A week ago I was at Sands campsite - Gairloch, North West Scotland - at the same time as Scottish Lotus club. It was a great picture - six lotus’, four old style elises, a new one and an exige - forming a circular windblock around the owners tents.
Anyway I thought I would try and track them down and share some of my photos with them.
I’d imagine the exige owner will post here as the webby was advertised across the front windscreen. It was an L reg blue exige. I spoke to the guys (many of whom had wives and girlfriends) and most were scottish.
That was the Scottish Elises on Campaganza VI, excellent pics by the way… I wasn’t there but would love to see any more that you have.
I think the cars in your top pic are Scott - titanium S1… Tim - Black S2… Kerry - exige (he posts here from time to time)… Graeme - Black S1… Iain - Azure S1… Simon - Azure S2
I’ll cross post to S_E and let them know to contact you… BTW where are you based?
I spoke to everyone in the morning, having taken the pics while they were all at the local the previous evening. I don’t really have time to upload them tonight, I start work early tomorrow - I’ll do what I have tomorrow evening, nothing too special mind.
I reckon they will remember me - I was in a party of 12 from Manchester on a school based trek run every year to Scotland. We were camping just over the path with our trusty diesel transit and trailer acting as a windblock for the teachers (not us ofc - double standards n all ).
I didn’t ask any names at the time, but now I know Kerry had the exige. One guy must be about 6 foot 4 odd, as I was like how the hell do you fit in one. He and another (smaller) implied they had both written something off when they were younger as advice when I said I’d like to have a lotus or a tvr when I was a little older. Good advice really, I’m only 17, been driving for almost a year and I still drive a bit moronically from time to time - definitely couldn’t handle anything more powerful than my current 1.6.
It was quite nice they actually spoke to me, given I just strolled up most likely smelling very badly and looking scruffy having lived out of a tent for the past week.
I have all of the pics uploaded - but do the owners want me to hide the reg numbers before I release them onto a public forum like this?
RoxTeddy - it rained everyday we were there, but they were only passing showers really. Very low pressure meant low cloud cover for much of my trip. It wasn’t great, but it by no means did it ruin the trip - Scotland is too beautiful for that.
Uldis - unlucky! Hopefully there will be a next year.
I have been thinking about the events, the root cause.
And that could have been the time the grille got clogged with leaves, overheating the car.
No HG failure then, but it must have damaged the thermostat (weakened the spring) since sometime later on the way to Oulton it gave up.
Car run too cool, 48 in motorway, 60 at track.
Changed the thermostat and it was ok for a while, but it could have caused some localized heat and aluminum expansion the way it was not meant to be that lead ultimately to HG failure.
Not bad, just started and then since the head was off, decided to let a local mechanic give a go at some clean up porting.
Which he took a very long time to do and after assemby several things started going wrong: leaks everywhere, some strange knocking noises, etc.
Went back to him 3 times and when I realized that the longer he touched it the worse it was going to get, I decided to do it myself.
Sorted out a few things but it eventually started leaking a lot of oil just the day before the trip.
That was it.
By this tima I already had decided that if for any reason I was going to take the head off again, it was going for a good rebuild.
At this time the King K thread was on and it just all made sense.
It’s gone to Simon for a full blueeprinting.
Phew! got that out of my chest!
But don’t worry, if you haven’t experienced serious overheating and no dodgy mechanic has touched your car, you’re likely to be safe!.
From now on, I’m joining the ranks of the DIY mechanics. Only the best!
Hi Alex
I was on that trip, my car is the blue S2 elise.
I never saw you there, must’ve been still trying to wake up when you came over. Can you let me know the link to your photos? You should get my email address if you click on my username.
![http://members.lycos.co.uk/pantheous/lotus/lotus1.jpg[/image]](http://members.lycos.co.uk/pantheous/lotus/lotus1.jpg%5B/image%5D){kind=link}
![http://members.lycos.co.uk/pantheous/lotus/lotus2.jpg[/image]](http://members.lycos.co.uk/pantheous/lotus/lotus2.jpg%5B/image%5D){kind=link}
![http://members.lycos.co.uk/pantheous/lotus/lotus3.jpg[/image]](http://members.lycos.co.uk/pantheous/lotus/lotus3.jpg%5B/image%5D){kind=link}
![http://members.lycos.co.uk/pantheous/lotus/photo.jpg[/image]](http://members.lycos.co.uk/pantheous/lotus/photo.jpg%5B/image%5D){kind=link}