Who or what first inspired u to get the Lotus...?
Silly thing is, I really dont know why, or else I do not remember.
Lost my Pilots licence in '93, and also my driving licence, and then had the blackouts for the next five years. Then they stopped, so after a year I could drive again. Went to buy a Jag or BMW, but then saw a picture of the Elise in a mag.
Loved it at first sight, especially the concept of low weight and no aids, but not impressed with a 1.8 Rover engine and 125 top speed. Despite that, and never even seeing one in the flesh, never mind sitting in one or driving it, I went onto the Internet and bought a private one in Berkshire.
Why the f**k buy one in Berkshire? No idea other than I may have been on the Laphroaig. Took a train down with a Bank draft, did the deal, then drove for the first time in six years. Discovered the M25 and the rest of the Motorway crap, but could not get out of traffic until around Preston on the M6. Cruised around 90, but put my foot down at one stage to see what she would do, then backed off again.
A week later I received a summons for doing 141 tuts. Turned out that it was a B&C 140 conversion, it had a hard top on, and I must have been on a slope with the wind behind.
However that is another story, and the rest is history.
tut
ps goes without saying that it was the best buy that I ever made.
Lost my Pilots licence in '93, and also my driving licence, and then had the blackouts for the next five years. Then they stopped, so after a year I could drive again. Went to buy a Jag or BMW, but then saw a picture of the Elise in a mag.
Loved it at first sight, especially the concept of low weight and no aids, but not impressed with a 1.8 Rover engine and 125 top speed. Despite that, and never even seeing one in the flesh, never mind sitting in one or driving it, I went onto the Internet and bought a private one in Berkshire.
Why the f**k buy one in Berkshire? No idea other than I may have been on the Laphroaig. Took a train down with a Bank draft, did the deal, then drove for the first time in six years. Discovered the M25 and the rest of the Motorway crap, but could not get out of traffic until around Preston on the M6. Cruised around 90, but put my foot down at one stage to see what she would do, then backed off again.
A week later I received a summons for doing 141 tuts. Turned out that it was a B&C 140 conversion, it had a hard top on, and I must have been on a slope with the wind behind.
However that is another story, and the rest is history.
tut
ps goes without saying that it was the best buy that I ever made.
AHMEN!!tut wrote: Went to buy a Jag or BMW,
Err cant see it somehow!!
A week later I received a summons for doing 141 tuts. Turned out that it was a B&C 140 conversion, it had a hard top on, and I must have been on a slope with the wind behind. A summons for 141 Tuts - Yup only you!
However that is another story, and the rest is history.
Dave
First memories of watching F1 on telly were of Mario and Ronnie in their JPS type 79's ,followed Team Lotus since then even through the Herbert/Zanardi years,so made a vow to myself that one day I would own a Lotus, was toying with idea of buying an Elan+2 or Elise S1.
That changed Feb last year when my best mate came round in the Elise S2 type 72 he had just bought from MMC.
Black with Gold wheels - JPS colours
Made him promise that if he ever sold it he would give me first refusal, when his wife became pregnant that was it Elise had to (reluctently) go.
My best purchase ever, Now to pay for it
That changed Feb last year when my best mate came round in the Elise S2 type 72 he had just bought from MMC.
Black with Gold wheels - JPS colours
Made him promise that if he ever sold it he would give me first refusal, when his wife became pregnant that was it Elise had to (reluctently) go.
My best purchase ever, Now to pay for it
Similar to last post but earlier era! Great fan of Jim Clark and Lotus and got my first Lotus, an Elan Sprint convertible, in 1971 - fantastic car - astonishly fast and nimble even now. Did track days with it at Ingliston - since regretted selling it.
Then drifted away to other marques - and Lotus lost their way on small light rwd cars until the Elise - so a happy return to Lotus in 2000 with 4 years in a S1, briefly unfaithful in the Noble and now happily back in an Exige
And as others have said, one of the best parts is the Lotus owner cameraderie.
Then drifted away to other marques - and Lotus lost their way on small light rwd cars until the Elise - so a happy return to Lotus in 2000 with 4 years in a S1, briefly unfaithful in the Noble and now happily back in an Exige
And as others have said, one of the best parts is the Lotus owner cameraderie.
2006 S2 Exige - Magnetic Blue
Reading all of your posts make me think that somehow you're all worthy of a Lotus and I'm not, as I never really followed Lotus history and don't really care about brands.
I grew up with rear wheel drives, and always since my university days I used to fiddle with cars, but they were big american V8's, so not much in the handling dept.
Nevertheless, I somehow modified them well so they could perform fairly well on the twisties (compared to others).
I was working abroad and once when on a trip to Frankfurt, and the Auto show was there.
I had read something about the Lotus Esprit turbo (since Jame's Bond movie) and wante dto try it out. Had some spare money and would ahve bought it then and there, but.... I was too tall! My head was jammed between seat and roof, no way.
And the Lotus guy there told me that realistically, all Lotii were made to the same size, so sorry.
So I orgot about Lotus and years later started racing bikes.
Always had this thing in the back of my head that I wanted a lightweight car, simple, no luxuries. Why the heck were all cars sooo heavy? why all the carpets when I didn't want them?
When I arrived to the UK thought it was time to get myself something light, so thought of building a kit car to take back to Mexico when my couple of years assignment ended here.
Was looking at an Ultima but realistically 2 years wasn't really enough to build one. And the guy that designed the Ultime had also designed the Noble.
I thought og having a look, so went to Village garage (at that time dealers of Noble and Lotus in Aberdeen) and they were organizing an airfield day at Crail.
Went to have a pax ride in the Noble and they let me free to try all the other Lotus available. That's when I met Tut, racing him on the 1/4 mile with a borrowed car (he thought it was mine )
Loved the S1 160 but loved the looks of a customer's Exige there.
he said that he had an unsold (but pre-registered) one back in Aberdeen.
He made me a great deal and the rest is history.
I grew up with rear wheel drives, and always since my university days I used to fiddle with cars, but they were big american V8's, so not much in the handling dept.
Nevertheless, I somehow modified them well so they could perform fairly well on the twisties (compared to others).
I was working abroad and once when on a trip to Frankfurt, and the Auto show was there.
I had read something about the Lotus Esprit turbo (since Jame's Bond movie) and wante dto try it out. Had some spare money and would ahve bought it then and there, but.... I was too tall! My head was jammed between seat and roof, no way.
And the Lotus guy there told me that realistically, all Lotii were made to the same size, so sorry.
So I orgot about Lotus and years later started racing bikes.
Always had this thing in the back of my head that I wanted a lightweight car, simple, no luxuries. Why the heck were all cars sooo heavy? why all the carpets when I didn't want them?
When I arrived to the UK thought it was time to get myself something light, so thought of building a kit car to take back to Mexico when my couple of years assignment ended here.
Was looking at an Ultima but realistically 2 years wasn't really enough to build one. And the guy that designed the Ultime had also designed the Noble.
I thought og having a look, so went to Village garage (at that time dealers of Noble and Lotus in Aberdeen) and they were organizing an airfield day at Crail.
Went to have a pax ride in the Noble and they let me free to try all the other Lotus available. That's when I met Tut, racing him on the 1/4 mile with a borrowed car (he thought it was mine
)Loved the S1 160 but loved the looks of a customer's Exige there.
he said that he had an unsold (but pre-registered) one back in Aberdeen.
He made me a great deal and the rest is history.
First of all, I had never owned a car. I bought a VW camper van the day I passed my driving license and had it for 6 years. My first car was a vw polo that I had for about 6 months.
I then started working for the family business and was give a merc as a company car, ok it was a sprinter. Drove that for a couple of year then got a vw caddy van.
I got a bonus from work and had some money in the bank I started to look for a car. At the time village garage was the Lotus dealer in Aberdeen. To cut a long story during a test drive the salesman asked me to slow down. WTF Never went back.
Got introduced to Tut via a friend of a friend (Steve Brand) who found me a car on a web site. Did the deal and got the car shipped up to Aberdeen..
5 years on a 3 cars later.
Scotty C
I then started working for the family business and was give a merc as a company car, ok it was a sprinter. Drove that for a couple of year then got a vw caddy van.
I got a bonus from work and had some money in the bank I started to look for a car. At the time village garage was the Lotus dealer in Aberdeen. To cut a long story during a test drive the salesman asked me to slow down. WTF Never went back.
Got introduced to Tut via a friend of a friend (Steve Brand) who found me a car on a web site. Did the deal and got the car shipped up to Aberdeen..
5 years on a 3 cars later.
Scotty C
"Here for a good time not a long time"
Scotty C wrote:
Got introduced to Tut via a friend of a friend (Steve Brand) who found me a car on a web site. Did the deal and got the car shipped up to Aberdeen..
Scotty C
Where is Steve these days? I've not seen or heard from him since the TT 05.
Mac
S2 Elise (cobalt blue with stripes) - toy spec
Caterham 7 - hillclimb spec
Yamaha Thundercat - 2 wheeled toy spec
Caterham 7 - hillclimb spec
Yamaha Thundercat - 2 wheeled toy spec
saw an S1 and loved it, S2 came out loved that more, 111R came out and i knew the yoto engine was for me ..... then came the black ExigeS2 on top gear with the Apache so i started saving all my pennies .... cant see myself wanting any other car. i feel that with lotus cars you get more performance for your money.
When I worked for Parkers we were offered a factory tour and a 111R for a week.
I was the only person available to take it, as everyone else was off on press jollies.
I didn't want to give it back, and I hankered after one for ages, then my bro suggested we halfers on one, and in the end we went for the Exige.
I was the only person available to take it, as everyone else was off on press jollies.
I didn't want to give it back, and I hankered after one for ages, then my bro suggested we halfers on one, and in the end we went for the Exige.
He's still alive and doing well.Where is Steve these days? I've not seen or heard from him since the TT 05.
Mac
He still has the elise. we got it started about a year ago after it had been sitting outside for about 4 months. He then drove it to Ricky's and its still there????
He and a few friends started a IT company about 2 years ago (they look after our IT) Think he works a fair bit?
Scotty C
"Here for a good time not a long time"