PIN STRIPE Stevens turbo

[mattthesparks lotus esprit]

Hi Guys I'm looking at re applying the gold pin stripe down the side of my 88 Stevens turbo. Only issue is I don't know how thick it should be? I have 3mm in my head for some reason is this correct? Has anyone got an original car never been painted with the original pin stripe tape still on the car? Maybe could measure theirs?

 

Thanks in advance. 

Edited April 29, 2023 by mattthesparks lotus esprit

[jonwat]

4 hours ago, mattthesparks lotus esprit said:

Only issue is I don't know how thick it should be?

Specified in the parts manual.

[CarBuff]

If you can't find it in the parts manual, I could measure our original-finish Esprit's stripes.  

 

Along with details on how the 'ends' were applied at the door openings, etc.

[mattthesparks lotus esprit]

Thanks for that. I'll have a look in the part manual and see if I can find it. 

 

If not then yes if you could measure it up that would be great. 

[CarBuff]

If you call up my Profile and squint a bit 😅 you can see the stripe.

 

Let me know if I need to get the yardstick out of storage. 😊

[mattthesparks lotus esprit]

Checked the parts manual and this is all I can find. No measurements for the size of the stripe. 

[CarBuff]

OK, I measured our original stripes.

 

They are 1/8" wide ( just over 3mm) and they wrap around the edges of the panel gaps.  Take a look at how the door openings were done.

 

[fjmuurling]

Just measured on my 1990 SE, the stripe is 3 mm in width.

[mattthesparks lotus esprit]

That's great, love the way they finished them off into the door! 

Is that on the opening (hinge) and the door latch side ? 

[CarBuff]

That is on the latch (trailing) side of the B pillar. They also wrapped the tape around the edges of the body on the other gaps.

 

I've done a bit of auto pin-striping and vinyl graphics (this, before wraps became a 'thing') and we always cut the stripes BEFORE the panel gaps. They did not curve into the bodywork.

[mattthesparks lotus esprit]

Wow, that's makes sense thank you once again both of you. 

 

I've ordered the stripe today sadly it doesn't come in this packet I found ebay because its for 6mm. 🤣

[mattthesparks lotus esprit]

Now just need to remove these old silver ones that the previous owner fitted in 2007.

 

Luckly I have a load of pictures from 1990 which the previous owner sent to me.

[maydharm]

I hope you get it back on the road for the Masters Historic Festival! Not Long now you know mate😁

[Jack Stone]

Love that the G-Esprit door mirrors were kept for the early X180s. I think they switched to the CX units by 1989?

[mattthesparks lotus esprit]

1 hour ago, maydharm said:

I hope you get it back on the road for the Masters Historic Festival! Not Long now you know mate😁

All ready for the masters mate. And paid up. 

1 hour ago, Jack Stone said:

Love that the G-Esprit door mirrors were kept for the early X180s. I think they switched to the CX units by 1989?

Yes you're exactly right 1989 they fitted the cx mirrors. And sadly that mean that finding that driver wiring loom is is possible. And someone butchered mine years ago. 

[Jack Stone]

@mattthesparks lotus esprit Do you know the original source of the G Esprit mirrors?

[mattthesparks lotus esprit]

49 minutes ago, Jack Stone said:

@mattthesparks lotus esprit Do you know the original source of the G Esprit mirrors?

Yes I think I've heard they were capri mirrors. And fx3 taxi mirrors. 

[mattthesparks lotus esprit]

So today I took off the decals at last! Ready for the new ones!! 

 

 

On last one! Very pleased, now for the original gold ones to come on. 

[mattthesparks lotus esprit]

So finally car now looks like this once I added the gold stripe. 

[mattthesparks lotus esprit]

[Bibs]

Nicely done! Your tyres look like they may have seen better days, how old are they?

[Barrykearley]

I will add  - old tyres on esprits are awful. Anything over 4 years old tyre wise and the car will behave awfully. Modern tyres just don’t last and esprits just don’t like them.

[mattthesparks lotus esprit]

2020 new batch fitted 2 weeks before covid hit and we went in to lockdown. 

They where very dirty in those pics. So that's probably why they look bad. Here's a pic from brands hatch on Sunday. Much nicer. 

Edited May 31, 2023 by mattthesparks lotus esprit
Hadn't finished writing.

[mattthesparks lotus esprit]

15 minutes ago, Barrykearley said:

I will add  - old tyres on esprits are awful. Anything over 4 years old tyre wise and the car will behave awfully. Modern tyres just don’t last and esprits just don’t like them.

Yes makes a massive difference, the car feels so much more planted on the road and inspires Confidence in the corners! 

[Bibs]

Fair enough, they just look very aged in the pics, very brown on the sidewalls especially in that last pic.