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I get that. So AVO are to be avoided also too it seems. Jeez. Perhaps in comparison ProTech may work better. I just find the fronts a little crashy" even on soft, and unbalanced valves (unless that's par for the course of these things). There are a lot of shysters out there, in all markets saying they're good, but mediocre at best. Fortunately I can do most automotive work myself, and then I only have myself to blame. If only I was good at plumbing and building work I wouldn't have to deal with any tw@tZ

Most of those items I would expect to be service items, especially on a car heavily tracked. The suspension parts are inexpensive and easy to replace. The ProTech adjustable stock absorbers have had criticism and I am not surprised if they are in need of replacement if given hard driving. Likewise the UJs, which were a common failure point on the S1/S2 rear suspension due to not having a top link to support the drive train. Effectively doing two functions. If well looked after the UJs should last, and I know of a very long term owner who has autotested and hill climbed his S1 in the past and is still running the original UJs without issue. He just greases them up before the onset of winter. You seem set on replacing it, but I really do think you'll regret it over some largely minor corrective repairs. The likes of which you'll probably find greet you in its replacement.

Wow, I forgot that beauty was coming back today. You sleeping with it tonight 😆

I too am a bit confused by your comments: "Does the fabric wrap around the piece of timber and then screwed to the windscreen surround. Beveled edge faces forward towards the front of the car? Followed by the header rail that has 4 screws." The fabric just attaches to the header trim piece (gutter shaped), wrapping around into the inner sides, and ends. It is then held up to the wooden batten in the roof by a single black posi-drive screw (on the S1) at the centre. The S2 with the Jaeger clock enclosure may be slightly different. In turn, the batten is attached to the roof by screws from the outside in the windscreen recess before fitting the glass. However they need to be themselves recessed so as not to come into contact with the windscreen glass and create pressure points which will eventually stress the glass and crack it. The windscreen is held off the body shell by spacer rubbers (I used solid engineering rubber trimmed to a depth that allowed the windscreen and edge trim to sit at the correct height in relation to the body shell ie. roof line and outer 'A' pillars/cant rails. The batten benefits from a layer of PU sealant on its hidden side to help adhere it to the cabin ceiling. Going back to the header trim piece, it is held up at the ends by a combination of the 'A' pillar trims and the cant rails. They essentially lock the windscreen surround trim pieces together. The cant rails (side rails) being the key to this process. These pieces obviously have to be installed during the same time period, otherwise the header trim is effectively unsupported at it's ends. Note: in my previous comment, the cabin bulkhead piece was fitted before the centre console (which is essentially a single piece item in the S1). However I did not lock this into place, or fit the screws which are located behind the seats until the centre console was in place, as the bulkhead needs to be angled upward at the bottom so that the rear of the centre console can be slid under the map pocket in the bulkhead piece. The bulkhead can then be fixed into place, which in conjunction with the lower dashboard holds the centre console in place. The S2 centre console may be different depending upon its construction. I hope this helps.

You can put the windscreen in after you've covered or painted the upper dashboard (part of the body shell). Your sequence isn't quite right, it's: 1,3,4,2 I put in the carpet after the headlining to provide additional comfort other than the butyl soundproofing and Coverdale PVC covered jute underlay carpet. The lower dashboard then can go in, and then the glovebox lid. Perhaps before the 'A' pillars come to think of it. The bulkhead went in prior to the centre console and then seats where the final items. Basically you don't want to put items in that are going to get in the way of working in such a confined and limiting environment.

My car was bring used with minimal interior for 3 years over the Covid pandemic due to mainly economic reasons, but also to allow me to snag test the car without having to continually remove interior trim, or get it dirty whilst still working on it. It was the best decision I made. It also meant that I had two "new cars" for the price of one, 3 years apart.

I wondered where they went 😆 Thanks. I'm due to revisit the binnacle at some point in the future to install a 'Q Branch' feature so will look at this then

Are those round spacer style washers on the two visible small bolts left of the steering column? Two on the other side?

There are a lot of dodgy so-called professionals out there that's for sure. Fortunately I haven't had to use them.

I know your fabulous S1 is highly modified and has been driven hard on track, but I don't consider the Esprit S1 unreliable. In my opinion it'll always be better than the models that preceded it as it was a big change in Lotus production. Though I admit that I am biased, even though earlier models are very nice indeed.

They aren't fetching a great deal of money, especially as classic car prices are currently 20% or so down on 2-3 years ago. That said cars in genuine good condition will be worth paying a decent price for. The Elan Plus 2 is a cool looking car, but it's not an Esprit, let alone an S1.

"Where there is a will there is a way" - Don Logan (Ben Kingsley), Sexy Beast. I built my car on a driveway and in a single garage. I fitted the pump easily. The problem if away from the garage is carrying the right spanners and stuff to blank off the fuel lines momentarily. Not something I'd want to do, but could allow a journey to continue if away for an extended period.

It looks like a good, solid fuel pump. A few folk had issues with the standard SU pump after a faulty manufacturing batch. I've considered carrying a spare just in case.

I can't remember. I'd have to have a think. I seem to remember it was relatively trivial, and may involve an erroneous earth. It was obvious when I was looking at it. It may be the additional relays in the S2+ wiring that switch and provide power to the headlamps. [ADDED] I can't post photos on here, but check the earthing of those two headlamp relays, one is missing I seem to remember. Pretty obvious when you spot it, and anyone who knows how a relay works wouldn't wire one without an earth. It is correct in the original B&W wiring diagram in the Lotus WSM. The diagram originates from the US Lotus Talk forum, or Bill Galbraith's resource on HolyCows, which is who sent it to me years ago.

Pity you're so far away, I was in the same position as you and struggled to find someone who could do the tricky things and add some new wiring upgrades. In the end I found that things were not that complicated and with a rudimentary understanding of basic auto-electrics and soldering/crimping practise as applicable I was able to do the work myself. What areas are causing you problems? I think there's a minor error in that diagram, but obvious when you spot it.

Yes, I've done similar, but using original style relays behind the millboard finishers adjacent to the lefthand pod motor. They take direct power in dedicated +12V and earth via junction boxes via an additional fuse box next to the original two in the glovebox. I wasn't sure high amp circuits would benefit from dedicated "fat" earth over running it via the original earth in the loom? My electrical knowledge isn't that extensive, I just applied common sense. I could do with adding relays for the horns as per the Esprit S2 wiring.

That junction post is ideal for running clean +12V to the cooling fans, headlights and window winders via fuses. I also ran a dedicated earth from back there too, rather than earthing those items through the loom.

It's always while returning to a difficult job. Good result!

Did you try West Country Trimmers near Newton Abbott?

Yes, that's the problem with Alcantara. Even at its most thinnest it hasn't enough give to get around the negative and compound curves of the interior panels. Marcasite had just enough stretch. It's such a problem finding a suitable replacement. I think an expert trimmer taking their time and understanding the original requirements would be able to nip and tuck Alcantara to achieve a good result. The problem is that the Esprit is so uncommon, particularly the earlier series that few trimmers have anything to go on if the panels are already stripped or in a very poor condition. I took very detailed photographs of all my interior before stripping to save trim costs. I even have the old material stored for future reference. At least the JPS Commemorative edition is leather which is more easily available. Though the gold fabric is another unicorn material it seems.

Though we often doubt them during our restorations, those designers knew what they were doing 😆

Yes, it's good to strip those under dashboard items down and get them media blasted and powder coated satin black. Otherwise they rust like originally. Don't forget the pedal box and heater box (if rebuilding and not going with an Economy 7 unit). Keep chipping away. You'll need all those bits quickly once the body shell goes back on the chassis. Your binnacle should repair easily. Filling that hole made for the missile switches, or whatever.

Having only just recently trimmed my car you might want to rethink trimming the header and cant rails in the roof lining material. If you think about it, the cant rails, header (and in a green & tartan interior of an S1, the bulkhead) form a frame, which also extends down the 'A' pillars. Whereas the headlining essentially forms an inset. It is even a single piece which goes underneath the panels. Even modern car interior spaces are designed as such. Trimming those panels differently to the rest will look a bit odd.

From left to right: Air duct to binnacle Air duct to windscreen defrost in binnacle top Binnacle LHS switch gear Binnacle RHS switch gear & heater control wires

The only loom that goes anywhere near the steering column is the steering column mini loom with the block connector for the stalks and ignition barrel. The binnacle wiring routes through the holes in the upper dashboard beneath where the binnacle sits.