Cos

Hi Guys The time has come to make a decision on what type of radiator to fit to the S1. I cannot seem to make up my mind on whether to go for a new aluminium rad or get the original one re-cored with a slightly upgraded number of cores and fins. I have read a couple of threads on the benefits and weaknesses of both types. One major concern is the price also. A re-core will cost 165 pounds plus VAT and a new ali rad will cost 375 pounds plus VAT from SJ. Ultimately, the car may end up in a very hot climate with temperatures reaching 40 degrees celcius, although I dont expect ever to drive it in those kind of temperatures. I already have the 3 new modern type fans on the shelf ready to be fitted once i have changed the radiator. Has anyone changed over to the aliminium rad? Does it make a difference to the cooling efficency? Standing by for your comments to help me make up my mind. Cos

Spent some time on my visit to London doing some odds and ends work to the S1 Roddy (brother) came along some doors from a Turbo recently, and offered me the electric window motors to replace the slightly olders original ones. They fit as a direct replacement to the S1 window motors. Also changed the door check straps from the later doors. The door now stops with a nice click. Changed the window channel dropglass felt while the windows were out. Also fitted a new pair of outside door handles. Also fitted a set of locking wheel nuts. The Mcguard ones you can get from Halfords fit perfectly. Finally found time to fit the exhaust bracket and braces and adjusted the position of the exhaust tips. I also had to swap a pair of headlights around which had been fitted wrong after the car was resprayed. Had to change the complete gear change assembly with a lovely shiny chrome stalk from an S3 because the original one had been lopped and a bolt welded on to accept the horrid looking carbon fibre effect one. The old gear knob now lives on a friends playstation console One of the most time consuming jobs was tappering the rubbing strip at the very front where it slips behind the front bumper. The original engine rebuild should be complete in about a month too hopefully. Cant wait to get back to the UK to do some more little jobs by the end of the month.

Yes, the S1 does fool the eyes slightly. I have not seen it since it came of of the body shop. I only have these photos to look at til next week when I go over. In the photos it looks like a 1:1 scale of the little model I have on my desk. I will be spending my summer holiday in Roddy's garage The missus couldn't get any time off work unfortunately. Will be taking a good look at the suspension and brake systems to make sure they are all working properly and making a list of parts I will need. Fortunatley, the PO spent the last 23 years when it was stored in his garage, working on the chassis. Nearly all of the parts are new, and the chassis was galvanised, so it will just be a matter of double checking everything. The orginal engine is now stripped and we are making a list of the parts. Basically, everything will be replaced with new parts. I have also got the stainless steel exhaust manifold which I hope mates up to the stainless steel back box and downpipe that was fitted to the car when I got it. I have ordering stuff nonstop now for the last 6 months. The bills are piling up like crazy, but this plan has haunted me for years now, so it must be completed. So many things have been covered on this forum, that finding out things has made restoring and repairing esprits easier now than it probably ever was.

Today Roddy (big brother) put the wheels on for me. (Going over to London next Tuesday... Yippee!) The compomotive rears that came with the car just didnt do it justice. I used Maxxis tires. They have very little markings on the side walls, which is rather good, and are very good value for money. Every time I look at them though, they remind me of my mountain bike. It finally beginning to look like an esprit again. The rears wheels were kindly borrowed to me by a friend. whose esprit is a very long way from being finished. They were diamond cut and restored by spit and polish. Decent blokes with lots of exerience in wolfrace slots. I should be replacing them soon with another pair hopefully. The exhaust is sitting a bit askew so I will be fitting the proper brackets as soon as I get over. I will also be putting on the new decals next week. I have left the windscreen off for the moment until I decide on what I will be doing about the reupholstry. 99% sure now though that it will be getting the Mr Fulcher treatment. I wish I could write a proper report about this ones restoration, but doing it from 2000 miles away is impossible.

Trying to save enough pennies now so that I can get it retrimmed by the infamous Nick. There really is no alternative!

She is back from the spray shop. I have borrowed some rear wolfrace wheels from a friend which I hope to replace very soon. They should be going on later today. Roddy (brother) took care of the return of the car back to his house in London. He has promised to put the decals on for me too Cant wait now to go back to London to see her in her new coat.

Thankyou both very much. It looks like from what I can remember that my side decal was in the wrong place to start with anyhow. It was a bit of a godsend that my camera memory stick messed up and people posted me these very useful photos to work with. The car is being picked up today from the bodyshop, so I am hoping that i will get Roddy (my brother) who is a perfectionist with these sort of things, to stick them on. I decided freom very early on that I will be debadging the front of the car like the photo below. The holes for the round lotus badge have been removed and I will be using a lotus decal on the front, rather than the esprit decal. Even there though, there are some variations on the position of the decal. In the photo with CABC, the decal is slap bang in the center of the badge panel. The 122G car though has the decal about 2/3 of the way down the badge panel. Thanks again to Carl and Tony K for posting me those pics. Regards Cos

Thanks Carl. I have PM you my email address, but i think bibs is correct. Would be nice if all the S1s had the decal in the same place, to prevent future confusion for everyone Regards Cos

Hi Guys The S1 respray is coming along very well. I had a problem though with my camera, and lost the detailed pics I took of the proper location of the esprit decals which go on the side. Can anyone tell me where the S1 exterior decals should sit exactly. I have been throught the workshop manual, but it doesnt meantion them at all. If anyone has some measurements, they would be really useful. Cos Its almost done on the outside

That looks absolutely gorgeous. Nothing else looks as sexy as a shiny S1. Well done! Cos

Hi Guys I now need tyres for my S1 too. I have looked at whats available. The Vredesteins look really good for the rears, but they are only available for the rears. Whats the fashion at the moment for the fronts. I am thinking about Nexen all round! Any comments on them? Regards Cos

I want that too! and so does my wife! Cos (S1)

76080127G Owner Cos, White S1 esprit. Being restored. London UK 76080126G Owner unknown (dispute), Yellow S1 esprit. Abused car, Agia Napa, Cyprus

Richard is actually selling a lotus eclat for a deceased friend. He found a spare wheel in the garage, but it says Speedline on it. Loads of people have called him about the wheels, but he doesn't have any.

The white one is going in for some special body treatment this week. Going in for a major freshen up of the white. Will update once it starts coming apart. Cos

Nobody?

Well done mate, It cant be easy working in the cold. Its looking good, keep up the good work Cos

Hi Loose cannon. I have often told my brother Roddy to put up a few pics of his S2.2. Its a very very original car and in excellent condition too. I think that he will do that soon. Update on the restoration. I am going to having the original engine rebuilt to original specs by a friend who is very keen to do the work. He has a dozen lotus already and had built quite a few of these engines already. The next thing that will happen now, is that the car must go to a body shop for a complete respray. I have got 1 quote already from a well known Lotus specialist in Chelmsford Essex, but I will get at least a couple more before I decide where I will take it. Does anyone have any comments to make about body shops in SE england. One the respray is completed, then it will be time to start talking about the interior :0 Cos

Wanted wolfrace wheels for S1 esprit. Will consider anything from 1 wheel to a complete set. Contact Cos +44 (0)7704 427488 c.herodotou@cytanet.com.cy

Hi Bibs Yes, they are fighter pilot overalls. I bought them cheap from a shop in Amsterdam called Aviation megastore. They are cheap and comfortable, but the best bit is that they have velcro on the cuffs, which helped stop rust running up my sleaves when i changed the suspension on the GT3. BTW, it was Roddy who posted those pics of me working on the car. He took them on the sly without me knowing about it. He had a right chuckle about it because the overalls light mighty tight Diet is the new year resolution!

Hi Hemlock Yes, It

I added a little video on you tube of the car driving after 22 years It got its MOT on the same day

Just a quick update I found a few days when I could go over to London and work on the s1 which is in my brother Roddy's garage. Firstly, I found that the front brakes where seized on, and that the rear left wheel handbrake wasn't working at all. I took apart the calipers, and freed up the front brakes and changed all the seals and nipples. They work fine now. I found also that the reason the rear left handbrake wasn't working was because the ratchet shaft connected to the piston was worn. I ordered a new piston from SJ and fitted it, then adjusted the cables. They also work fine now. I balanced the carb vacuum and adjusted the mixtured. Engine now starts on the button. Changed a few bulbs, oils, brake fluids, sparks, HT leads, rotor arm, distributer cap. I then took the car for a few drives up an down the alleyway, and it seemed ok. Then it started to blow a fuse. After some head scratching, me an Roddy figured out it might be the reverse swich, because the fuses were ok until we started revesing. The reverse switch wires were sitting on the exaust, and had melted a small part of the wire, which caused the short when the gearbox was in reverse. Fixed the wire, and tided up the wires. Also removed both fuse boxed and cleaned all the spades and mounts. Next day we took the car to the MOT station. Well, to our surprise, it passed. The car now has its first MOT in 22 YEARS!!!! Its now insured, MOT'd and taxed. I will be going over again in the next few days to do some more work on it and getting some quoted for a respray. Cant wait!! Any comments of good car sprayers around the London area will be appreciated.

Hi Alessandro That looks like it going to a really good project. I am at a very simular stage with my car. I am going over to London today to go and work on it for a couple of days. Good luck and keep us posted. Regards Cos, Larnaka, Cyprus

Thanks Guys Finally found one. A white 1976 one. Needs a few bits that are wrong, buts its ok. Cos