Description
1988 LOTUS EXCEL SE - 180HP - essex blue - MOT to december 2025
A wonderfully presented and well-maintained example with only three enthusiastic owners from new, including myself.
The previous owners’ records of maintenance are impeccable including meticulous weekly tyre pressure and oil level checks. The service folder is immense and many thousands have been spent on keeping the car well maintained.
It is very much an original and unmolested car throughout, with only a couple of minor running upgrades.
The car still retains its "Spinks of Bournemouth" dealer plates, its original bill of sale, and the correct lotus handbook.
As an avid Lotus enthusiast, I am reluctantly selling the car as I now need to inject some cash into my 1982 eclat project.
It drives so well and I would, hand on heart, trust it to get me anywhere, these are cars that need to been enjoyed and driven and I will genuinely be sad to see this car go.
In the past few months I have carried out the following work:
-oil and filter change using the reommended valvoline oil
-New rear brake calipers and fluid bleed
-discs, pads, fitting kits all round (front wheel bearings cleaned and regreased as part of disc change)
-New handbrake shoes
-new stainless steel rear seat belt brackets (these are separate mild steel parts from new and rot, unlike the rest of the chassis which is very high quality galvanised)
-timing and auxilliary belts change
-rebuilt water pump
-every single cooling hose replaced (lotusbits £350 kit)
-New thermostat and pressure cap
-wheels powder coated including the centre caps
-full machine polish and deep clean including under the bonnet, under the arcches etc etc.
-repainted cam covers and various other engine bay parts to make under the bonnet very presentable
-New wiper control module and wiper park switch, wheel box greased, new wiper blade
-dash binacle retrimmed professionally in leather
- complete new rooflining (these ALWAYS either need doing or have been done - took me three full days!)
-door cards removed to inspect window frames for rot - these are good.
Points of note in the previous owners recent maintainance are:
- fairly new adjustable springs and dampers all round
-recent clutch and gearbox rebuild
-The engine has been opened up and all tolerances checked and rebuilt
-Lotusbits alloy header tank (the original steel ones go porous)
-5x new Toyo tyres (the four road wheels have about 6mm left, the spare is unused)
The bodywork is in very good condition with only a few minor marks around the car - no lacquer peel and no evidence of previous repairs.
The interior is in good condition albeit the drivers seat is slightly squashed and there are a couple of bits of questionable 1980s lotus trim quality, but only what is authentic to any 1980s lotus!
The only "faults" with the car are that the drivers side electric mirror does not work and has a very small tear to the rubber outer casing, and the AC does not work, which I would probably say just needs a regas but will need converting to R134a in order to do so, and finally the exhaust has an occasional rattle which I think is a loose baffle but it only tends to do it when cold
Also included is the genuine Lotus service manual and parts book
The car is still being used regularly and is insured and available to test drive upon evidence of your own insurance. Cash or bank transfer due in full on colllection. Overall I would say this is a very very well "gone through" lotus excel that would both sit well at a show, but also be 100% reliable for just driving - as lotuses were intended!
