The Lotus Grand Tourers

MattDebbage wrote:My car does not have the spats that the later SE's have. I dont think it had them originally, but i like them so i got a pair of good second hand ones on ebay.
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I see your car is a 1989. Didn't all Excels come with spats in that year? Mine is a 1988 and has spats. Perhaps the previous owner removed them?

No - not as far as i can tell. Its a base model - not an SE. Im trying to find a 1989 brochure to try and find out more - it seems 95% of Excels sold after the 89 facelift were SEs - mine is the one that got away
Its an oddball - but i like it.

Well folks I said that I'd remembered seeing something on the topic of aerodynamics. It comes from a book published by "Unique Motor Books", ISBN 1 84155 557 6, titled "Lotus Type 75 : 76 : 83 : 84 : 89". Here's what it has to say:-
"AERODYNAMICS"
The Excel SE is immediately identified by the new front "stepped" spolier under the nose of the car to control airflow under the car and there is now a distinctive swept wing spoiler on the tail of the car.
There has recently been great interest in acheivements of low aerodynamic drag, but aspects of areodynamic stability are a vital part of the dynamic characteristics of the whole vehicle, and very significant developments are possible in this area to give normal road-going cars the benefit of "zero-lift" technology.
The primary objective of recent aerodymanic development programmes on the Lotus Excel has therefore been not to reduce drag, but to significantly improve roadholding and stability by eliminating aerodynamic lift.
In "real-world" conditions, cars rarely experience true head-wind conditions - there is invariably some cross-wind component, and consistant vehicle aerodynamic behaviour is very important to provide the driver with a good feeling of security and control.
Comparing the 1986 Excel SE with the 1995 Excel The drag coefficient remains at 0.32. Total aerodynamic lift is reduced by 25% (straight wind) and lift reduced by 42% (20 degree cross-wind). The aerodynamic lift balance front to rear is also improved, especially in cross-wind conditions.
I'll continue on a new page.
1

Back again! The reply box was full-up!
1985 Excel Yaw Angle 0*, CLF .048, CLR .076, CL .124, Lb lift at 100 mph 63.5 lbs
1985 Excel Yaw Angle 20*, CLF .250, CLR .218, CL .468, Lb lift at 100 mph 239.8 lbs
1986 Excel SE Yaw Angle 0*, CLF .038, CLR .055, CL .093, Lb lift at 100 mph 47.6 lbs
1086 Excel SE Yaw Angle 20*, CLF .178, CLR .093, CL .271 Lb lift at 100 mph 139.1 lbs
In normal road driving, the effect of these changes is apparant from speeds as low as 40-50 mph"

Well there it is! I'm blowed if I know what all those figures mean but it looks good! evidently the spoilers do have a part to play but the spats, the debate goes on!
John.

Hi, I'm going to be refitting the spats on my car which were removed 2 POs ago. The wheel arch has rivets still in the fibreglass. Is it safe to drill these out and replace or do they hold something else on as well ? Any idea which sort of rivets I should used - the star fibreglass rivets or normal panel rivets ?

Thanks

They don't seem to hold anything else on, other than the spats and associated spacers.