Skizzer’s Elite: Lotushite

[Cavcraft]

Thoroughly enjoyed reading that and the pictures. You've done wonders taking that on and getting it sorted, hate duly doffed in your general direction, Martin.

[wuvvum]

Excellent work!  Great to see this back on the road properly, and I hope to have the opportunity to perv over it in the plastic at some point.  And I'm not going to ask what was on the bit of the invoice that you left out of the photo...

[Skizzer]

Thanks for all the comments.

 

High-frequency transverse ridges? Have you been driving across ploughed fields or summat?

Gotta test it thoroughly, right? I'm sure I read somewhere that a separate chassis is good for off-roading.

 

What I actually meant was, a whole line of little pot-holes, cats eyes or shit concrete dual carriageway...for some reason I came over a bit Top Gear cliche though. Sorry. It had been a long day.

 

Wonderful. If you ever use if for your commute up to London please let me know, I'd love to see it!

Metro and Lotus together for a photo opp. I think they both share the same wiper and indicator stalks (that's where the similarity ends of course...)

I certainly plan to do that from time to time - will let you know. I think it was later ones, or maybe Esprits, that had Metro stalks mind you - i believe mine has Triumph Stag (etc) ones. But I'd love to meet your Metro: I spent a lot of time in Metros, and had a number of formative experiences.

[Skizzer]

Excellent work!  Great to see this back on the road properly, and I hope to have the opportunity to perv over it in the plastic at some point.  And I'm not going to ask what was on the bit of the invoice that you left out of the photo...

Yes, best not to ask...

 

Purchase price + spend so far = roughly the going rate for a shiny one these days. Mine still isn't shiny, but it's mechanically pretty well sorted now, which is what matters. It's all too easy to spend a lot on buying one that looks good but is very expensively buggered underneath.

 

Plus for me, it's not about just owning the car - what motivates me is taking a dormant one and making it good, and then using it. The ones that have already been restored don't need any more saving.

[Sigmund Fraud]

I think it was later ones, or maybe Esprits, that had Metro stalks mind you - i believe mine has Triumph Stag (etc) ones. 

 

I can confirm that your stalks are identical to the ones in my Doloshite.

[Exiled_Tat_Gatherer]

I'm just drooling.......... job jobbed Mr Skizz. Those engines really do sing....... lovely to have ringing in your ears.

Jealousy levels 11.36billion/10

[Skizzer]

Grand stuff. I hope sorting a rear wiper is high on the priority list now. #wipergeek

Just for Mr Wobbler:

 

 

I’ve no idea whether it works (though I can guess) and it’ll probably fly off on the M4 tomorrow, but there’s the rear wiper.

 

I like the rubber foot and the chrome rest it sits on to keep it proud of the bodywork and tailgate/window frame. It’s a little work of slightly fussy art, that.

[D Spares & Tyres]

I nearly bought one of these once. It was being towed through the auctions. It made £400 which was cheap even 15 years ago but I got the fear and backed out, despite my hard trying to raise itself.

 

My favourite Lotus based pub talk is of the door frames rotting on these but not being noticed until one day the door falls off when you open it

[Skizzer]

Ideal WBOD.

 

 

Drove this to London today.

 

It was proper frosty at 5.30 this morning and the driver’s door was frozen shut. Epic amounts of scraping and de-icing were needed before I could see out. The car itself was no help because the heater fan doesn’t work.

 

Luckily, as I was crossing the Severn Bridge, the heater fan kicked in. Toasty. Also very noisy, like putting a playing card in the spikes of your Raleigh Grifter, but I fixed* that by turning it down a notch.

 

The headlights are properly shit: at one point I turned them off completely, thinking I was putting the choke in, and I didn’t notice any difference until I realised they weren’t sticking up any more. Still, luckily there’s not much to see in Swansea at 6am.

 

By the time I stopped for a pee at Membury (icy) the door had unfrozen itself. Happy days.

 

Otherwise, little to report: the Elite is a very comfy cruiser. It should even be fairly quiet when I’ve had the diff replaced, and should do Swansea to London and back on a tank (mid to upper 20s mpg?). It was unfazed by traffic jams, with no movement in the temperature gauge. The wiper and washers work as well as a new car’s, except the wiper doesn’t park itself, but that’s ok as long as it ends up on the passenger side somewhere.

 

Normal cars’ door handles are at eye level and the roof is the same height as a Range Rover’s bonnet, but somehow it’s not intimidating - other cars just seem pointlessly tall. It’s not in the least claustrophobic inside either, it’s very light and airy.

 

On parking up, I discovered why the rear wiper had been removed: it fouls the boot opening. So I took it off again. Sorry DW.

 

Next trip is tomorrow. Night night sleepy Lotus.

 

[hairnet]

the right kind of insania

[richardmorris]

It looks drunk!

[Skizzer]

It looks drunk!

Probably is - it had a double shot of Redex before breakfast. How very louche.

[Guest Hooli]

The droopy lights make that.

 

Are these one of the models that lifts them with vacuum stored in the chassis rail?

[Skizzer]

The droopy lights make that.

 

Are these one of the models that lifts them with vacuum stored in the chassis rail?

Aye, that’s the badger. Well, not sure about the chassis rail, there’s a vacuum tank somewhere though. It runs the heater too, and my heating is missing a bunch of ducting and is generally a bit hacked about, which might be related to the vacuum leak that gives the droopy lights.

 

They fail in the up position, helpfully, unlike the electric ones on later cars which fail down. (Excel lights use Toyota Supra motors so don’t fail anywhere.)

 

Mine start rising up after about a minute. Fresh from the factory when new it took a day or so, according to contemporary road tests. They do stay down while driving though - which makes the car go noticeably faster.

[somewhatfoolish]

Unfortunately rear wipers on these(and Scimitars and presumably Jensen Healeys and owt else that jumped onto the 'sporty wagon' wagon in the 70s) were shite and just get in the way when you're lifting things in and out of the boot. The only one of the genre which isn't a load of bobbins is the Lancia HPE, as it has a proper hatch rather than a daft glass flap thing.

[Guest Hooli]

Aye, that’s the badger. Well, not sure about the chassis rail, there’s a vacuum tank somewhere though. It runs the heater too, and my heating is missing a bunch of ducting and is generally a bit hacked about, which might be related to the vacuum leak that gives the droopy lights.

 

They fail in the up position, helpfully, unlike the electric ones on later cars which fail down. (Excel lights use Toyota Supra motors so don’t fail anywhere.)

 

Mine start rising up after about a minute. Fresh from the factory when new it took a day or so, according to contemporary road tests. They do stay down while driving though - which makes the car go noticeably faster.

 

I think it's the original Elan I'm thinking of where they fail down & a comtempary road test I've read of them mentions that at full throttle the vacuum drops enough for the lights to droop after a few secs. They described it as perfect* for 3rd gear overtakes when you can finish by guess work as they drop just as you pass the car but before you pull back in....

[danthecapriman]

Shudders... I'm getting flash backs of my Mercury here with all this talk of vacuum operated headlights! I'm sure you won't have to resort to custom made actuators here though!

Odd that they fail in the down position though. On the Mercury they've got springs in them to force the light door open if there's no vacuum. Like a fail safe so you still get lights if the system fails.

[RobT]

Good to see you're using it straight away Skizzer, no mucking about.

 

I'm trying to think what those door mirrors are off. They look a bit like Rover Metro/100 ones.

[wuvvum]

Now that, Sir, is what I call a Winter Beater of Distinction.

[Sudsprint]

Love the stainless steel A posts

[oldcars]

Ideal WBOD.

 

4F97D854-938C-445C-ADDC-281B796708FB.jpeg

 

Drove this to London today.

 

It was proper frosty at 5.30 this morning and the driver’s door was frozen shut. Epic amounts of scraping and de-icing were needed before I could see out. The car itself was no help because the heater fan doesn’t work.

 

Luckily, as I was crossing the Severn Bridge, the heater fan kicked in. Toasty. Also very noisy, like putting a playing card in the spikes of your Raleigh Grifter, but I fixed* that by turning it down a notch.

 

The headlights are properly shit: at one point I turned them off completely, thinking I was putting the choke in, and I didn’t notice any difference until I realised they weren’t sticking up any more. Still, luckily there’s not much to see in Swansea at 6am.

 

By the time I stopped for a pee at Membury (icy) the door had unfrozen itself. Happy days.

 

Otherwise, little to report: the Elite is a very comfy cruiser. It should even be fairly quiet when I’ve had the diff replaced, and should do Swansea to London and back on a tank (mid to upper 20s mpg?). It was unfazed by traffic jams, with no movement in the temperature gauge. The wiper and washers work as well as a new car’s, except the wiper doesn’t park itself, but that’s ok as long as it ends up on the passenger side somewhere.

 

Normal cars’ door handles are at eye level and the roof is the same height as a Range Rover’s bonnet, but somehow it’s not intimidating - other cars just seem pointlessly tall. It’s not in the least claustrophobic inside either, it’s very light and airy.

 

On parking up, I discovered why the rear wiper had been removed: it fouls the boot opening. So I took it off again. Sorry DW.

 

Next trip is tomorrow. Night night sleepy Lotus.

 

4825DFE1-2EF8-4067-B2A9-C55D63EF5B0E.jpeg

Love this, its a 4 wheeled version of my Rialto

 

Blue - check

Frozen doors - check

Dodgy lights - check

Wiper won't park - check

Big engine - ahh well i cant have it all 

[Junkman]

On the Mercury they've got springs in them to force the light door open if there's no vacuum. Like a fail safe so you still get lights if the system fails.

 

How utterly un-British.

Harrumph.

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

What would Colin say?

 

 

 

[Sudsprint]

I believe a true story about Colin Chapman was that at a race meeting a (Climax) Elite owner nabbed him as he was concerned about its oil consumption.

 

Never fazed, Chapman told him he ''wants to bloody well start worrying the day it doesn't use oil''.

[danthecapriman]

How utterly un-British.

Harrumph.

That is true! Wtf was I thinking!

[Six-cylinder]

I am amazed by the true grit of using an Elite in December!

 

I am feeling so guilty putting my interesting cars away and retreating into a 10 year old Mercedes saloon. 

[andy18s]

I am amazed by the true grit of using an Elite in December!

 

I am feeling so guilty putting my interesting cars away and retreating into a 10 year old Mercedes saloon.

As epic a car the Elite is,Skizzer has a vast selection of awesome motors to choose from.....

Although I'm slightly surprised he's not running the Discovery.

[Six-cylinder]

As epic a car the Elite is,Skizzer has a vast selection of awesome motors to choose from.....

Although I'm slightly surprised he's not running the Discovery.

 

Because he is not a whip like me!

 

Monday was our local BMW Club Christmas dinner and I kept my E30 325i out for the event. A bit of ice and snow and I was in the Range Rover like a shot.

[Angrydicky]

I am amazed by the true grit of using an Elite in December!

 

I am feeling so guilty putting my interesting cars away and retreating into a 10 year old Mercedes saloon. 

Me too, into an 18 year old Rover saloon

[Skizzer]

As epic a car the Elite is,Skizzer has a vast selection of awesome motors to choose from.....

Although I'm slightly surprised he's not running the Discovery.

Mainly because a friend has been borrowing the excellent Disco and when he brought it back on Sunday he neglected to leave me the key.

 

...a fail safe so you still get lights if the system fails.

So guess what happened tonight as I was driving down the M3 in torrential rain? Yup, the Prince of Darkness strikes.

 

I'm supposed to be at a two day meeting at a swanky hotel in the New Forest, for which the scruffy Lotus seemed the ideal follow-up to last time when I upset everyone with my lacquer-peel Granada. (Discovery would have done well too, if I'd had the keys.) Instead, I'm in the last room in the Days Inn at Fleet services waiting for daylight to carry on my journey.

 

It's nothing to do with the vacuum - the lights stay down. I think the switch must have packed in, possibly due to dampness.

 

Meanwhile, remember my misgivings about the Nankang tyres? Bloody things aquaplane at 50mph. Terrifying.

 

I think I might have crossed the line between minor heroics and major lunacy here. If anything else goes wrong tomorrow and I'm seriously late for this meeting I may get fired...