1991 'Galileo' (Lotus Carlton) - 2006 to 2019

Oh and while I am at it I got the custom ign leads from Anthony Fitchett who makes hand built Ignition leads to order

Mr-Retro-Leads-Plugs

email is afitchettAThotmailDOTcom (remove the AT replace with @ and DOT replace with .

Superb job with proper resistor caps and 8mm red leads so they actually fit under the cover unlike the previous 10mm leads that replaced the OE one that were breaking down with age a few years back.

Really impressed with service he provided

Yeah great place site three coil packs esp when they are bolted to a bloody great aluminium heats sink - and then hide one of the fixings behind a steel water pipe that is also bolted to the block

I'm going to see how the replacement coil pack (it's not an original part) gets on for a few months and then purchase 3 more (two to fit and one to keep as a spare) The originals have lasted over 25 years..........

Still Trying to kill the tyres so I can fit new ones so booked in for an evening track day at Snetterton run by MSV - two and a half hours track time for £65 - accompanied by gewy and his wife Gillian who were in the MX5 replacement Elsie

However the track time was a bit sporadic - I think MSV need to stiffen up the rules a little for drivers who cause red flagged sessions by driving way outside their ability or their cars capability - I think there were 5 session stoppages in total which really broke up the available session time and the last one involved 2 or 3 cars trying for the same section of tarmac.

I did a total of 52 track miles so approx 17 laps in total and the longest time out on track was 5 laps - it was very busy and I know in the corners the Carlton is a bit of a rolling road block but once I found some space I could at least have some fun on the straights

I got home with half a tank left and filled up again with a total of 75 miles since fill up and 35 L to put it back to full again that's an average of 9.4 mpg - Reminds me why I don't track this car under normal circumstances......

Oh and on super unleaded I can do a whole lap of Snet in 6th under red flag conditions

Anyway enough of my waffle - lets have some pictures of the mobile roadblock

Thank you - the "funny" for the evening was chatting to a guy with a very modern Subaru Impreza - he said I was just behind you on the approach to the Bentley straight ready to overtake and then you disappeared into the distance - how much horsepower has that thing got cos I've got 400!!!

I said 403 and he seemed happy...... However I don't think he has 400

I got completely smoked by a track prepared Golf GTD out of one corner and couldn't catch it on the straight - had to wait for the fog bank to clear first is my excuse

I did have a chat with someone in the pits who asked if I was mad taking a car of that value out on track - I said I've owned it 18 years it's worth what I paid for it in my head - zero depreciation over 18 years can't be bad

It badly needs some paint (the pictures flatter it) but I refuse to get it re-painted cos then I'll get all precious about it, cry every time I get a stone chip and I wouldn't dare to abuse it on track so as long as it stays scruffy I'll keep enjoying it. If Painted I'll then be just like nearly all the other Lotus Carlton Owners...... That's just not me!!!

It's running absolutely superb right now (well except the turbo smoke but I have a plan for that this winter)

I have a well known love / hate relationship with the LC - when it's good it's very very good and loads of fun - when it's bad it's quite challenging for me to keep it - luckily they don't sell very well when broken



Yep Monza (or what's left of it) pips the LC for longest time owned although both are beaten by a motorcycle

I need to put the LC away for the winter soon and get back to building the Mongrel so that I can get it to the Weekender - gonna be a long winter in the garage I reckon

Seems a shame to use one just for that



I know but the tyres wouldn't last a full track day - in fact I thought they wouldn't last an evening session - it seems I was wrong!!!

Great to see this being used properly.

Back in the day I used to regularly get blasted by one of these in hyperspace on the way to work: it was Paul Morgan one of the cofounders of Ilmor on the school run. Local gossip had it that it wasn’t running in factory spec either!