Waist line removal

[KevW]

Smart looking wheels Ian. Have you had any clearance problems ?

[iangotts]

Thanks. No the clearance is fine. They are 17"x7J and the offset is 0mm. They fill the arches nicely without any problems.

[iangotts]

The work is complete now. Based on the 'mixed' comments about waistline remove, wheel size and front grille, I await your comments.





List of changes

Body

Remove coachline/strip
Removed radio aerial
Fill front bumper
Halogen/Xenon headllights
S/S grille
Clear front indicator glass
Smoked repeaters
Fiat500 mirrors
Tinted glass
Spats
1990 rear spoiler and 3rd brake light in spoiler
Chromed Lotus letters on bootlid
Rear lights smoked grey covers
respray - (sparkly metallic) Pacific Blue

Wheels & tyres

17” anthracite alloys
Toyo tyres 215/40 x 17

Interior

300mm steering wheel
Carbon fibre dash
Carbon fibre panels in doors, around rear speakers and centre console
Replaced front seats
Full leather retrim
Alcantara headlining
Recarpeted

[Lotus Jim]

Looks like a really nice job. Looks very contemporary without taking away the Excel-ness of the interior. The blue stitching around the binnacle is a nice touch too.

Jim

[iangotts]

Jim

Thanks. Simon at SF Car Trim did a great job,

[Lotus Jim]

Just noticed its carbon effect on the binnacle. Nice!
Where are they based?
Jim

[iangotts]

SF Car Trim http://www.sfcar-trim.co.uk/ Simon is based in Colchester

[AndyC]

Ian. Looks great, not original but then something can look just as good or better without being the same, so those that complain it's not original are allowed to have their opinion but don't get to make the choice.

The leather must be quite soft and mat finish as I initially thought it was cloth, how it had moulded to the curves and not reflecting much light.

[Simpatico]

Very nice work on the interior, the carbon dash surround looks fantastic!

[Phantasm]

Did you sand down the small rectangular ridge on the body panels to match the profile of the doors?? I can't tell in your photos. If this were removed you couldn't put the trim back on in the future correct?
I'm asking about the 1/4" square white area seen where I peeled the trim back.
From a maintenance perspective I like the idea of no waistband to prevent the green algae you see growing underneath. Just need to know what needs to be done prior to it getting painted in August.

[CHRISYD]

my old tungsten silver excel was resprayed including the waist trim, mirrors etc. you didn't notice the trim half as much.

[alanbell]

looks good but i think that the car has won the battle of the waist line, the dark shadow under the waist line means it looks the same, at least in the photos., but even better that is another saved from conversion or the scrappie. now for a 2.5 engine

[iangotts]

Yes - I "cut" off the bit that sticks out and then sanded flush and filled and rub down. Even after miles of dricing the paint across the gap has not cracked which shows that the bit that sticks out is only cosmetic.

[iangotts]

Yes - I "cut" off the bit that sticks out and then sanded flush and filled and rub down. Even after miles of dricing the paint across the gap has not cracked which shows that the bit that sticks out is only cosmetic.

And yes. I have FOREVER destroyed the original Lotus. But that is progress. I happen to think that it looks like a Lotus but with a more modern feel to it. But it has destroyed the resale value of the car.

[Phantasm]

Understood on both points. Thank you for the timely reply.