Turbo SE are there any good ones left?

[The Pits]

Yes I did. It will always be my first, my last, my everything!

 

Joyriders broke in and thrashed it to death from stone cold. I actually ran down the road in my boxers to chase after them. Bad move. They spun the car round and headed straight for me! The police let the theives tear up and down the motorway until the tank was dry, too dangerous to chase them apparently. Tragic end to a true love story. But I have a trip to the Highlands (of Scotland) that I will never forget. That and a real miami vice moment after I broke up with a girlfriend. Tears streaming down my cheeks. Cranked up the stereo. I think it was Phil Collins Another Day in Paradise. Mashed the throttle all the way to the stops in 2nd and 3rd. SE just dug-in and shot forward, relentless, flat wall of torque, car just pulling harder and harder in the cool night air, turbo singing, making that cool ringing noise only Turbo SE's seem to! It was the fastest I've ever gotten over a woman!

 

The Turbo SE was the daddy from 89', to '92. That all changed when they brought out the Sport 300. I already had the Lotus Carlton by then so I just had to watch and wonder. It looked like a big yellow shark. Mean as hell. With a 'screw you' price tag to match. It remains the one that got away.

[Jacques]

Vanya: Yes, it's the Black one, I've driven it, and it's ticking, but drives okay. I saw that they have lowered the Price a fair bit.

 

Sport 300, mmmmm, would like to have that one. V8 can drive away for my sake, if a sport 300 is nearby

I believe the screw you Price is still there on the sport300...

 

Kind regards,

Jacques.

[obione]

You forget the even rarer stevens Carb turbo, there are bugger all of these and even less with the pre eagle chassis, which I read does not have the understeer of the later chassis.

 

The change of wheels on these and the SE is normally due to the tyre availability. I fitted GT3 wheels, for this reason.

 

Martyn has a lovely white SE.

Mine is the only Carb Turbo I have seen that left the factory looking like a NA car

[SteveSmith]

<raises hand for a visibly stock standard Turbo SE>

 

Mine was proudly presented as the Turbo SE featured in the Esprit Timeline at Brands in August

You won't see it in the classifieds anytime soon I'm afraid (subject to continued financial stability) as I love it and use it and have loved it for every one of the last 9 years 11 months despite the anguish it has caused me for most of that time !!

[The Pits]

Magnificent! Mine was Pacific Blue too.

[Mike6]

My carb turbo was knackered before it left the factory!

[Bibs]

Then you got it and made it worse

[BC007]

Mine is the only Carb Turbo I have seen that left the factory looking like a NA car

 

You are not alone as I have one!

 

Mine has a lot of the SE features such as eagle chassis, 16" rear wheels, ABS and ice warning.

 

Graham in Norfolk had one too.

[SteveSmith]

Magnificent! Mine was Pacific Blue too.

We had a discussion about that at Brands as I recall

[red vtec]

Onions & bc007 what are your vin numbers? I have been trying to work out how many non eagle chassis turbos there are, mine is No52, but not sure what number it went to eagle.

[hopo]

This Thread needs more pictures!

[Vulcan Grey]

From the outside mine looks like a standard SE except for the AWI V8 wheels and the huge brakes.  I like it that way.  I like the V8's too...  The square side marker lights and turn signals are pretty bad, but I like the Toyota tail lights.

[obione]

You are not alone as I have one!

 

Mine has a lot of the SE features such as eagle chassis, 16" rear wheels, ABS and ice warning.

 

Graham in Norfolk had one too.

 

Sounds like we have the same car, but, does your car have TWO factory fitted radio ariels like mine? Must have been a stereo radio...

[BC007]

Sounds like we have the same car, but, does your car have TWO factory fitted radio ariels like mine? Must have been a stereo radio...

 

Just the one but the previous owner fitted a new stereo with DAB aerial.

 

Red Vtec - When I get a chance I'll let you know the VIN

[Bazza 907]

Sounds like we have the same car, but, does your car have TWO factory fitted radio ariels like mine? Must have been a stereo radio...

 

Two ariels decided to get married, it didn't last but the reception was great.

[obione]

SCC082910MHD10166  (shh...don't tell Barrie or we will get another blinder...)

[rudolphwolven]

Ref:  "Turbo SE are there any good ones left?"

Could it be that this LHD one belongs to the good ones left?......a 1990 Turbo SE imported that time as one of five SE-units in different colours by Lotus-import Kroymans-Netherlands (they are also Ferrari-distributor).

Mine has the (rare) colour "A59 Steel Blue" with std. (greyish) blue leather trim, purchased  3 years later from that Lotus-import Kroymans-Netherlands.

I am the second owner since new, the car is garaged and relatively little driven, now 30.600 mls (49.000 km's) on the odometer......(nearly) as new, still in complete original condition (except the sticker on the sill which was attached by the first owner or Kroymans/shame).

 

 

Press for full size picture: http://img14.imageshack.us/img14/7668/gb6r.jpg

[Vanya]

Wow man that's a nice example - hell even the tires are clean hahaha....

[red vtec]

There was one in that spec for sale near me, it is the same colour as my turbo. If only I had the spare cash I would have had it along with an excel in the same colour. I'm not sure if was sold, the owner had it ebay.

[fsrowsell]

Myself, I love the High Wing SE, I also like the looks of the S300 and the S4S performance.  That's why I mixed all three together to get my dream car.  Love driving it, but where I live now.  Most people don't even know what a Lotus is! but they do love the look and sound of the car!

 

[Andy Esprit SE]

Mines still completely standard, red clutch pipe, manual chargecooler pump, good year tyres with plenty of tread, original leather (been treated well) even still got a Sony pull out cassette player. All this means I've got a list of problems to keep an eye out for going wrong, but thanks to this forum and esprit world I can budget for in advance.

Ideally I want the alunox manifold, a complete stainless exhaust and a set of S4 wheels so I can shelve the good years on the original wheels and drive with more faith in the rubber. I may fit a recirculating dump valve to keep the turbo in shape and reduce the lag.

The previous owner spent a fair bit over 22 years servicing, shockers, calipers, charge cooler pump recon, and paint chip touch ups but was keen to keep it absolutely standard which I'm gratefull for.

I keep seeing some smart looking newer models priced similarly to what I paid did mine but chasing my dream I've got the red SE after watching teen agent when I was kid thus happy as a pig in s£)"t !!!!

[The Pits]

That is just peachy!

 

The blue one is undeniably cool in isolation and at least most of the mods are proper Lotus bits, but Andy's car is what I'm talking about!

 

 

[lotusesprit1]

just had a look on the how many left web site

 

82 licensed and 52 SORN so not really much choice if your looking to buy an SE.

 

not sure how accurate that data is though

[Bibs]

DVLA's info is sketchy at best. Many cars won't be registered under their model, just as 'Esprit' etc.

[pitstoppete]

DVLA's info is sketchy at best. Many cars won't be registered under their model, just as 'Esprit' etc.

 

That's quite usual for that website, fairly sketchy data from the V5's, although just checked my V5 and it's - Esprit Turbo SE.

Majority of our cars on that site though are down as just - Esprit or Esprit Turbo.