V12 Esprit

[mywedge]

The previous owner did the conversion. It is a long story, but I have known the owner of the car and the mechanic responsible for the conversion since I was 17 years old (decades ago) and it has always been my dream car (this particular car with the conversion). Therefore, the knowhow behind the conversion is fortunately just a phone call away (I am a fair mechanic but could not pull this off).

My best friend at the time and his father owned a Lotus repair shop so I had the pleasure and fortune of being around the cars for some time. Friends and I would spend hours discussing this car, the tale of beating a Kawasaki Ninja 750 motorcycle in a drag race, and countless what if's of the imagination that fill the hours of free time young adults afford.

Not long ago, the previous and first owner started to become frail in his old age and needed liquid capital to pay some bills. By chance, I was notified of his desire to sell the Lotus and the rest is history. I still can't believe my eyes when I look in the garage. I owned a stock Black 1987 Turbo Esprit about 15 years ago, but this is a very different car. The transformation of your Esprit, if executed correctly, will put an ear-to-ear smile on your face every time you drive it. Oh yes, and an uncontrollable Whoo Haah will spill out of your mouth from time to time....

Cheers,

Edited September 8, 2009 by mywedge

[MikeS2]

Awesome work!

Amazing, I also thought about putting this engine in mine (future). I have an '78 esprit and two 750's ('89 and 2000).

You may already know this but anyway, if its an earlier engine it should let you do the stomp test to tell you whats wrong with it.

The stomp test will give you the codes. You depress the throttle (to max) rapidly (throttle switch) 5 times for one bank and as I recall 6? for the other bank error codes. The check engine light blinking will tell you the codes for what is wrong. e32 roadfly has tons of info on this.

The Peake code reader works for some cars but not others - dont need it really since stomp test is totally built in and always available anywhere. I carry a code printout in my car, but never need it really due to preventive maint. (still driven daily).

You may have fixed this already but from the vid. it sounds like you are running on 6 cylinders - which it does when the EML light turns on (Limp home mode as you stated in the vid). When working correctly it should sound like a smooth hum, In your case being louder, sort of like sticking a paper into a high rpm fan. The starting sounds weak, maybe battery was low - this can cause many weird comp. problems (low or weak battery), and even EML light.

The EML light may be due to many things but often the drive by wire throttle's grease inside hardens up over the years and they need to be dissassembled and re greased - some posts on the internet about how to do this - not hard to do really, I did it. Make sure you keep the relative positions inside if you do it.

I would use new aftermarket fuel injection if I were to do it, as its much, much simpler (did my esprit DFI). Would have to map it though.

Did you do anything about cooling? You can get 4 core radiator in front like I have in my esprit (from radiator shop) for hot summer idle - if needed.

Great job!

[lotusross]

Thanks Mike - I figured out the problem with the EML - it was a loose bolt on the throttle position switch -

I tried the stomp test - but it did nothing. I will probably be taking it for a spin or two this week sometime - or maybe next week.

It is no longer in limp home mode - and it revs quite freely.

As far as cooling -

[wayneb911]

Any updates or pictures on this yet. How did you do the adaptor plate for the belhousing to the engine. Did you make a templet up. If so what did you find was an easy way to do this?

[lotusross]

No recent pictures yet - still working on it and the weather here has been lousy. I worked on the shift linkage today and recently I put in a BMW instrument cluster - complete with the driver information screen.

Of course I also have to do a little work on my M3 to get ready for winter.

I hope to have some more pictures and a video here in a couple of weeks - after that she will probably be spending the winter indoors where I will complete the interior, and the engine bay.

The adapter plate was made by a friend of mine who owns a machine shop - he used an existing adapter plate I had and a spare Lotus bellhousing.

It all works well - I have driven it around the block a few times this year. Hopefully - if all things go well - I will get some type of exhaust system on it this month.

[lotusross]

Here is some video - the interesting stuff is in the last minute or so.

Jason.

[silverfrost]

Great effort Jason,

The engine is crazy and should sound fantastic with a decent exhaust system fitted, Once again good effort

Keep up the good work regards danny

[lotusross]

I returned from the shop today - bad news - can't do the muffler with the current engine mounts - I will have to work on the mounts a bit.

It's OK though - I wasn't too happy with the mounts anyway. The guy is also going to make a custom muffler - round, crossflow and polished stainless with large tips.

It should look sweet when it is done.

I will keep you guys posted.

[lotusross]

Well guys - here are some links to my recent updates - it is very cold here and I haven't started the car in a while. Ignore some of the commentary.

Let me know what you think, I am getting estimates right now for customizing the rear valance.

There are also some shots of the dash.

I am getting closer.

Jason.

[Günter]

think you already know the silver S3 with the smaller 3.8L Audi-V8 ?! There was a lot of suggestions and opinions about exhaust- design and rear end styling in his treat

[silverfrost]

Hi Jason,

Glad to see this project is still coming on strong, Really liking the new dash also the exhaust looks very well made from what i can tell in the pictures, how low is it though, hopefully not lower than the chassis! Think Gunter was on about me in his last post it a 3.7 and yes i made my own rear valance but also some other mods to the rear end aswell, one of which was removing the bumper so not sure how my valance would look with a bumper attached!

Its basically just a light weight metal frame welded togher, with stainless steel mesh weld to it, then bolted up! and then cut out your exhaust holes! Then painted it satin black, its very hard to see in pictures as they dont do it justice, have not been able to get to any meets yet since the conversion so not sure how people will precieve it, but its cheap,sturdy and better areodynamically and looks pretty good too!

As said great work on the V12 this project really coming along, keep up the good work and keep the updates coming,

Regards danny

[lotusross]

Thanks Danny - I looked up your project before - but not all the pictures were there - not sure why.

Would you mind posting a link to the pictures for me?

When I saw the post on your car it was very nice and well done.

The muffler is not lower than the chassis - although the car itself is still very low. The oil pan (YIKES!!!) is the lowest point. I am looking at that very closely.

Originally I had a dry sump set-up that didn't work out very well - I may have to return to that in the future, for now - I will have to pay close attention to man-hole covers and differences in elevation.

Jason.

[silverfrost]

Hi Jason,

Yes mate just had a look, it seems all my photobucket pics have gone! not sure if there is a time limit on how long you can store them or something will have to get a payed account or somthing! As for the sump yes defo a bit concerning can you not fit a buffer to the chassis or somthing or bolt an inverted ramp to the bottom of the chassis to protect the sump maybe. Have tried to attach a pic to this post hopefully it worked fingers crossed!

Regards danny

[red vtec]

Looks great, you are obviously very skilled.

[Mark Blanchard]

That's the meanest sounding S2 I've ever heard. that's a proper sounding Esprit!

[saggitarius]

Just love to read about this completely crazy project :-) The idea to stuff a V12 into an Esprit is probably the very definition of "thinking outside the envelope". You are a very good example of the breed of people that we should have more of in this world.

Keep up the good work and keep the pictures coming.

And now I'm sorry for intruding by comenting another project in your thread, but I just couldn't resist a "woah" when I looking at the rear end of the Silverfrost car. Pieces of my own puzzle fell into place. I have been studying the S1-3 cars and have felt that in my opinion the S1 has the cleanest rear end. I bought a set of rear lamps from a Fiat X1/9 a couple of weeks ago - since I've found that those are the lamps Lotus used on the S1

I see I have to do some "plastering" to clean up and make those fit...

[brown_jug]

This is a very cool adaptation. It has been server years since this was posted...what ever happened to the car? I am looking for help on my own conversion.

[Guy W Johnson]

sold it I think