Eclat Station runner report

[markgenesis]

Pleased you got it sorted.

The trouble with keeping points these days is there is so little demand for them parts tend to be of low quality,either that or you get NOS parts that have sat in the corner of a damp warehouse for 30 odd years.

[Tocus]

it looks much better now! i hope you have a great time with this nice eclat!

[GerardJPC]

Lacking the indoor space and the time to get the work done that the Eclat needed, I have sold it.  I have replaced it with a tidy 1984 Excel.  Not free of niggles, but seems a reasonable car overall.

[Don.Hasi]

Could you please tell us your experiences with the Powerspark ignition?

[GerardJPC]

Sorry for long delayed reply.  I can't really offer a report, as I sold the car very soon after having the ignition fitted, and it still had a mysterious problem (disclosed to the buyer) that may or may not have been related to ignition.  

[GerardJPC]

Classic cars make surprisingly good station cars (as long as they start well).

This is very true!   I do not own a single modern car, unless you count a 1990 Five Series as modern.  I use my collection of classics as one meta-car, as on any given day there is usually at least one of them that is working (usually!.   

My best station car is a 1976 Series III Landy (petrol version).  I can leave it on its arse at the station for a week while away and it always starts first go.   It is used mostly for trash hauling to the local dump.  I washed it, once. 

[Dunc]

Is it parked behind an inca yellow dolomite sprint in one of those pics? My first car!!!!

I hope the eclat went to a caring owner. Tis a shame, as I would have happily swopped an excel + cash for that S2...

[GerardJPC]

I wish that I had known!  I advertised the car on carandclassic and it sold quickly, as a project.  The new owner has sent me some photos  - he has done a major cosmetic improvement but has not yet tackled the rough running or electrical snags. 

My Dolomite is a 1975 Mimosa Yellow Sprint, with slightly uprated suspension.  It is rust free, has a full length Webasto, drives very well and....

... last week my gardener reversed his van into it and smashed it up. 

BRI Nylon!  Wood!  Note voltmeter but no oil pressure gauge "because Castrol more reliable than Lucas". 

Also, sad effects of clumsy gardener.  The car is bright yellow, so is naturally invisible.

[GerardJPC]

Rest of fleet:

1976 Land Rover Series III SWB Station Wagon (7 seater, Fairey Overdrive) (scruffy, chassis not rusty, 98K miles)

1982 Rover SD1 2600 manual (almost pristine, 42K miles)

1984 Lotus Excel (OK ish, great body, tired interior, mechanically reasonable, aircon busted, 62K miles)

1990 BMW 525i SE Auto (almost pristine 108K miles)

1992 Jaguar XJS 4.0 Auto  (rusty 120K miles)

Note preponderance of British cars and BL cars.  Lotus because Lotus.  BMW because reliable waft-o-barge.  BL others (Jag is post BL but XJS is BL era design) :  Because my late father went from unskilled labourer at Joseph Lucas in 1960,  via Rootes Chrysler, to be an engineer and senior manager in Michael Edwardes' BL revival troubleshooting team, working en route on the Rapier Fastback, the Marina, the Stag, the SD1 and the Princess/Ambassador amongst other projects.  He blamed the pre Edwardes management more than the unions for all the shenanigans, although he did almost come to blows with Red Robbo one fine day at Longbridge.   Robbo was a big and tough man, but my dad had been a fast punching boxer in his youth and was at the time moonlighting as the chucker outer at a rough Brummie curry house, so I would have bet on my dad.  In the event, they went to the pub.    

 

[oilmagnet477]

Gerard,

green with envy - pretty much on the same wavelength

Sold a 1976 Triumph Toledo recently, which I bought to try and interest my son in classic cars (epic fail ;( )

Had a 2600 SD1 in the long distant past - once got stopped by the fuzz at 10.30 one night driving to Nottingham - only stopped me coz they thought it was nicked (a bit of a way from home). They were impressed with how well it went - I think they meant speed lol!

Just selling a s3 1981 LR which I have just finished referbing (see my mini pic) to hopefully fund an Elite

Would love to get the Mrs an XJS - I think they are very underrated

[Dunc]

Aaaaah Mimosa - same colour as My eclat V8 (respray).

Although both the sprints I had were Inca, I think i have just become used to looking at the slightly paler Mimosa, to the point I now confuse the two.

Looks nice and clean! Mine never had a webasto, and the one that actually ran and did some mileage in was an auto.

On the plus side - my dolomites improved my welding abilities...  :-)

Edited October 22, 2015 by Dunc

[GerardJPC]

There is one and there may possibly be two other yellow Sprints in my local area.  Neither has a Webasto.  One has a horrid 1980s glass sunroof that looks very wrong on the car.  

My daughter is 11 and loves old cars.  She is habituated to waiting for AA vans!

[GerardJPC]

Update:  Red Excel sold May 2016.  I was Lotus free from then until August 2017, when I repurchased the black Eclat that I used to own.  It's just returned from a trip to Norfolk, although I didn't get to Hethel.  The car currently lives on the street in London NW3.



 

 

[GerardJPC]

Electrical mayhem  -

Mechanic says - 

For Lotus I found the following issues today in dashboard area:

* Wiper motor worm wire cable has been fitted without shortening (i.e.
is from a car which had 2 wiper mech's). Therefore the excess cable
is moving back & forth at the top of the inside of dash, rubbing
away the fibreglass, and also is a big fiore hazard as is rubbing
away on a main wiring loom! Need to shorten this cable, and hoping
it will reduce the friction & speed up the motor a bit. May also be
causing it to jam occasionally.
* Wiper module is fitted to this model, it doesn't match the Excel
manual (which shows a more basic non-module system), so I need to
check this further. Although wipers do work most of the time, they
fail to park correctly even though a new park switch is now in place.
* Wiper stalk fails to wash screen as you know. Hopefully can restore
stalk to full working condition.
* Ignition switch is almost worn out. It fails to hold in position II
(as already mentioned). May be time for a new switch? Need to find
what was fitted to these, looks like other Lotus models used the GT6
as a donor.
* Both engine bay fuseboxes have had overheating issues. The terminals
are riveted but said overheating has caused the terminals to work
loose. 2 New ones on order. had to replace 2 wire connectors on the
back of these today which has stopped two intermittent open circuits.
* Ordered a new fibre optic sender as Rimmers doing a great deal on
these. Old one had flaked silver reflective paint. Will mod using
bright LED bulb instead as already mentioned.
* Interior lamp inop with door open - appears to be faulty switches -
power is getting to them. Will try to source
* Heater flaps inop for console vents. Can see system relies on vacuum
tubes - will trace source of fault next visit.
* Radio wiring pretty terrible, can rewire & make good unless you have
another in mind.
* Cooling fans in engine bay cut in and at same time there's a relay
clicking a few times in pedal area. Need to check this as might be
reason for fan fail light problem.
* Heater fan now ok - was one of the feed wires on the back of dodgy
fusebox.
* Heater speed switch is incorrect - hence no way to fit heater knobs.
SJ sportscars got back to me but have no stock....searching for
alternative supply.
* Foglamp switch bulb replaced, now illuminates when on

 

 

 

[Dunc]

Standard fare...

;-)

[GerardJPC]

This car has been thoroughly bodged over the years but my mechanic Mark is a very fine de-bodger.

The engine now runs much better as the fuel system no longer gets clogged with rust from the fuel tank.    The lights are working properly.  The car is not quite as planted on the road as the one Elite and two Excels that I have driven, so I may need to check the suspension.  

[GerardJPC]

Mech update:-

Good bit of progress today on Lotus, the new ign. switch is 100% better and positive key position restored. Top fusebox replaced & new terminals fitted to all necessary wires on new ign switch & fusebox. Absolute pig of a job! Wiper arm parks now correctly. Traced burnt fusebox to previous wiper motor failure as someone left a trace of repairs to prevent repeat. Have restored wiring to original as much as possible. Shame they left dodgy fusebox in though! It was causing an intermittent feed to about 5 circuits.
I cut down the wiper mech cable and sheathed remainder in heatshrink tube, now no electrical hazard and wiper quiet & smooth. Still need to sort washer part of wiper switch next visit.
Switch fibre optics still needs further mods today with LED looking good so far.
Fusebox also likely the cause of other gremlins, work to continue on Thurs. to fit new lower fusebox. All in all it’s just years of quick fixes that gave caused tge problems, but it’s been a pleasure to work on. Much better quality than old and even 90’s TVRs & some nice design work has gone into this car.

[GerardJPC]

This car is now for sale.

 

https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C948964

 

 

[cbclotus]

just saw it on pistonheads ....Fine looking car very rare .Good luck .....small world ....Mike

[silverfrost]

Really nice looking car,  Speedlines on the 4 seaters look lovely,  great colour in black also,  good luck with the sale i hope she finds a new owner soon 

[pwd95]

If my Rangie sells, I'll be over for a gander if you've still got it.....

https://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/land-rover/range-rover/land-rover-range-rover-lm-v8-vogue-2004/8277518

[GerardJPC]

The car has not sold yet, and I am tempted to keep it, as I like it very much, but I would have to lay it up in storage, as I am going away for a bit (this means either that I have finally been caught for all those murders I did, or that I've got a gig somewhere that is n ot old Lotus friendly).

[mikeeech]

The problem with murder is that you just don't get the credit for it... So congrats the on getting the opportunity!

[Jorge E]

The lazy headlamps will need simply some lube on their hinges to work fine.

When refiting the ligths on the facia switches do not remove them individually, the litle plastic tip wich supports every switch cracks very easy.

 

 

 

 

[GerardJPC]

The car is still in my barn!  It last drove in April 2018.  I keep saying that I will get it done up properly, but I keep buying Lancias or BL cars, and have a Fiat 124 in welding jail as well.    

Maybe next year.  I reckon that the car needs an engine rebuild and maybe a refurb of the rear suspension.  Then it will need a retrim and paint, and new tyres.  Hey ho!

Edited June 12, 2021 by GerardJPC