Alloy vs Steel uprights on S1

[mikeyb13]

a restored S1 135 sport is going to be worth 15k now - more than a honda conversion, and the gap will just keep on growing, inside a cotton wool wrap or - on track being enjoyed for what it was intended to be...

Its obvious from your posts that you know your stuff when it comes to the mechanical side but I'd stay out of the car trading business if I where you. Tambo bought a lovely 135 for 8k last week still a long long way off 15k.
Also if you think car collectors are going to regard a K-series tuned to 200+ bhp as a standard concourse collectors car then I have to say you are wrong no matter how reliable you claim it is.
No tuned car is regarded as standard no matter how imaginatively it was done.

It wouldnt be as annoying if you could actually prove your claims, but all anyones seen so far is internet words. If you can build an engine, put it in a car, dyno it, put it up against a Honda then run it for 200k (Tuts) on track and road with only standard servicing I'd buy one.
Then you can come on forums and tell us all how amazing it is

[Dominic]

a restored S1 135 sport is going to be worth 15k now - more than a honda conversion, and the gap will just keep on growing, inside a cotton wool wrap or - on track being enjoyed for what it was intended to be...

Its obvious from your posts that you know your stuff when it comes to the mechanical side but I'd stay out of the car trading business if I where you. Tambo bought a lovely 135 for 8k last week still a long long way off 15k.

I preferred KingK's valuation of a 135

[mikeyb13]

Thought you might Dom. Want to swap it for mine

[Dominic]

Thought you might Dom. Want to swap it for mine

Well......

[woody]

a restored S1 135 sport is going to be worth 15k now - more than a honda conversion, and the gap will just keep on growing, inside a cotton wool wrap or - on track being enjoyed for what it was intended to be...

Its obvious from your posts that you know your stuff when it comes to the mechanical side but I'd stay out of the car trading business if I where you. Tambo bought a lovely 135 for 8k last week still a long long way off 15k.

I preferred KingK's valuation of a 135

Yeah, if a 90k+ sport 135 is worth £15k, then you were still several £K off the mark with the 160.

[campbell]

When did the factory change from fitment of alloy to steel?

October '99.

tut

Ok so still alloy on my 1-owner 100k miles 14 yr old mostly original example then

[tut]

Almost certainly.

Whoever changed your last wheel bearing would know, plus they are completely different shapes.

Ali hub

http://www.deroure.com/diagrams.asp?TBL ... 0&ST=&SC=0

Steel hub.

http://www.deroure.com/diagrams.asp?TBL ... 0&ST=&SC=0

tut

[tut]

Could kick myself for not stocking up on suspension parts, mirrors, etc when Lotus had their S1 sales on and parts were going for peanuts.

Hind sight is a wonderful thing........

tut

[mwmackenzie]

When did the factory change from fitment of alloy to steel?

October '99.

tut

Yeah but what date Tut?

[tut]

It was in two stages, the 17th and 24th.

tut

[robin]

If you have a car on the cusp of the change over and you want to know whether or not your car was built with the alloy uprights you need to look at the service manual - it has the VIN number of the change over plus the exceptions.

Cheers,
Robin

[tut]

......or if in doubt just look at the shape.

tut

[robin]

That'll tell you what you now have fitted, but not whether your car was built with them

[tut]

Correct of course.......

tut

[KingK_series]

a restored S1 135 sport is going to be worth 15k now - more than a honda conversion, and the gap will just keep on growing, inside a cotton wool wrap or - on track being enjoyed for what it was intended to be...

Its obvious from your posts that you know your stuff when it comes to the mechanical side but I'd stay out of the car trading business if I where you. Tambo bought a lovely 135 for 8k last week still a long long way off 15k.
Also if you think car collectors are going to regard a K-series tuned to 200+ bhp as a standard concourse collectors car then I have to say you are wrong no matter how reliable you claim it is.
No tuned car is regarded as standard no matter how imaginatively it was done.

It wouldnt be as annoying if you could actually prove your claims, but all anyones seen so far is internet words. If you can build an engine, put it in a car, dyno it, put it up against a Honda then run it for 200k (Tuts) on track and road with only standard servicing I'd buy one.
Then you can come on forums and tell us all how amazing it is

Really?

and was Tambo's car, is Tambos car an original one out of 50 135 sport? as opposed to a standard S1 with the Lotus supplied 135 upgrade?

IF it is hes done really well

- if you have kept an eye on PistonHeads you will notice that genuine 1/50 135s selling for big money, 15k for a good low mileage one

just as genuine 160s get 15/16k and 190sports have got 24k recently, but only because they are genuine.

Chris Pearson who specialises in clean Lotus S1's, is clear that genuine cars are going up up up provided they have an engine with the original no on it.

hondas are just going down, and I have spoken to dealers in the last few days who anticipate that process to go on.