1977 LOTUS ECLAT 2.0cc IN NEED OF SOME RESTORING.... CLASSIC

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£1,495.00

End Date: Tuesday Jul-9-2013 20:16:54 BST

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[Dunc]

WOW!

 

 

a 520 sprint on the optional alloys....

 

super rare, someone save it!

[eliteman]

Thought that too Dunc. God its tempting. Wonder how much it would cost to get MOT'd? Are the air filters missing on the pics? Dunc, how rare are these cars and why were they a 520? No power steering etc???

[Dunc]

The 520 was the base model eclat which used a  slick and strong ford 4 speed gearbox, ford pcd hubs, 2 pot brake calipers, with smaller elan/GT6 style discs and usually lotus cortina style 13 inch steel wheels, with 185 width tyres.

The sprint was really a 520 with the lower 4.1 diff to make it accelerate faster and a decal set with a stripe and a black boot. Pepper shaker alloys were an optional extra, but the ford pcd remained, so these pepper shaker wheels wont fit anything other than the 520 eclat.

 

confusingly the "sprint" decals and diff pack was also offered on the 521, which used the 5 speed box, the 3 pot calipers and the standard GKN style alloys. There are (were?) more 520 sprints than 521's. I have only ever seen 2 521 sprints. Most sprints that crop up are 520 sprints.

 

The sprint was essentially the base model car, with graphics and a lower ratio diff, so could perhaps be thought of as the "clubsport" version of the eclat. More likely to be a marketing wheeze to sell unwanted 520's in my opinion.

 

I've seen a weight of less than 1000kg suggested online for a 520 sprint. I would imagine a 521 sprint weighs the same as any other 521 given they have the same kit apart fromt he diff.

 

There is a surviving 520 sprint in Ireland, and I know of a 521 sprint in Hampshire that is in fine condition. I've seen others crop up here and there, so there are some still out there  (and I believe one is listed to a tlf forum member...).

 

its a rare car, and would be a talking point amongst us wedgies. Probably worth no more than a normal eclat however.

 

yes, airbox is missing. No major issue however, you could use trumpet sox if desired. chassis is the kicker....

big crack in the body in front of the passenger pod, got a club lotus sticker on it, so someones loved it at some point, looks like it hasn't been run for donkeys, needs carpets, engine air deflector panel, airbox, driver mirror and looks to have issues with bonnet pull etc.

 

I wouldn't take this one on lightly Liam. The pictures suggest project car rather than something to take on and MOT, use, enjoy for a year, then potentially sell.

 

Worth saving, but one for the tinkerer witht time on their hands in my opinion. (looks better than my 521 however....)

[USAndretti42]

According to Graham Arnold's book, "Lotus," which is basically a collection of photographs, when he rejoined the companyy as sales director, the had a large stock of unsold Eclats.  So he got a stripe painted on them and fitted them with "sexy" alloys and they sold like hot cakes.  This backs up your feeling, Dunc, that they were a marketing wheeze to sell a bunch of cars.

Edited June 12, 2013 by USAndretti42

[eliteman]

I think your right Dunc, too much for me as I'm def more of a polisher than tinkerer! I think you should buy this one. Aren't Motherwell playing Deal this weekend ;-)

[Loose Cannon]

We were at an Elite/Eclat/Excel event last month and Oliver Winterbottom was a guest. Managed to have a good long chat with him and he touched on these cars. He said there was an unsold batch (about 50) and he got the job of prettying them up with stickers and stripes.

 

He said this was a common marketing ploy which he was a bit sick of doing, so deliberately got the vinyl roll out and created the most blatant in-your-face set of stripes he could think of, and they sold like hot cakes.

 

On this example the wheels are smaller than the more common GKNs, I think these are "Electrons" IIRC. Also the bonnet stripe should go down to the bumper nearly, perhaps removed to make space for the stick-on numberplate

 

As said, novelty value only, rarity value = £0

[Dunc]

It's not been taxed since 1994....

 

Its been a sleeper!

[Dunc]

Also from the pics - rear interior mirror is off, looks like the doorcards have been removed and only half put back, drivers door is sitting high at the back and low at the front, its missing its battery, rear boot lock looks to be U/S.

 

On the plus side - lumenition electronic ignition. Interior looks dirty but sound, can't see the headlining.

 

Pictures can make cars look a lot better than they are, but this one doesn't look too bad on the whole.

 

Not sure if its worth 1500 quid if its been off the road for 20 years. It would need to have a galv chassis to get near to that money for me.

D

[Elite7]

_{its a project, in need of a cmplete rebuilt, chassis will be presumably shot, too.}

 

_{surplus its sold by a dealer.}

 

_{rare model does not naturally mean "high value", cut down the price to the half, than it might be worth saving.}

[eliteman]

Deposit taken. Now showing. Looks like there is a buyer for everything Lotus.