Esprit Picture & Video Thread

[Big Vern]

18 minutes ago, Andyww said:

Had a very annoying experience today.

We took the Esprit to Brooklands as we are club members, for lunch in the members bar. Parked as we often do, in the paddock in front of the clubhouse. The place was very quiet.

I locked the drivers door but forgot to lock the passenger door. If I had been in the Ferrari, as I more often am, with the roof off I would not have bothered locking the doors at all.

Just after we finished lunch, the lady in the members bar asked around "Anyone own a white Lotus, you had better check out the car". 

I could not believe what I saw. There two families with parents who had let their kids open the doors and play in the car! They were sitting in both seats turning the wheel, and generally messing about. Absolutely gobsmacked and it was a shocking reminder that even in a "respectable" place such as Brooklands you just cant rely on some of the visitors having any decency.

When we came to leave I had a terrible job starting the car and I reckon the kids must have been pumping the pedal and flooded it, and also the steering lock was jammed.

Just incredible.

 

Andy, i was so shocked at this i had to read it out loud! You should have followed them back to their car and asked for a quick go. Some people defy belief!

[Lotusfab]

26 minutes ago, Andyww said:

Had a very annoying experience today.

We took the Esprit to Brooklands as we are club members, for lunch in the members bar. Parked as we often do, in the paddock in front of the clubhouse. The place was very quiet.

I locked the drivers door but forgot to lock the passenger door. If I had been in the Ferrari, as I more often am, with the roof off I would not have bothered locking the doors at all.

Just after we finished lunch, the lady in the members bar asked around "Anyone own a white Lotus, you had better check out the car". 

I could not believe what I saw. There two families with parents who had let their kids open the doors and play in the car! They were sitting in both seats turning the wheel, and generally messing about. Absolutely gobsmacked and it was a shocking reminder that even in a "respectable" place such as Brooklands you just cant rely on some of the visitors having any decency.

When we came to leave I had a terrible job starting the car and I reckon the kids must have been pumping the pedal and flooded it, and also the steering lock was jammed.

Just incredible.

 

Can't believe it! How times have changed. I hope they apologised!

[PhilW]

They should think themselves lucky. If that had been my car I would be writing this whilst eating bread and water in the local Nick. 

On a brighter note Fabian I am pleased to say 2nd setbof bindings on their way!

[lotusespritse]

1 hour ago, Bazza 907 said:

They are old but not cracked or particularly hard and I don't go stupid fast round corners so they are fine. They are the correct Goodyear NCT tyres but not from 1980! 

That's good.  But FYI anything over 10 years old is considered unsafe for driving.

1 hour ago, Andyww said:

Had a very annoying experience today.

We took the Esprit to Brooklands as we are club members, for lunch in the members bar. Parked as we often do, in the paddock in front of the clubhouse. The place was very quiet.

I locked the drivers door but forgot to lock the passenger door. If I had been in the Ferrari, as I more often am, with the roof off I would not have bothered locking the doors at all.

Just after we finished lunch, the lady in the members bar asked around "Anyone own a white Lotus, you had better check out the car". 

I could not believe what I saw. There two families with parents who had let their kids open the doors and play in the car! They were sitting in both seats turning the wheel, and generally messing about. Absolutely gobsmacked and it was a shocking reminder that even in a "respectable" place such as Brooklands you just cant rely on some of the visitors having any decency.

When we came to leave I had a terrible job starting the car and I reckon the kids must have been pumping the pedal and flooded it, and also the steering lock was jammed.

Just incredible.

 

It's bad with any super car, but this is why it's almost impossible for me to park the Lambo anywhere that I can't keep an eye on it.  They will definitely try to get in the car, but what can be even worse is when they sit on the car to take pictures.

99% of people are cool with cars like these, but that means 1 out a 100 were raised by wolves and have no earthly idea why you would be upset with them touching your property.  Literally no idea.

[RODOLPHESPRIT]

Last  week-end 

[Newts]

2 hours ago, Andyww said:

Had a very annoying experience today.

We took the Esprit to Brooklands as we are club members, for lunch in the members bar. Parked as we often do, in the paddock in front of the clubhouse. The place was very quiet.

I locked the drivers door but forgot to lock the passenger door. If I had been in the Ferrari, as I more often am, with the roof off I would not have bothered locking the doors at all.

Just after we finished lunch, the lady in the members bar asked around "Anyone own a white Lotus, you had better check out the car". 

I could not believe what I saw. There two families with parents who had let their kids open the doors and play in the car! They were sitting in both seats turning the wheel, and generally messing about. Absolutely gobsmacked and it was a shocking reminder that even in a "respectable" place such as Brooklands you just cant rely on some of the visitors having any decency.

When we came to leave I had a terrible job starting the car and I reckon the kids must have been pumping the pedal and flooded it, and also the steering lock was jammed.

Just incredible.

 

FFS !

[C8RKH]

2 hours ago, Andyww said:

Had a very annoying experience today.

We took the Esprit to Brooklands as we are club members, for lunch in the members bar. Parked as we often do, in the paddock in front of the clubhouse. The place was very quiet.

I locked the drivers door but forgot to lock the passenger door. If I had been in the Ferrari, as I more often am, with the roof off I would not have bothered locking the doors at all.

Just after we finished lunch, the lady in the members bar asked around "Anyone own a white Lotus, you had better check out the car". 

I could not believe what I saw. There two families with parents who had let their kids open the doors and play in the car! They were sitting in both seats turning the wheel, and generally messing about. Absolutely gobsmacked and it was a shocking reminder that even in a "respectable" place such as Brooklands you just cant rely on some of the visitors having any decency.

When we came to leave I had a terrible job starting the car and I reckon the kids must have been pumping the pedal and flooded it, and also the steering lock was jammed.

Just incredible.

 

I have to ask, what did the parents say when you got there and confronted them? Really would like to know.

I personally would have gone absolutely stark raving made, followed by totally berserk, followed by a level or foaming at the mouth and rabidness that would have a seasoned vet quivering in his or her boots!

[lotusespritse]

20 minutes ago, C8RKH said:

I have to ask, what did the parents say when you got there and confronted them? Really would like to know.

I personally would have gone absolutely stark raving made, followed by totally berserk, followed by a level or foaming at the mouth and rabidness that would have a seasoned vet quivering in his or her boots!

100 quid says it's some form of this: "no earthly idea why you would be upset with them touching your property"

[C8RKH]

That being the case I am sure the parents would have had no problem at all with me touching their faces with my shiny nice size 9 shoes or trainers!

 

[The Pits]

Appalled. Staggeringly rude and ignorant. Who'd have thought it at Brooklands? I'm just glad the car is OK.

[Andyww]

1 hour ago, C8RKH said:

I have to ask, what did the parents say when you got there and confronted them? Really would like to know.

I personally would have gone absolutely stark raving made, followed by totally berserk, followed by a level or foaming at the mouth and rabidness that would have a seasoned vet quivering in his or her boots!

Not a lot. They made a half-hearted apology and each seemed to blame it on the other parents. I am not at all the kind of person who goes crazy at anyone, I just told them forcefully that it was completely unacceptable.

By the way the people were not English. They spoke with E European accents.

There was an Elan parked next to my Esprit. I didnt meet the owner. I am really thankful that the paddock was empty because I had parked far enough from the Elan such that the doors of mine would have completely opened without hitting it, otherwise it likely would have got "doored".

I am going to look into central locking kits!

[silverfrost]

Absolute piss take,  The fact that they tried blaming each other shows they knew they where in the wrong,   Its a very sad day when you cannot leave your car especially at a place like that and have to worry about your car been used as a playground for children when it is parked up.

Some people have little or no respect for other peoples private property and sadly it seems to be getting worse all over the place. 

 

[MPx]

A similar thing happened to me a few years back at a school charity day (so not exactly such a hallowed venue).  There were just 4 or 5 of us Lotus owners there as a "car show".  All good during the day, but late on I noticed one guy and his son open up the doors and get in.  Not a particular worry, just in the way they did it.  Lad got in the drivers side and having wrestled with the wheel for a bit climbed over the tunnel to the passenger side.  Dad got in after...lad still standing on my passenger seat.  As I went over the guy seemed to realise that wasn't good and politely said that he hoped I didn't mind them looking inside ... as an afterthought he asked his son to get his feet off the seats.  The father did realise there was something wrong but I don't think really knew what and the boy never did and wasn't told by the father (or me).  I was upset so I should have said something, but I didn't.....   Crass behaviour by them but equally by me.  Nothing said, nothing learned. 

[Lotusfab]

I was going to take the S1 there for breakfast, now I'm not so sure!

[C8RKH]

Take it but fit and arm one of those burglar alarms from Q!

[Chillidoggy]

Many years ago, another Cobra replica owning acquaintance of mine told me of something similar to the Brooklands incident. Except there was a happy ending to his story. He'd parked up at a café, and while he was away from the car, some bloke decided he'd try it for size. When the owner returned and told the interloper to basically piss off, the bloke only reluctantly clambered out, after much complaining.

He then stood right beside the car as my friend got in and tried to start it. Unfortunately, the bloke must have been pumping the throttle, and with a 4BBL Holley carb dumping fuel into the engine, he had flooded it. The owner continued to churn it over on the starter, until it eventually fired. During the process, the unburnt fuel had been making its way down the exhaust side pipes, and when the engine eventually fired, it shot neat fuel and flame out the end one the side pipe, and set light to the bloke's trouser leg.

[Loose Cannon]

I saw an incident like this at the Ripon Classic car show one year and it completely changed my mind about exhibiting at events.

An entire family of inbred dales folk let their feral brats enter and entertain themselves with any convertible or unlocked vehicle in a complete row of cars, honestly they were like a swarm of locusts. Grandpa Clampett (in checked shirt, trilby and braces) and several generations of manure peddlers smiled warmly down on their snotty spawn completely oblivious to commom courtesy. Onlookers seemed frozen with disbelief or possibly just wary of approching the hillbilly oxygen theives.

I honestly think these halfwits think entry fee is like a theme park tickets for "access all areas". Now unless I can observe the car, or park out of the way a little, I often just pay a few quid and join the swarm. Completely defeats the point of ownership I know, but his sort of thin is getting too common.

[silverfrost]

 

[DaveyT]

On 27 February 2017 at 12:14, Loose Cannon said:

An entire family of inbred dales folk let their feral brats enter and entertain themselves with any convertible or unlocked vehicle in a complete row of cars, honestly they were like a swarm of locusts. Grandpa Clampett (in checked shirt, trilby and braces) and several generations of manure peddlers smiled warmly down on their snotty spawn completely oblivious to commom courtesy. Onlookers seemed frozen with disbelief or possibly just wary of approching the hillbilly oxygen theives.

We appear to share the same tolerant attitude to children and idiots (usually of the parental variety).

...and don't get me started on the 10m dash for snotty, screaming under-eights in restaurants!

[Escape]

I hope I never experience something like that! Don't think I would be able to control myself much...

I'd call a coupla hard, pipe-hittin' n@$$@s, who'll go to work on the homes with a pair of pliers and a blow torch and get medievil on their ass. (thx to Dan for the inspiration)

[Snoopy1969]

nice vid, published on classic driver

https://www.classicdriver.com/de/article/autos/auf-naechtlicher-ausfahrt-mit-dem-lotus-esprit

 

[Dan E]

I wish I could fill my tanks up that quick 

[silverfrost]

Lovely looking s2 , love the brown interior also,  music for that video reminds me of blade runner lol. 

[TpupNomad]

My new 1985.  I actually owned an 85 I purchased new.  I sold it when I needed a 4 seater but always loved the car.  A couple of years ago I hear rumors of a 3K mile original owner Esprit near me and had seen some pics on Facebook posted by a shop doing the work.  It popped up for sale recently and I went to see it; I was very skeptical about the milage claim.  The car was purchased new buy a guy who just babied it and never drove it.  It has 3,400 miles on it.  That said he was fanatical about servicing it and recently spent $8K replacing virtually all the rubber on the car including belts.  He kept the original tires, steering wheel and shift knob.  It's in amazing condition.  I bought it, it's now in storage and I'm looking forward to spring so I can put some miles on it!!

 

 

 

[swindon_alan]

Welcome Roy and what a brilliant find! Enjoy!