USAndretti42

If you are planning some serious track work, I would definitely recommend a roll cage in preference to a HANS device.

I don't know which way the intake faced but, on the Brabham at least, it didn't really matter as the underside of the car was sealed against the road with the dreaded skirts. I think the Chapparal had something similar but possibly not as effective because the materials hadn't developed to slide along the ground without too much wear. The hot air only helps if it speeds up the air as the pressure drop is proportional to the air density which, of course, goes down as the air heats up.

Any idea what broke? Engines often fail because the oil gets low, the bearings wear, the big end rattle and the bolts break and the rod pops out the block. Or the piston burns through. The oil gets blown out the sump and then it's a race between the piston breaking up and the top of the rod going through the block or the bottom end failing as above. Or did you drop a valve?

I don't think it's that simple. As far as I know, all HANS devices are custom made and require a lot of fettling to make them bearable, let alone comfortable. They are kept in place by the seat-belts and so press hard on your collar bones and, if your shoulders need to go forwards, such as on full lock, they dig into you. You're better off with airbags. If you are strapped tightly in by a 5-point harness, I wouldn't think you have much scope for putting your head to one side when your car rolls over, assuming the g forces aren't so high you can't anyway. There is some roll over protection built into the Esprit. Are you planning to race it or do track days?

Wilkommen, Sven. Ignore the comments. They're friendly really (apart from the Evil Dr. Fish.)

The Brabham and Jim Hall Chapparal drew the air from under the car to make the unserwing more effective. The fan on the Brabham was driven off the transmission and so its speed was dependant on the car speed. The Chapparal had a separate little engine to drive the fan so it ran at a constant speed, I thnk. The idea is to get the air speed between the bottom of the car and the ground moving as quickly as possible to drop its pressure. Pressure drop is proportional to the square of the air speed. 1 psi depression gives 144 ib of downforce per square foot of under floor So, if you've got 2 sidepods 4 feet long and 2 feet wide you get 2300 lbf of downforce.

Looks very good, Marc. Nice work. WHat about links to the forum and to LEW?

1000 posts since the end of March? You must have been bussier than the writers of the Red Green show, Wayne. Good going.

I think the radio in my S2 was fitted when the car was new as it goes in from behind. (No Graham Norton jokes.) To remove the centre console, I pulled off the armrest top which is held on by clips. 2 self-tapping screws hold on the small console containing the window switches and choke lever. The gear knob has to come off next. Mine has 3 grub screws which you release with an allen key but these were hidden by a cover which was held in place with RTV. A previous owner had loosened that for me. WHen the grub screws are loose, unscrew the gear knob and then remove 2 more self-taping screws that were hidden by the console holding the window switches. Pull off the radio knobs and undo the 2 knobs holding the faceplate. I think there are 2 more self-tappers on the front of the console above the radio. (I'm not near the car right now.) When all the screws are put lift up the console at the rear end and pul rearwards. I found it a bit of a struggle to get it up of the gear lever but it does just do it. Pull the console back far enough to get to the radio. Note that if you do pull the centre console out like this, you will pull the hoses to the air vents off the heater so that when you refit it you have to adopt the Lotus position, upside-down in the footwell re-connecting them once it's almost back in.

Happy birthday, Marvin. Nice pictures, guys. Whay are we going to do for Renu's or Kylie's birthdays? Not more Hasselhof, surely?

4? Wow! You really are "Addicted for Life." I never knew Gerry Marshall owned an Esprit. If he fitted, then so can most of us. If he owned it and Andy Rouse and Peter Hall racecd it, what state was it in? What were the others and which di you think was the nicest to drive? Welcome to the forum, Espritmeister.

Hi, Scott. Don't forget to go to the General Chat page and put in what you own because someone started a thread thinking there were only 2 left and we need to balance off the S3 Turbo, Essex, HC Turbo 3-in-1 entries. You'll learn loads about your model and can tease gpz900r who sold his S1 and now regrets it. Have fun!

Is that Paul C's shed in the background?

Happpy birthday, old Nick. Have a devilishly good time.

Chill out, everyone. It's only Top Gear. It's not a scientific test and so what if it is? The fastest car on a track is not necessarily the best on the road. Didn't we all buy our cars because we love the way they look, sound and handle without being sprung so stiffly our fillings fall out? The BMW is probably more reliable and uses less fuel and totally isolates you from what's going on. Sounds no fun except when going really fast which you can rarely do whereas the Esprit is always fun. (At least when in motion under its own steam.)

Hi Brian. Nice to see another G car owner on the forum. Enjoy your ride.

One way to check the antenna is to touch the aerial with the radio on and see if the signal gets stronger, radio gets louder.

It gets its name from molybdenm disulphide a solid lubricant used on the faces of piston rings, for example, or "moly" grease that you might use on your universal joints.

I agree with Wayne. A good quality off-the-shelf oil like Mobil 1 is as good as anything. I have never seen an additive help under normal running, only when you lose your oil totally.

Page 217 of "Formula 1 Technology" by Peter Wright mentions it.

It was reported at the time in Autosport, I think, but it never ran on the track A friend of mine worked with Mike Kimberley's brother and sometimes got some inside info, so I may have heard from him. I'm sure I have read it somewhere else more recently. I'll have to have a look.

I've never understood the instructions for the engines with air pumps. They imply that you don't use a Burroughs gauge at all. And what does the twnsioning on the air pump do that just screwing in the tensioner doesn't? If you set it to the high tension, then use a Burroughs gauge to tension the cam belt and then re-set the air pump belt tension, it would make sense. What am I missing?

You're never alone when you're on the Esprit forum. Welcome to the group and I hope you enjoy it.

The Brabham fan car was about the only thiong that Chapman protested being convinced it was illegal but while the governing body was considering his protest, he got one of his F1 cars fitted with 2 fans, 1 per sidepod, just in case. Always on the ball.

A Dino 246 would win. Style with a capital yesssss. And if it didn't live up to expectations, I could sell it and buy another Esprit and plenty left over for running costs