width difference

[Luke]

does anyone know how much wider the post 84 widebody excels are over the earlier ones

ta

[robertverhey]

I've always understood the "widebody" term to be a bit of a misnomer, it's only the wheelarches that are bigger and hence wider....but the body as a whole is the same width....

Is this correct?

Robert

[RRHANS]

Only wheelarches have a different shape and look wider but dimensions are the same.
I believe bottom half of the shell is even identical.

[Lotus-e-Clan]

Yep that's the way I understand it too.

The "narrow" body is more pure (and prettier IMHO)...the wide square wheel arch blisters are copycat cosmetic features typical of the late 80's.

Unfortunately if you try to fill the front wide arches with big wheels and tyres to make it look more butch you end up with tyre rub (which could be a MOT failure).

So the narrow body makes more sense (and is prettier).

[RRHANS]

Did not have any problems shoving 225 40 16 offset 0 under those Jaylo hips

[Luke]

do you know how much extra width the later arches give especially at the back

i like to mess about and stuff like fitting wider wheels is always a favorite even if i fit wider wheels on the back and keep the fronts the same width as standard- i just dont want to buy an early model and wish i'd bought a later one

[Lotus-e-Clan]

You can adjust the wheel offset to get clearance under the fronts arches of course, but the danger is you upset where the "kingpin inclination" meets the road in relation to the centre line of the wheel. Now I know Excels don't have kingpins but they have equivalents.

The patch of rubber between the centre line of the wheel and the point where the kingpin inclination intersects with the tred/road is called the scrub angle. Too much scrub angle can cause tramlining/ wander, too little and it'll feel too light at high speed.

So be careful not to lose the Lotus steering feel (which is one of the main reasons for owning one) when messing with wide wheels and rim offset at the front.....unless you like a certain set-up and know what you're doing etc

[Luke]

yeah i know what you mean - been there before with escorts, sierras etc. but i guess the problem would be worse with a car like the excel still nice to mess tho

do the 2 cars (pre and post 84) have the same wheel track i've read the later 16" wheels wont bolt up to the early cars, due to the pcd but if they did would they fit

cheers

[RRHANS]

I believe that offset on the narrow body's are 14 instead of 8 so wheels are even more inboard.
If I am not mistaken the tech notes mention later wheels should not be fitted on early models.


I have no difference in feel or handling in everyday use, but I have not explored the limits on a track day yet.
The setup discribed as above is the widest I would go.
I have put 205 45 16 at the front, but 225 would fit too.
To be honest, you hardly see the difference between the 205 and the 225.
Seen from the back sidewals are the same, only treadwith is a little wider but certainly not 2cm as one would expect.
Weird guys those tyremakers.