Jacques

One should think that when we can send a man to the Moon, it would be possible to send help in one day, and more later, as equipment is gathered. I'll send them a prayer. Strangely, there haven't been a collect on national tv as usual... Kind regards, Jacques.

Hiall, Today i just installed a kit of new fuel hoses, fuel filter and some nice AN fittings. As far as I can see, there is only one place I could re-use a White hard ring, and that is on the coupling from the fuelhose to one end of the fuel rail. All other connections, there are no O-rings to seal. Of course there are on the old steel fittings, as they are made in a different way. So, just a moment ago, I saw on a web page, there is something called an AN O-ring seal. MGLP! Do I need a bunch of those or not? I thought that AN fittings, and NPT to AN couplers did not use seals, as they seal in themselves because of Construction. Please help, before I assemble rest of car and start up, potentially spraying fuel all over... Here's a Picture of the only seal I could find on the old hoses, that had to be re-used, as mentioned above: White ring on the old hose on the left side. I used it because there is no conical shape on that part on neither the old or new part. Kind regards, Jacques.

Hmm, I would suggest a few old movies like for example: - 7 samurais. - Cat people. - Meetings with remarkable men. Speaking of new movies, and of course as this is Lotus forum - driving: Rush. I've not seen it yet, so how is it from a movie point? And how from a driving point? Kind regards, Jacques.

Veeeery nice blue one with that sport300 stuff. And an eyewatering red SE... Kind regards, Jacques.

Hmm, I'm not so much into Porsche. Mostly 911 from 1976 to 1985 or so. No watercooling for me, thanks. Porsche these days seem to have developed into not Building what they like, but what some sharp-suited office Guys think there may be a market for. Like it or not, they earn much money. I don't like what they've turned into. Seems like in the 1970'ies and into late 1980'ies they were more of a sports car builder. SO, for those of you WHO don't like Porsche now, take a look at this nice video of enthusiasts, well, German of course: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HmG9LwzyS2A&list=PL829BEC349EA4F0E6 I think it shows that there are still some good people left around Stuttgart. Kind regards, Jacques.

Thanks for sharing. Very interesting to see. My only hope is that they would make them today... Not going to happen I suppose. Does anyone know just how strong the metal construction plus body bolted together are, against a similar year ordinary all metal sports car? Kind regards, Jacques.

Thanks Dave. I take it you got rid of the ebpv? Kind regards, Jacques.

And another vote on the same from here too. Kind regards, Jacques.

Vanya: Yes, it's the Black one, I've driven it, and it's ticking, but drives okay. I saw that they have lowered the Price a fair bit. Sport 300, mmmmm, would like to have that one. V8 can drive away for my sake, if a sport 300 is nearby I believe the screw you Price is still there on the sport300... Kind regards, Jacques.

Nice video. Kind regards, Jacques.

agreed. Jacques.

Sorry for asking, but if Lotus' wheelalingnment is not ideal, then what is the best to avoid understeer, and make it neutral? Bibs: I have jsut bought a set of AWI rears so need a front set. anyway the Futaur's are VERY nice! Long way from Denmark though.... Hmmm... Kind regards, Jacques.

okay, I prefer the SE too, as there's no powersteering, no abs (very important) and the old style front end - not the rounded later one. And there's no high wing. All positives for me, and making me chose for this model. Brakes and possibly seats are worth making better. Actually i also prefer the SE style doors over the later S4 model. I like the armrests better. And it actually looks way better than the later opel or whatever parts use. I mean the integration and placing of pars on the later S4 looks mode like many ordinary cars. Well, somehow. Glassroof is fine as long as you have the painted one originally supplied. Wheels are nice but way too soft, together with suspension, and the thin arb, so need being made better. Oh well, in due time. Don't want the V8 and surely want the Sport300 as the best model. Impossible to pay for. Anyone got a decent set of V8 Wheels they want to part with? (so I can get closer to the car I want it to be, and actually drive). Kind regards, Jacques.

Hmmm, maybe i should give him a call on a set of frontwheels to match my AWI monoblock? Kind regards, Jacques.

hear hear! Jacques.

Being new to Lotus (had it for 6 weeks), I am a bit puzzled to talk long talks on the phone, precisely because it's clearly stated, or after waiting days for an answer, then making a deal on their own terms, just to find out that they sold the same parts to someone else afterwards, so nothing left for me. That REALLY pisses me off! That actually means I am not able to drive the car, as I for example need a pair of front wheels to be able to get tires that are made today. I think that the lesson for them is to get real and into 21'st century and run buisness accordingly. I have no high hopes for this though... Well, maybe it doesn't matter really. Out of 5 orders from various dealers, only one came through without problems, and two I am still waiting for after all this time. Not exactly a very high success rate Patience Jacques, patience This post in not meant at anyone in particular, but in general. Also, I am being told all kinds of excuses of why this and that's never being sent to me. New excuses or new dates all the time. I mean, why not say it in the first place? Or even state that this and this we cannot sell, because we are not able to deliver? At least we would know. Again all over the line of dealers. Even the official dealer local to me, does this. Very very bad service, worse than other European countries incl. the UK. So, I question myself: Are my money not good enough? Or is it maybe because they've been into this for so many years, that they lost touch? Okay, I am nobody and buisness is really small amounts of money, so maybe that's an explanation. I mean say 1500 GBP is a small amount for an order. Or sometimes much less. But still it's a principle. Okay, rants off On the positive side, they are all in general willing to answer questions when called per telephone. On the other hand this also help their sales. Still, nice touch. I am not expecting parts to arrive with me in 5 minutes, or alike. I don't need a megabig organisation that supply parts from say South of Germany within 6 hours like vw does here where I live. Not at all, but something in between would make a much better impression. And I would like Lotus to start making parts Again. It's not only for old models, but also Elise, that parts are running out. Also having a Corrado G60 I know that parts can be really hard to get, but I thought (optimistically I admit), that Lotus parts were easy to get. Well ... not. It's not that I cannot wait, but just tell me the truth. As a perspective on this, I've been driving Laverda (the smallest Italian motorcycle brand at all, and closed since 1995) for many years, and I cannot always get what i want for them, but dealers are never rude or telling that they have this and this, and shows up having nil, zero, nothing. Never. The ones I have dealt with, speaking Laverda, are from Germany, Denmark, Sweden, UK, Australia, Holland and Italy. When I met Pierro Laverda himself, I also met a very open friendly warm wellcoming very polite gentleman. Am I the only one experiencing this? Kind regards, Jacques.

I am in Denmark. Nice and quiet place apart from some local "pockets" that everyone stay away from Kimbers: I think we should ask what is wrong with their parents? That is also why an american guard shot and killed another fellow American in a closed caged neighbourhood, who was just talking a walk to a local store after dark. This reached even Denmark where I live, and caused a big stir and debate in public. Let's just say that bearing arms won't help what we talk about here. After enough incidents, society installs certain measures that we can all suffer from. That is also another reason that I spoke on calming down, let it go, and keep up good behaviour. We will always be tested or tempted, but will have to go through it. But of course a good punch in the face is tempting when seeing a punk spraying something over from cans. Hmm, I Wonder why movies like "Death wish" staring Charles Bronson was made? Is it because after so many generations of politicians, they Loose touch on society and only mind themselves (well, some at least) ? Sorry for the ot. Vanya: Yes, we have those "sweet" kids too. And their even sweeter parents... Fortunately mostly in small pockets in the major 3-4 Towns. Kind regards, Jacques.

Hi all, I was looking for an SE for some months and finally found one in Sweden. I can advice you to one or two in Sweden. One is absoloutely original, needs a bit of looking after in the engine department. Not that anytiing is broken but just stood for a few years. Expensive, 3000 euro. Mine is having needed upgrades as aluminium tanks, exhaust and the much nicer smooth rear plinth. Totally reversible and absolutely good looking. Not all kinds of crap all over. Thanks Håkan On the other hand I must admit that even Lotus could have made some parts better in those days. Like the aforementioned rear plinth. Or the exhaust so the engine can actually breathe. Or the Radio. I installed a nos Blaupunkt cd player with a nice not too modern facia, green light in display. Looks factory. Sorry, but I ofr one cannot get the right tires any more. No way. I have to try to get some later V8 Wheels to be able to get tires. For me it's a drivable sportscar, not a museum piece. Never the less it should drive right on the spot, and look stunning always. I have bought some other fuelhoses and fittings (Again all reversible), as I do not want my car to burst into flames for originality, and I also just bought the adjustable rear upper links (a la later models), to be able to adjust the rear Wheels better. In time I think I will change the radiator and fsns plus frame for those, to aluminium and stainless steel respectively, so it will not kill the engine. Anyway, I like the Sport 300 looks plus parts, and am thinking to make some kind of rebuild. Not sure about that, as I would like it to be reversible. Regarding bolts etc. I change some and keep some. I add some a4 and keep the originals in marked bags. Just want the best in general, not the most original. But mostly I agree with you, as I don't want a molested example, rebuilt by some guy who thinks it should look like an audi (which many many owners of german and japanese cars do).It's not a Christmas tree. I've changed some old very hot bulbs to diodes (interrior light, door light etc) to avois a fire and use less battery when working on the car for longer hours. When the time comes and I will have to get a full respray, I will get the golded pinstipe back on as it's there now. Some places I've read (I am new to Lotus) that the standard car can starve on fuel going fast for longer periods. What to do? Add new better injectors and a pump. Not original, but I like driving fast, but not at the cost of the engine at sustained speed. Honestly I think the brakes could be a lot better. So Again I will have to sacrifice originality to get better ones. Both calipers, pads, lines etc. But I just don't want to crash because I have to stay original. These cars can go fast, so they should, and need good brakes. I am looking for an original AP Racing Lotus set-up. Anyone? Let's say I accept something near an oem+ so to speak. And want everything to be reversible. No dices for me in the Windows, please Price-wise I looked towards the UK as Lotus over there are dirt cheap. But since it's a wide car, and I don't shop in it, but drive fast (well, that is trying at least), I need a lhd car. In my country it's not leagal to revert to lhd, and can never be approved. If you do it anyway and get stopped, you will go to Court and get a fine of no less than 2 times the amount of tax you paid to have the car registred here. That is a considderable amount in the first place, as in my country the Price of a car is the same as yours, plus 180% tax on top... Not worth the chance imho. So I had to forge out some extra dough to get a lhd. And Sweden is as Vanya said a good place to look. Just my two pence. Kind regards, Jacques. ps: I agree the SE looks nicer that the Highwing, but that one looks more special. For example I don't like the looks of an elise and the Europa on Pictures, but they are very nice in reality. The shape kind of makes sense in real life.

I think that what people do, come back to them in due time in some form. Being mocked, shot, robbed, becoming very ill etc. When people do something bad, it all comes back to them. Poor bastards, they'll toast soon enough. Very sorry to hear about the vandalism, and hope you have it repaired to your satisfaction soon. Things like this really test us and we have tonot let ourselves go down on their simple-minded criminal level, even though it's tempting; you are way too good a human being for that I reckon. If there's any light in this, at least it was not stolen, or set on fire. The times we live in these days I see more and more people hiding behind fences to be free of these kind of things. Understandable. Unfortunately I also think it just makes it worse as the scumbags get's even more angry at themselves and the rest of the community. Envy doesn't create anything good as we've seen. Best thing is to keep it out of sight. In my country we say: " out of sight - out of mind". Good protection. That's what everyone I know do. I am surprised that you actually could have it openly parked on the street for a few days without being stolen. In my town, it would have been stolen by xxxx's in ½ hour. The police? Never there. Don't let the bitterness take over. Enjoy the possibility that you have, to get to drive your very nice and rare Esprit Darren: That woman belongs in a mental hospital. Kind regards, Jacques.

I think that it is with Lotus like many other exotic things like for example watches, that really many people would like to have one, and many people take a peek at one, and noone wants to pay for it. And I haven't even mentioned the cost to keep running it. In time Lotus will be recognised for not only Building supreme sportscars, and prices will keep rising. More will be show cars and collectors irems, and fewer will be on the road. Unfortunately. This will also affect the spare part situation as there will be lesser need for spares and therefore lesser will to produce them. This have happened to many great cars and motorcycles in time. I say: keep them running and on the road, please. Kind regards, Jacques.

Thanks Bibs, but where can I find these for that really low Price? Kind regards, Jacques.

Hi all, Just a quick question: I know one of the lifters have stop to park the tailgate when open, but should they raise themselves, or maybe just a bit of helping gaspressure? Or are they just sloppy and no help really when opening the tailgate? Kind regards, Jacques.

Hi Malc, Are you referring to the kit in stainless steel only? I would support that kit, if you so decided. Kind regards, Jacques.

Sorry for asking once Again, but what is the current status on un1 Renault gearbox oil? Should we use old stock TAF-x, or Should we use new stock Syntranx, or Should we use new stock Syntrax? Any good long term, those new oils? If we one day find no more taf-x, then how about using the oil that does not contain enough additives to attack bronze, and that have a high pressure oilfilm to withstand the gears crunching oil effect? So, is it more important to meet GL5 or having less bronze attacking additives? (as in gl5) Edit: I've been looking at various Danish oil sites/sellers, and they write that Castrol Syntrans is the replacement for Castrol taf-x, and that it is GL4+. Moreover they also write that Castrol Syntrax is GL5. Further I do get a Little puzzeled, when I can read that Castrol demands apprx. 230 Dkr per liter, and other sellers Sells the same bottle for 118 Dkr.? Does anyone have the same experience? What to chose? Kind regards, Jacques.

Thanks for the advice, I've removed the boot floor as per your description. Just removed the floor bolts, small screws on top and left side, and took apart 5 connectors on the right side, and finally 3 hoses on the electrical plate plus a hose underneath the boot floor. Kind regards, Jacques.