped section out at the seams and put my supplied piece in (cut from the same position on the chair to help the crease lines / wear / dirt suit the location)

The front base section of this seat (if you zoom you can see the leather grain is a little courser than the remainder) Ebay £15, letting section in £180

Good luck with it



Andy

Thanks Andy, that is a brilliant idea to find an old piece of leather furniture in the same colour! Thanks, and yes I am in favour of keeping the patina rather than recolour the whole interior.

There is a product I have used before, on my ‘52 car seats, doesnt fix rips but can fix cracks, but the Excel seats might be slightly beyond what the product can fix. Its https://www.colourlockleathercare.co.nz ... repair-kit

I will post anything I do in respect of seat repair in the appropriate place in this forum.