Lotus Excel project
Discussion
Hello all,
Thought I'd chronicle the stupid thing I've just done.
www.danslotusproject.blogspot.com
My friends mum (edit: Now girfriend - no, not the mum!) (Another edit: now wife) has a Lotus Excel that she loves but it's been sat outside and not turned a wheel for at least a decade. The last tax disc says 1997!
I've been offered it and a barn to fix it up in for free as long as I don't change the colour.
His name's Henry.
I'll add some pictures when I get home.
Initial survey suggests:
Bodywork: Solid but paint is ropey in places
Engine: All there. May or may not be siezed (if it is, then the project's off)
Suspension: Rear spring broken -That's the reason it was taken off the road in the first place
Electrics: Don't know - No battery
Interior: Door cards removed, headlining borked, seats and dash will probably clean up pretty well. Carpets dirty.
Chassis: Galvanised, so keeping my fingers crossed.
Also of note is that I may have bent the clutch pedal/pedalbox. What the piss have I let myself in for?
Thought I'd chronicle the stupid thing I've just done.
www.danslotusproject.blogspot.com
My friends mum (edit: Now girfriend - no, not the mum!) (Another edit: now wife) has a Lotus Excel that she loves but it's been sat outside and not turned a wheel for at least a decade. The last tax disc says 1997!
I've been offered it and a barn to fix it up in for free as long as I don't change the colour.
His name's Henry.
I'll add some pictures when I get home.
Initial survey suggests:
Bodywork: Solid but paint is ropey in places
Engine: All there. May or may not be siezed (if it is, then the project's off)
Suspension: Rear spring broken -That's the reason it was taken off the road in the first place
Electrics: Don't know - No battery
Interior: Door cards removed, headlining borked, seats and dash will probably clean up pretty well. Carpets dirty.
Chassis: Galvanised, so keeping my fingers crossed.
Also of note is that I may have bent the clutch pedal/pedalbox. What the piss have I let myself in for?
Edited by crofty1984 on Saturday 4th January 21:19
Edited by crofty1984 on Tuesday 14th May 11:25
Well, here are the pictures.
Here's the most flattering shot:
Massive spiders under the bonnet.
I'm sure there's a "Twin Webbers" joke in there somewhere.
Headlining a shagged. Most of the rest of the interior looks like it should clean up OK.
A car in the hand is worth two in the bush!
Should go faster after a de-cat. (Last pun, I promise!)
Here's the most flattering shot:
Massive spiders under the bonnet.
I'm sure there's a "Twin Webbers" joke in there somewhere.
Headlining a shagged. Most of the rest of the interior looks like it should clean up OK.
A car in the hand is worth two in the bush!
Should go faster after a de-cat. (Last pun, I promise!)
Thanks for the kind words everyone 
It will either be better than expected or a complete b
d, but there we go.
I've even made a blog! Though at the moment it's basically what I've said in this thread.
http://danslotusproject.blogspot.co.uk/
If I can I'm thinking of entering next year's PPC £999 challenge. Have to sort out a "base price" and see how much I have to spend. Even if I don't make it, I'll at least have a budget and a deadline.
I'm not going to strip it, but I definitely want to go to Snetterton and Cadwell with it. But it'll mainly be a road car. I'll be doing it up at my friend's mum's house and she wants to see it back to it's former glory, which is fair.
It will either be better than expected or a complete b
d, but there we go.I've even made a blog! Though at the moment it's basically what I've said in this thread.
http://danslotusproject.blogspot.co.uk/
If I can I'm thinking of entering next year's PPC £999 challenge. Have to sort out a "base price" and see how much I have to spend. Even if I don't make it, I'll at least have a budget and a deadline.
I'm not going to strip it, but I definitely want to go to Snetterton and Cadwell with it. But it'll mainly be a road car. I'll be doing it up at my friend's mum's house and she wants to see it back to it's former glory, which is fair.
Good luck Adam and McSam! Hope it all goes well.
Wulluff - Despite the caravans I can assure you that the people in question are not "of the non-stationary persuasion". They're lovely.
I'll be clearing some space in the barn next week with any luck. So maybe I'll have a bit more to tell next week. Going to see if I can crank it over with a spanner on the crank. If so, it's service, battery and cross your fingers time!
Wulluff - Despite the caravans I can assure you that the people in question are not "of the non-stationary persuasion". They're lovely.
I'll be clearing some space in the barn next week with any luck. So maybe I'll have a bit more to tell next week. Going to see if I can crank it over with a spanner on the crank. If so, it's service, battery and cross your fingers time!
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