S1 Project car - part 2 - the continuation

[Paul Coleman]

What's that round thing in front of the bracket?

 

I will be interested to hear your thoughts about the car when you have finished it and actually start driving it on the road.

[Lotusfab]

I look forward to driving it one day. So far have gone about 10m with no seat! Plastic stud. What do you think of it? Jodie Kidd likes it a lot!

[Paul Coleman]

I think it's a bit under powered to be honest. But it's unfair to compare it to a modern day super car, we mustn't lose sight of the fact that it's 40 years old and when it came out my Dad had an Austin 1100 estate! In the garage next to it I have my daughter's Mini 1000 which is also 1976 so it was a world away back in the day.

 

However, when I drive it I feel like people want to race (maybe it's just my imagination?) but I think it would struggle to keep up with an Astra van. I'm still running the engine in and trying to keep the revs below 3,000 for the first 500 miles. Each 500 miles after that I'll up it by another 1,000 until it's run in.

 

I read something earlier that said we never 'own' these things and that we just preserve them for the next owner...

 

Why is there a plastic stud there?

 

Have you painted that ABS bit?

Edited September 5, 2015 by Paul Coleman

[910Esprit]

However, when I drive it I feel like people want to race (maybe it's just my imagination?) 

 

Err no  its not your imagination, its one of the tedious downsides....    I used to regularly rise to the bait, but can't be bothered anymore.

 

Fabian - Also bear in mind that a freshly rebuilt motor runs noticeably hotter than a run-in unit. 

[Lotusfab]

I think it's a bit under powered to be honest. But it's unfair to compare it to a modern day super car, we mustn't lose sight of the fact that it's 40 years old and when it came out my Dad had an Austin 1100 estate! In the garage next to it I have my daughter's Mini 1000 which is also 1976 so it was a world away back in the day.

However, when I drive it I feel like people want to race (maybe it's just my imagination?) but I think it would struggle to keep up with an Astra van. I'm still running the engine in and trying to keep the revs below 3,000 for the first 500 miles. Each 500 miles after that I'll up it by another 1,000 until it's run in.

I read something earlier that said we never 'own' these things and that we just preserve them for the next owner...

Why is there a plastic stud there?

Have you painted that ABS bit?

They are plastic studs that were on both sides when I got the car. They hold the part in place with silicone also. The plastic is painted with plastic primer and paint. Think the mixture was very lean as the screws were only two turns out not 4.5. Causing it to run hot. Have ordered all the kit including a carbtune and variable timing light. Will tune it up and see. I was hoping to take it to wings and wheels but am a bit worried about signing a contract to maintain 70 mph on the Dunsfold racing track. For those of you not familiar with the event all the cars in the Brooklands display must drive the top gear track at a minimum speed. There is a flying diplay also. The Lotus laps might produce a very entertaining red arrow type display with "Smoke On", but not produced by injecting dye into the exhaust! Have to fit a lifeline extinguisher system.

[Paul Coleman]

The Carbtune will allow you to balance the carbs but has no bearing on the mixture. To set the mixture you really need a Colourtune (14mm type) and if you want to check the CO emissions you'll need a CO meter. The CO needs to be less than 4.5% as you probably already know. When I got my CO to 4% the HC was way down at 200ppm (the limit is 1200ppm) but my mixture screws were around 6 to 6.5 turns out. I found the whole mixture adjustment a bit hit and miss to be honest.

 

Err no  its not your imagination, its one of the tedious downsides....    I used to regularly rise to the bait, but can't be bothered anymore.

I'm also not going to rise to the bait. It's a 40 year old classic car so I'm going to treat it with a bit of respect And I'm the wrong side of 50 to be a boy racer!

[Lotusfab]

I've heard the mixture screws tend to work loose on some Esprits, they need looking a at least once a year! Got a colour tune coming. Will tune it up and then MOT at Bell and Coville. They should be able tune as required for emissions. Am going to set up the carbs as per the Esprit manual, starting with the throttle linkages.Will try timing at 10 degrees BTDC. Then set mixture will colourtune and balance with the carb tune. Is the throttle cable secured anywhere before it gets to the throttle linkage, dont like the design. Pictures appreciated.

My brakes dont feel right, that will be my next job. They are all new including the cylendar, but theres too much pedal travel in my view?Maybe some air in there?

[Paul Coleman]

When you do it for the first time it's a bit of an iterative process of tweaking things and then going round the loop a few times before you get it all to balance. If you find that you get virtually no reading on the Carbtune it's because your idle speedis too high. You need the butterflies almost closed to create enough vacuum to be able to measure it. On mine, the Carbtune reads about 40%-50%

 

My brake pedal has a fair amount of travel but there's no air in mine I don't believe. I had my master cylinder resleeved in stainless steel and have all new seals. The brakes work pretty well

Edited September 6, 2015 by Paul Coleman

[Lotusfab]

Mmmm. Thanks for the info, that will make tuning easier. May have to try the brakes when i have a seat in there - it could have been sitting on my drill case that made them feel odd! At least the handbrake works!

[Lotusfab]

Have glued on the rest of the waistline trim. Steves website states 30 and 60 degrees for the trim angles. The carrier rail stops about 10 mm short of each end of the door, so this is about where I intend to cut them as Im copying the bond car. in the picture the trim stops just about where the carrier rail does.

[Freemason]

How did you glue the waistline trim on? Did you have to use a heat gun?

[Lotusfab]

Heat the trim gently with a hairdryer to make it easy to straighten. Dont heat it too much or it will melt and go floppy, loosing its shape. Straiighten it out and with a few strips of masking tape, tape to floor - channel side up. Bought the black trim adhesive off S and J. Believe its polyurethene based. Get a waste piece and experiment putting a bead of glue on the inside, so that when pressed on the carrier it just makes contact. When you have got the bead size correct, put a bead along the trim you have taped to the floor. If you put too much glue you will not be able to press the trim flush on the carrier and the glue will mess up the door as it oozes out!! When pressed on use masking tape to hold it. Do not put the tape too tight or depressions will be made in the trim. Use lots of pieces of wide tape. Make sure the trim is longer than you need. Leave overnight. Remove tape next day. Raid your kids triganometry set and remove the triangle. The sides are 90 degrees, 60 and 30. Use this to mark the angles, 30 at front 60 at rear, then cut with a sharp knife. Fill in the ends with glue and smooth off. Also before gluing roughen up the carrier with some sandpaper and clean off. Forgot to say, the rivets cause the trim carrier to bulge, you cant see it until trim is on and light reflects off it. So before gluing smooth the bulges out of the carrier with sandpaper. The carrier is very soft so be careful! If you cock it up with too much glue put the trim off, before glue sets, clean it up and start again. Good luck. Would be easy if you did it all the time, like anything, just take your time and dont use too much glue!

[Lotusfab]

Triangle replaced, kids none the wiser! Doors trims done. Started to mess around with engine. Have synchronised the throttles, this has cured the mis firing. Adjusted timing to 10 BTDC. Running smoothly but now cant reduce Idle below 1300 rpm, could be the mixture? Set to 4.5 turns out?

[Lotusfab]

Got a feeling the float heights are wrong. Can they be adjusted in situ by just taking the top of the carbs off? Also how is the rear spoiler attached? There are bolt holes in the bumper and body. Do you have to fit it before the bumper is put on? Will have to buy a new oil pressure sender. The one I have seems to be intermittent.

Door trims, not perfect but as good as I can do.

Thought I was getting towards the end, but the engine, carbs and trim are still proving a challenge! Thanks all those who have helped with advice and pictures.

[Advantage]

One of my favourite threads on here.

[Lotusfab]

Thanks. Better picture of trim. On to the next problem, the Dellortos! whatever you think of Esprits, reliability etc you have to admit the shape is stunning- even 40 years on!

[Paul Coleman]

The rear valance is fitted after the bumper with 5 M6 bolts and 2 M8 ones. Just make sure the exhaust tail pipes are in the right place and not too close to the bumper or you might end up taking the exhaust of 3 times... ask me how I know

 

Paul.

[Lotusfab]

My rear valance has a foam strip glued around the edge. Has anyone found a replacement for this that is heat proof? Am planing to use th heat sheild recommended by Vin to sheild the valance from the exhaust pipe.

[Paul Coleman]

Mine didn't have any foam on it. The rear valance touches the exhaust so whatever you use needs to be very thin. I used motorcycle stuff.

 

Paul.

[peteyg]

I bought some self adhesive grey foam off ebay at the correct width of the valance lip and it's bout 2mm thick. Once compressed by screwing on the valance you can barely see it so no need to be heat proof.

 

Pete

[Lotusfab]

Thanks.

[Lotusfab]

Has anyone got any close up pictures of how to measure the floats?

[Paul Coleman]

What do you mean 'measure the floats'? The setting of the float height is in the Hammil book if that's what you're after.

 

Paul.

[Lotusfab]

HI Paul,

yep meant where physically with a ruler do you measure the float distance so you can bend the tab to the exact point? planning on removing the floats from the Dellortos and holding them for a float height measurement, prior to tuning.

[Paul Coleman]

A little tip for you... if the fuel pump doesn't stop ticking then the float height is not correct. Ask me how I know!! Matt set mine when he was round my house but the words of wisdom are in the book.