83 Excel from from Finland

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Osku
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Re: 83 Excel from from Finland

Post by Osku »

I just brought my car for echibition to this museum.

https://www.mobilia.fi/welcome-mobilia

The exhibition will open during the next week.

Osku
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Re: 83 Excel from from Finland

Post by Osku »

My Car is sleeping away at the museum but I my self am starting to think about next sommer and thing still to fix on the car.
Following are ontge list.

The tank has to be removed as it smells and I have to figere out where it comes from.
The pasanger dor lock has to be fixed
The suspension is not compleetly balanced so wondering what to do about that one. There is an coilover set installed but I'm a bit suspicious that it not either good quality or is not setup right.

What do the people see as the resonable suspension setup if I'm looking for the OEM feel.

Here is a link to the picture from the museum I took a while back.

https://www.thelotusforums.com/forums/t ... 4#comments

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Ray-s
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Re: 83 Excel from from Finland

Post by Ray-s »

Hi Osku you should not need to remove the tank ,the smell will probably be coming from a small plastic vapour escape tube about 10mm in diameter it is in the back of the boot behind the panel covering the tank .Its a common fault the tube rots away allowing fumes to escape into the boot, replaced mine recently it runs from the filler pipe across the back of the boot towards the battery then down and out underneath allowing fumes from the tank to escape to atmosphere ..Hope that helps... Ray
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
Ray...
Why is there always bits left over ?

Pete Boole
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Re: 83 Excel from from Finland

Post by Pete Boole »

Last time I spoke to Mike at Lotusbits he was investigating having some OE spec dampers made. It is usually the bump/rebound valving with after-market dampers that seems to upset things.

Pete

Osku
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Re: 83 Excel from from Finland

Post by Osku »

I did already change that tube last sommer but the smell presists so I thought that if I assemble the tank outside of the car I can shake it with a bit of gas in it with the gascap and every thing in place and se if there is a place where it leaks that I have over seen.

Osku
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Re: 83 Excel from from Finland

Post by Osku »

What comes to the shocks it some howe feels odd when driving into some lifting bumps it just do not dampen them correctly, it does not exactly loose grip or anything but feels wrong.
So it would fit your description of the rebound valve.

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Lotus-e-Clan
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Re: 83 Excel from from Finland

Post by Lotus-e-Clan »

Having had a negative experience with after-market coil-overs fitted to another car, I would tend to agree with your line of thinking. I'd suspect the coil overs too.

But this would be my particular twisted line of 'negative thinking' against using coil-overs on the Excel (apart from damper valve spec issues - which applies to non coil-over dampers too)...
:wink:
  • Particularly on the rear, the original Lotus set-up provides a much more positive, broader, better-situated spring location than after-market coil overs, which can only rely on the OE damper location for control of the *entire rear suspension* of the car. And then there is the stark difference in *coil conformation* for the same coil rate. The OE coils are likely to be longer, larger diameter with more coils per inch compared to shorter, smaller diameter coils with less coils per inch to acheive the same spring rate on a coil over (assuming same wire diameter!). With coil-overs fitted, ride quality is likely to suffer too given the differences in spring conformation and the focus of the suspension via the rear damper location only.
Perhaps most significantly, if Lotus had originally designed the Excel for coil overs then I'm pretty sure the chassis locations for the rear suspension would be purpose made for coil overs?
Peter K

Osku
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Re: 83 Excel from from Finland

Post by Osku »

My suspicion is as follows an normal car that is made with comfort in mind can be improved with tuning parts easily as with sacrificing a bit of comfort but to get a sportcar suspension that is alredy tuned towards handling is all much more chalnging and can easily backfire and hench I suspect the lotus orginal is likely better.

Osku
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Re: 83 Excel from from Finland

Post by Osku »

So is Lotus bits the best place to find a new set of shocks and springs as I already asked them and they have not yet answered me concerning my questions.

Pete Boole
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Re: 83 Excel from from Finland

Post by Pete Boole »

Osku wrote:So is Lotus bits the best place to find a new set of shocks and springs as I already asked them and they have not yet answered me concerning my questions.
Mike rarely seems to answer emails - have you phoned him?

Pete

Osku
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Re: 83 Excel from from Finland

Post by Osku »

Yes I called them and worker promised to find out what can be offered and that almost a week ago. It seems to be more a rule than exception that it takes a while for them to handel things. Right now I'm not in a hurry so I thought I would wait and see how long it takes if I just give them pace.
But just as a curiosity is that the only place people has got some working shocks from?

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Sirclip
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Re: 83 Excel from from Finland

Post by Sirclip »

I purchased new shocks and springs from SJ Sports cars some time ago when I first purchased my Excel. I've been very impressed with the ride quality, after carefully adjusting the bounce/rebound damping. Their website is very good and might be a better option for you.

Osku
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Re: 83 Excel from from Finland

Post by Osku »

SJ sport seemd intresting, have to make them a call.

Osku
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Re: 83 Excel from from Finland

Post by Osku »

I talked with SJ sportcars today and they said the Protech one they offer is pretty good desent and that they could also offer an double adjustable one that would have both in and aout bound adjustable. I supose you have the former.
Has any one else had some experience with these dampers or som other ones?
By the way does someone 14" speedlines for the Excel that they could part with? I thought I could by a few as I bought new tires for the car and I thought I could send them for refurbishing during winter so that I could just bolt them on in spring.

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Re: 83 Excel from from Finland

Post by tonypoll »

I've had SJS's Protech dampers in mine for the past 9 years and about 10,000 miles. Seem fine for my usage, which is road use. I've not tried them on track, so can't say if they are good for track days.
Tony

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