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Hi bibs, the Esprit has finally gone home, I’ve done a deal with Andy and Jamie at Bell and Colvill and have an Evora s coming my way to take the place of the Esprit, they are going to restore her to her former glory, really excited to see her “back in black” and looking as stunning as she did 43 years ago! are you running the lotus festival this year?

Hi there, no I haven't sold my Esprit, I'm still undecided as I cant decide what I would replace it with, I've owned it for 12 years and I still love driving and owning an Esprit, especially when it's the only one left in turbo form, I'm off to Goodwood this weekend in it so I'll take some pictures of the engine bay and post them

she spends the winters surrounded by Italian beauty then we get reacquainted in spring, if I'm still the custodian then that sounds a great idea, I've always planned to bring her to TLF but Ive got 2 young petrolheads so it's s bit difficult

Must admit I havent driven any other lotus, but it would be interesting to see the difference between the factory car, the books and reports from the time always say that the Bell and Colvill turbo car was more brutal with the delivery of power, she does fly when you get the turbo singing!,

The yellow speedlines didn't last a day! It also came with a hideous private numberplate, it took nearly 2 years to trace and prove the original 1978 plate which shows it was bell and colvill's press car

It's a lot of fun, you've definitley got to drive it like you mean it! It doesn't like to be pussy footed around

Hi Bibs great to meet you a few weeks ago, you've got me thinking, I never thought I would say this but yes everything is for sale at a price!, it would be good to meet wih the chairman at Bell and Colvill sometime to have a chat and just to see what's on the table, I'll try and make the next meeting for a beer cheers Gareth

I've just realised I'm guessing your the chap who organises the Lotus Festival at Brands, fantastic weekend by the way, I was planning on bringing the Esprit down but having 2 young boys and they both love Brands I couldn't obviously get them both in the Esprit! Next year though definitely

I'm near Tunbrdge wells in Kent, I've owned it for 11 years now and it's cost a small fortune to keep running as original with the turbo setup, I haven't seen or heard of another surviving so it very rare as you guys know, sorry Bibs I won't be selling it, even with the amount of pain and torture it puts me through I still love it!, Funny enough I've never really taken any photos but I will over the weekend as it's the annual pilgrimage to the Goodwood Revival so I'll get some there, let me know your emails so I can send some over, cheers guys Gareth

Hi there yes I still have mine, Do you need information or anything in particular Regards Gareth

A bit more information regarding my Esprit. I had to contact Mathwall engineering last week as the rubber mounting for the Su carb has finally perished, I received a phone call from the main man himself today Mr Mathieson,he informed me my car was one of the first to be converted, as future turbos conversions had delorto carbs, the su is a 2 inch model used in the seventys mostly by Jaguar and he's going to look through his spares archive to see if he can help me with the rubber mount, so fingers crossed!, very interesting chatting to mr Mathison and great to find the company's still going strong

The original factory colour was black, I think it was changed in the early ninetys to the lotus racing green, ive changed the wheels to silver, the original press artical was in car and car conversions August 1978 under the title 'love in the fast lane' I've had the engine totally rebuilt so it's mechanically sorted, interior is still original and only 55,000 miles with all old m.o.t's and history. As I've said before would love to fined any other existing ones if there's any left. My car also featured the reg 600 lot from bell and colvill back in the seventys

Hi there I'm the owner of the s2 turbo sold on eBay back in 2006, I've managed to get the original reg back on the car as it was used as a press car, it's cost a fortune to keep going but it's still in its original state with turbo all there! I know it's very rare and am looking for any of the other owners out there still running the turbos if there's any left on the road