Finally, Restoration Begins!

[giorgio67]

HI,

Now I'm very happy!

I have a full month to dedicate at my Esprit, so yesterday I was working until two o'clock in the night.

Some little problem, like the rear quarted window (no fixing bolts but Solbit all over...) but everything goes well.

I have bought a new digital camera so I can put better pics in the next.

Just a question:

I have found the capping rail finisher fixed with sealant and rivets (see photo), it's correct?

I've not found this on the workshop manual. (sealant only)

Anyway, I will better explain my progress in the next days.

Cheers

[John V6]

have you taken the lens cap off the camera as I only see black ?????????????

[iainskea]

Oh God, I'm blind!!

Iain

Ahhh - you click on the pics and up they come. Cool photos, lots of work

I guess you will be replacing the fuel breather lines...

Edited July 25, 2007 by iainskea

[matk]

Click on the pics, they open up OK for me after that.

[silverfrost]

Good luck on the restoration chap

By the looks of the pictures your going to town on it

I must admit i love looking at esprits complete or in bits

keeps up the good work regards danny

[lotuscollection]

nice car

like my gold s2 !!

after we both finished our restoration we must have a photoshooting!!!

lmk !

[Tony K]

Giorgio -- yes, there should be both rivets and sealant -- that is correct. There are rivets in two places: along the underside of the capping rail (the part that is painted black), and underneath the capping rail on the top, holding the chrome trim (or what's left of it) to the roof.

Good to see that you are getting to work on it -- I wish you good progress!

Tony

[giorgio67]

Giorgio -- yes, there should be both rivets and sealant -- that is correct. There are rivets in two places: along the underside of the capping rail (the part that is painted black), and underneath the capping rail on the top, holding the chrome trim (or what's left of it) to the roof.

Good to see that you are getting to work on it -- I wish you good progress!

Tony

HI,

A lot of work and pleasure too!!

I have found some orrible points and some very good bonus like the full stainless steel exhaust system!

The passenger seats guide are impossible to remove due to welded nuts in the guides .. and the bolts under the body are so rusted that the spanner is useless...

Best of all, as you can see in the photos, is the very very fine work.. done on the inner sill of the handbrake side.

Plexiglass patchwork with silicon, rivets and an astonishing use of glue..

Anyway, with a better view of my chassis, grinding away some black paint, it seems shine and very sound even if the rear tubular sections it has been welded in the past.

The rear bulkhead it's still very strong and I don't know if I need to replace it, see photo, advise welcome.

Only a question,

How can I lift my fuel tanks? (body out?)

Next, maybe, body out.

Thanks for your big help.

Cheers

PS:How can I put more photos?

I have no more space for the attachment??!!

ok... more photos

more..

...

..

[Simon350S]

Woah....

Loads of work going on there dude....!!!!

Tanks come out with the body on as you've got them there, they r just a tad difficult....

Will help if you remove the engine surround pannelwork...

Simon

Edited July 29, 2007 by Simon350S

[giorgio67]

Woah....

Loads of work going on there dude....!!!!

Tanks come out with the body on as you've got them there, they r just a tad difficult....

Will help if you remove the engine surround pannelwork...

Simon

Simon... :w00t: The S2.2 is not an S3... so I have not removable pannel around engine!!!

[Simon350S]

So the engine surround is part of the body tub moulding????

If so thats pretty pants mate.......!!!!!!!!

If it cant be removed then taking the body off the chassis wont help at all.... they should still come out the gap as the gap wont change....

If I'm talking crap.... then..... umm.....

Simon

[Loose Cannon]

Giorgio

Are you going to throw away the glass sunroof and bond in a new panel??

I have always hated those things, everone who butchered a car with one in the 70s and 80s should be tracked down like the dogs they are and shot!

[USAndretti42]

Simon... The S2.2 is not an S3... so I have not removable pannel around engine!!!

I believe the S2.2 is the same as the S2 and there are removable wooden panels either side of the engine and over the fuel tanks. They are a bit of a fiddle to remove but they do come out.

[giorgio67]

I believe the S2.2 is the same as the S2 and there are removable wooden panels either side of the engine and over the fuel tanks. They are a bit of a fiddle to remove but they do come out.

I'm talking about side/floor panels in the engine bay (fibreglass) not the wooden floor around the engine.

Everything is out but I can't see how the tanks will came out!

Mark, You are right...

Anyway, carbon fibre panel coming, not so easy to achieve the perfect curved shape but I will make a wood/guide before lamination.

Cheers

[USAndretti42]

Just looked at your photos more closely and now I can see that the wooden panels are out.

Forum member Dom Giangrasso (dglousltd) removed the right-hand tank from his S1. You could send him a personal message and ask him how he did it.

[giorgio67]

Just looked at your photos more closely and now I can see that the wooden panels are out.

Forum member Dom Giangrasso (dglousltd) removed the right-hand tank from his S1. You could send him a personal message and ask him how he did it.

Thanks guy,

do you think that I need to remove and made a new plywood firewall?

I'm afraid about body flexing and strenght during the long bodywork because the roof section is not so strong now awaiting the new panel.

Advise welcome.

Cheers

[Simon350S]

Give Troy a shout mate....

He did it to his and his photo diary has got pics of him doing it....

Although if its solid I'd leave as is....

Simon

[giorgio67]

A lot of work today on the front end of my car.

More pieces I take out and more worries are coming out especially on the bodywork.

Anyway, lifting out the motor headlight assembly etc.. I have found the wiring on the front in terrible conditions...

maybe the workmen was not so able, because someone have fitted a car alarm in the past and the wiring is now totally not original.

Cutted wire and taped connection all over...

So, I'm thinking to change all the wiring loom but I don't know if the S2 wiring from SJS it will be good for my car.

It's one of the last S2.2 builded and really nothing is matching also with my wiring diagrams! (Which should be right on the manual?)

Someone has some experience about a new wiring?

Is it supplied with all the terminal labelled and ready to be connected or what?

Advise and tips welcome.

Cheers

[Paul Coleman]

I have recently replaced the firewall in my S1 and if you don't need to do it I wouldn't - it is a real pig to get it out.

I'm currently replacing all the tubing at the back of my chassis as well as the engine brackets. Again, if you don't have to do this I wouldn't as it's a very long job. My chassis was twisted as well as being rusted right through so I didn't have a great deal of choice and my firewall had great chunks cut out of it

Paul.

[giorgio67]

Hi guys,

In my last post I was talking about bodywork problems, so, after looking and grinding the suspected area I have found this....(see pics)

I think there are three or four areas like this in the rear wheelarch, front and more points where the rubber trim is fitted in the middle of the body

There are some orrible patchwork inside the body near the left fuel tank, door lack and in the rear/front section near the light due to a light crash maybe.

Anyway, I'd like to know if it's a common problem for the Esprit and if it's can be considered a structural damage or if it's only a body flexing cause.

If someone have a knowledge about this problem, please let me know.

Thanks

Cheers

[Paul Coleman]

You should be able to repair that easily enough from behind the panel. I wouldn't have thought that the two halves of the body shell have moved - does the door fit properly? Is the gap between the door and the body the same all the way around the door? If it is then you can just lay up some fibreglass behind the panel going 6" either side of the gap and then grind down the other side and lay some fibreglass up on that side to strengthen it. Then just fill over with car body filler and smooth it all out. The body filler should only be a thin skim though to just level the surface.

I have repaired 3 panels around my engine bay in a similar fashion and they look fine.

Paul.

[giorgio67]

You should be able to repair that easily enough from behind the panel. I wouldn't have thought that the two halves of the body shell have moved - does the door fit properly? Is the gap between the door and the body the same all the way around the door? If it is then you can just lay up some fibreglass behind the panel going 6" either side of the gap and then grind down the other side and lay some fibreglass up on that side to strengthen it. Then just fill over with car body filler and smooth it all out. The body filler should only be a thin skim though to just level the surface.

I have repaired 3 panels around my engine bay in a similar fashion and they look fine.

Paul.

Hi Paul, .thanks.

I'm thinking to do exactly what you say.

The door in that side are a little lower but the door hinge/bush are totally worn so, I hope that it's not so structural... even if all around the car there are some points where the two halves are collapsed.

I will see with the paint off.

I'm a little afraid for the door lack structure, I have found different number of shim for the mounting points (lh/rh) due to previous dismantling.

If you can send me some pics of the lamination process it would be a big help

Cheers

[Paul Coleman]

Hi Giorgio

I probably don't have any photos that would help to be honest but I'll have a look. My door hinges have also gone and need replacing - a common problem.

How is your chassis? I have nearly finished repairing mine and it should be ready to paint at the weekend. I have had to replace all the tubes at the back as well as both engine mounting brackets. It has taken a lot more work than I ever expected

Cheers, Paul.

[giorgio67]

Hi Giorgio

I probably don't have any photos that would help to be honest but I'll have a look. My door hinges have also gone and need replacing - a common problem.

How is your chassis? I have nearly finished repairing mine and it should be ready to paint at the weekend. I have had to replace all the tubes at the back as well as both engine mounting brackets. It has taken a lot more work than I ever expected

Cheers, Paul.

Hi Paul

Today I have found the front lower section of the body full of filler and resin/mat patchwork

not serious damage but a lot of work to do in the future.

I'd like to work with the resin and fibreglass but I'm not so sure about the body shape

My chassis looks in beautiful conditions, for what can I see but I need to made a new rear tube section (under the manifold) and to replace the two diagonal section.

I have seen that these are supplied by SJ like new original parts.

I'm looking for some pics of the complete radiator mounting assembly because mine is hanged by a singol nut

Ciao Paul

Edited August 9, 2007 by ghe67

[giorgio67]

HI Friends,

Still a lot of work on my car in these days, and other wrong points

I have found breaked trim panel due to very poor work for the radio/alarm installation

Anyway, anothe week of work and then I will be able to take out the body

Just a question:

It's normal on a esprit the fact that the steering wheel is not in line with the front bulkhead/facia?

Mine is completely out of line and the right hand is more closely to the bulkhead.

Some advice?

maybe you can see that in one of the pics.

Cheers