Lotus Excel Width With Mirrors

[Lotus Jim]

Hello Everyone,
This is a bit of a stupid question, but its a bit of a critical one as I want to make sure I can get an Excel in my garage!

Can someone tell me how wide a later Excel is including the mirrors? The width stated by Lotus of 1816mm seems to be without the mirrors included. Can someone let me know if this is right? Also does anyone know the width of the vehicle with them folded in?

Jim

[Doc Si]

I have to fold the mirrors & my garage doors measure 2001cm across.

[Lotus Jim]

Thanks Si! I take it you mean mm's though as a 2001cm garage would be impressive and probably be my dream garage!

The entrance to my garage is 2060mm at the thinnest bit, which is the distance between the door lift arm mechanisms. Do you think that I could squeeze an Excel into that?

The internal dimensions are approximately 2.4m x 5.2m and there's carpet on the walls already to help me squeeze out without damaging the doors. I'm also planning on going down the gym more to help slip out the car once i'm in!

Jim

[Lotus-e-Clan]

You could slope the garage floor from left to right at the threshold of the door (narrow bit) so the car tips over to the right and then the mirrors will always miss on entry /exit ....

Just needs a bag of ready mix contrete....


EDIT: D'oh...won't work of course 'cos you'd need to place the tipping points on the floor to co-inside with mirror position and the narrowest point...then you'd bottom out on the concrete hump when you're inside the garage.....

[MrCoolA]

You could slope the garage floor from left to right at the threshold of the door (narrow bit) so the car tips over to the right and then the mirrors will always miss on entry /exit ....

Just needs a bag of ready mix contrete....


EDIT: D'oh...won't work of course 'cos you'd need to place the tipping points on the floor to co-inside with mirror position and the narrowest point...then you'd bottom out on the concrete hump when you're inside the garage.....

may be a steel frame / ramp that left the car at 45degrees in the garage, think of the extra storage area on the high side, admittedly you would probably have to live in the car and have none sloppy meals brought to you as the low door wouldn't open far, but i can't think of many better places to live........... may be something like a banked whizz wheels track (showing my age now)

[Lotus Jim]

Its nice to be part of a forum that can think outside the box!

So....do you think it'll fit without having to resort to spinny devices and clever ramps?

[MattDebbage]

My garage has an entrance 2100mm wide at its narrowest point. My 89 model Excel, with the later type mirrors, will go through ok with both mirrors out. Its a tight fit, and i normally pull the drivers mirror in to gain me a bit more tolerance... But it will go in ok.

[Lotus Jim]

Cheers Matt,
Thats great news. Sounds like I'll be ok.
Jim

[MrCoolA]

Like me you may find how useful the waist strip is in case you get a bit close to the wall. I have several scrapes due to this, but thankfully better to scrape the strip rather than the car. It may be of use to hang an old tennis ball on the end of a string at the back of the garage in the centre line you wish to park down and when it hits your rear window you know you are far enough in etc.........