Elite/Eclat/Excel video & picture thread!

[williamtherebel]

You know your Eclat's! Yep, its a 520. And yes they are Wolfrace wheels. I was told many years ago (about 20!) that they were an optional extra for the Eclat. Some people agree and some say no way! So the jury is out I suppose. Anyway I love them as much on my Eclat as I do on my Esprit. 

[EXCEL V8]

Are the Wolfrace still 14" and the same width?

Pete

[soldave]

Was worth looking back after I parked today

[mikeeech]

Great contrast between the yellow and the blue in the building. A great photo!

[phoenix]

What an absolutely stunning pic Soldave 👍🏻. It’s a classic car from the 70’s and the architecture is modern, yet the sharpness of the two go hand in hand. I think it just goes to show how advanced the design was from back in the day. Lotus were so forward thinking. 

[Tim Jones]

Would have made a good brochure shot

[Bibs]

[williamtherebel]

22 hours ago, EXCEL V8 said:

Are the Wolfrace still 14" and the same width?

Pete

No they are 13" and width is different and PDC is also different. So 'original' wheels wont fit. I was told (again, many years ago) that they were Elan +2 hubs, which Lotus had left over so just fitted them to some early Eclats! Again I don't know if this is true or not or another Lotus saving money story!

[pbharcourt]

I fitted Reliant Scimitar wolf race wheels to mine for a while but they had a bit more offset and would rub on full lock.

I suppose with lower profile tyres they would have worked fine.

[williamtherebel]

Car looks brill! Wheels set it off nicely. Ive never seen another Elite/Eclat with Wolfies on besides mine!

[rjwooll]

Yes, I love those Wolfrace wheels on the right car which the Eclat certainly is! The original steel wheels on the Eclat 520 had the Ford PCD and were the same as those on the Lotus Cortina, I believe. The part number for these show that they were first used on the Elan, but the hubs themselves are unique to the Eclat.

Cheers, Richard

[pbharcourt]

The Scimitar ones are 14" dia with 114 pcd so fit the standard Elite/Éclat hubs.

[phoenix]

1976 éclat 520 

[Steve V8]

Asking for a friend

My PCD is 114,3 and not 100 do you now if excel hubs and esprit hubs are changeable thanks.

 

[rjwooll]

I don't believe the hubs are changeable. The earlier models of Esprit used a completely different Vauxhall derived front suspension, I believe.

PCDs were used as follows on Elites/Eclats and Excels:

Elite S1: 114.3 on GKN Turbines

Eclat 520: 100 (on 13" wheels; if fitted with 14" wheels, then 114.3)

Elite/Eclat S2.2: 114.3 if fitted with GKN Turbines; 100 if fitted with Speedlines

Excel: 114.3 all wheel types (yes, even Speedlines!)

I think I'm right!

Richard

[BrianK]

I may have posted this elsewhere, but I've never seen this "Road Tested" sticker before, and think it's great  

[Don.Hasi]

On 29/06/2020 at 09:58, rjwooll said:

I don't believe the hubs are changeable. The earlier models of Esprit used a completely different Vauxhall derived front suspension, I believe.

PCDs were used as follows on Elites/Eclats and Excels:

Elite S1: 114.3 on GKN Turbines

Eclat 520: 100 (on 13" wheels; if fitted with 14" wheels, then 114.3)

Elite/Eclat S2.2: 114.3 if fitted with GKN Turbines; 100 if fitted with Speedlines

Excel: 114.3 all wheel types (yes, even Speedlines!)

I think I'm right!

Richard

S2 Speedlines are imperial not 100

[Tim Jones]

 

[rjwooll]

Beautiful car!

[ChrisJ]

I do like the way that the Eclat (and the Elite to a lesser extent) has a much larger glass area than the Excel, with the drop at the front of the doors which continues to the really thin C pillar - rather than the much higher line of the Excel.

Makes it look a lot lighter inside. My wife complains that she feels confined in the rear seat of the Excel.

[jep]

The rear window treatment of Eclat is gorgeous. Excel is not as good though I do prefer the door profile of the latter, the drop on Elite/Eclat does not flow to my eyes. 

I assume the thicker C pillar on Excel is a production cost compromise, as both aesthetically and dynamically it is worse. 

The mechanical improvements especially gearbox made me plumb for Excel but Eclat is the one, looks-wise. 

Justin 

[rjwooll]

I love the way the window waistline continues right around the Eclat. It looks so delicate! The drop on the Elite/Eclat door does follow the windscreen line (from some angles at least) and it was one of the dramatic features I remember from the Elite launch. It is useful too!

I believe the thicker C pillar on the Excel was due to changing the angle of the rear window - but I'm not sure.

Cheers, Richard

[jep]

@rjwooll I take your point regarding windscreen line to the drop for the door. It looks better now! Though the chrome then starts rising up and somehow the flow is not quite to my liking. 

Eclat is a stunning design, if it had a Maserati or Lambo badge, everyone would be swooning around them and coffee table books at £zillions per copy would have been written.

Justin 

[Don.Hasi]

I was fortunate to had both at one time and both have their charme. I love the MY89 with its wheels, arches, spats and Citroen mirrors as well as the S2 Eclat with the lighter glass sections, more and better view and the reliable gearbox too. I think the best way is, to own each of them. 

@Tim Jones you’re must be the best Eclat in existence. Fabulous. Where did you get your interior done? Looks spotless. Real stunning

[Tim Jones]

27 minutes ago, Don.Hasi said:

I was fortunate to had both at one time and both have their charme. I love the MY89 with its wheels, arches, spats and Citroen mirrors as well as the S2 Eclat with the lighter glass sections, more and better view and the reliable gearbox too. I think the best way is, to own each of them. 

@Tim Jones you’re must be the best Eclat in existence. Fabulous. Where did you get your interior done? Looks spotless. Real stunning

Thank you Don for your kind words. You have lifted my mood after a bad day. I was preparing for a nice long run, the first since lockdown, when the water pump started leaking all over my drive. Gutted. 

I re-coloured the seats and fitted the carpets myself. I had the headlining done for me. There are some before and after pics of the upholstery further up this thread. 

I bought this car in Sept 1985