1987 Lotus Excel SE

[DSdriver]

Making gaskets (a trick I was taught many years ago): hold the gasket material firmly over whatever you want the gasket to fit and tap all round the edges with a ball pein hammer, if the edges of the metal are crisp it will cut the gasket to shape, if not you get a good edge to follow with a scalpel/stanley-knife/ scissors. It even works for stud holes.

[2flags]

  On 25/04/2024 at 21:27, Oi_Oi_Savaloy said:

Gompo - noticed anything untoward with the acceleras?  Handle ok?  nothing wrong with them in the wet?  

I'd avoid trying to buy 4 tyres usually but the ones on the lotus are cracked, and in an awful state tbh.  I'll be putting the kids in it too and that sways my attitude to them (I'm a bit more blase when it comes to just me).  I'll be changing them.

205/60's will look too tall imo and just look wrong imho;

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As to your tyres, what about 205/55/15? Would that be a good compromise or not? Would it give you a similar rolling circumference?

 

[Gompo]

  On 25/04/2024 at 21:27, Oi_Oi_Savaloy said:

Gompo - noticed anything untoward with the acceleras?  Handle ok?  nothing wrong with them in the wet?  

I'd avoid trying to buy 4 tyres usually but the ones on the lotus are cracked, and in an awful state tbh.  I'll be putting the kids in it too and that sways my attitude to them (I'm a bit more blase when it comes to just me).  I'll be changing them.

205/60's will look too tall imo and just look wrong imho;

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I may have been wrong, it could be that they're running 205/55 rather than 60s. The owner is happy with them but I remember thinking that they did look to have quite large sidewalls. I'm not one for skinny or stretched sidewalls, but on the Excel I think they need to be reasonably low profile, hence considering the 215/45s. There's another Excel.net user who seems very happy with those.. 

Fully appreciate you not wanting to risk the older tyres, especially with the family in the car. 

My Phi tyres on just on the front, I've not noticed anything wrong with them yet but for similar reasons to you (my wife and daughter often in the car) I've not pushed them much. I feel a bit embarrassed running them, my daily runs on some other cheap tyres but I've never fitted anything substandard to any of my more sporting cars. If I see another 'performance' car running cheap tyres I turn my nose up a bit and wonder why the owner would skimp; and now I'm doing the same - Which is another reason I'm still considering a change. Annoyingly I've spent quite a bit on my daily in 2024, so any more frivolous purchases are curtailed for the moment. More expenditure to come, and given I'll probably do a maximum of 2000 miles a year in the Excel; I'll probably keep the Phis for this year.

 

[Oi_Oi_Savaloy]

  On 25/04/2024 at 21:47, 2flags said:

As to your tyres, what about 205/55/15? Would that be a good compromise or not? Would it give you a similar rolling circumference?

 

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2Flags - I think they'd change the look of the car too much (on stilts!  - slight exaggeration but you know what I mean!!)  

They're actually v close to the OE rolling circumference;

205/60/15 are a bit too out (over-reading on the speedo too much) and I really don't like the sound of these looks-wise (does that even make sense?!).   Won't go there.

195/55/15 - really, really close - if you can accept the lack of width;

 

 

[Oi_Oi_Savaloy]

There's alot of choice at 195/55/15 than 205/50 or 205/55  - hadn't really considered them tbh (because width - could they look too small in the wheel arch?) Will have to go and have a look at my friendly tyre place.

 

 

[2flags]

One benefit of having the 55 profile rather than the 50 profile is that you get more flex and room if you hit a pothole. You also get a more comfortable ride. With the state of our roads these days, it is a factor worth considering. 

[Oi_Oi_Savaloy]

Maybe a bit too tall 2flags   I'm all for soaking up a pothole .......but the car has got to look right to so we'll see.  

 

[Oi_Oi_Savaloy]

And................here we go everyone.  My man is coming over tomorrow and we're going to start the car.  There's a bit of fettling to be done first - putting the waterpump on/alternator, the various drive belts............but other than that.........she should start.  (immobiliser accepting of course!)

 

If success, will post video.  Actually will post vid anyway as it's important to document the highs..........and potential lows.  COME ON!!

[grogee]

  On 26/04/2024 at 19:59, Oi_Oi_Savaloy said:

And................here we go everyone.  My man is coming over tomorrow and we're going to start the car.  There's a bit of fettling to be done first - putting the waterpump on/alternator, the various drive belts............but other than that.........she should start.  (immobiliser accepting of course!)

 

If success, will post video.  Actually will post vid anyway as it's important to document the highs..........and potential lows.  COME ON!!

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The very best of British luck to you. May your flywheel whirl merrily! 

[Oi_Oi_Savaloy]

.............................And..............................not quite.

We've got the engine turning over but there's no spark at the plugs right now.  

We're not sure the coil is being energised (and the crappy, v old, immobiliser is definitely not working so i'm busy looking for an A23 battery for that). 

I'm looking for wiring diagrams to see where the coil get's it's power from (and how many relays it goes through).  There's no ecu so it's all mechanical (as it were).  

Frustrating but we've made some massive progress.  Engine is almost all together and just need to sort the radiator out now and put that back on.  But god, she's eager.......she'd have started if there was spark.  

I was ready to drive it out of the shed!    (no lights, no bonnet, fuel tank not quite secured, battery was just lightly resting on the side of the boot (where it lives, but has a proper securing bar etc etc that I'd not put on), tyres were flat............but nevertheless..................!!!

 

[Oi_Oi_Savaloy]

I'd love to be able to rip out the immobiliser and the alarm (neither a deterrent in this day and age but a major point of contention when things go wrong............) but that's for another time.

There's plenty to get on with.........but not now; am going to wait until we've got the engine running and that'll give the entire project a proper shot in the arm.  

 

[Oi_Oi_Savaloy]

New battery for the immobiliser fob bought............and it lights up!  So at least that's something.  The fob does I mean.  Haven't done anything to the car as my man didn't come over last night - he's coming weds now and the weather (and my motivation) is shocking today.  The air vents on top of the roof of the shed are placed in such a way that the prevailing wind howls through and creates a nasty draft........on certain days - last couple of days have had this effect going on so I've avoided the shed in all honesty.  

It's absolutely chucking it down at the minute too.  We'll all have gills in a couple of years.

[motorpunk]

Any update? I love this car.

[Oi_Oi_Savaloy]

Unfortunately no I'm afraid - been tinkering on elements of the car (particularly trying to get the heater/blower working) but I was hoping to start the engine this week (it turns over, see above) but my man, a v good mechanic, couldn't come over, as promised, on either the Monday or Weds night (work or family related - I know he's got a hell of a lot on at the moment, as I think we all do really).  Trouble is - in order to trouble shoot it needs two people really to check (one to turn the key, the other to hold the spark plug against the block etc etc).

BUT I'm confident he's going to come over on Monday (away this weekend at a 50th, as I am next weekend at another 50th).  

As soon as I have news I'll post it - don't really want to do any major jobs until I categorically know the engine is sorted (we've had it running before but not since I had pnm engineering sort the waterpump).  Once I know the engine works it'll be 'fire the parts cannon' and get on.  Then, once I've go the mot I can concentrate on sorting the interior - it aint bad, as such, but it aint great either.............and I want great. 

[DSdriver]

Tyre sizes: I expect your insurance company would want to be notified if you use a tyre size that is not listed in the owners handbook otherwise they are likely to try and weasel out of paying a claim even if tyre size was not relevant to the incident like someone throwing a piano out of a fifth story window and it just happening to land on your parked car.

Anyone from the insurance industry care to comment?

[Oi_Oi_Savaloy]

I'm happy to notify them - I imagine as long as the load and speed rating are at or in excess of the stipulated requirements in the handbook, they'd accept a difference.  But fair point for bringing it up.

[Oi_Oi_Savaloy]

But there's more!  Oh yes.  It's a slight tangent to trying to start the engine though ...................

Just after I'd bought the Lotus I decided I'd finally found the car for all my old ICE to go into.  But the radio bit (the head, if you will) was knackered (it was a replacement, so slightly newer than the previous head unit after that was nicked out of my Nova SR - the newer model was a Kenwood KRC 756RL but someone had tried to nick that too and had smashed the front and then used a crowbar and properly buggered the main unit).  It was all Kenwood kit (and pretty good kit too, back in the day and ideally I wanted a kenwood head unit to match it all up............

He'd bought the kit new prior to '88 as it all came out of his previous car,  a Saab 900 Turbo (ENF812Y), 'Enfy', as you can imagine. That was an absolute beast of a car from memory.    

I needed a head unit and i wanted to try and find the very best head (as it were!) for as least amount of money as I possibly could.  And..........I took a punt on this Alpine 9812rr I found for a tenner.  Yes I know it's not 80's........or in fact 90's but more like 2004 ish?  Nevertheless, compared to today's ICE it was positively prehistoric.  So I bought it not knowing if it worked and finally, finally, decided to try and hook it up today to see if it actually worked...............

Well, hey presto, it does.  

It's got that funky tilt mechanism too so should give a perfect sight-line once I've got into it's slot.  

I've also got a Kenwood 4042a graphic equaliser and a couple of amps.  I've already run the wires through (as I've previously described in this thread) and a bought a funky little sub (in a petrol can) too, that's a bit of fun.  Not sure I'll need to run the big amp in all honesty - the speakers in the car are only 3.5" ones.  the head unit can pump out power that is more than enough to handle those.  

Grogee suggested some 6x9's so am investigating them for the rear parcel shelf (involves some very reluctant thoughts about having to actually cut there - and it's right above the fuel tank so may park that idea sadly) and I'm actually thinking (and enjoying thinking about) trying to design something that will fit in the front door apertures (that house 3.5" speakers as I say) and allow me to fit some bigger units, without using any screws or affecting the existing door cards (so it can all be put back to OE if the new owner, when I sell it, can do so if they so desire) in any way.  Can it be done? We'll see.  Bear with me on that - got some ideas.  Whether they work however.......well, that's the fun of it eh?

 

I need a new gearstick too, and I've got an angle on that that I hope you'll like.  I think it'll set the interior off really well and be in total keeping with the era too.  Not hand made or anything. I'll buy it in.

Onwards mes amis!

[Oi_Oi_Savaloy]

The kit is so old the amps need the old music amp connectors (DIN connectors! - big round ones, not the rca's we're used to now).  Got a load of them too so it's not an issue but when was the last time you saw them in a car!   (actually, on here, quite recently probably! D'oh!)  

[Gompo]

Did you manage to get the stereo in/out without removing the gearstick?

For some reason early this year, a couple of speakers became intermittent, both offside. It could be wiring elsewhere but somebody has suggested the connections to the rear of the stereo. However, I've not attempted to remove the head unit yet as apparently I might have to remove the gearstick, which I don't want to get involved in just yet.

[grogee]

  On 03/05/2024 at 19:43, Oi_Oi_Savaloy said:

The kit is so old the amps need the old music amp connectors (DIN connectors! - big round ones, not the rca's we're used to now).  Got a load of them too so it's not an issue but when was the last time you saw them in a car!   (actually, on here, quite recently probably! D'oh!)  

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Been down the DIN road trying to resuscitate an old Clarion tape radio that I bought off here. 

I've been trying (and failing) to get info on the CMX230 as it has a DIN output that may or may not be an amplified speaker output. 

[Oi_Oi_Savaloy]

  On 04/05/2024 at 05:02, Gompo said:

Did you manage to get the stereo in/out without removing the gearstick?

For some reason early this year, a couple of speakers became intermittent, both offside. It could be wiring elsewhere but somebody has suggested the connections to the rear of the stereo. However, I've not attempted to remove the head unit yet as apparently I might have to remove the gearstick, which I don't want to get involved in just yet.

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Compo - yes - but put it in 4th before I started - and she came out fine.  The wires have been attacked by a orangutan but I'll try and tidy them up.  There's always a bit of moment when you see some wrapped in brown package wrapping tape.............

[Oi_Oi_Savaloy]

  On 04/05/2024 at 17:47, grogee said:

Been down the DIN road trying to resuscitate an old Clarion tape radio that I bought off here. 

I've been trying (and failing) to get info on the CMX230 as it has a DIN output that may or may not be an amplified speaker output. 

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Is that a similar thing to Alpine's AI net connection (on the left on the unit)

[grogee]

  On 04/05/2024 at 19:00, Oi_Oi_Savaloy said:

Is that a similar thing to Alpine's AI net connection (on the left on the unit)

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Yes the left port is for CD changer and I believe can be hacked to create an aux in. 

But the 8 pin DIN is a bit of a mystery and I can't find any documents to help me unfortunately. 

[Gompo]

  On 04/05/2024 at 18:59, Oi_Oi_Savaloy said:

Compo - yes - but put it in 4th before I started - and she came out fine.  The wires have been attacked by a orangutan but I'll try and tidy them up.  There's always a bit of moment when you see some wrapped in brown package wrapping tape.............

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Thanks, I'll try to have a go at some point soon. I think my stereo is a little lower on my priorities than yours!

Here's hopefully a motivating photo from yesterdays local Lotus meet.

 

[Oi_Oi_Savaloy]

Absolutely Awesome........wow.

 

If that's not incentive, I don't know what is.  

[Oi_Oi_Savaloy]

AND SHE LIVES!  

 

We got her started today...........for all of 1 minute...........but a leaking carb (the one I didn't think needed work on!) stopped play.  It was leaking onto the starter motor area with all the wires etc etc and my man and i were concerned with potential disaster ensuing...........(and she's fibreglass.............whoomp!).  

 

But she's working.  We had to disconnect the rev limiter (a known weak point) to get her going but after-market ones (or alternative after-market products) are available for that.

But phew..........we have lift off.

 

Proper strides now.  Big relief.  More later in the month - really busy over the next 2 weeks.

[Gompo]

Great news, very pleased for you. Hopefully the fuel leak is easily sorted.

[Oi_Oi_Savaloy]

Gompo - thanks; I've worked today too (I've found a property instruction for a friend's business- www.luxurywelshhomes.co.uk that has attracted alot of attention - it's a house with a field with 5 caravan hook-up points, v close to the coast............and as it's my instruction I've been handling the viewings.  It's a hell of a property for someone that wants to create their family home and also have some welcome income on the side too; all for £400k..............) Anyhoo - that's what I've been doing so it was literally - do a viewing at 10am, race back for 11am for my man to come over, thrash it through the issues on the car, get it started, turn it off, tidy up, run to the house and get changed and back down to the property for a 1.30pm viewing.  It's resulted in 2 offers too; one that's worth merit, the other isn't proceedable but nevertheless, both reported to the vendors.  Got another 6 viewings on it too over the next 2 days.  We'll see where they end up.

Also acted as agent on a site in central London that exchanged on Friday (legals took 6, yes, 6, months to exchange........standard post-covid lack-of-impetus) so that's positive too.

 

Slowly getting there.

[grogee]

  On 06/05/2024 at 19:50, Oi_Oi_Savaloy said:

Gompo - thanks; I've worked today too (I've found a property instruction for a friend's business- www.luxurywelshhomes.co.uk that has attracted alot of attention - it's a house with a field with 5 caravan hook-up points, v close to the coast............and as it's my instruction I've been handling the viewings.  It's a hell of a property for someone that wants to create their family home and also have some welcome income on the side too; all for £400k..............) Anyhoo - that's what I've been doing so it was literally - do a viewing at 10am, race back for 11am for my man to come over, thrash it through the issues on the car, get it started, turn it off, tidy up, run to the house and get changed and back down to the property for a 1.30pm viewing.  It's resulted in 2 offers too; one that's worth merit, the other isn't proceedable but nevertheless, both reported to the vendors.  Got another 6 viewings on it too over the next 2 days.  We'll see where they end up.

Also acted as agent on a site in central London that exchanged on Friday (legals took 6, yes, 6, months to exchange........standard post-covid lack-of-impetus) so that's positive too.

 

Slowly getting there.

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C'mon sausage - we need updates! Even if progress has stalled, we can discuss the reasons why and offer our insight* into the situation. 

I know money is tight but are there any 'free' jobs you can do like polishing, rust proofing, painting etc? 

[Oi_Oi_Savaloy]

Grogee!  It's not for want of money or anything, just that family life has temporarily gotten (does anyone even use that word anymore?) in the way over the last two weeks.

 

Had to go to Ipswich (from tenby!) for a party (long story) - actually past ipswich - last weekend ........got back, utterly knackered then I'm busy selling a smallholding for someone (did 8 viewings on that last week and then had two interviews (one in swansea - about an hour away) and the other in Cheltenham yesterday - which in and of itself isn't too bad but the preparation was - I wrote business plans etc etc for both and well, if someone else gets either job, good luck to them.  Plus the sheep (need to look after them) and kids you know?  Plus the wife aint well - just had to set the lotus aside for the moment.  

Oh and my daughter's birthday on 14th and my dad's yesterday.

 

Need a lie down if I'm honest..............!

 

Normal service will be resumed tomorrow and updates tomorrow night avec pictures.