Elite/Eclat/Excel video & picture thread!

[johnpwalsh]

On 24/12/2020 at 09:25, Tim Jones said:

"Bills totalling nearly £100"

Bargain 😂😂😂

I have spent more than double that just on nuts and bolts. 

[exeterjeep]

The photos I posted above were at Mike Spence, Reading.

Here is another elite - anyone know where this was.? Taken a long time ago as can be seen from the price of petrol.

[phoenix]

These pics are amazing. I was probably around 7 years old when these pics were taken so difficult to identify dealers. Am trying to expand on any signs in pic but too blurry. 

[exeterjeep]

5 hours ago, exeterjeep said:

The photos I posted above were at Mike Spence, Reading

Some details about him on https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Spence The dealership continued but I do not know when it closed.

[Mark Blanchard]

That white Elite is stunning.

Don't know if this has been posted.

 

[89esprit]

13 hours ago, exeterjeep said:

The photos I posted above were at Mike Spence, Reading.

Here is another elite - anyone know where this was.? Taken a long time ago as can be seen from the price of petrol.

That white Elite is looking awesome, especially compared to that rubbish parked in front of the Ford store!

[exeterjeep]

That's a lot  of the reason I had to have one - they looked awesome...

[Tony D]

Seeing as we are back in Pre digital age, a couple of photo's of my Elite, taken around the late 80's.

Still got her, but doesn't look much like this currently - Oh memories.

 

Tony

[soldave]

On 17/02/2021 at 11:24, exeterjeep said:

The photos I posted above were at Mike Spence, Reading.

Here is another elite - anyone know where this was.? Taken a long time ago as can be seen from the price of petrol.

Probably a simple question for someone, but does anyone know why there isn't a model variant number on the B-pillar?

[exeterjeep]

Can't say I noticed that, but I seemed to remember it was a new one outside, it looks as if the non drivers seats still have some plastic on - unless it is some sort of distortion by the glass. May be it dropped off.....or may be the first ones did no have them.

I have attached a photo on an elite at hyde park  the motor show parade - this was when the eclat/esprit appeared in the uk and the launch of the XJS. I can't see the 50x badge on this one either...

[89esprit]

3 hours ago, soldave said:

Probably a simple question for someone, but does anyone know why there isn't a model variant number on the B-pillar?

I don't have an answer but I have a '74 Elite here (stateside) that doesn't have it either. I just thought it was missing... now I have to wonder if they started putting them on after a certain point in production?

[exeterjeep]

7 minutes ago, 89esprit said:

Probably a simple question for someone, but does anyone know why there isn't a model variant number on the B-pillar?

My 1976/77 build elite was a 501 and a badge to prove it.!!!...So it may be that the first year did not have them, I seem to remember that at launch they were not all the variants available?

10 minutes ago, 89esprit said:

I don't have an answer but I have a '74 Elite here (stateside)

Great to see an early one still in the USA - what variant is yours?

 

[89esprit]

It's a 503 Power steering with air in red.  I bought it as a project car, it needs quite a bit of work, along with a red '77 503 that also needs work.

Here's a couple pics of the '77

[exeterjeep]

I have to say I'm not keen on the US spec bumpers, particularly the rear. But great to see that at least 2 are safe.  Were the rear qtr indicators fitted as standard to US cars.

Maybe all the launch cars were 503's?

[89esprit]

Well when you have no choice, you're pretty much stuck with them. LOL    Of course there is a good side to them. They make a great place to set your beer when you're working on them!

 

Actually I have 3 the other is quite roadworthy!  '77 503 in Lagoon Blue

[exeterjeep]

2 minutes ago, 89esprit said:

Well when you have no choice, you're pretty much stuck with them

Have seen on wheeler dealers that they have sometimes replaced the US spec items to UK/EU. Can't remember which actual cars these were.

The last one look in good condition as well. Just fell in love with the shape of these - more so than the éclat.

Looks as if you have a really nice large shed/barn/workshop, must be room for a few more.

[89esprit]

HAHAHA   Believe me it's quite FULL!!!

[exeterjeep]

Had a dig through some more photos  - this yellow N reg 1975 car does not have the model on the B post either and in stock on show at a lotus dealer  I have another photo of the other side as well. The éclat behind has one. Some people may know which dealer this is....

[Tony D]

Re B post badging. 

 

The earliest cars did not have the B post badge. 

First production was all manual cars with A/C (not power steering initially), hence no need to be badged 502. 

Not sure if there was any science to when they started being fitted. Fairly sure that the 30 min video on youtube shows Colin Chapman driving off the production line a fairly early car that has badges. May well be like a lot of things. They fitted whatever was in stock. 

Tony 

[exeterjeep]

4 minutes ago, Tony D said:

The earliest cars did not have the B post badge. 

First production was all manual cars with A/C (not power steering initially), hence no need to be badged 502. 

Yet the 2 in the USA above are 503's -may be they had not decided by the time to put badges on- it would not have saved much weight. Did they need the plinth and badge, I seem to think my badge fitted inside a small plinth.

[exeterjeep]

This éclat was at the Earls Court launch in 1975, on this trailer in the car park. I think the wall needs repainting. This was after I was at the Hyde Park parade.

The wheels do not look like the ones that ended up in production. I took a number of pics of this one as.

[EXCEL V8]

Interesting!  Any more pictures of the wheels?

 

Pete

[exeterjeep]

2 more - scanned from some old prints, bought a new scanner last week to try to scan more.

The eclat520 I pictured at the factory in 1977 may have had the same wheels. I have never seen an elite with these rims.

I have some pics somewhere of the first elite I saw that was not at a dealer, a nice N reg blue one. Was what made me really want to buy one.

[johnpwalsh]

What about these on an Elite. 

[exeterjeep]

2 minutes ago, johnpwalsh said:

What about these on an Elite. 

Not seen them on an elite, of my elites/eclats the favourite ones I had were this style.