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How do you know they were late? 🙂 Always great to see an Excel, I miss mine. Justin

Ford GT was a Ford using Ford switchgear. Loved that. As it should be. I don't even like it when folk replace the Rover Metro window winder turners (super-light) with aluminium ones on S1 Elise. Blink to me. Justin

Views of most who buy the cars is wonky too. Most folk who buy prestige cars, especially sports cars, would never consider what they perceive to be a lesser marque - or 'brand' as they would call it. Sheep-like, they're convinced they have the best 'cos everyone they're prepared to listen to tells them the same. Justin

Well, we all know this so nothing new from Hagerty there. Lovely to see appreciation though. They make the mistake of trying to compare Evora to Emira. Emira is another 2 seat sports car; great but so many to choose from. Evora is +2 and is therefore unique in the modern world given mid-engine configuration. The 400 face-lift was, in part instigated to cheapen the interior (ie. Save money). It may or may not be better put together but the original interior was far more interesting and innovative. And if I'm on a mild rant, the column stalks are Ford not Vauxhall. I had the same ones in my Ford GT in 2005. Justin

You have learnt well, my young apprentice; the force is strong within you. 🙂

https://www.petrolprices.com/about/ Useful app. Cheapest around Surrey is £141.9, 95ron unleaded. It was under £1 per litre in 2020, near £2 in 2022. Shell very expensive, £1.53 to £1.59 for 95ron. Justin

I don't think S1 Esprit had that style of leather interior on the restored car, it looks more S2 to me. If you're interested in originality, best check before you buy. It may be correct but best to know for certain. Please do your research well if you're paying anyone top money for S1. Lots of BS out there and folk who spout a load of ill-informed tripe. Justin

Clutch master cylinder but quite young mileage to fail. Or clutch which is unpredictable on early cars. Justin

Yep, V6 Exige with standard suspension is perhaps the greatest Lotus road car ever. S1 Elise 118bhp may pip it, as may 340R, as may Elan 26..... Justin

I'd try the CUP first before buying. I had LF1 which has standard suspension as your 350. Perfect for Surrey, I found CUP too harsh and frankly therefore slower in the real world. If road use is your bag. 340R is soft damping too. Financially, stick with 340R or buy older V6. If you're not worried about £s, it doesn't matter but try before you buy. Justin PS. 340R is the halo Elise. What are you thinking? 🙂

I forget what V6 you had before. Do you want Cup chassis? Quite firm on Surrey roads. I would think any newish Exige will still deprecate, albeit glacial but one's over 5 years old are pretty much deprecation free, unless high mileage added. Justin

Priming it is called. Totally correct procedure for twin carb Lotus 9 series engine. It's in the handbook. And don't rev it hard until the oil pressure registers. Justin

I have a boxed spare one of these if anyone requires one. Exactly as should have come with each LF1 but often missing as Lotus Cars Ltd ran out of stock. They are rare so I'm not giving it away. Sorry. Justin

I'd love a Sunbeam. I hope you find one or +2. Happy Easter Justin

Missing my point: I would not buy a car now with a Spyder chassis. Plenty of choice, so buy a Lotus with a Lotus chassis. What happened decades ago is not relevant to this discussion. I'll bow out, I can only give advice as I see it, having owned numerous old Lotus including one with a Spyder chassis (once and never again). Justin

@Failing2Excel I'd use E5 fuel for Excel. Shell V Power or Esso or BP or any 97 to 99 octane. I never used 95 in my Excel. Justin

I hardly think a radiator is core (!) to what defines an Alfa. That is to miss my point almost entirely. Justin

https://silodrome.com/lotus-340r/

Dampers: I fit the ones Lotus recommend. S1 Elise Koni no longer available so S2 Bilstein. I removed GAZ dampers fitted by a previous owner from my 2001 S1 as I didn't like them. I'm a big fan of LotusBits but don't have any knowledge of their chassis. Knowing Mike, I bet it's good and as it should be. As I said earlier, if Spyder had reproduced the Lotus chassis, I'd have no issue. Justin

Your choice. Not for me. I am a purist, admittedly. Small changes fine but not the USP. I wouldn't want a Ferrari without the Ferrari engine. I wouldn't want a Citroen DS/GS et al without the hydraulic suspension. I wouldn't want a Jaguar XJ6 without the Jaguar engine and suspension. Etc... Ride and handling is Lotus. I don't want a substitute. Goldfinger is a great song but I don't want to hear it without Dame Shirley. Justin

https://collectingcars.com/for-sale/2000-lotus-340r-5 Hong Kong registered, #60, originally a UK car. Justin

If buying a car now, I'd avoid a non-Lotus chassis car. That's the situation on this thread. Back in the 80s, the cars were low value and Spyder filled a void. I still wouldn't have fitted that chassis but each to their own. Today, repair the Lotus chassis would be my route. Justin

That doesn't make it right. It's not a Lotus. If Spyder had copied 100% the original design, fine....but they didn't. I wouldn't buy an Elise without a Lotus chassis - just because you can't buy a chassis from Lotus doesn't mean I'd buy a substitute chassis. I'd buy a car with the correct chassis, be it any Lotus from any era. Justin @Veloce_Rossothe advert says 'Spyder chassis' in the text

Spyder made/make alternative chassis for Lotus. Plenty don't mind them but I have never understood why anyone would want a Lotus without a Lotus chassis. Akin to fake designer watch in my eyes. I owned a Europa with a Spyder chassis once - it was fine but I could never shake the feeling that I wasn't driving a true Lotus. And you ain't! Justin

Spyder chassis so in my opinion it is no longer a Lotus. Justin