Hello from Finland 🇫🇮

[Osku]

I got the center panel of today and now I can change the switches. One of the optik cables had broken of from the switch and the metal insert was stuck in the switch whit small pice of optik cable so I Have to fix that to. I had a bit of a bad feeling what kind of electricsl mess I would find here but except for the stereo cables everything was pretty good and stock. Some one had messed around in the enginebay and it had been done with the colorful ABIKO connecrors wich I think should be an criminal offence but lukyli nothing like that inside the
dash. Just have to wait for the part I ordered to get it back togather. I will also use the opportunity to put a more functional stereo in. What stereo did the 83 Excel come with from the factory if I would like to source an orginal.

For now I have to stereos at home to chose from a Basic modern Sony and  89 Blaupunkt. Both are better than what came with the car but neither is correct but the Blaupunkt is the right era, I just had purchsed it for my 89 Oettinger IC syncro so it will mostlikely go ther but if I would now put it here on the otherhand I would not need to disassemble this any more when I get it back togather.

Edited November 18, 2020 by Osku

[Osku]

Now that I'. m at it tell me where is the fibreoptics projector lamp located as my do not give any light so the bolb or projector must be shut. I just do not know where it is.

[Osku]

The part I'm srarching is A026 on this picture. I suspectthe bolb A027 is burned.

[rjwooll]

Hi Oslo, the projector lamp and distribution unit should be mounted on the heater unit more or less behind that bunch of green wires in your picture. I have just replaced mine and discovered that it was the fibreoptic cables that were dark. I replaced the unit and the bulb anyway. You can buy fibreoptic cable on eBay - I cant remember the size But just measure the diameter of yours. You’ll need to glue the ends into the unit and the switch surround - I used some rubber adhesive.

Cheers, Richard

[Osku]

found it thanks. I got the bulb out and it was blown, but even with a new lamp in the socket it will not burn, so there is something more wrong on theelectrics on that one. First have to figure behibd wich fuse it is. No one answered me on the other dimmer switch, what is it supised to control? Does it have something to do with the projector?

[Osku]

I 'm finaly making sens of this, some previouse owner had made some own connections when the left dimmer switch had gon bad and connected it to be operated by the stereo ignition lock power I removed that and now it should work just fine with the newdimmer switches. I still have to look into the orojector lamp problem but I got it running when ooking on the lead that goes to the lamp and either the lamp bottom is iffi or the lead is broken there about.

[Osku]

I 'm finaly making sens of this, some previouse owner had made some own connections when the left dimmer switch had gon bad and connected it to be operated by the stereo ignition lock power I removed that and now it should work just fine with the newdimmer switches. I still have to look into the orojector lamp problem but I got it running when ooking on the lead that goes to the lamp and either the lamp bottom is iffi or the lead is broken there about.

I have the light projector working and the optical cables give light. the effect on the switches is realy small on the other switches and the light switch do not seem to be transparent on the symbol place. How is it with the rest of the people do that make an difference by you. Mine I can paractically see only when the garage is completly dark and the rest of the lights dimmed to minimum. Was it like that from factory or schould I change the optic cables for new ones and maby slightly thicker?

[Colin P]

On 22/11/2020 at 15:16, Osku said:

I 'm finaly making sens of this, some previouse owner had made some own connections when the left dimmer switch had gon bad and connected it to be operated by the stereo ignition lock power I removed that and now it should work just fine with the newdimmer switches. I still have to look into the orojector lamp problem but I got it running when ooking on the lead that goes to the lamp and either the lamp bottom is iffi or the lead is broken there about.

It had not been done when I sold the car as it worked perfectly, so obviously the owner between you and me!

Hope you are still enjoying it.

[Osku]

Yes still happy and the scaryest problem was the timing setup on the engine that could have ended bad. Considering that I was sold the car with the timing belt just changed I have my suspicion who is responsible for all these nice small faults. Never the less I always go out from the fact that I have to fix the reasons why the car is sold in the first place always when I buy a new car to my collection and I bought this as an side project that is driveable. Considering what I have done to my other cars this year II have restored one car ready in the last year and got an other shell welded also got the suspension and breaks set up on a fourth and had the whole driveline refurbished on a fifth and then considering this car has let me down only with that timing belt in the last two summers when I wanted to drive it, its been pretty good to me and the rest of the problems has been quick to fix and not hindered driving or I have fixed them when it has suited me like the dash and shocks now.

[Osku]

I basicallycstarted to look in to the das with an expectation of something worse as I had found those notorious colorful abikos in the enginebay and that is always a sign for me that some one who should not touch car electrics has been fidling with them so in that aspect everythong has gone according to plane.

[Osku]

I have been concidering to change the steering wheel on my 83 Excel. I have the nice looking Personal Guigaro at the moment. It looks nice but all the warning lights are hidden so I have found my self driving fore ages with the blinker on and that is the main reason. What other steering wheels have you guys tried?
The only one ones I found fast that solvesvthe problem was the Luisi two spoke.
I do not like it completly but better than the new looking with a lot of curbes and unnececery forms.

So my first instict was to make a custom centerbos by 3D printing and pull some black leather over the print. 3D model picture attached both from bos and complet set.

What do you think is this the wayvto go or is there a better aproximately 350mm wheel for the car?

https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0056/6014/7827/products/luisi-jet-two-spoke-steering-wheel-black-shammy-leather-black-spokes-350mm-1_720x.jpg?v=1604994708

[jep]

Is the column not adjustable to alleviate this problem?

Not a bad looking wheel but somehow an interior never looks right with a non-original steering wheel. 

I changed my S1 Esprit one for a later Momo (in '92, more acceptable back then). The S1 wheel is frankly not a visual or sensory winner but.....

Justin 

 

[Osku]

no adjustment and the orginal was a aprox 400mm two spoke wich is pretty ugly and i do not have, so if i want orginal I should source it the 350mm Guigiaro was the optional one.

Yes I do agree that from appearance the luisi is a step down that is why I ask ifcthere is a better one.

[Osku]

This would be nice it is not such a deep dich as the luisi

http://www.autos.ca/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/1984-Lotus-Esprit-Turbo-BM-17.jpg

By the way I think this is the orginal type atleast it is close but its not very nice.

 

Edited December 10, 2020 by Osku

[jep]

Ah, I did not know Personal Guigiaro was not standard on 83 Excel. I thought the two spoke wheel went out with Eclat. 

Even though the original is not the best looking, I would still seek out one of those. 

Justin 

 

[Osku]

The pre 85 cars had both the Eclat wheel and the personal wheel as option I assume exactly for the reason that the colum was not adjustable and hench both were not optimal. The facelift dash offered only the personal wheel. I'm looking for a wheel that looks and feels like the personal but still shows the warning lights like blinker lights.

Edited December 10, 2020 by Osku

[Colin P]

I can confirm that your car had the 2 spoke wheel originally. It was changed before my ownership, but I have seen pictures with the original wheel on it. 

[Osku]

I took the seats appart from my car, atleast almost.
I would like to get the back rest cloth of but I do not seem to figure how it is done correctly. The head rest is confusing me. it do not seam to get it off without the stiching being ripped open. Is this the case, surely not or?

It would make the sewing to gather much easyer as I could use a sewingmachine with the rag attached to the frame I have to opt for sewing by hand.

[Osku]

I have un stiched the side polsters of the back resy from the drivers out side and passener inside. I have sewed seams throgh the bottom of the velour to get a support fabrick on the back. The idea is that I switch the driver an passanger seat to extend the life span even a bit more. I also pre-emptivly stiched supports on the one I took from the passanger side.

I also fixed the holethebest I could, or maby I still work a bit on it but it is pretty good already.

 

Edited December 30, 2020 by Osku

[Osku]

I also un stiched the previous repair on the seat pillow appolstery and will redo that so that the lines will not be crimped like the previouse fixer had done. It always disturbed me that the lines on the velour had been crimped togather with stiches.

That is still under prosess so I put pictures here when I get it ready. I hope I did not over reach on this point as the previous repair was atleast something I hope mine will be better but who knows maby it will be worse.

[Osku]

I did come to the conclusion that I had to openthe seems a bit to get it off. I wonder how they did it officially as this is not the way, at least I do not think so.

[Osku]

Here the result of thid work.

it's at least a lot stronger and withoutcapparent holes.

 

 

 

 

 

IMG_20210105_230053_resize_20210105_231202 IMG_20210105_230100_resize_20210105_231202

Edited January 5, 2021 by Osku

[Osku]

Here the pictures again with a shorter name and hench visible.

 

Edited January 5, 2021 by Osku

[Tony D]

Liking your work. Look like new. 

Tony 

[Osku]

This is the first prototype of the Luisi steeringwheel custom center.

The first one, as I did miss a mesurement, it is sadly a few millimeter the wrong size but otherwise it becoming out nice. I havent got my wheel yet either but here a picture of rhe prosess.

 

Edited January 21, 2021 by Osku