Web
Analytics Made Easy - Statcounter
phoenix - The Lotus Forums - Official Lotus Community Partner Jump to content


phoenix

Full Forum Member (FFM)
  • Posts

    140
  • Joined

  • Last visited

  • Days Won

    2

phoenix last won the day on April 4 2018

phoenix had the most liked content!

About phoenix

More Info

  • Name
    Roddy
  • Car
    1980 Lotus esprit 2.2, 1982 Lotus éclat 2.2 riviera, 1978 Matra bagheera, 1985 Mercedes 280SL

Recent Profile Visitors

5,668 profile views

phoenix's Achievements

Apprentice

Apprentice (3/14)

  • 15 Years In Rare
  • Reacting Well
  • Very Popular Rare
  • Dedicated
  • First Post

Recent Badges

110

Reputation

  1. A few people, myself included helped to raise the values of early esprits about ten years ago by putting time and money into them. Once these shiny restored cars hit the circuits, desirability went up as did values. The elites and éclats and perhaps some excels got a bad reputation as they went down the food chain and they ended up in the wrong hands. The early cars got a bad reputation and though many admire them, they also shy away. Their correct maintenance and proper use is critical. Decades on, they are not like modern BMW’s that can be thrashed around and left on the street all weathers without a thought for what’s going on under the bonnet or chassis. Given the right TLC they are brilliant sports cars. Unfortunately there are not enough cars to a high standard to help push the values up and as long as there is a plentiful supply of projects, people will keep seeing them as a lower value car. All said, I do feel that the tide is changing as there appears to be more interest and I see a few cars rising from the ashes. They will never hit the values of esprits, the +2’s never do, but I feel that in a couple of years we will look back at this beautiful example and think, that was cheap.
  2. I don’t understand how people can think 16 grand is a bit pricey for a good example when they do turn up on the rare occasion when people are or were willing to pay around 100 grand for esprits from around that era. These cars had the same engines and were built alongside each other in the factory. In my personal opinion, the elite is a more satisfying car to drive also.
  3. If work does not get in the way, I’ll be there.
  4. Wonderful pics. Thanks for sharing. It’s rare to see pics of these cars in this state from when shiny and new.
  5. Escape. I own a series 2 Bagheera. A nice little rare find! You have an early series one Bagheera there which were produced between 1973 and 1976. Probably 1.3 litre. They are basically a monocoque steel body mid engine 3 abreast seater wrapped in a riveted and bonded fibreglass shell. In good condition they are fantastic little fun sportscars which are very economical to run. Not a performance drivers car like the Lotus but the ride is typically French, very smooth and soft like a magic carpet. The bad bit is that they were constructed in the 70’s and the mild steel inner panels received just a light coat of black paint at the factory so many have fallen by the wayside due to tin-worm. The good thing is that being of an unexposed mostly flat box construction, restoration is possible with a modicum of welding skill. All cars left the factory as left hookers and they seem to be worth a fair amount more on the continent. You need to get in touch with The Matra Enthusiasts Club and have a chat with them about your options. They have a website and still produce a good old fashioned club magazine booklet with a for sale section at the back. They are also a really friendly bunch to deal with. Clive Nelson the club president is a good person to talk to. If you decide to keep it and put the effort in, you won’t be disappointed with the outcome. Good luck with it. https://www.matra-club.net/ Email President@matra-club.net
  6. Wonderful presentation. It’s nice to see these cars and owners getting that kind of treatment.
  7. They look fantastic in yellow.
  8. Many thanks for that wonderful in-site and great pictures.
  9. That’s one I haven’t seen before! Thank you for sharing.
  10. If it’s the same car, I knew a previous owner who worked as a flight instructor in Oxford but we are going back to the early nighties. You’ll have to PM me for the name. I last saw it about 25 years ago parked up in a side street in North London with a For Sale sign on it. I think it needed some work. 3 grand if my memory serves me right was the asking price which at the time I thought was dirt cheap and I always wished I’d been able to buy it and tuck it away somewhere. As I say, if it’s the same car, there cannot be that many S3’s in Lotus Yellow.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We use cookies to enhance your browsing experience, serve personalized ads or content, and analyze our traffic. By clicking " I Accept ", you consent to our use of cookies. We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.