Me Van

[Hooli]

I recall a review of the real Lotus Elans that said on a 3rd gear overtake at night you had two choices - complete it blind as the lights dropped into the bonnet, or lift to keep the lights up & hope you didn't run out of road.

[mercrocker]

Or just floor it because they were probably stuck in the "up" position anyway....

[Hooli]

Well the road test was on a new one, so they had a chance of working.

[fried onions]

Manufacturers tried to alleviate 'drop off' by fitting vacuum storage tanks, but they were never a complete solution. It made sense to tap into a reserve of otherwise wasted engine power in the days when demands on the battery could be great.

Oddly, all of my Allegro's have had indicators which slow down to a constant amber when I have the rear demister, lights and wiper on, despite fitting the 17 ACR alternator. I put it down to the flasher cans; the earlier FL5 never varied in flash rate whatever the load on the battery.

[AMCrebel]

My Maxi was like that - I found a fancy flasher unit in a scrappy from am old Audi that worked a treat.

[fried onions]

Fitting parts from a German car is a step too far for me. Plus I enjoy these characteristics of old cars in this standardised uniform world.

[Hooli]

Manufacturers tried to alleviate 'drop off' by fitting vacuum storage tanks, but they were never a complete solution. It made sense to tap into a reserve of otherwise wasted engine power in the days when demands on the battery could be great.

Oddly, all of my Allegro's have had indicators which slow down to a constant amber when I have the rear demister, lights and wiper on, despite fitting the 17 ACR alternator. I put it down to the flasher cans; the earlier FL5 never varied in flash rate whatever the load on the battery.

I believe Lotus used the front chassis cross member as a vacuum tank.

My old MG did similar with the indicators, they never quite stopped but then it didn't have a demister.

[mercrocker]

Of course a Lotus headlamp in the "up" position is in any case no guarantee of actual illumination....

[AMCrebel]

Fitting parts from a German car is a step too far for me. Plus I enjoy these characteristics of old cars in this standardised uniform world.

This was in my misspent youth - but a dim memory now. It was my only car at the time.

[mercrocker]

I confess to having had a Bosch coil on my Farina. It was the only brand that withstood the crazy position and angle that BMC provided.