Description
1991 Lotus Excel Celebration – Number 34 of 35
Supplied new by the Norfolk Motor Company to Talfab Architectural Metalworks in West Drayton on 29 March 1991, the car was originally registered H470 UCL, before later being re-registered as H4 SST. It was maintained by Ryland Lotus in Birmingham.
On 3 August 1995, it was registered as RIA 457 in Thornton Cleveleys, where it was subsequently serviced locally. In May 1996, the car was sold through Paul Matty and re-registered as H137 HEC. At this point, it was purchased by my neighbour, who used it as a second car until 2007, when it was placed on SORN. I purchased in December 2012.
Original handbooks, history, and unused toolkit.
Every MOT certificate from new.
Recommissioned over a 6-year period from 2012 to 2018.
Paintwork:
Resprayed by Option 1 of Bromsgrove.
Painted ‘Taxi Black’ to ensure straightness – base coat (Lotus Marque Green) colour-matched to the inner wings.
Brakes:
New brake discs, zinc-plated and heatproof lacquered.
Brake calipers sandblasted, zinc-plated, heatproof lacquered, with new pistons and seal kits (front and rear).
New brake master cylinder.
New brake pipes.
Clutch:
Reconditioned clutch master cylinder.
New clutch slave cylinder.
New pedal box.
Suspension:
New front upper and lower suspension bushes; upper arms zinc-plated and lacquered.
New upper ball joints (with grease points).
Anti-roll bar sandblasted, powder-coated, and fitted with new bushes. Anti-roll bar brackets zinc-plated.
Shock absorbers cleaned and repainted; springs blasted and powder-coated.
New track rod ends.
Exhaust:
New flanges welded onto rear silencers. New downpipe flexi joint. Non-stainless flanges and joints sandblasted and painted high-temp silver.
Wheels:
Dipped, straightened, and powder-coated by Platinum Alloys, Reading; centres colour-coded by Option 1.
5 × new Toyo tyres (less than 1, 000 miles).
Body:
New rear lights and front fog lights (new old stock).
New front indicator lenses (wires connected with dielectric grease).
New waistline trim and finishers.
New window frames.
Reconditioned genuine Lotus door beams, sandblasted and powder-coated satin black.
Good used upper door hinge brackets fitted, with new stainless hinge pins and nyloc nuts.
Reconditioned door handles.
Door mirrors fitted with new parts where required.
Bonnet steel frame sandblasted and powder-coated satin black, gas strut re-gassed.
New bonnet sound deadening.
Aerial replaced using a good original.
New jacking plates.
Boot floor brace sandblasted, powder-coated, and fitted with new rubber seals. Washer plates replicated in stainless, with new stainless bolts fitted.
Wiper motor stripped, cleaned, and re-greased.
Interior:
Electric windows and central locking.
Alpine cassette with CD changer - New Audison Speakers (April ’26) behind original Lotus grilles.
New headlining to roof, sun visors, and B-pillars, correctly stitched into the leather on the B-pillar of the rear trim panels.
New Wilton carpets.
Internal roll-over protection bar sandblasted and powder-coated satin black.
Heater box stripped, cleaned, and fitted with new foam seals.
Heater cables greased.
New foam seals to electric window and central door locking access panels.
New zinc-plated rear upper seatbelt brackets and new stainless lower brackets, powder-coated.
Mechanical:
Reconditioned engine fitted 30k miles ago.
Cylinder head removed for inspection, cleaned, and refitted in November 2018.
Carburettors vapour-blasted; fittings zinc-plated; emulsion tubes changed to eliminate flat spots.
Coolant header tank sandblasted and powder-coated, with new temperature sender rubber seal; caps zinc-plated, and new original decal fitted.
Original radiator re-cored.
New cooling fan (otter) switch (87°/ 82°).
Cooling fans fitted with new bearings and bodies re-zinc-plated. New bearing to water pump and new thermostat.
New air conditioning condenser, drier, and compressor; pipes re-zinc-plated.
New purge pump motor.
New fuel tank vent pipe.
New petrol cap seal.
New distributor cap, plugs, and rotor arm.
New battery.
Oil and filter changed every year.
Cambelt replaced 3 years ago (under 1, 000 miles).
Always warmed up; dry-weather use only.
Lotus Certificate of Provenance.
Club valuation: £24, 500.
Garage stored .
Regretful sale.
