The Lotus Grand Tourers

Dear Forum,
For months we have been looking for a nice Lotus Excel.
We have seen the usual poor examples with very sketchy histories and those not quite as I would have described them.
If you have or know of somebody wanting to sell their pride and joy Lotus Excel to a caring owner with a nice warm garage waiting for it then please let me know.
It is a dream of mine to have a car like this and it will be for long-term ownership.
Originality is key to me.
Please note that I am NOT a dealer.
Many thanks,
Nigel

Hi Nigel welcome.

You need to expand a little as we know what's out there but we don't know your preferences. (Stand down Bash!)

Early or late model?

SE or Not?

Manual or Auto?

Price range?

Colour ?

There will be very few that are mint, so expect some work, just pick the jobs you can do

Stu

Hi Stu,
Thanks for the welcome to the Forum.
I deliberately left my 'specification' open.
There only must have would be 'manual gearchange'.
SE - 180 bhp would be nice I guess and I like low mileage cars.
Again, I'm open to any colour but say a vehicle needed a respray I am sure it would end up 'Calypso Red'.
I will consider any car an owner may put to me and assess each on its merit.
There are not too many about so will see what response I get.
Hope that gives you a flavour of what I am about and where I am coming from.
All the best,
Nigel

Valley Boy wrote: Fri Nov 20, 2020 19:50 There only must have would be 'manual gearchange'.

Nope. Autos where an option. Known as Excel SA.

Ps welcome to the forum.

If you have big feet, an auto is a god send. The pedal box is very narrow. All cars become low mileage again at 100,001. As you seem happy with prospect of a respray you really have an open floor as I would put that as the worst job. Everything else is just tinkering. Normally upside down in the lotus position. I take a guess yr in north wales?

Have you seen this one? Dont be put off by location
https://m.facebook.com/groups/lotuselit ... 518482751/

Alan_M wrote: Sat Nov 21, 2020 01:53

Valley Boy wrote: Fri Nov 20, 2020 19:50 There only must have would be 'manual gearchange'.

Nope. Autos where an option. Known as Excel SA.

Ps welcome to the forum.

Hi Alan,
Thanks for the welcome.
I was aware of the 'auto - SA' option.
I prefer this type of driver's car to have a manual gearbox.
Hence my comment 'must have a manual gearchange'.
Cheers,
Nigel

Hawaiis0 wrote: Sat Nov 21, 2020 07:45 If you have big feet, an auto is a god send. The pedal box is very narrow. All cars become low mileage again at 100,001. As you seem happy with prospect of a respray you really have an open floor as I would put that as the worst job. Everything else is just tinkering. Normally upside down in the lotus position. I take a guess yr in north wales?

Hi there,
I had noticed the pedal box being narrow - thank goodness my Size 9's seem to be able to get to the pedals OK tho.
You are right about the mileage
Good guess about the location - but no, I am not Welsh.
It refers to the football team I support.
Next guess please.........

Hi there, I can see that you are not keen on an SA car, but have you driven one? it might just surprise you how nice a drive it is! and the good bit is I have a restored one for sale that has had a fortune spent on it. If you are at all interested I can let you know what has been done to the car and send photos. The car is in Fife Scotland.
Cheers,
Brian Swankie.

Crystal Palace............

Nigel
There's a couple on Fleabay I wonder if you've seen
This one at £10K bar a coffee, but looks good history and low miles.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Lotus-Excel- ... SwL1tflaor

Then there's another at a mega price of £17K
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Lotus-Excel- ... 0010.m2109

Be interested if you've seen either directly. Both look very tidy cars, but we all know how photographs and car salesmen can embellish a story

Tony

MetBlue wrote: Sat Nov 21, 2020 22:00 Nigel
There's a couple on Fleabay I wonder if you've seen
This one at £10K bar a coffee, but looks good history and low miles.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Lotus-Excel- ... SwL1tflaor

Then there's another at a mega price of £17K
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Lotus-Excel- ... 0010.m2109

Be interested if you've seen either directly. Both look very tidy cars, but we all know how photographs and car salesmen can embellish a story

Tony

The top one for 10k has a lot wrong with it.
A C plate with door mirrors and not through the glass is most certainly not to original spec.

If history serves my memory, this reminds me of the ex Barry mcguigan car I walked out on at 1600 pound when it was running about 30 odd k on the clock. Too much of a bitsa car.

Just a heads up, if the vehicle Brian is talking about, is in his garage and happens to be dark green and is the one I have seen at various stages of its life..... Even if I wanted a manual I would be looking at this first.

Also on the pedal box front, it is very tight. Myself and a few other excel drivers use racing shoes due to the narrower fit. Less chance of getting a fat trainer stuck between the pedals. I have had this and it wasn't a pleasant experience. Bought racing shoes that afternoon.

Hi Nigel ,
Welcome to the forum I have sent you a PM. might be what your looking for

Cheers Ian

Hi Nigel,
Mine was going to come up for sale in the spring as I thought it would be better timing. I could sell now if you were interested though.

It's a 1987 Blue SE with a quite a few thousand spent on it bringing it up to scratch. Ive owned if for nearly 10 years. All the usual Excel problems have been addressed. The rebuilt engine has only got 3k miles on it. It has 3d mapped ignition which makes it run very well. (Dyno prints available)
I also retrofitted air con which works brilliantly.
There's too much to list really, so if interested please pm me for a chat.
Cheers,
Andy.
(If you search my posts by username there should be some pictures around although they may be a bit old now)

Hawaiis0 wrote: Sat Nov 21, 2020 21:13 Crystal Palace............

Hilarious...........your off my Xmas Card list