S2!

[Lotusfab]

Think 18 psi is far too low. The book figures are no longer relevant with modern tyres. Mine are about 25 psi and 27psi. I don’t like Protech’s the ones I have the adjustment knob fouls, but I believe this may have been rectified. I put Avos on the front of my Turbo and prefer them.

[Fridge]

13 minutes ago, Lotusfab said:

Think 18 psi is far too low. The book figures are no longer relevant with modern tyres. Mine are about 25 psi and 27psi. I don’t like Protech’s the ones I have the adjustment knob fouls, but I believe this may have been rectified. I put Avos on the front of my Turbo and prefer them.

The adjusters on the front fouls my lower suspension arms also. Though it works OK. Though I'm unconvinced that the clicks are consistent between units.

[910Esprit]

S2 has a noticeably different chassis feel to the later S3 and my S2 was far more sensitive to (front) tyre pressure variance than a Turbo.  Currently run my Turbo at 22F 27R 

[Rudi K]

16 hours ago, JonSE said:

On a related topic, tyres!

For Wolfrace wheels.

What is best for front and rear (understand I have to split brands?)

I did idly consider if Image could reproduce the Wolfraces I have identically but tweak them for a modern tyre set up. But I’m not a millionaire so I’ll stick with the originals!

I have a pair of Dunlop Sport 205/70 R14 on the rear of JPS #40 and Nankang Ultra Sport NS II 205/60 R14 on the front.

The PO had fitted Nankang both front and rear, but the Dunlop Sport 205/70 R14 suits the JPS rear axle much better - sadly unavailable in the 205/60 R14 profile.

In terms of tyre pressures, the handbook 18/27 psi reflects the 40/60 front/rear weight distribution. After comments from various mechanics I have ended up setting the Nankang at 22 psi and the Dunlop at 28 psi. The combination seems to work.

After various groundings on dodgy road surfaces, I would counsel against lowering the specified suspension or the tyre profiles.

[Lou R]

Jonathan,

I've had the same issues with shocks as many have also had.  Apparently some of the Armstrongs are buildable while other are not.  On a previous post I was directed to contact Harvey Bailey Engineering for a rebuild of my original front Armstrongs.  Mine were not in the "rebuildable" category but the team at Harvey Bailey advised a different solution.  The original front shocks were Armstrong 63-3305.  Harvey Bailey advised that Armstrong 63-3314's have the exact same damping characteristics, size, etc. but had a shorter mounting tube at the bottom (apparently the only difference).  3314's are much more common than 3305's so they recommended using the 3314 (used on the G Esprit Turbos) but with the correct size mounting tube.  They removed the shorter tube (from new-in-the-box 3314's) and mounted the correct size tube as the 3305 (for GBP 15 each).  I just received them the other day and they appear exactly like the 3305's.  I haven't mounted them yet (to replace the Spax) but I'm hopeful they will provide the original Armstrong ride.  Of note, the 3314's they sold to me were red in color vs. the original Armstrong blue.  I found traces of the Armstrong blue under the red.  I'm sure you could strip and paint them the familiar Armstrong blue if you're so inclined.  I'm going to leave mine red - it'll look different from the NOS Armstrong rear shocks but it's of no matter to me as long as they provide the original Armstrong ride.  Give them a call - you may find they have an acceptable solution for you.    

Lou R

http://harveybailey.co.uk

[Fridge]

Great info @Lou R

<The Internet> 👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀 <Esprit owners>

[drdoom]

I differ with @Rudi K on the basis for the odd tire pressures specified for the 1st and 2nd Series Esprit. It is documented that Lotus had a 235/60-14 in hand for the rears in development pre-production, quite understandable in terms of the 40/60 weight distribution, the planned V-8 version and also in keeping with then current F1 state-of-the-art. I am confident that the 205/70's were chosen purely for attaining design diameter at a tolerable cost, not at all for the sake of performance or appearance, for that matter. Unconvinced? Look at the vast space left around the 205/70 in the wheel wells, not something either ACBC or GG would have easily abided. At 1st opportunity in subsequent development, the Turbo/S3 chassis, we see tyres fitted appropriate to both weight distribution and aesthetics. So it is my conclusion that the front 205/60's, a superior spec yet fitted at the less loaded axle, were purposefully de-rated by the no-cost method of air pressure.

Well done @Lou R, that's a most significant bit of sleuthing on the dampers.

Cheers

[Fridge]

Interesting perspective and hypothesis @drdoomQuite possibly.

I know that @Final Edition, who works in car design within the industry, has mentioned to me numerous times the large space within the wheel arch that is left by the 205/70/14 tyre and wheel combo.

[JonSE]

Thanks for all the great information everyone, certainly food for thought!

I’ll review and determine which way I go with both suspension and tyre make. I’ll also contact a few of the U.K. specialists and get their views, I’ll feed this back.
 

The car also has the S2 wheels with it and I’m potentially going to try both to see how the car drives between sets if I can find enough tyres at a reasonable price!
 

I do like the way the S2 wheels fill the apertures more (an illusion?) and seeing some S1’s on S2 wheels in the past it looks a good mix. But ultimately I’ll just go with one type unless I decide to hill climb the car and need a spare set for road / race.
 

As an aside, does anyone else suffer from just wanting to sort one or two little jobs around the house before cracking on with the car, then you find the weekend has gone?!

We’ve moved house recently but I do recall the same at my previous place which was relatively sorted.

I’d like to crack on while there is still oil in the ground to run the damn thing!

On THAT subject, it’s worth noting for U.K. residents (this may apply elsewhere also) a guy here that has spent a fortune converting his original mini to electric in the U.K. has been refused road legal status by the DVLA when he declared the changes made.

They are saying these changes amount to a re-engineering of the car and the car must therefore be submitted to the U.K. small manufacturer / one off safety test (which an original mini could never fundamentally pass, actually no car built before 2015 would now pass these tests!) to be allowed to be used on the road again.

Furthermore they have deleted the cars original registration mark making a retrospective return to IC impossible, as it would need the same test to prove the reverse and the original mini would not pass the new safety standards.

As well as the drive train change, certain bulkheads were adapted to accommodate the battery packs and wiring etc.

While all this looks to have been done to a very high standard, it appears that such changes will trigger the DVLC to request the test.

With historic cars in the U.K. we are no longer obliged to submit our cars over a certain age to the annual safety test known as the MOT, so if the DVLC were not informed, you could theoretically run the car on the road as an EV if you didn’t inform them of the change, as there is no annual inspection to spot the modifications you have made.

However it is an offence to run a modified vehicle on U.K. roads if you have not informed the DVLC of the changes and also in the event of an accident you are theoretically not insured (double trouble if the accident is deemed to be down to any of the modifications made or even parts of the car left standard that couldn’t cope, eg brakes and this plays a part in the accident).
 

You can easily insure heavily modified cars in the U.K. but the caveat is that the legal paperwork must reflect the vehicle and one of the parameters is of course engine size (or propulsion type in this case). 
 

I suppose also as the EV industry proliferates there will be good and bad conversions and the weight of battery packs slung into boot spaces or onto parts of the chassis never intended or designed for the load, plus the implications of impact characteristics etc play a part in the above decisions.

The U.K. operates a points system for modifications and changing the engine type from stock seems to be big enough to trigger enough points to require informing the govt, ergo the test, so EV conversion seems to be de facto a dead end?

I’m relaying this as one of my idle musings when I bough the car was to create project

e-sprit (geddit?)

based on one of the conversion kits available, going for direct drive motors to each of the rear wheels and eliminating both the engine and gearbox.

I chose not too when the costs and re-engineering requirements became apparent coupled with my (low) practical capabilities and it wasn’t really what I was after anyway.

There has been a steady squeezing of our kit car industry here in the U.K. with enhanced tests and emissions targets to reach and the kit car market is slowly dying as a result over these past years sadly.

It’s a huge pity though that many classics could be made green and be used for many more years after say an engine failure by conversion but will not be allowed by the govt.

However it did occur to me that it made more sense if Bond’s car had been electric for it to be able to make the transition to sub and also allow the rear wheels to fold in on themselves.

One power plant to run both vehicle phases in air and water, ability to both propel and drive under / out of water, and used an engine soundtrack on the road so that the car blended in a bit better (like a white S1 always goes unnoticed anyway in the seventies!)

Nowadays, “sorry Bond, we couldn’t get those chaps in transport to agree the certs for using the Lotus on the road, here’s a bus pass for you instead…….”

 

[drdoom]

Dialogue has become worthy of its own new thread.

[Djs44]

Interesting Jon . I read about the Mini issue too . Can't help wondering why he bothered informing DVLA (?) . Maybe the car wasn't on their database originally ??

There are several( many)  companies changing ICE to EV and they don't seem to have issues - also companies putting , for example , motor bike engines in the back of Mini's . Maybe they have just been lucky to not be rumbled ??

 

I have an XJ-S I'm rebuilding that has a seized engine - I did think it would be a prime candidate for an EV conversion if I can't get it rotating ....

 

 

[Fridge]

1 hour ago, Djs44 said:

Interesting Jon . I read about the Mini issue too . Can't help wondering why he bothered informing DVLA (?) . Maybe the car wasn't on their database originally ??

There are several( many)  companies changing ICE to EV and they don't seem to have issues - also companies putting , for example , motor bike engines in the back of Mini's . Maybe they have just been lucky to not be rumbled ??

 

I have an XJ-S I'm rebuilding that has a seized engine - I did think it would be a prime candidate for an EV conversion if I can't get it rotating ....

 

 

I think the post that Jon took his lead from (Pistonheads) suggested that those vehicles had not been brought to the attention of the DVLA and are still registered as their original specification. Some of the known EV conversions mentioned were those featured on the TV programme Vintage Volt.

If it's 40+ years old then there's no or little benefit in informing them on a taxation and ULEZ basis at least. 

And we know that TV programmes are always economical with the truth don't we?

Edited January 16, 2023 by Fridge

[JonSE]

Yes, it’s a lot less of a grey area than I thought, actually pretty strictly controlled and has major implications for what might have been the specials industry’s last saving grace here in the U.K.?

Another quick question that may solicit some welcome long answers - part of the historic prep on my body has led to some small areas where the gel coat has been breached.

What is the process for dealing with these? Paint man is concerned about pin holes and extra ordinary prep time they may take (he works with GRP but generally newer stuff tbf).

I’m not chasing nor can ill afford a concours prep and paint job, but would also like the paint to last that goes on!

Is there a way to prep gel coat breaches to ensure the finished job is a good one?

Only has three or four small areas thankfully but checking the consensus here before drawing on Google or previous posts on TLF……..

[drdoom]

I'll be most pleased to read answers to these questions, John. Some of the same to deal with on my car.

[jonwat]

What exactly do you mean by gel coat breaches, is it gel coat cracks or some thing else?

[drdoom]

I had the shell media blasted for removal of the bulk of finishing paint, guardedly decided after advice from one who'd seen the firm work on GRP previously. That said they were not able to avoid blowing away some gel in spots behind the fuel fillers. Not a bad outcome in general though.

Cheers

[JonSE]

@jonwatits where a previous attempt to strip paint mechanically has been too harsh, creating areas about the size of my finger where the gel coat has gone completely and we are into fibreglass strands.

Star cracks are non existent as far as I can see blessedly, however these would have been easier for me to deal with ironically!

Do I need to somehow re-introduce the gel into these “gouges” to chemically isolate them or is it prep just like the rest of the car (bring back to flat using filler etc).

thanks!

[LOTUSMAN33]

 

This is a good product to use for final prep and finish. 👍🏻

[JonSE]

Lovely, thank you!

[LOTUSMAN33]

Your sprayer will need a 2-3mm tip for their gun nozzle Jon as this is a sprayer filler.

Only dry sand with P180 to 240 and spray at 30psi 

Dave  

[JonSE]

Thank you, I’ll pass this along to my friend who has kindly offered to do the paintwork👍

[jonwat]

12 hours ago, JonSE said:

where a previous attempt to strip paint mechanically has been too harsh, creating areas about the size of my finger where the gel coat has gone completely and we are into fibreglass strands.

I would cut a section of fibreglass tissue to slightly smaller than the affected area & stick that in place with resin, once dry a thin skim of filler should cover it for flatting. Miles Wilkins wrote an excellent book on fibreglass restoration. 

[JonSE]

Another 4 months have passed and little progress to report!

My paint friend though has finally got the door skins and other bits into primer to check for any reactions.

All being well, it will be then onto the paint regime to get the body white and ready for reuniting and mounting back onto the rolling chassis.

Rolling chassis build up will be triggered when paint completion is estimated within 2 months to save space.

Aforementioned house move has me moving boxes of bits about, and while my total storage space has gone up, the space for cars has reduced so I’m having to balance what I can do in the new digs!

So for now, sorting bits of ancillary kit and distracting myself with a little monkey bike mischief here and there to keep my need for speed in check……

 

 

[JonSE]

Little in the way of updates as the body work steadily progresses at my friends paint shop. Allows me time to sort other stuff so all good.

Had had the chance this week though during a stay outside Berwick to visit the Jim Clarke museum to get a Lotus fix.

The place we stayed was actually built in one of the former farm fields just over from the farm itself, although the Clarke family are long gone now.
 

Museum is lovely, a great way to spend a few hours around the history of Lotus and the sad untimely end of a legend.

Missed a NYLOC meeting in Whitby that Fridge attended where with some sleuthing, we determined my old Esprit S2 popped up, would love to contact the owner for a chat at some point…

[JonSE]

Nil progress, but interesting auction yesterday, some strong prices in sone areas and some bargains in others?

https://www.bonhams.com/auction/29073/sir-roger-moore-the-personal-collection/?page=5&sortBy=lots_virtual_sort_price_desc

Just now, JonSE said:

Nil progress, but interesting auction yesterday, some strong prices in sone areas and some bargains in others?

https://www.bonhams.com/auction/29073/sir-roger-moore-the-personal-collection/?page=5&sortBy=lots_virtual_sort_price_desc

Made me a little sad looking through the lots, that he’s passed away.

Bond films such a big part of my childhood, one of the reasons I’m on here looking to rebuild an esprit now of course…..