Lotus Excel Part 34: Hitting the road...

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Neil Donaldson's Lotus Excel Restoration

6 ай бұрын

I take the Excel out for its first proper drive since I acquired the car.

Пікірлер: 23

@lotus-e-clan 5 ай бұрын

I've owned my 89SE nearly 25years. It's a good long distance GT. Mine has a light steel flywheel and an electric water pump. Both mods release torque all through the rev range. Ignition issues can hold them back too. Low speed performance significantly improved. The 160 bhp low compression engine isn't better than the HC 912 engine at low revs in my experience, having owned both. Good to see an Excel on KZfaq. Keep the faith.

@neildonaldsonlotusexcelresto 5 ай бұрын

Thanks for the tips and advice mate. I also could probably do with a carb tune-up. I think that would help greatly, not that it is bad right now. Cheers!

@Adaptelltd 6 ай бұрын

Look good Neil, you looked very chuffed with yourself 👍

@neildonaldsonlotusexcelresto 6 ай бұрын

Yes, Karl, certainly am!

@leecallaghan2202 3 ай бұрын

You should get a pair of smaller narrow “ pumps” even for driving - it gets much easier then.

@neildonaldsonlotusexcelresto 3 ай бұрын

I am considering it Lee 🙂

@andygtv 5 ай бұрын

I had one in the 80s used it in London did many miles brilliant car.

@Shuckyduckyquack 6 ай бұрын

Nice to see her on the road Neil 😀

@neildonaldsonlotusexcelresto 6 ай бұрын

Cheers Andy!

@markcarter9476 6 ай бұрын

I had a red Excel followed by a dark blue Excel SE as my daily driver back in the late 80's very early 90's. Really enjoyable to drive and in hindsight surprisingly reliable. They were an affordable route to exotic performance motoring. I still think the styling is fantastic, though I appreciate it will not appeal to everyone.

@neildonaldsonlotusexcelresto 6 ай бұрын

Thanks for the interest Mark!

@leecallaghan2202 3 ай бұрын

Older tyres increase road noise hugely. Get them changed asap. The rear looks a little high re suspension. Can you check it?

@andrewgreen7778 6 ай бұрын

Looks like it's on stilts at the rear.

@neildonaldsonlotusexcelresto 6 ай бұрын

It does sit high at the rear. The springs I fitted were almost identical to the old ones, so I am not sure why it is sitting so high...

@neildonaldsonlotusexcelresto 6 ай бұрын

@davecessford Thanks Dave, I bought the springs from LotusBits.

@neildonaldsonlotusexcelresto 6 ай бұрын

@davecessford I will have a word with them...

@allsearpw3829 6 ай бұрын

IT will get more lively when revs get up to 3500 and on the cam , at 60 to 70 mph throw it in to a double bend and just as you think oh my Christ the suspension really starts to work . Mine two never rattled ? are the roads rough ? out there . Nice to see it is going ok .😁 They will potter round town ok and good mpg , then on a windy A road at over the 3500 revs in all gears watch out as Collin comes out from under the seats and the exhaust notes changes . Have fun .

@neildonaldsonlotusexcelresto 6 ай бұрын

Thanks mate. I want to run it in a bit before taking it into the later rev-ranges as it has not been used for many years. The roads around here are generally good and well maintained. The interior needs completely stripping and putting back together which should elimate most of the rattling, etc. Thanks for the interest!

@TheJensenInterceptor 6 ай бұрын

Wow!, there was me thinking you was in the UK midlands, especially when you visited Lotusbits... Please how is it you did not choose a LHD Lotus. But sounds and looks good.

@neildonaldsonlotusexcelresto 6 ай бұрын

LHD Lotus Excels are usually advertised for between 20k and 30k, not many projects about and generally rare.

@paulhunter123 5 ай бұрын

im intrigued why anyone would buy one of these from new to the present day? what does it do thats good? compared to everything bad about it, in my opinion your better off taking up smoking as far as your health and wallet goes

@neildonaldsonlotusexcelresto 5 ай бұрын

Hi John, thanks for taking an interest. The car looks good, sounds good, handles well, is easy to drive, has a reasonable amount of space... Out of interest, which cars are you a fan of?

@paulhunter123 5 ай бұрын

@neildonaldsonlotusexcelresto cheap practical reliable ones I drive nissan almera great car lots of fun. My almera is nippy but not fast same as this. I don't think excel looks very good. It's Chapman getting mislead by Italian concept designers making luxury gt cars. Better of with a reliant scimeter