Got my new Lido today!

Well what a great day for getting the car! It's a 78 Lido with 45k genuine miles and lots of history, I bought it unseen and had it delivered at lunch time. I am more than happy with the car it's in great condition, a couple of scabs of rust one on the bonnet and one on the drivers door other than that the paint is lovely, it drives fine and the front and rear boots the floor pans and the underneath are spot on it truly seems to be rot free. 2 years ago and hardly any miles it had an engine rebuild with new pistons big end bearings polished crank and head new clutch at Blackpool Road and Rally who are only a few miles from me and I know them well!

It has had new lenses all round rechromed bumpers and some restored wheels but the interior lets the car down as the seats are poor and the carpets and door trims have seen better days. I will take it apart this week and get the seats door panels etc recovered in cream leather with black piping and new carpets etc. I had budgeted for a full respray but it does not need one so that's a big bonus. I paid £2500 for the car which seemed a fair bit too cheap for a good Lido so I was expecting the worst but far from it...... has been a good day all round am made up!

Welcome to the very exclusive Lido club Kevin.. Looks like you got a very good deal there

Looking good.

The Lido is the nicest looking X19 ever made in most people's opinion.... But it all goes horrible wrong when you open the door and look inside at the ghastly interior that was designed when LSD was fashionable in the 70s.

Don't know about you Kevin?- But I'm not putting a "brown dash" back in my car

The interior is all part of the period charm Charlie, Lidos need to be kept standard if you want them to be worth big money, take away the seats and the dash, lose the number on the wing and chrome bumpers and its just another x1/9.

Agreed Mark - Nice purchase Kevin - alot of car for the money there. That car was discussed by a few of us on here. We were not sure if it was on 1500 suspension as it looked a little tall? Great buy though. Whereabouts are you located? That must be one of the cleanest looking Lido Interiors I've seen......

I live nr Blackpool, I will get the couple of rust spots sorted and a total new interior in leather, also where can I get original door seals? The steering wheel is too small and hides the gauges what wheels have others put on I would think mine is 13" and I need a 15".

I know a man with the original steering wheel for the car so if you are swapping it I will buy that one, I need the small wheel as I am a bit big. Let me know

Michael

Michael

Mine is an abarth wheel that's like new so I would want decent money for it and I want to keep the boss and the fiat horn push I would think a momo 15" wheel should fit straight on this boss?

It won't matter the wheel is nothing without the correct boss ( you might find that the spacing is different to a momo boss as the GF is different but I might be wrong )

Michael

Mark Perry wrote: The interior is all part of the period charm Charlie, Lidos need to be kept standard if you want them to be worth big money, take away the seats and the dash, lose the number on the wing and chrome bumpers and its just another x1/9.

I agree Mark. Standard is best and worth more cash in most cases.. But some cars need to be improved to live in the modern world and be usable.
Each to their own and all that?, but I tried to live with a standard Lido and it just wasn't working for me or the wife.

Here's one for all you purists. The attached pic is Beauty and the Beast. One was usable and fun, the other not so

Keep the interior Kevin! The white Alcantara was unique to the Lido and as mentioned I've not seen one as clean as yours.............

Nice looking car! Im sure I recognise the reg number, I think it was in a magazine like practical classics or something, I will look through my book of reprinted mag articles to see if I can find it.
And trust me, if you want it to hold its value and appreciate, keep it standard! Don't muck about with the interior, buy seat covers to stop the seats getting any dirtier and swap out those ugly USA spec side marker reflectors/lights for the correct items....

Les got rid of his crap interior and it didn't devalue his car. I have no doubt it added value

True Charlie but Les's interior cost more than 100% of most owners cars total value on this site (but wow what a set of seats, the leather was better than Rolls Royce quality)
You get what you pay for