The Lotus Grand Tourers

Hi Radar - glad you car is going OK - When are you going to come down to a Club Lotus Staffs meeting Next one is 1st Dec.

Tanz wrote:Hi Radar - glad you car is going OK - When are you going to come down to a Club Lotus Staffs meeting Next one is 1st Dec.

Cheers for the invite, I will try and and drop in, be good to give the old girl a run.

Where is the meet held? I know it is on here somewhere, but help me out!

Fountain Inn
169 Beacon Street
Lichfield
Staffs
WS13 7BG

alanmoss wrote:Fountain Inn
169 Beacon Street
Lichfield
Staffs
WS13 7BG

Due to the somewhat 'unLotus' weather I wont be about this time, lets see what January brings!

Well I have dragged out the old girl for the 2011 season this week.

It has remained legal all winter, but the severve weather stopped it getting any use

Well I had a lot more done last year to her but much remains from my 2010 list:

1. The nose still needs re-painting: I will get this done mid summer hopefully.
2. The wheels will need re-finishing: I have just bought 5 wheels and tyres from a an Excel that was being broken in Leicester. Picked them up today. Wheels are better than mine. The tyres, mainly NCTs, are good tread wise, but not sure how old they are, so will stick with the Nankangs for now probably
3. Head-liner will need to be replaced: I still need to track down the errant seal that is still letting some moisture into the cabin first, and now the glovebox is leaking too. I think this means the windscreen seal is the main culprit.
4. I really must get the electric window on the passenger side working too: The breaking Excel also gave up a window motor, arm and switch so this should get done any day now

This is the rather forlorn looking Excel I raided for bits today

The engine/box/instrument panel one door had already gone. Only 58k on the clock alledgely

My Excel is bookled in for the MOT on Friday and hopefully will not need too much done to pass

I would like to get to an area meet this year, but Thursday evening is a busy one for me normally

Should be getting a few mates together to vist Shelshey Walsh at some point over the summer too

Anyway I will keep you posted

Well the Excel is still with me and still running.

I had the Electric window motor fitted now, but I am still running around on the original wheels and Nankang tyres.

Had a few good runs in her last year, including a fun few miles with a couple of other mates in sporting cars too. In October I went up to the breakfast club meet at nearby Shelsley Walsh Hill Climb and plan to go aagin on Feb 19 if I can

Brought up 50,000 miles last year too

The water pump went and that cost me a few quid to sort out so a few jobs are still to be done:

Getting the windscreen re-sealed
The head liner
Nose sprayed

Still have not got to a local meet yet...am I the worst member of Club Lotus I wonder?

Few electrical glitches to sort for the MOT next month now...

You can tell how old tyres are from the sidewall markings. Look for a 'cartouche', a bit like an elonggated oval box. If it says , for instance, 3510, it means the tyre was manufactured in the 35th week of 2010 (35 10 ). If its older than 6 years Id get shut personally.

Bash

bash wrote:You can tell how old tyres are from the sidewall markings. Look for a 'cartouche', a bit like an elonggated oval box. If it says , for instance, 3510, it means the tyre was manufactured in the 35th week of 2010 (35 10 ). If its older than 6 years Id get shut personally.

Bash

Cheers, I will check the tyres from the breaker.

The tyres I have on the car (Nankang 205s) I bought new 18 months ago and they have been surprisingly good

Had a new pas belt fitted now, steering much better as the odd pulsing feel has gone now.

I might stick her in to have the nose sprayed this month.

I have had a chat with the guys at Lotusbits about the leaking interior and they seem to think it is the windcreen. I might pop down and see them one day next week too and see what can be done.

if I can can get the car dry then I can get the headliner replaced with confidence

Well I never did get down to Lotusbits or get the nose sprayed.

However I have done well over 600 miles in her this year and enjoyed them all, especially several runs to Shelsly Walsh. Bear in mind that the Excel has to compete with my 3 bikes for my 'fun' miles, while my workhorse 75 does all the real miles! In that light 600 miles is pretty good!

Getting the nose sprayed and the interior 100% dry remain the two big jobs on the to-do list, and if the funds allow the winter will see both done this time as I am desperate to replace the head-liner.

She goes well, and deserves to look like she does!

Passed the MOT today, just under 700 miles since the last one.

Still awaiting the paint job and new head liner, and now competeing with 4 bikes for the fun miles!

Knocked up about 800 miles over the summer, mostly local runs including a couple of trips to Shelsley Walsh breakfast club

No real trouble to report, but no real progress on the jobs that need to be done either too if I am honest.

Car still leaks, needs a headliner and some major paint work on the front end.

Still happy with the Nankang tyres fitted nearly three years ago.

Pondering about selling to somebody who give a basically sound, low mileage car a more loving home

The Excel is in for the MOT on Saturday, but had to undergo some running repairs on the Bewdley Bypass last week. The first time in over 10 years that I have had to use the hazard flashers in anger!

The LH exhaust cracked and the back box broke away. Luckily it stayed in place on the rubber, so I completely disconnected it and stuck in the boot before (loudly) driving home!

The exhaust has been welded up and the back box is back on. Although it now sits higher than the other side. I willneed to get over to A44 exhausts in Worcester to get a more permanent solution put in place

Sadly the car still leaks, needs a headliner and some major paint work on the front end: I wonder if I will ever get these jobs done.

The Nankang tyres fitted in 2010 now have about 3,000 miles on them. Grip well. They do grip OK for me, but I get bad wheel wobble at speed. Probably due to the car sitting in one spot for too long between excursions

Clutch effort is now getting higher too

I am still considering selling the Excel to somebody who give a basically sound, low mileage car a more loving home than I seem able to provide

Well the Excel is still with me

About 500 miles over the summer

Clutch effort magically improved with use

Three major outing were a Navigation rally with people from Club Triumph, I also did a Treasure Hunt, but the only other classic involved with that was a MGB. Finally I organised a 'petrol head' day at work where people brought their classic to work...had a rather tasty Elan Sprint for company that day

Still need to sort out the water leak, nose and head liner.

Had a quote from A44 for the exhausts and might well get that done over winter

Dragged off the three covers today and fired her up for the first time since before Christmas. Running reasonably well.

MOT time next month.

Daughter at Uni now nibbling away at my funds for the nose/windscreen and headliner work that I STILL need to get done