V8Esprit73

A couple of interior pics as requested (apologies for the delay), I’m sure most of you will know that the floor (front and rear), bulkhead, rear side panels, door cards and sill covers are all carbon along with a few other pieces like footrests etc.

I know it has a Delta 800 ECU, the dash looks like a standard Evora S display from around 2011 when it was built. There is a short conversion loom that plugs into what appear to be the original Evora S ECU plugs and then into the Delta. The rest of the loom is standard/unmodified. The body control unit is the standard Evora S and the various settings can be adjusted using the Lotus software via the OBD port. Will get a few pics of the interior when I’m next near it. - Two and a half weeks prior to setting off for Le Mans it had never run in Pete’s ownership (and was very much still mostly in boxes!), didn’t have the time to take many pics as we reassembled it (evenings and weekends)! Like it says in their blog about Le Mans, there will be more info about it on their site soon.

That is indeed Pete Musgrove’s (of PNM) car. It is one of the original cars, Pete has owned it for a good few years now but has kept it undercover and was slowly reassembling it as it was purchased complete but dismantled… It has one of the Swindon engines complete with their air box, full carbon interior, centre lock wheels, early version rear wing, front bumper with additional drl’s, is LHD and is now manual (it did come with the development actuator gear change system but it was decided that this was best left on a shelf). This car was used by Lotus for type approval, had only covered 630km’s in total prior to being mot’d for the first time this year - the following day we drove it down to Classic Le Mans via the channel tunnel! Some minor trim pieces didn’t make it on the car in time for that trip as we just ran out of time but since returning the few finishing touches are in the process of being completed. Whilst at Le Mans we randomly encountered the original GTE’s project manager along with another engineer that worked with him on this project, not only did he identify this particular car (his hand writing is on the key fob!) but he still had many photos of the various GTE prototypes on his phone including what was effectively the “first” GTE. A very interesting conversation….

Erm.....maybe i do have some drawings and pictures of the cages as fitted to the various works cars.... Trouble is that times and regulations move on so they aren't necessarily relevant now. The MSA minimum requirements might be pretty basic but they extend all the way up to FIA standards! - safety is not a corner worth cutting imo. Are you likely to be competing in an international race series? FIA standard pretty much means you'll have to weld the cage in place permanently - somewhat limits how much of the car can be stripped for repairs/rebuilds/modifications in the future. - For example: damaging the rear suspension mounting points....would you want to replace the cage as well as the chassis? - Depends on your budget/access to parts etc Its worth considering the regs for whichever series/championship you intend to race in as well... Good luck with the rebuild.

Unlucky that you didn't get the chance to enjoy it a bit more... Designed the cage myself. - Start with the MSA blue book, all the tubing specs are in it along with all the relevant dimensions with regard to mounting points and joints between tubes etc... Bear in mind that if you are going to race the car then the roll cage is probably the single most important thing - something i'm sure i don't have to point out to you. If you're unsure about what you're doing then it's best to find a roll cage manufacturer - Safety Devices used to have a pattern for an Esprit cage but weren't trading when i was building my car, i don't know if they still have the designs though... Jon

Mark, I'm fairly sure the running gear was in a GT40 replica many years ago - something happened to it i think and he rebuilt it into the Silver Europa based car that you see in the pics... Pretty nice all the same tho, has a certain "presence" about it! What the real 62 looks like.....

Pretty sure it is the right rear abs sensor that is used for the signal for the speedo - It goes through the abs module in the front before it's sent to the ecu... so there are quite a few connections and/or areas that the problem could be occuring....likewise the signal from another wheel could also be used in the event of a sensor failure? - I'm sure there is someone on here who knows more about it than me. From memory i think the signal ends up at pins 75 and 86 on the ecu with a screen wire going to something like pin 35, be careful when disconnecting/connecting the ecu though - wouldn't want you to end up with a knackered ecu as well! HTH

All i meant was that there aren't very many common parts between a Europa and a 47 - even less with a 62! Although they look very similar even the bodyshells are different... You can get 47 replica shells (moulded from an original 47) from Banks as well as 62 style shells like the one that has been used on that silver car. - The original 62's are far better looking though and where basically a test bed for the Lotus LV220/240 engine - so has a small place in the story behind the engine that most people have in their Esprits..... I worked at Banks for a few years and have seen every variation of the Europa including 47's and one of the two original 62's built, for a group of cars that do look remarkably similar the number of differences between the different models/type numbers are unbelievable!

They're brilliant! (although i am somewhat biased!) Basically a small Esprit - much easier to work on though! Light and agile (its a Lotus so how else would it handle?!!) Parts are pretty cheap and there are a number of sources for upgrades that improve the reliability of the originals (twin link rear suspension kit from Banks is the single best improvement you can make to an original Europa). Alternatively you can go down the modify route - can't really convert a Europa into a 47 - chassis and body are both rather different although if your pockets are deep enough you could still buy all of the parts required to build a full 47... Alternative is to go to Banks near Southport for one of their chassis' - stick with the longitudinally mounted engine/gearbox and you'll end up with a very reliable, extremely capable road/track car - just don't get too carried away with the spec....! I've got an S2 that my parents bought new in 1971 - Rebuilt it as a Banks racer with a 1.6 Vauxhall 8 valve and 5 speed Renault. - All the original bits are carefully stored just incase i ever want to return it to factory (not likely as its just too much fun!)

Ouch, only just spotted this - good to hear you got out of it ok. I was wondering if you managed to get it up and running - spoke to you briefly at Donnington. Well worth reconsidering the rollcage design whilst you're rebuilding it though....

Oooh, those wheels are luuurvly.....

I'm pretty sure (as it was a long time ago now) that it's held on by small diameter studding (m3/m4) that can only be easily got at by removing the window frame etc. - which i'm sure you know is a fairly big and fiddly job. I'll see if i can find the trim to check how it was attached - pretty sure it was one of the last bits removed from the skin before we made the moulds though...

Dave, you can get the stainless ones from.......Bighead!!

Ooh, with a built in heating element maybe it could be used to cook the pancakes/burgers whilst on the move - the flip action used to turn them over for that nice even colour could be speed related, projecting them forward so they land back in place..... It could then be used to deliver the freshly cooked food to the occupants through the (removed) roof aperture whilst at a standstill.... Maybe a gurney would be useful to prevent produce from slipping off though...

Just remembered where they got the idea in the first place....... Knight Rider Series 4 - The Emergency Brake Function....