Owning a Vauxhall Lotus Carlton

‘My car was up for auction online for £10k,’ says Lotus Carlton owner Paul Rees. ‘It had very rusty sills, rear arches and bottom rear quarter panels, and very tatty paintwork.

‘The Lotus Carlton has always been my dream car. It’s such an awesome, iconic machine and is an absolute dream to drive. The handling is outstanding in dry conditions but it’s a handful in the wet.

‘The bellhousing is prone to fracture if the weak clutchfork release pin snaps – Autobahnstormers supplies a strengthened one. Lotus Carltons also suffer from a hot spot between cylinders five and six that can be catastrophic to the head and gasket, but thankfully this can be overcome by fitting an auxiliary water pump that circulates cooler water after the engine is turned off.

‘I have experienced both bellhousing failure and the head gasket issue, but through the Autobahnstormers club I managed to source the parts. It’s a good idea to join the club if you’re thinking of buying a Lotus Carlton.’