The Lotus Grand Tourers

When did the spare wheel on an Elite/Eclat go from being "under-slung" to "in the boot"? I'd always assumed it might have been when the car turned into a series 2, but not sure

Pete

Pete Boole wrote: ↑

Tue Jan 18, 2022 22:26

When did the spare wheel on an Elite/Eclat go from being "under-slung" to "in the boot"? I'd always assumed it might have been when the car turned into a series 2, but not sure

Pete

Can't answer that, but I guess it was more likely when the body changed to accommodate the Excel chassis?

As an aside, whenever we went on a trip with two young kids in the '76 Elite, I left the spare at home and used the undercarriage for a reasonably large hard suitcase. Mine still had the fibreglass wheel support board which, along with wrapping the suitcase in a bin bag, completely protected it from road spray. No way would that suitcase fit in the wheel well of the current Excel.

Personally, I think the underslung arrangement was the better option for the spare, especially with a full boot on tour (if you didn't have kids/pushchair).

My Elite is S1 1979, still underslung.

Thanks Andrew. Eventually we'll get there

Pete

My Elite S2 is underslung. I think it might be different on the Eclat; the Excels certainly had the wheel well.

Cheers, Richard

Lotus-e-Clan wrote: ↑

Wed Jan 19, 2022 01:07

Personally, I think the underslung arrangement was the better option for the spare, especially with a full boot on tour (if you didn't have kids/pushchair).

Nah, I really dislike underslung wheels. On a Mitsubishi estate I once had, the wheel was underslung (and space-saver). The one time I needed it, I got it down and it was a crumbly rusty mess - it turns out steel wheels don't fare well when exposed to 14 years of road crap being flung at them. And the thread for the retainer hook was badly corroded too, making it a nightmare to release and re-fit.

On holiday in Tenerife a few years ago I drove our hire Berlingo over a speed bump, heard a loud "Bang!" behind me. Stopped to see what the problem was and there was the spare wheel lying in the road behind me. That seems odd, thought I, but I'd better pick it up and fit it back in place. It was too small to fit securely into the holder, which explains why it fell out. I then noticed that it couldn't be the correct wheel for the car - for a start it had the wrong number of stud holes! So, back I went to Avis to complain, and they accused ME! of stealing the spare wheel and replacing it with the wrong one. The fact that I was the one bringing it to their attention, so it's hardly likely that I was the thief, did not seem to sway them from this approach. Nor the fact that it was 9:30am, and I'd only arrived the previous evening, so had hardly had much opportunity to go out and source a dodgy wheel with which to replace the real one. I suspect that their thinking was more along the lines of, if they can pin it on me then they can charge me for it, if they accept it wasn't my fault they will never get any money back.

Eventually I did get my deposit back, but only a month or more later by complaining to Avis International. The Tenerife branch I suspect was an independent franchisee, rather than being owned and operated by Avis directly.

So no, I do not like underslung spare wheels!

And, if you ever rent a car in Tenerife, include the spare wheel in your checks when you collect the car. It seems spare wheel theft is a Thing there.

Convenience aside, I must admit I'd think the same given your experience!

The spare in my Excel still has a OE pristine 215/50/15 Eagle on it. Never used, and retained only for ballast! I'm sure it wouldn't be in the same condition if underslung.

In the 501 it was in and out and checked regularly given my lifestyle at the time.