The Lotus Grand Tourers

The ones I got from Amazon are made in China but do appear to have all the type approval markings on them so fingers crossed.... The wire stalk one from eBay probably would fit but I wanted to use the car before Easter 😁 and not tangle with customs. As for the complete belts, the only thing that's L...

Thanks for your thoughts. This is now resolved. The buckle was broken, the catch mechanism has a very delicate pivot between 2 plastic parts that had failed after 30 years. I couldn't find any wire stalks with contacts so I got a pair of rigid buckles, about 100mm shorter. Https://www.amazon.co.uk/d...

The driver's side seat belt buckle refuses to hold on to the belt. Has anyone found a source for a buckle with the warning contact? I'm not keen to have a used one. I can't find anything the right length (27cm) and most come without contacts - including the ones SJSportscars sell according to their ...

A bit late I know but FWIW I coated the inside of the second (expansion) tank on mine with Smoothrite as a temporary fix 10 years ago because of a few weeping rust spots. Haven't had any problems with it since. Be sure not to block the transfer pipe in the process though! I considered a tank sealing...

I'd be suspicious of the interior light delay. My PO fitted LED lamps in the interior lights which glow dimly when the key is out. I haven't bothered to find out why yet - I just leave the interior light switched off.

Bill

I considered converting it but my pump has 2 black wires to the coil so according to SU the conversion kit "may not work". I decided to replace the points for £11.50 as a first option rather than spend 5 times that or half the price of an electronic pump and possibly finish up with something that wo...

I have recently replaced the points on my fuel pump - one of the two contacts had become so loose it fell out! No wonder I had to hit it a few times. :D These are the flow rates I measured afterwards I believe the spec is 15 Gallons per hour = 1L in 52.8 seconds At the fuel filter input - 1L in 45 s...

Take a look at this post to see how other people have done it with an internal clamp (Not the string method please!) but don't bother with the standard spring compressors as they always foul the suspension. http://www.lotusexcel.net/phpbb/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=8803&p=64743&hilit=Spring+clamp#p64743 1....

The service manual has a page that identifies where they are at the beginning of the wiring section.
All the engine bay earths come together under one of the coil mounting bolts. From memory there is something similar in the pedal box.

Bill

Not my experience but a cousin by marriage broke down in a special SAAB (Carlsson?) in France. As there was no way to get it fixed locally his breakdown insurance company (don't know the details) decided it was cheaper to scrap it locally than to recover it back to the UK so he got something like £6...

I had a noisy front corner and found that theb upper arm poly bushes were creaking because they were dry.
I used CV joint grease to lubricate them and it cured the problem.
I don't think any lubricant came with them so I installed them dry and they were fine for the first few years.

Bill

Good to meet up with some more owners and do some comparisons. I have made a gasket for the PAS reservoir and the cap is now as tight as everyone else's. Haven't had a proper chance to test it but it looks like the fluid is pretty burned so I ought to do that as well. I had a chart at the end with t...

You don't need a rev limiter if you are convinced that 1. Your throttle cable will never stick 2. You won't use any mats that might jam the throttle pedal down I have had No 1 happen a couple of times and been saved by the limiter as the revs shot up when I changed gear, so if it was me I'd be looki...

The parts manual says all Excels have the same brakes. However some of the pads I have seen advertised (on eBay in particular) are totally wrong..... It's well worth signing up for access to this valuable resource, a good £20 worth IMHO. http://www.lotusexcel.net/phpbb/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=1543&hili...

That moulding sounds like the finisher across the top of the windscreen to me.

The parts list says there is a finisher for the rear screen cut to length and stuck on with 4M of double sided tape up to MY 85. After that nothing. So it sounds as though yours was correct for an 83.

Regards

Bill