S2!

[Lotusfab]

On 06/09/2024 at 22:33, JonSE said:

New meaty dash mask arrived fresh from the 3D printer, Impossible Creations LTD. Looks great quality and a vast improvement over the thin dash mask (mine was long gone sadly….)

Looking forward to getting the binnacle sorted.

Might try them for some of the side capping trims and also the plug socket for the Lucas switches down the line….

What did they charge to scan and recreate the part? I need the wing mirror trims. Thanks.

[JonSE]

Dropped you a line @Lotusfab 

I actually sourced it via a thread on here as it stuck in my mind a few years ago.

They had the plan ready to go so order to delivery was just under 2 weeks, drop them a line and see what they say.

I might get a mirror housing from them and some of the side trims etc. based on what I need.

[JonSE]

Had a visit to a fellow forum members lovely garage to view a car close up and get some hints and tips.

Very grateful to be able to pick up some parts from him that were no longer required by him but very useful to myself, so much appreciated!!

This included the side mask below (not my image but identical)…

Dropped by LotusBits to get a few more bits and pieces and again was lucky to be given a missing door mount after Mike rummaged around in the warehouse where I believe he also keeps the lost ark of the covenant (ie - the warehouse is BIG!)

Lots of miscellany in there that I’m sure will come in useful down the line….

[JonSE]

I’ve chatted with a few folks on here around the options on the exhaust manifold.

Mine was the cast iron one but was shot to bits and badly repaired. 

From memory, my chassis had been cut around the engine mount 😮 to allow what I expect was replacement in the dim and distant past.

That has now been fixed.

As far as I can tell, my options are replace with iron (not preferred) or go via SJ or LotusBits for full stainless.

There are huge differences in price, what is the consensus on the best bang per buck for stainless?

If the manifold is more free flowing to allow greater BHP is there any issue of then having insufficient back pressure to allow the engine to run properly etc (this was a warning I once had from a specialist on another car a good few years ago).

Any experience on what to go for / avoid?

While the car is apart I can’t go to a custom place so I’m dependent on a pattern part really, and ideally one that’s proven so I don’t have to start to manipulate the completed chassis when it’s back…

At around £1K I want to think this one over and get as much advice as possible!

 

[peteyg]

I too am thinking about manifolds. I've had the SJ tubular system for nearly 20 years. At the time the originals were no longer available. It sounds good, no problem with back pressure and only a minor modification to the removable chassis brace to make it fit (they sell the ready modified part too). Mine is worn out a leaky now so not sure whether to go back to original or stick with the same setup.

[Fridge]

Though not in any way in @peteygleague of miles or years, I've done about 5,000+ miles on the SJ Sportscars stainless steel exhaust. The car was tuned and it runs and accelerates great, without the midrange hesitation that plagues some Esprits.

Insufficient back pressure etc is overthinking IMO.

I would consider fitting a cast manifold a retrograde step, unless absolute adherence to originality is preferred. I have had similar upgrades to my Audi daily and I've not looked back. Though custom made, that has provided very noticeable umpf in the low down range.

At £1,300 including VAT I would say SJ Sportcars complete system is worth the outlay.

[skiing]

I have the Lotusbits one - is is complex and very hard to get on and off but it does sound good and free up extra power - I have done about 20k miles with it now. I have re-packed the silencer once. 

[Sparky]

Yeah, but train for 18 months with a Rubik's Cube first.  That fit is the stuff of nightmares.

[skiing]

I remain eternally grateful..... I still owe you gin.

[JonSE]

Thanks for the above, hoping to fit it while the body is well and truly off the car so hopefully that will help.

I’ve drawn a bit of a blank sourcing the air filter box / enclosure. I see SJ have the back part that surrounds the carbs, anyone used this part?

I’d like to stick to S2 type ideally as I may in the future re-open the O/S vent that’s been sealed over to ram air into the carb intakes. Anyone happen to have an old air box for sale? 

[JonSE]

Also looking for this mask as I can’t pin the part number. Mine has been hacked so I could get it repaired (switch apertures were butchered to allow larger switches to be let in) but it might be cheaper to just replace if I can find one.

One I have is non-air con.

Is the font on there known to anyone?

If mine is repaired, I’d like to reapply the graphics. The sliders also mount to protrusions on the rear, not sure how easy this would be to replicate. Recall the sliders that drive the Bowden cables felt really stiff….

Think I’m just going to refurb the original air mixing box / heater to save having to engineer a cradle for a replacement. Won’t fully strip it, just open up one side to extract the rad for refurb / replace all the foam etc. 

[Fridge]

Font is Eurostile

[drdoom]

9 hours ago, JonSE said:

Thanks for the above, hoping to fit it while the body is well and truly off the car so hopefully that will help.

I’ve drawn a bit of a blank sourcing the air filter box / enclosure. I see SJ have the back part that surrounds the carbs, anyone used this part?

I’d like to stick to S2 type ideally as I may in the future re-open the O/S vent that’s been sealed over to ram air into the carb intakes. Anyone happen to have an old air box for sale? 

Have an airbox back plate on order with SJ, months of lead time required for production apparently.

[EXCEL V8]

I've got a couple of air boxes from front-engined cars - if I post up a couple of photos do you think you could tell if they are the same as the Esprit?  When I started my restoration I was planning to keep it fairly original - that lasted about a month 😄- so I've still got some original bits.

Pete

[JonSE]

If you post them up, we (well better people than me to be fair) can certainly have a look!

If a spares available and in good condition, I’d be interested. I’m more keen on fire prevention than originality 😀

[EXCEL V8]

Here are a few photos of a front-engined airbox "backplate".  There are several subtle variations depending on year, but I don't know when they changed.

 

 

 

 

Pete

[JonSE]

Thank you, I honestly can’t tell!

The part code is different to the S2 and I assume the lower tube is for spilled fuel maybe, upper tube I recall is to draw moisture from the oil filler neck to draw water off the oil and burn it through combustion. 

I travel to Nottingham though and could nip by one day if they might be for sale?

Worst case I’ll fettle to fit, it’s in better condition than other ones I’ve seen so thank you for that, drop me a PM and that would be lovely 👍

Conscious not to have exposed carbs as were fitted when I collected the car and enclose them in an air box assembly in the event of any fuel weeping out….

[JonSE]

Spent this evening undoing the work from a couple of weeks ago 👆, namely stripping the headlamp motors back down and removing the grease as advised on here (thanks @Fridge)

Also freed off the axle attached to the cog as it had some corrosion on, so addressed this with a dremel and got a decent surface back on it (not pictured but shiny!)

Did grease this up and the mechanism seems much better regards hand cranking and went back together much easier, so might have saved some bother down the line.

Does anyone know if the bushes are available other than a separate assembly, mine seemed OK but I’d change them if a set is readily available.

Only ones I can see require you to buy the full after market mount etc which just seems a waste.
 

These are shaped to fit the mount they are on so don’t think the single ones I’ve spotted will do unless I dremel a groove in them. Some images outline what I mean below….

 

 

[JonSE]

Real reason I went to the garage though was to loosely assemble one side of the binnacle mask kindly provided by another forum member.

I checked the layout and cleaned up the switches a little after leaving them soaking in penetrating fluid for a few days to help clean the internal copper strip mechanism.

The tabs that hold the switches against the back of the panel are a bit hit and miss but the PO had supplied a few spares which I might strip as they have good chassis’.
 

But I’d lose the original legend (even though there are aftermarket ones available) so for now I might just get the dash back together using some decent support behind the switches (tie wraps maybe as they mount really well even with the broken tabs) and then revisit later down the line….will also give me chance to see if any don’t work and require further attention….new light switch as just purchased bottom left…

[JonSE]

I’m blowing hot and cold (see what I did there 😀) wether to try and save the other side but it shows the new side up now.

Its been cut to allow a new larger fan switch (which I still need to find an original), bent, a little rusted and also drilled out for an LED.

As it’s part of the car that faces me 100% of the time I’m tempted to buy a new one for around £100, but not sure if the SJ part has the welded bolts behind it to mount the Bowden cable controls for the heater…

But it’s also part of the original car….

Just realised why the PO may have obtained some spare switches after a quick check, not to add aux functions but to strip them for the chassis.

All good on these so I can make a good batch for the new panel, in a rare stroke of luck. 
 

Also easier than expected to change the legend I’ve just found so I can probably cobble together at worst a fan control switch from what I now have….

[Fridge]

I reused the instrumentation panel in my S1 as I wanted to retain as much of the original car as possible. However I purchased new panels in case I change my mind at a later date. You swap over the mechanisms mounted to the rear. Others who have already fitted them would be able to describe the process better.

Personally, given the state of that original panel, and the new one obtained you would best buying a replacement and sourcing the correct switch.

[peteyg]

On 24/09/2024 at 12:11, EXCEL V8 said:

Here are a few photos of a front-engined airbox "backplate".  There are several subtle variations depending on year, but I don't know when they changed.

 

 

 

 

Pete

That back plate is angled on the back. The Esprit one is flat so the air filter sits at right angles to the carb barrels. Not to say it wouldn't potentially work if it's the only option. The tubes are fine. The fat one is the crank case breather and the thin one connects to the oil filler neck.

Pete

[Djs44]

19 hours ago, JonSE said:

I’m blowing hot and cold (see what I did there 😀) wether to try and save the other side but it shows the new side up now.

Its been cut to allow a new larger fan switch (which I still need to find an original), bent, a little rusted and also drilled out for an LED.

As it’s part of the car that faces me 100% of the time I’m tempted to buy a new one for around £100, but not sure if the SJ part has the welded bolts behind it to mount the Bowden cable controls for the heater…

But it’s also part of the original car….

Just realised why the PO may have obtained some spare switches after a quick check, not to add aux functions but to strip them for the chassis.

All good on these so I can make a good batch for the new panel, in a rare stroke of luck. 
 

Also easier than expected to change the legend I’ve just found so I can probably cobble together at worst a fan control switch from what I now have….

Jon - the SJ panel includes the welded bolts for the heater cables . 

[JonSE]

I’ll sort one of those and add to the order….ta!

[drdoom]

Further to the airbox question I've a loaner on hand courtesy of an Esprit owning mate, offering it for comparison to what Pete has presented. I believe it is that fitted to the earliest Esprit on which the closing plate is retained via screws rather than clips.