The Lotus Grand Tourers

I was searching the group to see if there was any information on the number of Excels still on the road when I came across your post so I thought I should ad mine to the database. It was imported into Australia in 2012 and is registered in NSW on historic registration # 80932H. It is a white 1985 VIN 089912FHD11742 Unfortunately I am preparing to sell the car as my back is not what it used to be. Cheers Glenn

Thanks for the info Glenn. Sorry you're feeling the need to move it on. How long have you owned it?
As an original UK car, there's a place on the register for it. Didn't know of it until your post, so it will now appear in the tables as an Exported car.
Be good if you could let me know the Engine number at some point and interior trim etc. Leather and A/C?
Don't suppose your records show what it's original UK registration was. It should be something like C123ABC - Could start with Bxxxxxx.
Tony

A while since I updated the summary stats, so here goes:

Firstly the summary of names the Excels are registered as :

Comparing back to earlier , the percentages are not changing much, so would seem to be quite representative of the full registrations.

The summary of Excels by model:

We now have visibility of more than 20% of the full UK production - A long way to go !! When I get time, I'll split the MY86 into two smaller groups.

And for the Elites / Eclats :


Tony

Great work Tony - thank you!

Richard

MetBlue wrote: Wed Jun 28, 2023 22:09 We now have visibility of more than 20% of the full UK production - A long way to go !!

I suspect it's fair to say that most of the remaining 80% have long gone to the scrapheap in the sky (or the one in Marton), and we will never get any more details on them.

rbgosling wrote: Thu Jun 29, 2023 08:39

MetBlue wrote: Wed Jun 28, 2023 22:09 We now have visibility of more than 20% of the full UK production - A long way to go !!

I suspect it's fair to say that most of the remaining 80% have long gone to the scrapheap in the sky (or the one in Marton), and we will never get any more details on them.

Actually, thinking of that, I wonder if Lotusbits have a record of the VIN/registrations of the cars they have scrapped? And if they would share that with you? That would fill in a lot of blanks and confirm some cars that no longer exist.

Well my G-reg SE is in that group of expired MOT/SORN notifications. But slowly working its way up the spreadsheet to the 'Roadworthy' column. I WILL get there

rbgosling wrote: Thu Jun 29, 2023 08:59

Actually, thinking of that, I wonder if Lotusbits have a record of the VIN/registrations of the cars they have scrapped?

I believe LB dont actually 'scrap' cars!

rbgosling wrote: Thu Jun 29, 2023 08:39

MetBlue wrote: Wed Jun 28, 2023 22:09 We now have visibility of more than 20% of the full UK production - A long way to go !!

I suspect it's fair to say that most of the remaining 80% have long gone to the scrapheap in the sky (or the one in Marton), and we will never get any more details on them.

I tried a comparison with How Many Left. We know the Éclat data is totally corrupted by the naming of Excels, but if you add all together it still suggests we might have only 50% of the on road cars on the register.
Faceplate keeps donating active cars. eBay the barn finds.
Tony

NZ has a public database showing over 40 excels amongst over a thousand lotus’s in total. My ‘84 model year, VIN SCC089912EHG11626 shows as ex japan

Not all the 40 records will be viable cars.

https://opendata-nzta.opendata.arcgis.c ... t&tags=MVR

Does anyone have any idea how many Excel-Elites there are? & do you consider these to be re-bodied Excels or re-chassied Elites? I'm voting the latter, because if you're lucky enough to see one out on the road, you're going to be pleased to have seen an Elite.

A couple have surfaced this week:

NWB 639P barn find came on ebay today (504)

UFK 133R barn find on Car & Classic. A 503, I think, Last used 1996 & a very optimistic auction estimate of £3,500.

Technically its not a chassis, its a subframe, that's why the body shell carries the vehicle id and you can get away with a swap.

Bash

. A couple have surfaced this week:

NWB 639P barn find came on ebay today (504)

UFK 133R barn find on Car & Classic. A 503, I think, Last used 1996 & a very optimistic auction estimate of £3,500.

Can't see anything in these two cars that says they are anything other than Elites on Elite chassis - and most probably rotten chassis at that.

I'd doubt there are more than a handful of Elites on Toyota based chassis yet, but there's a good few ongoing projects I believe .
Lotus bits would know how many they've done and I'd say that will be most of the ones on the road.
Tony

Can't see anything in these two cars that says they are anything other than Elites on Elite chassis - and most probably rotten chassis at that.

Yes - agreed. I didn't mean to imply these were conversions - I just thought they'd been hidden away for so long you may not have them on the register. I should have asked about the conversions in a separate post.

Technically its not a chassis, its a subframe, that's why the body shell carries the vehicle id and you can get away with a swap.

Thanks, Bash. That is good to know. My fantasy future self is happily retired & whizzing around in one of these Elite Excels with uprated everything. It would be good to buy one that's already been done, but I expect I'll have to make one/get one made.