kayj_prod

Sounds like lots of history. I’m in Norfolk so at Stratton Motor Company... I get about a bit!

Hi Neil, Welcome to the club. Everyone else must be out enjoying the sunshine... my car is currently being serviced so I am in waiting mode! I used Paul Marty years ago when Paul was still there, so I can’t vouch for it since new ownership. I’m sure others will get back to you soon enough with other suggestions or info. Have you considered having it looked over before you sign over the ££ if it hasn’t been checked or serviced recently?

I replaced the whole units on both sides including the metal inner clamping bracket as it was in a pretty sorry condition. Just went with Eliseparts IIRC and got it done. Worst job was cleaning off the old glue, but looked lovely and looked after once finished and less likely to fall off! Brighter too, but that was probably a combination of all factors.

I agree with Lithopsian, however, if it does go wrong, you can resolve it easily as long as you can get a wheel off. It’s a job where slow and steady really is the best course.

...and if you do get it wrong, make sure you have the locking wheel nut doofer to hand so you can get a wheel off to reach through and release it from underneath. (Also been there. 😉)

I changed my S1 lamps to LED- saved having to get under there again!

I would assume the third brake light has to work if required by specs when the car was built. Total assumption though. I reckon one lamp being out (of five IIRC) is not a problem though. I’m thinking of those cars that have duplicate side lamps; still fine if one is working per side. Certainly on my S1 Elise, the third brake light was not a sealed unit- regular filament lamps in that so limited life span. I’ve had a quick check on my Exige. The third brake light unbolts from the inside just like S1 so as long as you can get your head upside down in the back to remove the unit, it wouldn’t be a lengthy job to inspect/replace a single lamp. 501 capless type probably.

So seeing as I have a hybrid Volvo, can I say I drive a Type 65?

https://youtu.be/B03UPE_GDmQ

https://carbuzz.com/news/lotus-will-finally-reveal-something-new-this-week

Probably likely, Martin! I doubt my meter is particularly accurate and that would explain why the car still started. Thanks for the idea Timbo. Good long term solution for the winter months as the garage gets sun throughout the day.

A little update. I decided to turn the engine over even though my head was saying the battery was reading too low a voltage... no problems at all. Fired up with no hesitation at all. All is well! I'll keep putting the Optimate on at intervals and hopefully get to a point where its actually testing and maintaining.

I can't plead ignorance on this: my car has been sat for three months now and of course the battery is flat- measured at I think 1.6V back on Tuesday. I even have an Optimate, but as I don't have any power in the garage I just hadn't plugged it in. Anyway, thanks to the warmer weather, I've had an extension lead hanging out a window during the day and the battery is now showing 12.3V. This is perhaps after 24hrs total time over three days. The Optimate is still showing as charging, but has not yet reached a test cycle phase. The battery is only two years old (fitted by dealer), so this is only the first deep cycle it has had. Is it worth persevering with the Optimate to see if it fully recovers the battery, or shall I start shopping? (Eurocarparts has a sale on at the moment, so all batteries are 50% off.) If so, I'm debating a lightweight battery- as much for the boot capacity as anything else!

Resurrecting an old thread here while I wait for my computer to finish installing some software. I know I would have a deLorean by now. Nothing about performance obviously, everything about having something quirky and tinkerable with that makes me smile.