Lotus Carlton. Who Remembers?..

Lotus Carlton. Who Remembers?..

Author
Discussion

D1on

Original Poster:

802 posts

185 months

Thursday 23rd October 2014
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Anyone owned one of these Or have any tales?...
Still look great! smile

HTP99

22,443 posts

139 months

Thursday 23rd October 2014
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There is a Lotus Carlton thread on here somewhere from not too long ago where I seem to remember the OP tries to blame the PH collective for not dissuading him to purchase one.

Brilliant cars.

skeeterm5

3,328 posts

187 months

Thursday 23rd October 2014
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I currently run one as a daily driver. It is a lot of fun to drive, surprisingly modern and gets a lot of attention.

Mine is a 3 owner car, done 70k miles in its 21 year life and was stored for 10 years, so in pretty good condition.

S

D1on

Original Poster:

802 posts

185 months

Thursday 23rd October 2014
quotequote all
Can I ask why my post has been moved from the "general gassing" Section?...
When it is general gassing, as is all the "pistonheads heroes" posts that end up there?...

anonymous-user

53 months

Wednesday 29th October 2014
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I remember mine just, been in the restorers for a year. Bought 18 months ago, I had great advice on here, and that was the last thread I've seen on the LC, never seen a thread were someone was regretting the purchase.

They are fantastic cars if you can drive, all my mates who race love it, regardless of age, the traction control age group hate it. It is significantly faster than friends 964s and 348s which were the supper cars of its day.

Mine needed a good going over and I decided on a bare metal respray as I intend it as a keeper, I have sourced every part I needed, including odd things like the Air Box, badges, and original front seats.

LotusOmega375D

7,580 posts

152 months

Wednesday 29th October 2014
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Here's a photo of my mint, original 8,000 mile left-hooker.



I'm very OCD about it and keep it in a ventilated air-chamber.



The Pits

4,289 posts

239 months

Friday 14th November 2014
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I had one from new back in the early 90's.

Amazing cars back then, performance was incredible. Huge torque, minimal lag, intergalactic gearing. With 44mph per 1000rpm in top, 120mph was under 3000pm. I remember driving back from a trip to the Monaco GP. It was the most quiet and effortless 120mph I've ever done. Surreal.

I loved the way it sounded, the colour, the look, the wheels, the seats, the ZR1 gearbox, the huge metal plate accelerator pedal.

But it was a big old beast, felt much heavier than the Esprit I part ex'd for it. It was incredibly effective around the track, Peter Gethin took me around Goodwood in it and did 1.40 on his first attempt (he'd never driven one before). That was a match for the Ferrari 355 at the time which was the next big thing 1996. That's amazing but the rear wheel steering made it crab around the corners. At high speed you could really feel it working but I always enjoyed cornering in the Esprit more.

It was fun when the rear tyres got past their best. Progressive, controllable oversteer on demand.

Great cars.


NotNormal

2,357 posts

213 months

Sunday 16th November 2014
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The Pits said:
..... That's amazing but the rear wheel steering made it crab around the corners. At high speed you could really feel it working....
I think you may be a little confused as LC's don't have rear wheel steering

The Pits

4,289 posts

239 months

Sunday 16th November 2014
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I thought they had a very basic passive type of system as per the GSi 3000?

If not apologies. There was definitely something weird going on back there in extremis.

NotNormal

2,357 posts

213 months

Sunday 16th November 2014
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They have an auto levelling system via the rear shocks if that's maybe what you're thinking of to maintain the ride height.

anonymous-user

53 months

Monday 17th November 2014
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At teatime it was a huge embarrassment to gm lotus removed the rear wheel steering and publicly said it didn't work.

Le Mans Visitor

1,119 posts

201 months

Tuesday 18th November 2014
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NotNormal said:
I think you may be a little confused as LC's don't have rear wheel steering
I think you find they do!!!



laugh

NotNormal

2,357 posts

213 months

Tuesday 18th November 2014
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laugh Like it.

As a side, Heritage guys not to impressed after they saw those shots as Top Gear said they only wanted the car for "static shots"

Edited by NotNormal on Tuesday 18th November 09:48

Le Mans Visitor

1,119 posts

201 months

Tuesday 18th November 2014
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NotNormal said:
laugh Like it.

As a side, Heritage guys not to impressed after they saw those shots as Top Gear said they only wanted the car for "static shots"

Edited by NotNormal on Tuesday 18th November 09:48
... and I heard the front end had to be resprayed after a certain magazine borrowed it.

SeanyD

3,372 posts

199 months

Wednesday 19th November 2014
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LotusOmega375D said:
Here's a photo of my mint, original 8,000 mile left-hooker.



I'm very OCD about it and keep it in a ventilated air-chamber.
Now that is stunning. Time stood still.