1987 Lotus Excel SE

[Oi_Oi_Savaloy]

..............et voila.........that was December .................with not as much progress made but life etc got in the way.  That's not to say nothing happened - a load more parts arrived (more to come) and today I had the tyres fitted and balanced to the refurbed alloys.  The refurb wasn't a smooth process apparently - by all accounts the alloys weren't in the greatest of condition ..........but they look 1000% better than they were so...........onwards.

I'm just about there now - it's knuckle down and fit parts and get the engine going (again), following a new cambelt (bought from pnm) and alot of other parts from Lotusbits.

Also - have a basket open on autodoc - with 8 or 9 cars in my 'garage' (that share parts with the excel - often they are alternative parts, rather than OE parts shared with Lotus originally).  The toyota celica (or supra, memory betrays me - think it was the SA60) is almost as tough to find parts for as the Excel!  

 

Finally some pictures taken tonight - the Lotus looking a little forlorn at the back of the shed.......but she'll have her time in the sun soon.  So to speak.  On the ramp of sunshine perhaps.

And after 9 years of massive use............the trampoline is going too............and we're knocking the bricked-up exit at the back of the shed out so we can use it too...........that's happening in May (when the weather is better).

 

Onwards to 2025 and I hope everyone is ok.  Seize. The. Day. Mes amis.

 

[Gompo]

Are you happy with how the new tyres look on the wheels? Will be good to see how they look when fitted to the car. They're perhaps the size I'm going for on the rear. Hardly used mine this autumn for numerous reasons, but managed to get out for forty odd miles yesterday, which was nice. 

[Oi_Oi_Savaloy]

Gompo - I made a decision to go with the width (ooo, er etc etc) than the sidewall height........I'm not sure why........but I think that, despite the comparisons showing a 195/55/15 was v v close I couldn't get my head around the more narrow tyre offering the same sort of grip.  

So I went with the 215 width and in as near the sidewall size as I could to the original (45 vs the OE 50)..............but I'm not sure I've made the right decision.  

I've not had the chance to offer them up yet but I think they aren't going to fill the arches as good as, say a 225/50/15.  (I'm not happy I can't just afford the OE 215/50/15 but at £250 a tyre it's just too much, bearing in mind I need 4 (and actually 5 if I change the spare........but I'm not going to carry one - just take a can of something and hope).

I'll take some pictures of the car on it's new tyres over the next week so you can compare.  

I'll take the pain for the moment - I just want to get on now.......trouble is the wife is so ill.  so ill.  I'm going to have to plan the jobs to a military detail - prep the job prior so that I can walk in and start working immediately (on a given job).......not muck about for an hour getting everything set up just to start and then have to stop.  Get in, get that job done......move on.

I'm eager to drive it to work (3 days a week in the office, 2 at home) so that's the target.  

I've also bought the necessary fibreglass kit to repair the lower lip (that's split).  Another skill I need to learn...........youtube to the rescue........

The car isn't a low mileage, or anniversary/special model and therefore I've taken the decision to use her as much as I can...........avec a bells and whistles AA policy...............

 

Happy new year everyone.

 

[stuboy]

On 30/12/2024 at 22:30, Gompo said:

Are you happy with how the new tyres look on the wheels? Will be good to see how they look when fitted to the car. They're perhaps the size I'm going for on the rear. Hardly used mine this autumn for numerous reasons, but managed to get out for forty odd miles yesterday, which was nice. 

nice numberplate

[Westbay]

HappyNew Year!

I'd re-think the spare wheel situation, With the state of the roads  a 'can of something' is going to be useless if you hit a pot hole and tear the tyre ...

Get a narrow space saver 'get you home' wheel tyre combo, doesn't have to be wide or the highest speed rating to get you home 

[Gompo]

34 minutes ago, Westbay said:

HappyNew Year!

I'd re-think the spare wheel situation, With the state of the roads  a 'can of something' is going to be useless if you hit a pot hole and tear the tyre ...

Get a narrow space saver 'get you home' wheel tyre combo, doesn't have to be wide or the highest speed rating to get you home 

Agreed.  Even one of the original, very old tyres is worth using as a spare providing it holds air and is 'legal'.  The main reason I'm put off the expensive OEM 215/50s is the worry of unrepairable damage like a sidewall rip. If I knew they'd last 15k/5 years or whatever, it wouldn't be so much of an issue. I'm sticking with the staggered set up though, so just two tyres I really need to sort.

[Oi_Oi_Savaloy]

I hear you guys - I was just thinking of trying to get the weight down too!    

[Oi_Oi_Savaloy]

And that was January.  Now...........actual progress, of sorts, has been made.  Not just putting the wheels back on but I've also started tackling little jobs that need doing, in the literally smidgens of time I've had available, when the stars have aligned.

I've literally had to tee things up over a couple of days (minutes here, minutes there, where I could rush into the shed, gather tools and stuff - put it all together) and then on the actual day where I had 40 clear mins.........run in, get started, do what I could, get out).

It's worked..........for the most part.  

So tyres on;

Looks like it's on stilts but the car hadn't settled then (and I've new suspension - OE for the moment - to go on there too).

And I've tackled holes in part of the exhaust - ideally I'd like to change these pieces (SJ Sportscars do them for about £50 a side) but for the moment - just got them sorted and then I can get them back on the car.  New exhaust rubbers bought too;

Seems I didn't take pictures of that but will circle back and add them in.

And finally I've tackled the lower lip (fibreglass) that had split -  really wanted to sort that and get it back on the car.  First time using fibreglass and the chemicals so forgive me here - it aint Chippendale-esque in the finish........but realised I didn't have any BRG (A42) Green Paint so that'll get sorted in due course.  Sand it then paint it  of course.  Clean it first mind (I'd cleaned the immediate area where I was applying fibreglass). 

For the moment I needed it back in one piece so I can store it without worrying it'll get knocked and broken.  Which is the sort of thing I do.

I did both sides (inside and below) -  (you can't see the repair from the front as you look at the car) at different times, to allow things to cure.

I'm really pleased - it's sorted and I can move on and then come back to it to sand it and paint it later.

I'm also going to buy some better lights (these here - https://www.pnmparts.co.uk/lotus-excel-led-headlamps-pnmm1114?search=lights ) than the cobbled-together efforts I've done (using land rover s3 headlights and bulbs). 

Next is engine (cambelt, tensioner, add some exhaust studs, sort out throttle cable, put it all back together, re-do the choke cable (go to take out into the interior and re-insert it) and then re-fit the bonnet, lights, lower lip.  then I can tackle the rear light and side lights (need changing - bodies I mean) and then move on to sorting out the passenger door - full day - and that'll need some planning - but it'll come off, get sorted and go back on in the same day..........and then I've got the interior (which looks like a disaster zone........but shouldn't be too bad.

I've also heard a snippet (or read) that Toyota Previa mk1 calipers are a direct swap for the Excel's -and the pictures on the internet look good, really good - so I'm going to buy some and see. They just replace OE ones of course.  I'd toyed with the idea of an upgrade ...........but let's just get the ole shitter back on the road first yeah?    Cheaper than lotus's ones.  Worth a shot.

I'm also hearing that a subaru justy has an identical heater fan (mine isn't working) so I'm going to buy one of them too and see - much cheaper than lotus's.   

Wife is still v poorly and the kids are discombobulated.  Spent 8 days in and out of hospital over xmas and so far it's been a total of 7 days too in Jan.  A and E gets no better..........but the staff.........the staff are and continue to be absolutely immense.  Working in v difficult circumstances.  

Love Autoshite - am on the forum most days.  Loving people's work.

 

 

 

 

[High Jetter]

Keep posting, I found AS kept me sane when in hosp for an op

[Sunny Jim]

Keep on keeping on. Hope things get better for you and your family soon.

[bangernomics]

Good to hear the health is improving very much like this lovely beast.

Bet you can’t wait to get back to it.

[grogee]

Great work you big red sausage. I want to see that Excel growling about the public highway soon. All the best to the Saveloy family in difficult circumstances. 

[Oi_Oi_Savaloy]

I've never thought of myself as a big red sausage.......................but having cogitated over it over the last week or so.........I'm loving that description! 

 

Not masses done lately but I did buy a little cutting die (M12 x 1.25 if anyone is actually interested) in order to try and clean up the thread on the gearknob - it had been butchered by previous owners and I'd sold the gearknob that ws on it (metal thing) because it was blisteringly cold when I'd had to use it briefly, when I tried to drive the car home.  that was when we found out the carbs needed a rebuild (about 20 yds from sellers house.)  

We trailered it back instead - but I'd not forgotten the evil gearknob so it got sent (gratis) to another Lotus Excel owner.  So I'm, ahem, currently knobless..............soon to be rectified by a bespoke item that, I hope will subtly lift the interior (and keep to the light blue theme overall, inside).  

The interior is worn, there's no doubt about that.  I continue to rub leather feed into all the bits I've stored in the house (wife is delighted, especially with the 3 year anniversary coming up).  Loves the stuff spread around the house............... But it's also why I'm going to use her as much as I can once I've got it on the road - it doesn't matter if I put loads of miles on her - it's not an anniversary/special model/low mileage/pristine so I'm going to use her.  

So - old thread (forgive the shocking tape measure - I didn't realise it was quite so bad when I got it out of the tool box but time meant I literally had to take the shot there and then and then get back into the house);

And new and improved, sort of, thread:

The eagle-eyed (avec laser-treatment or contact lenses or both, at our ages............) will have spotted the veritable spaghetti-lovers wet-dream of radio wires - that'll be sorted once I've squared away the heater fan  - I don't want to putting anything back in until I know I've got everything working.  

I've been looking at seats too..........and toying with the idea of buying a drivers RX8 seat from France (have family in France).  passenger (rhd) rx8 seats don't tilt.  But rx8 seats fit and fit well (well-known 'fact' in excel circles) but I want both to tilt..........It's just an idea at the moment.  Might just say sod it and buy some retro recaro-lookalike numbers from GSM or suchlike.  Or Alfa 147 seats (another 'sure- fire' fit I gather).  

Anyway - onwards and upwards everyone.  I love reading the updates, particularly the new news thread - that I never contribute to but perhaps I should.

I've actually changed the brakes on both  golf and the hyundai santa fe  recently (v good off-road for what we need it for) to and then bought 8 new tyres too -  vredesteins (I bought 8 vredesteins, of different sizes of course,  from camskill - an almost orgasmic experience.........for someone - they seemed non-plussed about it).  Love a vredestein - under the radar but I find them pretty good.  

The fact that I'm a sad, deeply sad git and like the fact that both cars have them..........I don't know..........just a slight frisson of something in the gonad area everytime I think about it.  Which isn't often I admit..........but when I do....................................yeah, anyway enough about the insignificant peccadillos of mine...........................................the rest of the family literally couldn't give a sh*t of course. 

And why should they?

I'm at the point where I'm thinking of selling the golf (177,000 miles with bodywork that's not amazing but she's got it where it counts - not least a vw cambelt and waterpump/service/new brakes/new tyres recently) -it's the 2009 mk6 version 110bhp 5 speed (so obviously offputting to loads of people.............but it is a brilliant car.)  60-70mpg on  a run and is deceptively quick.  Got all new sachs suspension to go on the front (got b4's or b6's on the back - but got a deal on the sachs so went with them for the front) which will be done next week.

The Santa-fe too - 2011, beast of an engine (197bhp - think it's a mercedes under licence? and something like 400ft lbs of torque - really good for trailering - which I do alot of - moving sheep and their shi*t mostly) ............but we sold the sheep in December - can't look after them and the wife  and the wife comes first obvs.  You have to do right by sheep (they aren't fire and forget - ie. chuck 'em in a field and see them in a month - you need to be constantly on it with them).  Wonderful animals.............but there comes a point where we couldn't look after them/do right by them so they had to go.  I took them to auction but that's another story.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[grogee]

I found some pics on an external hard drive from when I went Excel shopping in about 2004. I'll upload if I get a chance. 

Keep up the excellent work