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LOTUSPOINT's Blog

Chassis repair

[attachment=21462:P1030524.JPG][attachment=21463:P1030536.JPG] I pondered a while whether this chassis is worth to be restored or not... I was not sure but I decided to do it! I checked the dimensions, to know if the geometry is still in the normal range. (Al the datas are given in the workshop manual.) [attachment=21464:P1030696.JPG][attachment=21465:P1030705.JPG][attachment=21466:P1030707.JPG] Even tough the lower front section needed some attention. I decided to change a deformed shee
LOTUSPOINT

LOTUSPOINT

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LOTUSPOINT's Blog

Restoring the springs

I'll skip some chapters of dismantling the car. I said the car should become "better than new" I'll show you what I mean. [attachment=21455:P1030721.JPG] Front spring as they were. [attachment=21456:P1030726.JPG][attachment=21457:P1030732.JPG] I got all parts sandblasted by my own. I used a quite coarse aluminum oxide to blast rust and old paintings away. [attachment=21458:P1030787.JPG] After blasting I got them powder coated in RAL 9005 (black with silk gloss). Now they will last
LOTUSPOINT

LOTUSPOINT

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LOTUSPOINT's Blog

Getting the right engine

Because engine and carburetors are totally different in U.S. and in european version, I bought a second engine. The Idea is to strip both engines and then to use the outer parts form the U.S. engine with the internal parts of the european one. Simply for keeping the "matching numbers". [attachment=21448:!B0!je,Q!2k~$(KGrHqF,!ikEw5b4kd5PBMYcde38Fg~~_12.JPG] By my knowledge of today I wouldn't buy this engine again. It came with the wrong gearbox on (4 speed instead of 5) and the Lucas 23D
LOTUSPOINT

LOTUSPOINT

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LOTUSPOINT's Blog

Start dismantling (boot)

It was rather clear, that the car needs to bee totally dismantled. I thought I begin at the rear end... I spent one day dismantling the boot and the rear located fuel installations. [attachment=21444:P1030005.JPG] The S.U. fuel pump. In the US version from 1976 was already a catch tank and a charcoal canister fitted (above pump). I won't reuse these. Then I couldn't find out where the fuel filter between the tank and the pump was gone. I found one alongside of the gearbox, screwed on the cha
LOTUSPOINT

LOTUSPOINT

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LOTUSPOINT's Blog

The plan...

[b][I'm not an native english speaker - if you find any mistakes - PLEASE IGNORE !!!] [/b] I saw a nice LHD Eclat on Ebay-Germany for a bargain, but it was a US re-imported Eclat. Built in 76 No 202E and painted in "ugly-red". The Idea is to get that car back on the road - restored in a REALLY "better than new" condition. And the most ambitious target is, to convert the Eclat fully to european standard. I know already that the costs will overcome its future worth, - but shit happens!
LOTUSPOINT

LOTUSPOINT

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Slewthy's Interior resto

More interior progress

Much of the interior arrived last month from the trimmer. [img]http://i714.photobucket.com/albums/ww142/slewthy/2012-08-16085705.jpg[/img] Very happy with all but the binnacle - not trimmed far enough in. To be fair, he didnt have the instruments or details of how far back it should go although he did have the original to copy. This has been solved by fitting some alcantara I had left over from the sun-visor trim (given to me by Colin Parry - 'Choppa') After rough shaping, the edge was folde
slewthy

slewthy

5
vintaylor's Blog

Cross gate rebuilt

Here's a picture of my cross gate rebuilt. I had the reverse plate and fork zinc plated at the only electro-plater on the island that offers zinc plating. Wished the parts were more yellow, but this is the only option I have in Malta. I'll probably re paint the shaft some time this week [img]http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u267/vintaylor/262386_10151147522914706_1088933955_n.jpg[/img]
vintaylor

vintaylor

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vintaylor's Blog

New alloy header tank fabricated

Went over to my welding buddy over the weekend and had him make me a new header tank. I bought a new alloy tap from ebay and a replacement cap with the right temperature setting from my local parts store for €3.50. The body of the header tank was made out of a large alloy pipe in the same diameter as the old one. Glad to have a new alloy tank made up as the old one sound like a shaker with all the loose rust in it ! Need to finish off polishing the tank and its ready for the chassis [
vintaylor

vintaylor

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vintaylor's Blog

Front upper wishbones refurb

Had my upper wishbones stripped, powdercoated and re-assembled with zinc plated bolts and new poly bushes. Bushes were easy to install, I used the old two washers either side of a bolt and tightened until the inner sleeves sat nicely. [img]http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u267/vintaylor/296886_10151147521334706_235891488_n.jpg[/img] Job Done
vintaylor

vintaylor

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vintaylor's Blog

907 Cam Covers Refurb

A few months back, I decided to strip my cam covers and get them powder coated. Here are a couple of pics : [img]http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u267/vintaylor/299867_10150356344064706_718899999_n.jpg[/img] [img]http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u267/vintaylor/407766_10150523480389706_1893173091_n.jpg[/img]
vintaylor

vintaylor

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vintaylor's Blog

Introduction

Hi Guys, After 3 years of being on this forum I've finally got round to starting my own restoration blog! I bought my esprit s2 about 3 years ago whilst I was studying in the UK. I guess I fell in love with the esprit due to the sheer 70's low, wide look of it. I had the esprit transported back home to Malta, where it is now undergoing a full restoration. I intend to bring the car back to its original state and painted in its original lemon yellow colour. Here are a few pics of t
vintaylor

vintaylor

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Ozlotus1976's Blog

From: Rotary Elite

[attachment=20777:IMG_0233.JPG]As I am making slow progress on my build, the consideration of engines has come up. I've moved away from a V8, just being too heavy for the chassis and too much torque for the drivetrain components. My next consideration was to put in a rotary, specifically a 13b turbo2. Then I found this: [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQl_JvKTWyY&feature=player_profilepage[/media] Do you happen to be on this forum? If not, does anyone know this person / car?
Ozlotus1976

Ozlotus1976

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PBZ.se

Stealth Lotus Esprit S4 PBZ.se Edition

[color=#000000][font=Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif][size=3][url="http://pbz.se/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/bild-2.jpg"][img]http://pbz.se/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/bild-2.jpg[/img][/url][/size][/font][/color] [color=#000000][font=Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif][size=3]Not so long ago, we were approached by a gentleman who is really picky with his cars. He had with him a Lotus Esprit S4 V8 Twin Turbo that he had had some trouble wi
PBZ.se

PBZ.se

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E 906 return to the road

Painting leather

Well, I had a go with the Glyptone stuff and whilst I have no reason to doubt it's better than the current Furniture Clinic approach (G= one coat, FC = colour and top coat)) it doesn't set very firm nor does it adhere very well. i think it's going to have rubbed off very soon. For the green Excel (long since gone to Mike's) I had planned to re-colour the leather to a lighter colour than it was. That never happened (car went) but I had purchased the FC solvent based (cellulose) paint and still
andydclements

andydclements

2
Slewthy's Interior resto

Finally happy with my car mat

Well, second attempt to make my own car mat is here. This is the passenger side and will do the driver side next. The two little carpet parts at the end on the foot wells are trick due to their size and sharp bends but they are not seen easily so I'll see how I go. [IMG]http://i714.photobucket.com/albums/ww142/slewthy/2012-06-11194215.jpg[/IMG]
slewthy

slewthy

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E 906 return to the road

Stomach feeling delicate

Oh well, I forgot I'd not checked / set the tyre pressures after I had the tyres fitted. On the road it didn't feel as sure footed as the other Excel and when home, sure enough, 30-32 PSI in the tyres. Now the stomach bit. I had a coffee and biscuits before setting out, on the ride they were threatening to leave me again. My Turbo Esprit had softer suspension when it was on the wrong springs and so sitting at full extension. I think from that I need to adjust the fronts to be a little softer
andydclements

andydclements

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E 906 return to the road

Other spat

The second rear spat is not on the car, all four wheel arches have been re-finished in black under body sealant (Shutz type) so it has nice firm edges between the gold of the body and black of the wheel arch areas. The NS windscreen finisher is now back on, I've adjusted its shape by partially filling the void between the two skins with GRP and clamping it while it cured. It's now re-fitted. I think, other than a few areas of paint that need cutting, it's now done on the outside. I still n
andydclements

andydclements

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E 906 return to the road

Headlight in, out, in, no out again, no in..

I have had the front and rear bumpers sprayed along with the spats, bumpers and one spat fitted (need to move car to fit other) and I now got round to checking the lights work. All going well, little bit of twisting of lamps (bulbs go in the ground to grow into flowers) and the oxidation on the contacts cleared enough for the lamps to illuminate. Got to the front and the front fog lights are not working, take headlights off again, check connections, all seems OK, refit headlight. Still no light
andydclements

andydclements

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E 906 return to the road

General things

Things have been a bit hectic of late so progress has slowed. Anyway, since last entry: Front bumper has been taken off, damage repaired, flatted, primed with u-pol aerosol primer, existing paint reacted with primer, re flatted with more paint removed, reacted with another layer. Ah, give up on this. Bumperettes have been repaired (one of the securing bolts had sheared off) and painted with bumper paint. B pillar trims have been painted with same bumper paint, found acetone dissolves the vac
andydclements

andydclements

0
E 906 return to the road

Ignition etc

Last time I was working on the car all seemed sort of OK and it was starting except, one final time and when I pulled the lugs I found the spark was awful, even straight out of the coil. With some help (remotely) from Matt I've reviewed, cleaned replaced bits and now the spark at the plugs seems better. Today, the car started almost as soon as the starter moved. Hopefully that's the last pulling the dissy etc for a while. I hope this also solves the problem of difficulty getting HC and CO pa
andydclements

andydclements

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