First Excel update

[alanmoss]

Well done, Brian. A triumph!

[rbgosling]

Made it to Speedfest after all!! Got a look at your Excel - that's a superb job you've done there! Interesting how some details can make it look more dated than my '90 SE, despite being essentially the same car - the wheels, the gunmetal sills, the lack of spoiler do seem to alter the emphasis and looks subtly. Maybe also those gold go-faster stripes! Hardly visible in the NEC photo, a little more obvious in the flesh. Assume that colour scheme was inspired by the Gold Leaf sponsored racers from the late '60s?

Richard & Lilith

[Simpatico]

Hopefully if this car gets a bit of press it could rekindle interest in the design purity of the narrow bodies. Can't believe they are STILL going for chickenfeed on Ebay, 2 last week.

[rbgosling]

Is the price differential a narrow-body / wide-body issue, or is it more an SE / non-SE issue? I know when I was looking that it wasn't hard to convince myself it was worth a few extra quid to get another 20hp!

In my case, also, I wanted a wide-body 'cos the narrow-body cars didn't have rear seat-belts, and that was a deal-breaker for me. OK, I could have fit some, but why go to the hassle when I can get a car that already has them?

[Dazza_22]

I wanted a wide-body 'cos the narrow-body cars didn't have rear seat-belts

Is that correct? My 83 (narrow body) Excel has rear seatbelts. From the look of it they appear standard.

Great work on the restoration by the way. Looks superb!

[rbgosling]

When looking I saw a number of cars up to '85 with no rear seat-belts. I guess yours were either fitted by a previous owner, or possibly they were a factory extra?

Richard & Lilith

[mds666]

factory option, think it was £250...

[B. Swankie]

Thank you all you guys for all your positive comments and I am sorry I missed some of you at the speedfest and I had a great day in Aberdeenshire until I managed to reverse into a low bollard while
manouvering the car onto the trailer and burst my bumper and taillight!!! shit, and there was of course people watching, I felt a right dick, ho hum!! So its back to the paint shop for a bumper repair and another new rear light assy. but the good news is the car is running as sweet as a nut. I will post some pictures once we are repaired and looking pretty again.
Brian Swankie.