The Lotus Grand Tourers

Chatsworth sound a good idea, the house and grounds are top notch, also theres lots of places to stay in the area so it makes for a nice weekend, which helps keep the peace if you know what I mean.

Nice to see everybody. Considering how few cars there are still on the road this was a great turnout. Thanks for all the photos, my computer wallpaper needed an update.

Bash

Rather then send a photo, I thought about putting my user name on a sticker for my coat. Then I thought that somebody might think mines an instuction !

Its a common misconception that the block is from a Vauxhall, something that gets repeated in many car mags. If you look at the placement of the distributor on a Vauxhall, which sticks up vertically, to the Lotus one hidden under the carbs, thats a dead givaway, besides the fact that the Lotus block...

Done about 60,000 miles in mine out of about 110,000. I would be interested to know what major failures have occurred in 200,000 plus miles, thats amazing !

Ive done this twice. You dont need to take the exhaust manifold off the head, just disconnect the downpipe, undo the nuts on the nearside engine mount to the chassis, support the engine ( piece of wood on top of the jack ) take off the offside engine mount, which is very easy to get to. then, slide ...

Out of curiosity, what are the sizes of the engine. I bet the engine would be worth more than the car tho...am I wrong.

Bash

When I had mine re-cored a couple of years ago the guy who did it didnt know what the radiator tanks were off but the core was from an Austin Montego. For those of you from warmer bits of the globe he said that the standard one was twin core but for the export market there was a three core one liste...

Having spent 11 years as an engineering draughtsman I can pass on a bit of useful/(less) info, rolled in treads are the strongest type cos the molecular structure of the metal is forced into the shape of the threads and is therefore very strong. But, if just a few extra threads are cut onto the end ...

Yep you're right about it being a Sierra based rack. You probably know more about the ratio than me, but the bit inbetween the steering arms is the same as a few Ford units. Ive been told that the track arms are unique to the Excel. Knowing what a tight sod Chapman was I bet they arnt, its just a ma...

Unfortunatly the arm is wasted after the threads and it looks as if the threads have been rolled in and then tidyied up with a die. I thought about putting lines of weld on the bar, turning it down and rethreading it, but straight after I though, steering.....not something to be casual about...so it...

Ive never used the choke on mine, even in the darkest depths of winter when I used to leave it outside. Two pumps on the accelerator before churning and a gentle right foot to nurse it into life is all Ive ever needed.

Bash

Just to put another viewpoint on this, Im an accident investigator and forensic vehicle examiner in the police and have been for a number of years. I cant think of any instance of anyone being taken to task over tyre sizes in a serious incident. I could see that if someone was driving like an idiot ...

The shoes are the same as for the Toyota Celica Supra of around 1986 vintage and I got mine alot cheaper from a Toyota dealer. They are listed in the linings section of a few brake manufacturers, which I would imagine are alot cheaper than Lotus supplied. As an aside, to save others some brass, they...

The best place to meet would be in the car park for the racing car museum near the entrance at Donington. Its never anywhere near full on the Lotus weekend and ( famous last words ) you cant miss it as you drive in. Anybody who's not been in the museum ( after the show of course ) is missing a treat...