Finally, Restoration Begins!

[giorgio67]

Hi Matt, thanks for your offer mate!

Yes, would be a good thing to have the original one.

Giorgio

[Fridge]

On 2016-3-1 at 10:29, Matt-watts said:

Giorgio

I have a couple of late S1- S2.2 battery boxes want me to send you one as a pattern ?

Matt

Hi @Matt-watts, have you still got a late S1/S2 battery box available?

Regards,

David.

[giorgio67]

Hello guys, long time here without update but a lot of work to do, new workshop etc... anyway just picked  up my retrimmed interior,  black leather with blu alcantara, I’m very happy, he did a great job!  Update soon, nightmare bodywork nearly finished so I hope to be ready for paint within a couple of months...

[cbclotus]

very smart ...fab .nice colour scheme. Mike

[drdoom]

Hi Giorgio,

The reupholstered seat looks beautiful! On the choice of paint it is my view that the light shades in metallic are best at revealing the subtleties of the Esprit form, however the style of the car is so superior that it looks great in any colour. You are not alone in your long struggle in this restoration, like many others in this community I too have worked through many of the difficulties you have described. My S2, purchased in '97 without driving as the motor was damaged, was stored until a garage was built in '07. Restoration inched forward slowly for the next few years while business and other home responsibilities got priority. Work has been more intense in recent years but overall progress is impeded as consequence of both hard use and neglect of the car over its long life. I take the view that we who take the long journey to thoroughly restore such cars should identify more as art curators, than as gearheads. Your car will be magnificent.

Steve     

[giorgio67]

Hello guys,

long time here without posting as I have update my restoration saga on a FB Groups (S1/S2/S2.2) but now time to post some pics also here for anyone not using FB and for keeping update my topic.

So, more than a year of hard bodywork (a nightmare...) and finally the body has been coated with polyester spray filler, sanded back and two coats of black primer, I did the paint job too. Lot of work on details but nearly ready for color, I hope at the end of month. Some other parts has been restored and ready to be mounted on. Enjoy my black babe as it is now.😀

Giorgio

[drdoom]

Bravo Giorgio!

You are still running out ahead of my progress, by autumn I should be as far along.

Cheers 

[giorgio67]

 

Body on chassis to check that everything is ok prior to drill new body to chassis holes for fixing point as the chassis is new and needs to be centered and drilled. just a 2mm misalignment on the left front point, better than the old original ones! 

[silverfrost]

Stunning, love the workshop lotus colour scheme also,  Rolling chassis looks lovely,  lots of hard work and it shows, this will be a stunning car and will reward you with many happy years trouble free hopefully lol.

Cant wait to see the body in the paint shop

[Jeanvm]

Good work, and those HC heads.👍

I am curious about the new paint.

[Rolls]

Just love it. Inspiration to get on with my S2 body 👌🏼

Did you drill out all of the mounting holes around the body to ensure they haven’t closed up with filler etc?

so excited for you.

[giorgio67]

every hole has been checked as I have done all the bodywork on my own so no probs here! 

Thanks for your comment

[giorgio67]

Et voilà!!!  One year of bodywork but the photos speaks for me! Gorgeous Essex Blu in all his glory 😀. My effort has been

[Bibs]

That looks

[silverfrost]

So happy for you,   Such a great feeling for you  to finally get the top coat on  ,  Lovely colour also,  did it leave  the factory  that way or did you just like Essex blue ?

Look forward to the shell going back on to that fantastic rolling chassis !

Well done, so pleased for you, top marks for effort and presentation

 

[giorgio67]

Car left the factory in Gold A04 color but sadly was not for me, I love Essex blu, it’s rich and fabolous when light change. 

[giorgio67]

21 hours ago, giorgio67 said:

Et voilà!!!  One year of bodywork but the photos speaks for me! Gorgeous Essex Blu in all his glory 😀. My effort has been

 

Sorry for the mistake guys but on my first post I have attached two pics of another car not mine, you can see the differences in the front boot, sorry. 🙄

[skiing]

beautiful colour - Essex Blue is definitely one I am considering for mine when it (eventually) gets re-painted...

[austeel]

Well done Giorgio, Your car look magnificent, you are an inspiration to us All. It takes a lot of commitment to stick to such a long term project. Congratulations on your car so far

 

[giorgio67]

Hello guys, lot of work here reassembling  my babe so time to post some pics of the progress.

Everything takes ages to be mounted correctly and a lot of non original parts needs to be worked prior to fit...but I'm happy to see a new car in the shade! 😀

[giorgio67]

[giorgio67]

[giorgio67]

[giorgio67]

Note in the pics above the Santo Graal of Esprit parts, the 260 Km/H speedo..😂

[ramjet]

This is going to look stunning when it is finished.