Lotus Excel

Having converted the Renault to flat blades their impressive performance prompted me to source one for the Excel.
Several available have adaptors included and I found I just needed a suitable pin. Visited Halfords in Burton upon Trent. Great bloke there pulls out a box with all the bits they had saved from kits where they had installed. A suitable pin was found inthe box (no charge - thanks) and now the flat blade is fitted. CAn recommend this approach.

Don't like to appear thick but what are flat blade wipers- I thought they were all the same

Hi Phil
Traditional blade has various bits to create the shape and pressure points.


Flate Blade is made in one piece - even pressure across the length of the blade and no hinged bits to freeze up in winter.




Edited - pictures replaced with better ones. Hope this is clearer.

Thanks Alan - You will have to let us know if there is any improvement on the old wiper.

^^^^ Wot he said ...plus do they lift @ 120mph?

I can also recommend this type of blade. I fitted one to the Excel at the end of last year and it's still performing well. It makes a much better job of clearing the screen than the old type.

When I fitted mine I removed the big 1" plastic clip that runs through the middle of the blade so that the blade is directly in line with the wiper arm. I think I paid around £12 for a pair on e-bay.

First impressions are excellent but limited opportunity to try them yet - not enough rain.
Will let you know more.

Not enough rain and it's Wimbledon, so we're bound to get more...

Lots of rain yesterday en route to Club Lotus Staffordshire meet. The new wiper proved to be excellent.
No lift at 3 figures.

Just purchased a flat blade wiper from AeroVu.co.uk. Unfortunately it won't fit; it doesn't have the facility to attach with a side pin to fit it to the Excel wiper arm.

Currently awaiting them to call back to arrange refund.

Just a warning in-case anyone else was thinking of buying one from them.

Nick

I got it from Autoperformanceonline on Ebay.
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... 0382912909
The brand is View Max. The item is currently stated as ended but all the details are on the link above.

I see that Tesco are offering one with various adaptors but I haven't tried this - looks a possible solution, and cheap at present.
http://direct.tesco.com/q/R.203-4929.aspx

Alan,

That link liks to:
24" Aero VU Flat Wiper Blade LOTUS EXCEL 82-92
which is the one I have which doesn't fit. Maybe the link has changed, you said yours was a View max not an Aero VU as per the link.

Cheers,
Nick

Nick, the one that arrived is definitely branded View Max (made in Korea). The key thing is to have the hole for the pin, and an adaptor which locks it in, which the one I got has. It had two adaptors.
The Tesco one looks like it might be OK. The picture shows the holes in the side.

I have looked for View Max and have come up with the following stockists:
http://www.autolamps.co.uk/products_wipers.asp
The product code is FBS124 and if you look at the View Max catalogue (page 4) on the site there are illustrations. I used the "A" adaptor to lock in the pin I got from Halfords.
Link to catalogue direct: http://www.autolamps.co.uk/catalogues/W ... e_2008.pdf
On page 5 they have adaptor kits and I see that CA-05 kit is the required pins (they come in 10's apparently).

Update on conversion - just found this adaptor kit which would look to be suitable:

http://www.inlinefilters.co.uk/index.ph ... gji95uiev5

Also, Rain-X Latitude Wiper appears to have the adaptors.

http://www.wiperbladesuk.com/index.php? ... roductId=7

had my flat blade on for about 2 years now... got it from tescos for about £8 with all appropriate adapters...

one end caps fallen off now, and looking at replacing with a flatblade with built in washers... will let you know how i get on