C43

it might have been said earlier on but the two washers are not the same. One has a chamfer on the inner shoulder. This goes on first against the ARB to clear the radius where the thread runs out onto the bar. I just did mine up with a spanner not too tight. Suggest using a new nylock nut as this is your only thread locking. cheers C43

The foam in the first picture crushes down to pretty well nothing in my experience (I have just changed all mine). The rubber spacers in the second picture are there to take out production tolerances and I think would be car specific. I believe you fit as many as are needed to fill the gap when the body is resting on the chassis along the main box section but no more.

Funny there is no big washer on mine. The body sits directly on the chassis down the central section (bar some foam that I think gets crushed down to almost nothing, the foam is there as sound deadening only). I believe there are optional washers right at the front where the bolts under the bonnet mount to the front outrigger and in the engine bay cross member if the body does not sit down fully. I think these are to take out production tolerances on the chassis / body right at the front and rear. The manual does show the assembly. Be interested in any other views on this as my body has just been put on a new chassis and looking at the holes along the side does seem to sitting a little low (5mm all the way along). cheers C43 BTW if you struggle getting the spring seats I know Lotusbits have a box of second hand parts. I had a good look at them and they are fine to use.

done it on an S3 and an S2 now and same as above, no need to compress the springs nor take the discs off. easy job, the only decision is what colour to get the ARB powder coated.. C43

Hi I have all the glass out the car as it is being resprayed. I am thinking of getting the side windows polished as they are all scratched to a greater or lesser extent. Has anyone got experience of polishing side windows? ta Christian

If your going to do that lot I you could invest in a press to get the old bushes out and push the new one in but you will need a guide tool. A big vice probably wont do it (as B&C found out when they tried to do the ones in my brothers S2). I got a 12t and it did the job. Also the suspension on the S3 should be zinc passivated, not painted. I am guessing its the same on the S2 but not sure. Not expensive to get done and you can get the studs done at the same time saving some cash (its only what the Lotus suppliers do anyway). I used Northampton plating but obviously that's quite far from you. Whilst the dampers are off would be good to check them. If you can't find a dyno to test them on then give them a push / pull by hand and check they at least feel the same as each other. After market ones are not that expensive but personally I think most are pretty poor quality and not the same as the original Lotus ones. enjoy C43

I seem to remember at the time (yes I am that old) that the car was offered on Speedlines but the price difference between Speedlines and BBS was so small it was unlikely anyone would not go for BBS.

I think the latest damper settings are stiffer especially in bump than lotus used on the Esprit. Although most of us don't push these cars hard enough to feel the handling affect the dampers will make the cars crash more over the bumps. Around Oxford this is a problem given the number of potholes we have. C43

Perfect thanks, as you say I can just grind the head off and it will fall down into the assembly. I was thinking it was a bonded insert but then again this is an Esprit we are talking about....

Hi I am getting my car resprayed and am in the process of stipping it down. I have removed the rear bumper and rear valence as an assembly but the threaded inserts in the rear bump for the bolts that hold the valence in place are all loose so when you try and undo the bolt the threaded insert just turns in the bumper without undoing the thread. I have used a grinder to get the head of the bolt off but I am now left with the bottom thread of the bolt stuck in the insert which just turns in the bumper but does not come out. I am thinking of pinning the insert or gluing it back in place so I can undo the last bit of thread but does anyone have any details of this insert of a better way of attacking it? ta Christian

As far as getting some new parts made out of high temperature resin system it will be expensive. You cant use tooling block moulds (the cheaper alternative) as the cure temperature will be too high. You will have to go with aluminium tooling and that will be very expensive (as will be the cloth). I don't think a low temperature resin system will do the job (probably only good for 120 deg C). For anyone with existing parts that they want to re use you can spray with BBQ heat proof silver from somewhere like B&Q (used in racing so don't worry about its humble origin, https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/400ML-Ultra-High-Heat-Proof-Aerosol-Spray-Paint-Stove-BBQ-Engine/142665702833?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&var=441649082510&_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649) or Zircotec is the best answer. I am getting some other parts done today so I will find out how much it is. cheers C43

Its aligning the nut on the bolt that I think you will struggle with when the engine is in place unless you have the car on a ramp. I'll have a play and see what I come up with.

thanks Steve, mine is the same. I was hoping to put captive M8s there to make it easier to change toe shim. regards Christian

Hi question about the mounting bolts (M8 I think) that hold the trailing arm rubber bush onto the chassis. On my brothers S2 I am sure these bolts screwed into threads on the chassis. On a S3 turbo is there are no threads on the chassis, the M8 bolts have a nut behind them. This is fine at the moment as I am working on a bare chassis but once the engine goes in and the body is fitted these nuts are going to be a right pain to access if I need to get to them to change the shims when I am setting rear toe. Should they be into threaded inserts on a S3 turbo does anyone know? ta Christian

I am fitting a Lotusbits rack to mine, good price and service. C43

Lotusbits do exchange racks at a good price I think. C43

BTW not all the seals are available (specifically around the rear hand brake operating cam / pushro) so be careful when removing the old ones.

it is just a piece of plate with holes for the dials cut in it. 1.5mm thick aluminium would be fine and put the plastic mast on top to mark out the holes the dials go in. It the secures top and bottom to the metal tangs on the binnacle.

I re did all my cupro nickel last weekend. I have not done them before but if you take you time and keep checking it should not be too much of a problem to do. cheers Christian

There is a circlip to stop the axial play. The permabond (or Loctite 640) is used to prevent the bearing spinning in the upright. I think you could get away without using it as it is a good fit but I bottled out and fitted with Loctite. Guess the next time we change wheel bearings we will have to get the upright pretty hot.. thanks for the feedback guys. C43

Hi I have changed the chassis and am bolting a new rack onto the new chassis. Does anyone know how to shim the rack? Also same question for the FARB. ta Christian

quick question. I have been told that when fitting the rear wheel bearings in an S3 turbo I just push them in with the bearing frozen and the rear upright at 100 deg C. However should I use Permabond as instructed in the manual? My garage did not tell me to do that but I may have missed it. cheers Christian

I have used colourlock products on my interior (I believe very similar) and its amazing the finish you can get. Once you start be warned, you can't stop! I have now done the whole of my interior.

no pb, my brother is pretty intent on getting is S2 as close to origial as possible, we seem to have spend a lot of time looking at old photos of the car

thats the correct wheel on the JPS S2, my brothers is exactly the same. and my 84 S3 turbo is the two spoke as show above. Trouble with re covering the wheel is you will then want to do the rest of the interior... I have seen second hand ones come up for sale. C43