Finally got it

[Cos]

Hi Hemlock

Yes, It

[Bibs]

Cos, are you wearing fighter pilot overalls to fix a car?

If so, class!

[Cos]

Hi Bibs

Yes, they are fighter pilot overalls. I bought them cheap from a shop in Amsterdam called Aviation megastore.

They are cheap and comfortable, but the best bit is that they have velcro on the cuffs, which helped stop rust running up my sleaves when i changed the suspension on the GT3.

BTW, it was Roddy who posted those pics of me working on the car. He took them on the sly without me knowing about it. He had a right chuckle about it because the overalls light mighty tight

Diet is the new year resolution!

[phoenix]

More pics for the esprit S1 fetishists amongst you. It is MOT day and the first outing for the S1 in 23 years!

[Loose Cannon]

Pheonix, can we see some photos of your 2.2 for the S2 fetishists on here? Start a new thread if you prefer.

[Cos]

Hi Loose cannon.

I have often told my brother Roddy to put up a few pics of his S2.2. Its a very very original car and in excellent condition too. I think that he will do that soon.

Update on the restoration.

I am going to having the original engine rebuilt to original specs by a friend who is very keen to do the work. He has a dozen lotus already and had built quite a few of these engines already.

The next thing that will happen now, is that the car must go to a body shop for a complete respray. I have got 1 quote already from a well known Lotus specialist in Chelmsford Essex, but I will get at least a couple more before I decide where I will take it.

Does anyone have any comments to make about body shops in SE england.

One the respray is completed, then it will be time to start talking about the interior :0

Cos

[phoenix]

Pheonix, can we see some photos of your 2.2 for the S2 fetishists on here? Start a new thread if you prefer.

Hello Mark

I am one of the fortunate few that is lucky enough to have found a sorted motor, my 1980 esprit S2.2 is very original and in excellent condition for its age. It was owned by an engineer who maintained the car to a very high standard. Sadly he passed away which is how I got to acquire the it about a year ago. It is silver with red leather seats and the rest of the trim is like the soft roof lining material in black. I intend to keep the interior as it is, as originality is king, particularly on older cars. It normally starts on the button and still has the carved from solid wood feel that you get from new vehicles. I do not drive it in the wet if I can avoid it. Underneath everything is clean although much of the suspension, callipers etc have been sprayed red. Over time I might return things to original colours. When I got the car, it had paint overspray on the glass and paintwork and I spent days hand polishing it out. I have had the wheels restored by Diamond Styling in Seven Oaks and I have fitted Fulda tyres to the rear and Yokohamas to the front. Safety comes first. The mirrors, ear air scoops and rear light cluster trims could do with painting (satin black) and that is on the TO DO list for early next year. The Electric windows are slow so I plan to do a full internal door maintenance when the mirrors come off. The esprit S2s are under rated at the moment with many having fallen by the wayside but their moment will come as people start to appreciate and restore them. As for presenting it, I have some plans to get some much deserved exposure on it. Watch this space.

Roddy

Saturday 12 December 2009- Shell Station in North London. OPH 633R being gassed up again at a station after 23 years.

Gorgeous shots of esprit S1 in the snow.

polished esprit S2.2

[Scoville]

Hahaha Howdi Roddy, Rasmus here. There should be some form of law against owning the amount of cool cars, that you and Cos now have (how many Matra Bagheeras, Lotuses and other vintage cars are you up to now?!)

Looks daaaaamn good that S1. I have started tearing my turbo down now so be prepared for some mails and calls in the near future. I have a year off starting october so I should have my car ready by next year hopefully (depending on cash cash cash)...

[/thread high jacking]

Cos was Roddy with you when you got the car? If so I hope you pestered him about being the owner of a real sports car!

/Raz

[phoenix]

Rasmus! Happy New Year friend and colleague. I have been saying to myself lately I must contact Rasmus. So you found me on this site, that's cool. Don't you love technology. It brings all us sad people who have this car illness together. I have four on/off runners, Mercedes 280SL (sensible everyday car), Lotus esprit 2.2 (cool factor), Lotus eclat 2.2 riviera (class) and Matra Bagheera (quirky), plus a couple of spare Matra cars. Four is the limit for me. I am just in the middle of something as I write this but we must catch up on MSN soon. Hopefully I'll be able to do what I can for your esprit turbo project. They will be the up and coming cars. It would be good to start a thread here if you have the time. You get to meet some nice people. Look out for me on messenger. Talk to you soon.

Roddy

[Loose Cannon]

Beautifully original S2, hope the S1 turns out as good. And an Eclat Riviera, mmmm. Matra Bagheera/Murena is a car always promised but never got around to owning.

[matk]

I love that S2.2. Congrats on owning it, and if you ever decide to sell call me!

[phoenix]

Beautifully original S2, hope the S1 turns out as good. And an Eclat Riviera, mmmm. Matra Bagheera/Murena is a car always promised but never got around to owning.

Cheers Mark

Now this is a Lotus driven by gentlemen, leather interior, auto box, power steering, cigar lighter for my cigar and you can smell that interior. You can't buy it these days. Old school son.

I love that S2.2. Congrats on owning it, and if you ever decide to sell call me!

Hi Mat. If you are who I think you are, I bought some bits off you from ebay. If so I met your son in Golders Green down the road from me and I also met a mutual friend. I have no doubt that you would make an excellent custodian of this fine example. I have spent four decades of my life being espritless. It is worth it in the end when you finally get what you have been looking for.

Regards

Roddy

[Loose Cannon]

That's a truly gorgeous Eclat, the ice blue suits the shape perfectly IMHO, only Copperfire could look as good.

[Robert Crooks]

Roddy

I agree, that is a stunning Eclat Riviera.

I have one in copperfire ala "Who dares wins" that we started for the first time in 10 years this week after a mechanical and interior restoration. Should be MOT'd next week. However, the PO gave it a poor respray. It needs a proper respray to complete the project, but I'm not sure I'm prepared to spend the money on it. I bought it as a project and I think I may perhaps have taken it as far as I want to. Your pictures, showing how good they can look, has certainly made me think though.

Robert

[Cos]

The white one is going in for some special body treatment this week.

Going in for a major freshen up of the white.

Will update once it starts coming apart.

Cos

[phoenix]

Some more information on esprit s1 progress: After the recent run of over a hundred miles (for a paint quote) and a couple of local round trips, the esprit s1 became noisy. There was a ticking sound coming from the front of the car and a louder more rackety ticking coming from the engine area. During this fettling and settling stage we had decided on short trips to drive the car without the rear engine cover in order to listen out for any abnormalities and quickly catch any steam, smoke or fire. Back in the day, the ear was an essential piece of equipment before the advent of plug in diagnostics. Anyway, being the fourth 900 series engine in the family, I have developed a good sixth sense for these engines and cars and I knew that something was wrong. The sound from the front turned out to be what I had suspected, the non return valve to the brake servo. These are a little white plastic plug in attachment found at the base of the servo. They look like an inverted top hat. Over time they get noisy. I remember being at a lotus elite/

[Simon350S]

Good spot on that pump pully!!!

Coulda been nasty

[Cos]

She is back from the spray shop. I have borrowed some rear wolfrace wheels from a friend which I hope to replace very soon. They should be going on later today.

Roddy (brother) took care of the return of the car back to his house in London. He has promised to put the decals on for me too

Cant wait now to go back to London to see her in her new coat.

[Loose Cannon]

Sharp!

[Cos]

Trying to save enough pennies now so that I can get it retrimmed by the infamous Nick.

There really is no alternative!

[Hemlock]

Nice

[Cos]

Today Roddy (big brother) put the wheels on for me. (Going over to London next Tuesday... Yippee!) The compomotive rears that came with the car just didnt do it justice. I used Maxxis tires. They have very little markings on the side walls, which is rather good, and are very good value for money. Every time I look at them though, they remind me of my mountain bike.

It finally beginning to look like an esprit again. The rears wheels were kindly borrowed to me by a friend. whose esprit is a very long way from being finished. They were diamond cut and restored by spit and polish. Decent blokes with lots of exerience in wolfrace slots. I should be replacing them soon with another pair hopefully.

The exhaust is sitting a bit askew so I will be fitting the proper brackets as soon as I get over. I will also be putting on the new decals next week.

I have left the windscreen off for the moment until I decide on what I will be doing about the reupholstry. 99% sure now though that it will be getting the Mr Fulcher treatment. I wish I could write a proper report about this ones restoration, but doing it from 2000 miles away is impossible.

Edited June 24, 2010 by Cos

[TAR]

Its an absolute treat to see such a lovingly restored car.

It gives me more inspiration to succeed with mine.

Well done!

Edited June 24, 2010 by TAR

[saggitarius]

Looks like a real gem, crisp and shiny with that clean early Esprit look and stance.

Love it, and love to see that such cars are brought back to their top state.

Geir

[GavinT]

Looks really really nice. You must be very pleased.