Which Toolbox Is This?

[Dom]

Evening, All.

This toolbox came with my 1991 SE and I wondered is it standard, age appropriate etc.?

Many thanks,

Dom

IMG_1348.jpg

[Rambo]

Unfortunately Dom your toolbox is definitely non standard with respect to the SE or S2

Have a look at this thread and you will see what it should look like

viewtopic.php?f=11&t=24952&p=314818&hilit=Toolbox#p314818

They can go for a fortune on EBAY, typically £100 and upwards. More if it includes the Lotus penknife

[Dom]

Ok. Thanks for that. It fits in the space in the boot to the left of the spare tyre perfectly. I wonder where it came from.

[esprit888]

Looks identical to my Esprit tool box!

[Dom]

Looks identical to my Esprit tool box!

I thought it was a Lotus item.... At least it's by the right company! Are these worth the silly money the Elan ones are? I could sell it and buy the "correct" kit for my car, presuming one ever became available.

[baldyash]

Same as my old '89 Excel

[Rambo]

Looks identical to my Esprit tool box!

I thought it was a Lotus item.... At least it's by the right company! Are these worth the silly money the Elan ones are? I could sell it and buy the "correct" kit for my car, presuming one ever became available.

Personally I wouldn't bother unless you're a purist and want to return everything to OEM

The box looks about the same size as the M100 one so does it really matter if its and Esprit or Excel variant ?? It looks like its got more spanners anyway so might be more use The majority of M100 ones never see the light of day and have hardly turned a nut in 25 year,s having spent all their lives in a dark recess next to the spare wheel

[lotusflasherman]

I thought it was a Lotus item.... At least it's by the right company! Are these worth the silly money the Elan ones are? I could sell it and buy the "correct" kit for my car, presuming one ever became available.

I wouldn't bother either... Photo of yours is a bit small but it's a Lotus box that fits and looks like you've got a better selection of open ended spanners - M100 just has one 10 & 8 mm. What I can't see in yours is about the only thing I've ever used out of mine - the hex key. It's useful for tightening the hood frame setscrews and those that hold the headlamp pods to the body. (It's the size that usually comes free with flat pack furniture so I've got a load). It's not the right size for the grubscrew that holds the mirror onto the block stuck to the windscreen, which on mine comes unstuck occasionally, so I carry a set of ball ended hex keys and a tube of superglue. (Ball ended are better for the headlamp pods anyway.)

M100 had two different variations of toolbox, just tell people it's actually three and you've got the rarest ..

[John_W]

I've only used my tool kit once - last year in France when I needed a screwdriver to undo the turbo pipe to the plenum to allow me access to the gear cables to install a tie-wrap as a temporary fix when I lost an E-clip from the fore-aft cable.

The most important thing about the Allen key is that it allows you to remove the spark plug cover and use the plug spanner that's also in the tool kit. The Esprit doesn't have a cover over the plugs, so doesn't need anything to remove one.

John

[Dom]

Thanks, All. I did actually use the kit this evening to remove the perspex cover over the rear number plate in order to renew the number plate itself and give everything a good clean. As the kit was in the boot anyway, it was handy! I must admit, thee is a part of me that would like an M100 toolkit, but this one fits the bill at the moment.

[rip]

M100 had two different variations of toolbox, just tell people it's actually three and you've got the rarest ..

If you re convincing enough, they'll believe it too.

[tigerdog]

M100 had two different variations of toolbox, just tell people it's actually three and you've got the rarest ..

If you re convincing enough, they'll believe it too.

Since it's a recognized Lotus item, knowing Lotus, there probably are three variations. Something along the lines of "I know it's end of the month on a Friday but we can't ship this, there's no tool kit." (supervisor grabs nearest toolkit) "There! Now there's a kit. Roll it out of here. I'm off to the pub."

[Giniw]