Lotus Eclat Excel 2.2 manual - Garage Queen

[ebay]

£6,990.00

End Date: Thursday Jun-26-2014 19:32:27 BST

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[Loose Cannon]

The price is optimistic, but....what great pics to show how clean and crisp these first black bumpered Excels are. How these have been the least valued Lotus for so long is beyond me.

[Dunc]

It does look a lovely car, and cosmetically it is FAR ahead of the usual tat we see.

 

Is 7K really that much to ask for a well preserved early early 80's wedge shaped bit of car exotica? I know we are all over familiar with them because they are sitting in our gargaes and drives, but if someone was to buy something like that and then tell a neighbour or a colleague they had spent 7 thousand on a slanty nosed lotus with 35K miles in first class condition - I suspect they wouldn't bat an eyelid.

 

A quick look through the classifieds shows all sorts of machines at 7K like Avenger Tiger replica's, any 2 door escort, and even japanese crud. Just to amuse muself I've gone on ebay and selected classic cars then narrowed the price range from 6500 - 7500. Mini's....? Mark 1 Golfs? Crapi's? (no offence to loosecannon) Ford Consul's? Volvo 164?

 

Good grief! I know what I'd rather have sitting on my driveway.

 

Maybe we are the ones that are out of touch as classic car asking prices are rising?

 

However, for 7K on an early excel - I would want insist on tyres that are less than 10 years old.....(NCT 60's in the photos)

 

Let's bang the drum for our cars! They are beautiful and much better than any Mini - BMW 2002, Rover 110 at the same money.

[GavinT]

Great looking car but no engine or chassis/suspension photos? I'm seriously considering an Elite or Éclat to replace my S1. Mostly for practice reasons. I tweaked my back awhile ago and the twisting needed to enter and exit the Esprit aggravates it.

[Loose Cannon]

I agree with everything you say Dunc, but recent experience selling a mint wedge for far less (and the tiny amount of interest) suggests Lotus is still in the doldrums price wise and only an odd model will ever creep out. Someone paid £7k at auction for an HC Viva FFS, there's no point in comparisons, we are a lone cult it seems.

 

On this one I would expect an underbonnet shot would show the true extent of the "garage queen" statement....I bet it was in a garage for 20 years but treated like a queen? Doubtful, forgotten more like. Could it possibly be the same one advertised as spares/repairs on Ebay a few months back as very low mileage, but with a broken drivers window? It was pictured next to some high security palisade fencing too, but nowhere near as shiny.

[Dunc]

It is mint under the bonnet as well - there are more pics on classic cars for sale. Claimed to have been owned by one owner for 29 years.

 

http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C504850

[hopo]

It is a lovely looking car. I really want an elite or éclat, need to tick it off the list. I currently have the money too but would need to shift it on in a few months and the fact that they are not the easiest cars to sell is holding me back....