Description
I bought the car 15yrs ago from a classics dealer in the midlands. It had 7 previous owners on the log and 126k. miles on the clock.
It had a Cat. D [now S or N] status from one of those previous, this has never bothered me; on the road the cars dynamics are fine. It came with some service history, all the usual tyres, brakes, oil, and belts etc. attended to.
Since then Ive serviced the car myself when needed, regular oil and filters.
New front discs, seals and 'green stuff'. Drive shaft boot, cam angle sensor, all the usual.. What ever was needed for the MOT.
Cam belt and pulleys done by Sportmotive near Verwood some time ago, probably out on time but loads of miles left.
I did not embark on the continuous rolling, nut n bolt, restoration but some of the work includes
Passenger door to glass seal done but not yet drivers.
The hood is serviceable, looks ok, seals debatable. I never use it in the rain and usually fold it down, winter or summer, when on a run.
Always dry stored in the 'shop.
Headlight motor problem fixed.
Rear exhaust box replaced, front down tube stainless ditto.
The front seats were 'serviced', swopped over, stainless protectors added.
New tyres on front, Toyo proxies. Rears are Michelin.
To help battery life I fitted an isolator switch. Car has an immobilizer
Ive hardly used the car over the last few years, average less than 1k./ annum, [not enough, it could do with a mild 'thrashing'.]
It is presently on sorn and mot is out. Ive had to put the car aside and get on with other projects and its space is now needed.
Various spares included:- NOS gearbox, clutch plate, pressure plate. Ive always been a Lotus enthusiast and when I bought the car in 2010 I wanted a car to to use for fun, economical, mot friendly and had a lot of its own style... certainly its been that.
Im not the guy that cossets a sports car. It still has the stone chips and lacquer patches it came with, Ive accidentally added some small scratches, call it patination...
Twice its been off the leash at Castle Coombe Lotus Club track days and revelled in being able to do its thing on a circuit, loved every minute and it returned home unfazed.
It always starts on the key and has never let me down on the road.
Strong motor that pulls to the limit in 5th..[umm about 120mph] with brakes and handling to match and forgiving when exploring its performance envelope. I think Rowan Attkinson said something like, at the time of its release, 'no sane person would get near the limits of its road holding on a public road...' or similar.
Now, nearly 30 yrs after its release, with that wide track to wheel base ratio, the styling still presents a unique attitude of pace with stability.
