Potential Buyer Looking for Advice Please

[Zulu 10]

Hello Gentlemen, I wondered whether I might pick the brains of the assembled to ask a few questions about what to expect of a late 1980s Excel…

I’ve just returned from a visit to a dealer who has an interesting example in stock, and claims that the previous owner regularly showed it, and it has a Club Lotus sticker in the windscreen, but the state of the body makes me nervous:

There’s a body colour piece that runs up the A Pillar and which at first from a distance seems to be part of the pillar, but on the left side the piece is about 10mm proud – almost as though it’s an applique piece of trim that’s become detached. Is it though I wonder, a sign of accident damage?

Similarly, along the roof, about 50mm from the longitudinal edge there runs a small notch which looks like a join, but is different on each side such that the outer part is raised by a few mm. Am I right in assuming that the where the roof runs into the C Pillar is actually made separately? Again could this have been removed and badly refitted?

Finally, and from reading various articles I suspect that this is indicative of a door beam issue, regarding the forward horizontal edge of the door where it meets the bottom of the A Pillar and cosmetically forms part of the front wing: On one side, the driver’s as it happens, the gap was about 25mm. On the other it was close to 12mm. Is this just the beam, or is there something more worrying lurking underneath?

At the right price I’d be tempted to give the car a good home, but if the body’s been in an accident, then so has the chassis IYSWIM.

I must admit that I've already got a Stevens Esprit so am used to Lotus foibles, and the Excel is of the same Lotus design chapter so I'd have expected better.

[AndyC]

Hi.
A and c pillar pieces are separate to the body and should be fairly much in line with each other and the body, the 10mm could simply be a windscreen replacement done and somebody didn't clean old adhesive off/ attempted to use silicone as adhesive / the windscreen is a mm or two proud (you'd be surprised how much that makes a difference).

Deor beam- go by whether it drops when opened and whether you can then lift it up at the open end, ignore the gap that can just be poor alignment.

[IanM92]

On my car the A pillar cover pieces are 2mm proud of the windscreen which was replaced by the PO. The 25mm and 12mm gaps are way too big, on my car 7mm. As Andy says it could be very poor workmanship whilst trying to sort the screen and door beams, or not. Ask the dealer to put it on a lift and let you look underneath to check the chassis.

Can you trace the previous owner? The dealer should be open to a reasonable request. The ladies at Club Lotus are very helpful, give them a call and explain your doubts. Knowing the Reg No. they will at least be able to confirm whether the previous owner was a member or not, if not this will tell you something about the dealer...

Yes, in my opinion, it would have originally been built to the same standard as your Esprit. Lastly I am sorry if I seem to be a little blunt; there are some good ones out there, good luck in your search.

[Hawaiis0]

do a search on the registration in the forum - you may find a link

[Zulu 10]

Thank you for all those answers.

Frankly the condition hardly accords with the dealer’s description of “as nice as it gets and in stunning show quality condition throughout”.

If that really is as nice as it gets in Excel terms then I'm unsure if I want one.

I’ve searched the registration but come up with nothing, and to be honest I’m in no hurry so think I will pass on a car which has so many obvious shortcomings…

Also I have since noticed an interesting looking SE which happen to be down in the South of France so would be fun to go and collect.

Some of you may also have seen the champagne coloured car that has appeared on EBay which, judging by the state of the under bonnet has been stored somewhere damp for years…

[AndyC]

I've not seen Sovereign car sales before, so cannot comment on how competitively or not) they price their cars, one pic seems to show a wheel that's been kerbed, lots of surfaces seem to have had a coat of satin black added very recently (PAS cap, inside of spare wheel etc) which just looks like somebody trying to tart it up to look cared for more than it was. The clutch reservoir fluid looks rather dark as though it's not had a recent fluid change, that makes me wonder how much of the detailed maintenance has been missed in their preparation.
For nearly £6k, I'd expect better.
I noticed the gold one, as it's the same colour scheme as one of mine. My gold one was obviously stored somewhere damp, possibly on grass (it helps get more water to the under side), I ended up having to replace nearly every suspension and braking component, before I got to the inside which then needed a detailed thorough clean before refurbishment. That done, it was nowhere near £6k in total, so if you are happy to do the work the gold one (or another in good sound condition) might be an option. If not, then I'd suggest looking privately as a good example that's being sold by somebody who drove the car and looked after it may be a better bet than one form a dealer.

[amarshall]

Consider an earlier one with a known history ? http://www.lotusexcel.net/phpbb/viewtop ... f=2&t=7828

[KevW]

Sawubona Zulu 10. I get the impression from your comments your are looking for a near minter of an Excel. If that's true they do exist but you may have to wait a while before one comes up for sale although I don't think you will need to travel to the south of France to find one. They generally are in the £6k+ bracket.

Don't forget the Excel is a very rare car. Only just over 2000 of them were built and from my observations owners do tend to hang on to them.

[Zulu 10]

Many thanks for the replies gentlemen and sorry for the tardy response on my part – the broadband has been u/s since last Friday.

Regarding my search for a “minter”: not really; I’m happy to do as much mechanical work on the car as is required, because I’m fortunate to have a decent workshop with a lift etc.

What I don’t have is a spray bay and I hate doing bodywork or cosmetics, so on balance I’d prefer a car that’s moderately straight body-wise IYSWIM.

That champagne one on EBay is still intriguing, but according to the new VOSA vehicle check site, it was last MoT'd in 2010 and yet apparently teh last RFL expired in February 2014...


Oh, and thanks for the use of that personalised greeting (I had to look it up, I'm afraid), but the use of "Zulu" relates to the phonetic alphabet rather than any of HM's (ex)colonies.

[AndyC]

Many thanks for the replies gentlemen and sorry for the tardy response on my part – the broadband has been u/s since last Friday.

Regarding my search for a “minter”: not really; I’m happy to do as much mechanical work on the car as is required, because I’m fortunate to have a decent workshop with a lift etc.

What I don’t have is a spray bay and I hate doing bodywork or cosmetics, so on balance I’d prefer a car that’s moderately straight body-wise IYSWIM.

That champagne one on EBay is still intriguing, but according to the new VOSA vehicle check site, it was last MoT'd in 2010 and yet apparently teh last RFL expired in February 2014...


Oh, and thanks for the use of that personalised greeting (I had to look it up, I'm afraid), but the use of "Zulu" relates to the phonetic alphabet rather than any of HM's (ex)colonies.

The RLF may have been next due in 2014 because it has SORN declared which expired in 2014.

[swiftcruiser]

Just an observation, it took me a long time to find a car, like you I have good workshop to work in, colleagues with lifts etc, every car I looked at unless it was restored or lovingly cared for was relatively expensive and as I looked could see additional work, much of it detailed on this site.
I too had a reluctance to own a car made of fibreglass, but having spent the last couple of years working on the car, am doing a total restoration to original, no longer in fear of fibreglass. Through default have found a body shop where the owner is aufait with working on glass fibre cars, first thing he told me to accept is the wider shut line tolerances i e gaps between the doors etc! plus and very importantly everything takes longer as you can't put a Lotus in a paint booth and turn it on so paint has to dry and harden naturally.
However the plus points, any minor accident damaged is or will have been localised as unlike a car of metal the impact does not deflect and therefore have a ripple effect, obviously as am sure will be picked up so long as chassis not affected. More importantly it is relatively straight forward to take all the bodywork apart, making it easier to work on prepare and paint and reassemble. My car has and is in the process of a repaint as like many lacquer was peeling and being Calypso Red much of it was turning different shades so had no alternative. Am enjoying the rebuild but all is not straight forward but at least I am not also tackling rust and corrosion, plus once back on road will be one of a few but part of a group of people that share an immense amount of enthusiasm for the Lotus 4 seater.
Regards
Robert

[Zulu 10]

So... nine years later, and I've finally got one to restore: a 1990 car with a genuine 64,000 miles on the clock (I've spoken to previous owners to confirm), but hasn't been driven since 2006. It's looking very sorry for itself with lots of lacquer having peeled off its BRG paint, and a filthy engine bay, but it seems to have spent the majority of its life in dry storage.

I plan on a body off restoration, which I hope to commence after Christmas.

[rbgosling]

Good luck with the resto, keep us posted, and do ask for any advice/help!

Where are you based? There may be someone on here who lives nearby, might be handy, or they may have advice on a good paint shop (or do you have the skills to paint yourself?).

[Pete Boole]

Great to hear of another one being saved! Lots of photos needed

Pete

[Hawaiis0]

We like British Racing Green
The pearlesent A42 one