Merry Christmas

Late, I know, but Season's Greetings and all that jazz.I was fortunate enough to receive (at long last) a shiny new multimeter from Santa Claus et al this Christmas. I'm in Southwell, Nottinghamshire and the Lotus is tucked up in Epping, but I now cannot wait to return home and begin measuring anything...

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Broken Brakes

My brake light switch stopped working the other day. I tried to purchase a new one from Halfords, whose catalogue assured me they had a brake light switch for a 1974 Lotus Elan, so I ordered it in for collection two days later. Was it correct? Was it hell is like! It was the brake light switch for a...

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Under The Hammer

I have decided to sell the Lotus.*Stunned silence*Seriously, life is too short and there are too many cars I want to experience. The Lotus is for sale and I am sourcing a Porsche 911 S. I'm really looking forward to sampling something completely different. I believe, ultimately, I will return to the...

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Citroen's Future Car Comes Of Age

For some time now I've been fascinated by the Citroen DS. Clarkson once remarked what a shame it is Citroen no longer make their trademark "crazy big cars" and I'm inclined to agree.My boss in my first full time job after uni, an architect called Mark, was a DS nut. He didn't have one any more, preferring...

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The new, new Fiat 500

So it has been launched. What started off as an industry rumour has ended up a finished product. According to Fiat CEO, Sergio Marchionne, "the new Fiat 500 will be the iPod of cars". I hope so. These relaunches of classic models have been a mixed affair. The new Mini is a fantastic little car, but...

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Famous Fiat

Well, the Classic Car Agency has paid off. Both cars are listed, but somehow I knew it would be the Fiat, not the Lotus, that got booked. They're just such cute little cars.And not only was it booked, it was double booked. A fashion shoot in Manchester wanted it on the same day, but a publicity shoot...

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Servicing Shock

The Lotus, in spite of spending most of the last twelve months laid up in one workshop or another, has not seen a true specialist in a while. For this reason, I decided to take it to a Lotus specialist nearby (known to the Club) for its long-overdue "full service".I am still shaking from the bill. Over...

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Company Car Drivers: Show Some Respect

We have the Fiat back! Actually, we've had it back for a couple of weeks now, but I've been too busy to write anything.The car is (nearly) as it was. We've used it a few times for shopping trips and mechanically it's perfect, however, I must report the after-market body pressings currently being produced for the Fiat 500 in central and eastern Europe are not of the same quality as the original Fiat...

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Taxing Problems

Well, what a stir good old Mr Blair has caused with all this "price by the mile" nonsense. It doesn't really affect me as a "classic motorist", as my mileage is comparitively miniscule anyway.However, quite apart from the various good arguments against such a scheme (and also glossing over the rather lame response, supposedly from the PM, which was appropriately and immediately marked as Junk by Hotmail)...

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Spring Forward

Well, I got the Lotus back on the road all by myself! I had a look at the throttle problem a couple of weeks ago, and on closer inspection I noticed three things:1. What I thought was the throttle cable was actually the choke cable (how embarassing!)2. The throttle cable is, in fact, nearly new.3. The...

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Happy New Year!

Sorry this message is somewhat belated. I've changed jobs and been crazy busy! I still am, actually, but decided I really must post something in my blog. Especially since I now work in "Web 2.0 marketing", a decent junk of which is blog management! Very poor form to leave my own covered in dust and cobwebs.Anyway, things are looking brighter at this end of the Christmas period. I have the Lotus back...

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