Lovely Cars: Interesting, Classic, Retro, Barge 5-10k

[CharlesdeGaulle]

The Excel appeals more now than it did then. To me at least, perhaps because I have more disposable (i.e. throwaway) income than I did, so it's less scary.

[Pvapour]

CharlesdeGaulle said:

The Excel appeals more now than it did then. To me at least, perhaps because I have more disposable (i.e. throwaway) income than I did, so it's less scary.

Same.

never quite liked it’s rear end at the time but as I’m older now this seems less important for some reason

More practical than the esprit (if that’s important) and I’d suspect it’s fairly easy to work on and attain parts for if one was that way inclined.

I do desire the later (early 90s) esprit but I think this is probably just a ‘basic instinct’ lust as opposed to the normal James Bond role play affair

Edited by Pvapour on Sunday 23 September 07:15

[anonymous-user]

Pvapour said:

CharlesdeGaulle said:

The Excel appeals more now than it did then. To me at least, perhaps because I have more disposable (i.e. throwaway) income than I did, so it's less scary.

Same.

never quite liked it’s rear end at the time but as I’m older now this seems less important for some reason

More practical than the esprit (if that’s important) and I’d suspect it’s fairly easy to work on and attain parts for if one was that way inclined.

I do desire the later (early 90s) esprit but I think this is probably just a ‘basic instinct’ lust as opposed to the normal James Bond role play affair

Edited by Pvapour on Sunday 23 September 07:15

I ran an Excel for a couple of years, an early version which had the 160bhp engine.Not fast by today's standards, although it would cruise comfortably at the ton when circumstances allowed, it rode and handled beautifully though, in typical Lotus fashion and was a joy to drive down any old winding road.
Had an Esprit after that, a bitsa that my local Indy put me onto, the same ride and handling as the Excel but it went like a fking rocket. Sold it before I killed myself.
Lotusbits are an excellent source for spares for both of these old things, one of the guys there has a lovely fuel injected Excel that looks like new.

[CharlesdeGaulle]

'Here we have' (why do people do that?) a rather sparse ad for an interesting car. Sadly it's got a leaper, too few pictures, and involves a trip to Wigan, but it has 12 cylinders and a soft top.

Bound to be rusty, they all are, but what a thing.

https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C978158

[MJK 24]

Pvapour said:

I think the Excel was said to be the best handling rear wheel drive car of that era, my uncle had the 2.0 16v vauxhaul engined one, felt ballistic back then.

They only ever came with the 2.2 Lotus engine shared with the Esprit I think?

[Krikkit]

CharlesdeGaulle said:

'Here we have' (why do people do that?) a rather sparse ad for an interesting car. Sadly it's got a leaper, too few pictures, and involves a trip to Wigan, but it has 12 cylinders and a soft top.

Bound to be rusty, they all are, but what a thing.

https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C978158

I want to like an XJS-C, but the flying buttresses are the best bits of the coupe for me. Lovely colours though, it's a shame the pinstripe died on everything but Alpinas.

[Pvapour]

MJK 24 said:

They only ever came with the 2.2 Lotus engine shared with the Esprit I think?

Think youre right, the info came from my uncle, maybe he was saying its origins were vauxhaul (which looks like they were) and i wasnt listening properly and tied it to the ‘then’ quickest hot hatch astra 16v in my head, felt quite quick in se form though, in the same way a base caterham did back then.

Not been in an esprit, would like to have a go in a late v8..

[carinaman]

CharlesdeGaulle said:

soxboy said:

CharlesdeGaulle said:

Remove the solar lights and the cars and van in the background and this picture could be one for the period classic picture thread.

Best way to save that car from its surroundings is to buy it and park it somewhere else. I'd be tempted if I wasn't overseas, so I pass it to the thread to do the right thing.

I've driven an HPE and at the time it was the sweetest handling and best riding car I'd driven. I dismissed that one lastnight as it wasn't a HPE.

This morning I've checked the MoT history. It's a survivor that's had some serious surgery by the sound of it.

A benefit of the Coupe is it's not on the Saloon floorpan like the HPE so therefore there's less metal to corrode?

The MoT history check had the colour down as brown, not dark red.

Edited by carinaman on Monday 24th September 08:38

[CharlesdeGaulle]

Lots wrong, the leaper being the least of it, the fibre glass wings and chrome arches probably the worst, but what an interior!
Could be a cool daily smoker.

https://m.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C1031591

[Hugh Jarse]

Not been lusting after cars of late, but this little thing got the juices flowing. A white hen.
https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C1019160
Wierd photos.

[Squirrelofwoe]

Hugh Jarse said:

Not been lusting after cars of late, but this little thing got the juices flowing. A white hen.
https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C1019160
Wierd photos.

To be fair, from an aesthetics point of view the seller has probably captured its most flattering angles!

Quite a cool little curio though.

I remember the days of black plastic bumpers and the immense satisfaction gained from regularly going over them with copious amounts of 'Back to Black' bumper restorer...

[JZZ30]

At first glance I thought that was a Mercedes 190

[golfer19]

JZZ30 said:

At first glance I thought that was a Mercedes 190

I thought it was a Mark 1 Astra

[CharlesdeGaulle]

With a quiet evening ahead, I thought it might be time to refresh the thread with a few belters from C&C.

One for the fans of older stuff, but very usable and undeniably cool. And grey is in, right?

https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C1047370

[CharlesdeGaulle]

No-one can't love an old Jag XJ. The bricks-as-wheel-chocks just adds to the appeal. 7 grand but offers invited. Plus, it's an L don'cha know.

https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C1047410

[CharlesdeGaulle]

A Lotus. For less than 8 grand. What could go wrong? Probably not the one you hanker for, but strangely beguiling nonetheless. And pop-up headlights for the win.

https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C1047400

[CharlesdeGaulle]

Any car that's been imported, without service history, with unknown mileage and 'some issues' deserves being bought unseen in my experience, albeit I'm not especially familiar with the effects of crack or LSD. Notwithstanding, I'm still very tempted by this.

https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C1047458

[CharlesdeGaulle]

I like. Maybe one for the Using The (very new) Mrs To Sell The Car thread?

https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C1040015

[W00DY]

CharlesdeGaulle said:

I like. Maybe one for the Using The (very new) Mrs To Sell The Car thread?

https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C1040015

Nice. not sure about yellow for a DS though.






https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1999-JAGUAR-4-0-XKR-XK8...

XKs are on the up, but this one still looks great value and it is rather attractive.

[CharlesdeGaulle]

I've always rather liked the XK, and that looks a nice one.