Colin Chapman's recipe for sports cars has always been straight forward: small, lightweight, and fast!
Hibernating Since 1987:
1978 Lotus Eclat
Series 1 -- 5-Speed
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The Lotus Éclat follows this formula truthfully. Based on the Lotus Elite but with a fastback styling, it features a spine steel chassic onto which a fiberglass body is bolted.
This particular Elite has been a Calfornia car from new. After 9 years of casual use, it was parked in the owner's garage where it would remain for the next 36 years!
Its data plates tell us that VIN *78/020351E* is a Series 1 car, manufactured in February of 1978, and factory equipped with the 2.0-liter Type 907 engine and 5-speed manual transmission.
The car still carries its original California blue-and-yellow license plates. The 1987 sticker confirms the last time the car was registered. It's currently registered as Non-Op status with the California DMV.
Éclat's body is an acquired taste. It shows resemblence to the Lamborghini Espada, but what it really emphasizes is the wedge shape that dominated the 1970s.
Body and paint are in excellent condition, with no glaring flaws to report.
Lotus' 14x6" factory alloys carry the ancient radial tires that show signs of cracking. Amazingly, they all still hold air!
Headlights are spring loaded and work.
Opening the lightweight hood, we are greeted with a flawless hood pad.
Power comes from Lotus' 2.0-liter aluminium block Type 907, DOHC 16-valve engine, delivering 155hp to the rear wheels.
The engine turns freely and has compression. However, the smog pump is frozen, and since the timing belt has to pass it, we did not attempt to start the engine. Hence, the first thing on the to-do list is to attend to the smog pump.
Éclat's black finish looks like it's factory, but since we can't measure paint on fiberglass, we canot confirm this definitely.
Let's look inside now.
Both doors are tight, and open and close perfectly without any play in the hinges or elsewhere.
Factory cloth headliner and sun visors are in perfect condition, without any stains or any sagging.
Dash top is 100% crack free.
Lotus' cockpit is very inviting and surprisingly spaceous.
All of the wood veneer is flawless.
We have no doubt that the mileage of 17,148 shown on the odometer is the original mileage of this car.
Front seats show an amazing state of preservation, given that they are close to 46 years old!
Flawless seat backs as well.
Unique rearseats allow 2 adults to sit in the back in a rather reclining position.
Major flaw on this car are both bumpers, which are made of a foam-like material and show heat damage.
Spacious trunk space for a 2+2 fastback sports car.
Supension cover, factory jack, tool roll and tools.
All of the partician wood is flawless. Factory spare looks new. Fiberglass spare compartment is 100% crack free.
Clean undercarriage tells the story of a low mileage car that has lived most of its life in a climate-controlled garage. There is no rust on the spine chassis and there are no cracks in the body either. None!
The brakes work.
It is estimated that during all of its production years and in all of the variants, less than 1,500 Lotus Éclats were built, making these cars very desirable exotics, worthy of preservation and a sure fire rolling investment. Have you EVER seen one on the road?
Opportunity knocks; are you ready to answer?
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You are most welcome to inspect this fine automobile at our location in Ventura, by appointment, or have someone
inspect it for you.
Please, direct all inquiries to info@californiaclassix.com
or call us at (805)792-9797.