v8vantage

Thanks Mike, any help updating the database most appreciated. Photos of the "unicorn" even better. You can PM me the details if you like.

Interesting story Mike, but they built another 40 cars for various parts of the world after #092. My build records show it as being built in April 1979 and registered in August, they continued building Commemorative Edition cars until July. I know in the USA one buyer requested the "World Champion" sticker be removed before delivery. It may have happened to your mates car. Do you have any photos of it, this is the only one I have registration FJF626V, is that correct?

No need to remove the outer sill cover completely. I had to repair my handbrake mount on my S2 JPS so opened up the front of the sill to remove it and weld up. The cover can be prised back once the rivets are removed, then slowly peel it open with a flat blade until you have enough access. Once repaired, reseal the sill and rivet back in place.

There's always a way Fab, sometimes it takes a bit longer to find. You found the skis and they are on the way to you....just goes to prove it!

Faro are based a few hours away from Deezer. http://www.faro.com/en-us/about-faro/contact/general-contact If you contact them and explain what you are doing and also contact Deezer I think they would help. Offer Deezer a copy of the files in case they ever have damage and have to replicate them. I'm sure there is a way to get it sorted.

If you really want to get it perfect have the local Faro rep in Florida scan the Dezer collection car's ski racks into the computer. It will be easy to replicate them then.

Just looking at all the pictures it would be pretty straightforward to model it all in Solidworks then 3d print the parts for a trial fit on the car before making the final pieces. You could then take a mold off the assembled components and make it all in fiberglass to match.

I think you mean Graham Capel's old car, number 33 www.jpsesprit.com

The engineer who worked on the protos and also the Bond cars lives in the USA now.

ESP Motorcars in Salisbury, NC, not just Lotus they love. https://www.facebook.com/138389262885167/photos/pcb.909385685785517/909385535785532/?type=3

More on 003 in Hong Kong " I have been reading the advice being given to you about buying an Espritand references made to the Essex. The advice about not buying a 20 year oldcar (the Essex) is probably understandable, but in defense of the EssexTurbo Esprit you might like to know.....I have Essex number 003. Purchased in 1985 with 38,000 miles on the clock Itook the clock to 103,000 miles before leaving the UK to work in Hong Kong.With daily use (abuse and misuse)taking me all over the UK in my capacityas lighting designer, within its 103,000 miles, 003 only ever left mestranded twice: Once with a blown hose on the M5 and once when the gearlevel broke off at the base (literally came off in my hand!). Servicingwas often late because I couldn't afford to be without the car too oftenand the car worked hard. Despite this, reliable? - absolutly yes.After being in Hong Kong for 4 years I could stand being without the Essexno longer and decided to have a total restoration carried out (body off,chasis stripped & rebuilt, repaint, redecal, retrim etc). Quotes to rebuildthe engine by Lotus specialists were around 6,000 pounds, so when DerekDean offered me a brand new HC unit with all new ancillaries includingturbo for 3,000 pounds the temptation was too much. So 003 now has an HCengine with its original carefully crated to be sold with the car (for thepurist) should I ever sell it.My (virtually new) Essex 003 is now with me in the heat and humidity ofHong Kong, used every day and is able to enjoy more regular servicing. Sodon't write the Essex off completely - it's unique and a stunner, but afteraround 20 years since birth - caution is needed and consider only aprofessionaly restored example.....if you can find one (I haven't seen oneadvertised for ages). You will may know from an article in the currentissue of Club Lotus magazine that only 26 units of genuine Essex TurboEsprits left the factory. Although there is a number 100 registered to theson of Mrs. Thatcher (Mark) it is, in fact, number 26 labelled as 100 andthe last unit." Another dry sump in the USA. "I just acquired my Lotus. It hasn't run in 4 years but was running fine prior to sitting. I realize I need to go through everything and replace a lot of stuff as I go. I thought I'd start at the front and go through the brakes, suspension,fans,lights,etc. and then do the same to the rear. For economic reasons I thought I'd do the fuel system and drive train last.It's # 54 of the turbos(SCC082910AHD10954) I would appreciate any suggestions. PS Not sure if it's an Essex, has everything except Essex decals- looks identical to cover car on Osprey's Lotus Esprit book.

Top of the rear seats were faded very badly, the sun is strong here in the western USA. The door panels were cracked, the filler was braking down and also faded along the top edge from sun. The front seats were terrible, hard as concrete and poor colour matching. Took a lot of stripping and sanding to get them back to the original leather. Lots of layers of Gliptone sprayed on to recolour. I did them in summer when the leather was nice and warm so it absorbed the dye and the water evaporated quickly. Lovely and supple now. Will see if I can find some photos.

I used Gliptone to the restore the leather in a number of my Astons. Preparation was the key, thinners were great for getting the leather back to original so they could be dyed with a water based dye like Gliptone. Some numpty had reconnolised them and sprayed and filled the leather. I dismantled all the pieces, cleaned them properly, removed all the crap and then sprayed them. The results were fantastic, colour filled in on all of the faded areas on top of the panels where sun gets at them. For 40 year old leather they look amazing, even better it's original.

3 Grey market cars that came to the USA via Switzerland. US importer wouldn't bring them in so they were sourced through the back door. Painted Essex Blue in the USA after arrival but with all the Essex bits on them from the factory. Not official Essex cars, but identical in all respects. 1 Full Essex including the Blue paint came in as well and was sold by Loose, 10307, but not recognised by factory. 10325 was also meant to be shipped but the deal fell through with Lotus before it could ship.

Chassis number 10337, hence the "37" Essex number applied by Loose.

I believe it is the last one on your list.

From some Japanese magazines I have stashed away. I writing another book, this one on the Aston Martin Vantage Zagato from 1986. www.v8vantage.com I keep all the magazines with roadtests and noticed these Lotus ads when flicking through them. I think the Essex is the last one built, a LHD done for Japan. On the top ad in the upper picture is another JPS Esprit, reg number CFN200V. I wonder where it is now?

1982 Essex, for sale December 1986 Tokyo.

There's an old adage "If you don't write it down it never happened". Sadly few records were kept by the experimental departments of companies like Lotus back in the day. A lack of funds, resources and staff saw many things happen on the fly. Getting people to remember what they did 35 years ago is a big ask. Unless the documentation is available to back up their stories much of it remains hearsay. I can understand Lotus not wanting to take a stand on this if records don't exist, will be interesting to see what the old boys can remember.

Just buy a Jaguar, mice are scared of big cats!

Sounds as if they are about 50 miles from me, probably down in Bend. Should be easy to ship to the UK.

Seems interest in the Essex Turbos is on the rise....and rightly so. Even though I'm a card carrying JPS owner I have a soft spot for the Essex, essentially a continuation of the F1 themed Esprits that started with the S2 Commemorative Editions. I know there a lots of experts and owners on the forum and wondered if they would share their knowledge of where the cars are now. Here's what I have deduced from scouring the many threads on here, please feel free to add or subtract to the data, registration is the original one. RHD Production 23 003 HONG KONG 004 UK GBO4W 005 UK OPW665W 006 JAPAN LPE417W 007 AUSTRALIA GBO7W 008 JAPAN 009 MALAYSIA WNG4X 010 UK 011 UK 012 FRANCE OPW702W 013 SWITZERLAND XKD50W NOW BLACK 014 UK 015 UK WRITTEN OFF HRD7 016 GERMANY 017 UK OVU84W 018 UK VTM22W WAS 217AD 019 ? 020 UK WRITTEN OFF RTT312W 021 UK 022 SOUTH AFRICA ENGINE REMOVED, COLOUR CHANGE 023 UK WRITTEN OFF 024 UK NUMBER CHANGE TO 100 UAH27W 025 UK RUT713W LHD Production 11 002 FRANCE OPW674W 003 GERMANY 004 BELGIUM 005 FRANCE 006 AUSTRIA 007 FRANCE 026 FRANCE 029 SWEDEN FRP244 039 ? 100 ? ??? JAPAN

I think they are Rest Of World number 010 and 012. They were LHD Swiss cars through the official Lotus importer Edgar Schwyn in Zurich. He also supplied the 3 white LHD Turbos to Jim Loose in the USA that were repainted as Essex cars.

The gold corduroy material is available, or at least one version of it is. From research looking for some to go in my Federal JPS Commemorative Edition #010 I was able to match mine perfectly. I also found Lotus used 2 different types of corduroy, not sure why, but have not tracked down the other type yet. I sent details out to various owners and not all had the same material in their cars as I sourced. Graham Capel, Lotus historian in the UK, got back to me and confirmed it as the original material he was familiar with. When he restored 033, the JPS on EBay, he used Porsche gold fabric as he couldn't find any original cloth.