S2 JPS project

[williamtherebel]

I thought the one I got from SJ was all fibreglass. Perhaps the wood is underneath??

[LOTUSMAN33]

Yes you can see the wood below a layer of chopped strand 👍

Dave  

[Fridge]

Yeah, often overlooked in restoration threads. Mine included, though generally in good shape, the plywood on the back of mine had torn away where it had been bolted on to the body. Probably quite common, but a simple task to bond new sections in and reattach brackets.

[JonSE]

A slight hijack, 

My bumper looks sound on the outside but has bits of loose ply in the cavity inside. Loathe to cut it open as the mounts seem OK and was just going to clear it out at this stage and reattach. Is that recommended?

[Fridge]

I removed any debris, as I had sections to remove in the back, but if the back is solid where the brackets attach then I'd leave it well alone. Once mounted, you won't hear anything. Unless you drive with your ear glued to the bumper.

 

[drdoom]

One might hope that bumpers on an Esprit on relatively vestigial, something by which to appease the nabobs of public well-being. It's been far too long since driving a Lotus but it seemed my Elan commanded a certain sympathy from the hordes when parked. Do they not afford respect to flash old cars these days in the UK?

[Fridge]

Not in shopping centre car parks @drdoom

Especially with today's oversized cars in UK parking spots. Park your car at your peril! Or socially distance as I tend to do.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CAV7TukBqBb/?igshid=qa8b56gk06im

And the size our of tiny parking spots.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CIn8xIohJXx/?igshid=4c91g7xgzhta

But after 40+ years on a wooden and fibreglass structure it's not surprising things fall apart. Knocks or no knocks.

Edited December 10, 2020 by Fridge

[JonSE]

Thank you

[drdoom]

Undersized parking slots should be afforded due respect, that is to say f#$k them and the arseholes who decree they be laid out as such. 

[LOTUSMAN33]

After lots of messing about with bracket moving due to receiving a S1 rear bumper from SJ and the fact federal cars have a reinforced section grafted in for impacts preventing normal fixing access it is fitted. I am awaiting the third bracket from Steve which is marked along with edges which will need final shaping to match the body lines. Finally I will fit the number plate lights. I spent a couple hours shaping the rear valance and setting the exhaust but pretty happy now with the result then off to the body shop for final paint. 

Nearly in ROW spec now with just the front springs to change 😎

Dave  

[Fridge]

Looking good Dave.

[LOTUSMAN33]

Had to be done 😎

[LOTUSMAN33]

Time to start the front refurbishment today and found this

Poorly fitted fans and clear evidence of a minor leak.

Radiator out, fans ditched and dropped off with Paul at Plymouth Radiators to have a new uprated core, he is going to fit a vent plug to aid bleeding air from the system as well. Throughly recommend his services and he supplies a couple of the local specialists so knows Esprits well.

He said he will get it done over the festive break which is an added bonus, no idea of cost at the moment but provided it’s done well I honestly don’t care 😂

Anyone recommend some good fan options?

Dave  

[Lotusfab]

Great idea to fit a vent plug. Access maybe an issue? 

[LOTUSMAN33]

I’m going to cut an access hole in the O/S front luggage compartment, ideally the plug would be on the N/S but being LHD the brake servo is in the way for access Fabian. 
Due to having A/C with a short radiator the access is ok, don’t think it would be the case on my S1 though so the vent plug will have to be near the top on the side of the header when I get that radiator re-cored.

I will post some pics when done, I thought about an extension pipe with it protruding into the front luggage compartment but would have to make something to protect from damage. I will fit a rubber grommet either way I go. 
Dave  
 

[LOTUSMAN33]

Interior is almost back together, just the binnacle to replace and then final exterior bits to finish off.

I have oil pressure but have discovered a leak from one of the heater through chassis pipes so a new pair are on order, I’ll hold off until done before I run it for the first time. Once running and set up I need to fit the new engine bay carpets and fix the engine cover.

Hoping to have it running during May ready to use, it will be a shame to lose the Goodyear’s as like new but still old so won’t perform, I may paint the sidewall writing and do some photos first 😁

[Lotusfab]

Well done Dave, interior looks great.

[JusNoGood]

Hi Dave,

hope you are well.  Sounds like you did up the dry sump that was in the garage with the Mini when I bought IB10 off you...boy I was in two minds whether to offer to buy the Esprit that day. My brain said IB10, my heart said dry sump. Really enjoying reading about this JPS, I’m very jealous 😁 The interior looks great.

I’m going to see a Esprit S3 on Sunday. Garage friend for IB10. Wish you lived closer to me to look at this Esprit with me, would have paid for your Knowledge of Esprits! 
 

Anyway, please keep up the updates 😁

Regards

 

Justin

[LOTUSMAN33]

Hey Justin, great to hear from you, hope IB10 is going well?

The S3 is a fantastic choice for an Esprit and will provide a very different drive to the sublime M100’s.

I would love to have popped along with you as well, hope it works out well!

Dave  

[JusNoGood]

Yes doing well thanks Dave. Can’t remember if I’ve told you, Wifie and I did a six week drive to and around Italy in IB10 in 2019 (documented in an issue of club lotus). Wow what an incredible experience, can’t wait for the world to get back to normal for another trip.  I’ve really loved ownership and can’t see me letting it go. It was used as the model example in the ‘one of every model’ display at the Lotus 70th celebration ( thanks to the fellas at LEC). Parked up at the paddock at Hethel and met Dave Monument and Stuart in IB10 about 10ft away from the place he picked it up when he bought it for ESM in 1996!

I've had a burning desire to get a G Esprit for over 30 years. Came close a few time but determined now! But wow your JPS 

Edited April 22, 2021 by JusNoGood

[LOTUSMAN33]

Wow I didn’t know about the 70th display, nice David and Stu got to see it as well. 👍🏻

[LOTUSMAN33]

Finally finished the prep work on my rear bumper, rear spoiler, both cant rails, one light pod and the front spoiler. It’s been a task with the old panels chasing out gel cracks and carrying out the repairs but all now dropped off at the bodyshop ready for final top coating.

Next job was to try and start the car after it’s rebuild;

Battery fully charged - Check 👍🏻
Oil pressure - Check 👍🏻
Fuel - Check 👍🏻
Water - Check👍🏻
Static timing - Check👍🏻

Spark - No Check 😬, Power at ignition was fine but power at the coil was nil, I had a spare which checked out well on the resistance test so installed but still no spark. Wiring diagram out and the white and yellow cable from the solenoid was only providing 9 volts when cranking? The coil with the ignition on was showing no voltage. When the car arrived it had a green wire connected to the coil which wasn’t on the wiring diagram so I reconnected this which was a live wire and 12.9 volts registered at the coil.

Next I put a spark plug lead on the coil outlet with a plug and then ran a wire from the coil negative to ground and had a healthy blue spark! So that was that I thought and reconnected the dizzy which was fitted with a power spark electronic module, again no spark when cranking 🙄.

The distributor was rebuilt by SJ so I assumed it was duff and fitted a new set of points and a condenser set to 0.015” and bingo a healthy spark.

I disconnected the rogue green wire and tried again and had a spark albeit not so intense. Fuel pump reconnected and turned the engine over where it fired almost straight away but as soon as you released the starter it died as coil lost its power so I plugged in the green wire and all ran again.

The engine sounds fantastic and very quiet so glad I did the valve clearances. The car now needs setting up but as the engine was at the back of the garage I was becoming intoxicated from fumes so finished up for the day following a few flames from the trumpets and the odd backfire 😁

I’m still not happy with the wiring situation so that needs investigation as to why the car is losing its 12volts with the starter disengaged, the white and yellow wire has a red wire with cotton sheathing around it which runs into the loom going to the fuse box I assume as lost trace of it.

I also need to determine where the green wire goes.

I need to put the binnacle back in as I removed it all again due to not being happy with the way the drivers door was aligned, it had no play in the hinge pins but the top was sticking out slightly and the gold stripes weren’t aligned perfectly, I removed the door and reshimmed it correctly so now all good with good door seal compression ( New SJ seals). Both doors now fit perfectly with no sticking out anywhere.

I have bought a Lanoguard underbody protection kit to maintain the preservation of the chassis after reading some excellent reviews, I tried it and much easier to use than waxoil type products allowing you to apply with a microfibre cloth, it just applies a wet look film to all the components.

I will post some more photos when I get the panels back and installed but coming along nicely now.

I have started the engine cover repairs where the car had a minor carb fire at some point in its life. The cover was pretty much toasted where the resin had burned off leaving a fluffy smelly mess on the main body and lift up lid.

Not played with fire damage before but I basically used a 80 grit paper by hand and slowly de-fluffed it more or less leaving gel coat holding it all together then applied a layer of Matt to the underside to provide strength again. Next I cut out the really bad areas and have now taken two moulds from good areas to recreate the desired profiles. I will post some more pics when the weather warms back up again as dropped considerably over the past couple days. Both moulds fit well so I think I can save this cover with some hard work.

As much as I love the Goodyear tyres I have started exploring some new boots as know it will drive awfully with ancient rubbers even if in A1 condition. I think I will be painting the sidewalls for a few photos first though giving that Grand Prix look 😁

Whats the view as seems getting a matching set is not likely?

Dave  

 

 

 

[Fridge]

Looking tricky in the UK Dave. There's a few Esprit folk in the North East who have been looking around. I prefer Maxxis, but I'm not sure you can get them in the sizes required for all round. @bondbaby and Paul Clapham both have tales to tell.

[Rudi K]

I put Dunlop Sport Classic 205/70 R14 on the rear axle of JPS #40. They have the specified width and profile and seem very nice tyres.

Sadly there does not seem to be a matching Dunlop 205/60 R14 for the front axle, so I kept the Nankangs that were fitted by the PO.

[LOTUSMAN33]

Thanks gents, I’ve been looking at Maxxis and Nankangs so seems I’ll be in safe hands. I would really like a matched set but looking online that seems to be a fruitless search. Shame these sizes aren’t really support that well these days with the correct speed ratings.