[Ebay-bot] 1997 LOTUS ESPRIT GT3 GREEN

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£5,000.00 (0 Bids)

End Date: Sunday Nov-3-2013 17:13:00 GMT

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[pete]

non standard colour,was a write off,been converted from left hand drive,any one want to guess its value?

[Andy Esprit SE]

I saw this earlier, after reading it I though the poor fella wasted a lot of time and money, may be worth more in spares than as a complete car? the choice of colour is going to turn away most buyers but that may just be my view.

[red vtec]

I don't mind the colour, but the dash wold need replacing, not sure how easy that would be to put back?

Also with the rest of the history and bits that need sorting 5k is pushing it and that's not hitting the reserve!

[Loose Cannon]

Thought the plate looked a bit familiar. What's the saying green cars are unlucky? There was another Electric Green GT3 on this forum that had been restored after fire damage, might have been this one;

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/albertsbite/4072281223/

[superdavelotus]

From looking at the pictures which aren't great quality, the front end looks likes it's been repaired wrong. Look at the wheel arch shapes on both the pictures, they aren't even uniform.

It sounds like an electrical nightmare too (from dash to front boot) and most of the important bits missing out of the front end too! Converting to RH drive means a lot more than swapping the steering wheel and foot pedals!!!!!!!!

 

 

David

[Advantage]

Blimey, that's erm, adventurous.

 

[Vanya]

I can't stop laughing. What possessed him!? I mean...WHY?!

 

Having said that, this could be a chance to nab a bargain for the mechanically skilled - just buy an interior from a breaking S4 (plenty of those...) and re-do the pedal box (the hard part I guess...)

[superdavelotus]

Vanja,

 

 

I'ts probably still there under the carpet!

 

 

Regards,

 

 

 

David Walters

[andydclements]

At least the chassis / subframe wasn't swapped from LHD to RHD, it was a replacement unit so that will not have risked distortion while welding.

I don't dislike the colour, I may even  go so far as to say it's OK (I'm considering a pistachio green for my Europa Special).

I don't like the dash, I reminded me of some very low volume cars (even lower volume than Lotus) where it's easier to just put a flat panel in a pod than it is to have a concave one that doesn't make it difficult to read in certain lighting conditions.

 

I guess the person also wished they'd not started the project, once the full extent of it came to light, but once you're in it, where do you stop? So, well done to the person for completing it. Most project cars, if you took the cost of the car, the parts etc and add it up, consider the price when finished, you'd probably be better off financially if you just broke the car and sold it as parts, but you don't do it for money, you normally take this sort of thing on as a hobby.

[karluk29]

LOL, love the comments and of course none of you know the guy so fair enough. i on the other do know the guy and if he wasnt so honest in his advert, not many ppl out there would know what has gone on with this car. externally it looks perfect to a RHD car, the "bits" up front are bang on. i know this because he borrowed my esprit to find out where everything went. i have seen the car in every bit of its evolution i think over the years and its a perfect job. i dont think many ppl could pull this off.

 

he is not a hobbyist btw he owns a body shop so its a professional job and its always been stored at his business. he works with alot of tvr's/exotics etc (you can see his tuscan in the background)

 

just thought i would clear a few things up thats all for ppl that may think he just stuck a steering wheel on the right and that was it lol

[Bibs]

Is he proud of that dash?

[Loose Cannon]

Wouldn't be my first choice of colour, but if the mirrors were colour coded would be better IMHO.

Really just the dash would put me off, apart from that a cheap way to get a newish Esprit (if the reserve isn't too high)

[Advantage]

 externally it looks perfect to a RHD car, the "bits" up front are bang on. i know this because he borrowed my esprit to find out where everything went.

 

He borrowed your car for a point of reference? Ah, now that makes things much clearer.

[red vtec]

Ok who bought it? I was tempted up to 6K

[roasted11]

I sold it. It's been interesting reading this thread and also replying to all the questions and comments from eBay !!

[ramjet]

Welcome to TLF James.

 

Are you going to stay now you don't have the GT3 any more? Where has the car gone?

[roasted11]

I've been around here a lot longer than my new registration suggests! I forgot my log in details and changed email address around the same time so it was easier to just re-do it. I had loads of interest in the car even though I knew it wouldn't appeal to many on here!! Over 3500 views in the end and loads of questions to answer. The people who did view it were quite impressed with the accurate ( harsh!) description but I don't see the point lying to get more money or trying to deceive anyone. In response to some of the above, where do I begin? I look at the photos possibly in a different light as I have seen it in real life. I am proud to have re-done the dash and do not regret replacing the original dated one when I had the chance. The wiring is all original so the comment about it being a nightmare is probably true because it's all lotus!! The front arches haven't been repaired so that seems to be an optical illusion from the camera. Obviously having to have your passenger operate the handbrake was a problem but you soon got used to it. Only joking! Just seeing if you were paying attention. The plan was to keep the car very Long term but as with all things in life sometimes things just aren't meant to be. I love the colour and never looked at the resale value of it, but lets just say I never bought an esprit to blend in or hide away .oh, by the way super dave, the pedals aren't under the carpet, if you need to know where they are just give me a shout and I'll talk you through it!!! Anyway, thanks for the interest. The car's gone to wales and hopefully he'll be on here to tell you all about it.

Ps. Nearly forgot. You know things are going bad for you when karluk joins in on your side!!!

[Elaine]

I sold it. 

 

I think you live a couple of streets away from us, we're just off Cademan Street. We had a Racing Green Turbo Esprit with gold wheels 2000-2004, a Racing Green S2 Exige with gold wheels 2004-2010 (do you see a pattern developing?), and a Rabiata Red VX220 2005-2007. We were Lotus-less from 2010 until March 2013 when we bought the S4s.

Always thought yours was a nice colour, James (looks better in real life than those pics suggest). Wish I'd knocked on your door for a nosy around it now! *tuts*

Elaine & Rich (aka Reg).

Edited December 19, 2013 by Elaine

[Elaine]

LOL, love the comments and of course none of you know the guy so fair enough.

 

Hello Karl. Long time, no see! 

 

Glad to hear you're still not conforming. 

 

Elaine&Reg.

[roasted11]

Hello elaine and rich, it's a small world! An esprit drove past our house just after ours was sold so perhaps it was yours? There aren't many around,that's for sure. I've gone over to the dark side at the moment (tvr tuscan) so if you see me in a hedge or ditch somewhere give me a wave !! Cheers,james. Oh,and i pretend not to know karl, i've found it's best not to encourage him!!!

[Elaine]

Hello elaine and rich, it's a small world! An esprit drove past our house just after ours was sold so perhaps it was yours? There aren't many around,that's for sure. I've gone over to the dark side at the moment (tvr tuscan) so if you see me in a hedge or ditch somewhere give me a wave !! Cheers,james. Oh,and i pretend not to know karl, i've found it's best not to encourage him!!!

 

More than likely, I was probably dropping parcels off at Jackie & Richard's (a few doors up from you).

Saw you'd got another TVR, I remember the last one... that got hit by the car that hurtled onto your drive.   

Karl, Karl who?!