S1 Project car - part 2 - the continuation

[Lotusfab]

I got two so will post you one if you wish?

[Lotusfab]

Finally have put the original carpet clips back in. They have a stud which screws to the floor. Then a circular claw and plate. The circular claw goes through the top of the carpet and the claws bend over to hold the base on the underside of the carpet. You have to get them really tight but you can still see a circular outline in the top of the carpet.

Wiper woes

i have got it all back together but the wiper will not move against a dry screen. The arm I have doesn't look original and the spring seems too strong. It forces it so hard against the screen that the motor cannot move it? Any ideas? So far have only ried it with battery power.

[Lotusfab]

 

Very slight depression on top of carpet due to circular claw.

[Lotusfab]

Have tried the wiper with the engine running, no difference, it only runs when the screen is lubricated and doesn't return very well to the stop. Any ideas?

[Paul Coleman]

They don't return to the stop very well at all hahaha It's all part of the charm

 

[Lotusfab]

There must be a way of adjusting the stop point? Should there be an electrical park switch?Do your wipers work on a dry screen? I think I have a new arm and the spring is too strong.

Having failed with the quarter window, I'm off to the Isle of Sheppy where Pilkington have been making automatic glass since the 1950s! 

[Paul Coleman]

There isn't a park switch that I know of? Yes my wiper works on a dry screen.

I drove to the Isle of Sheppey to pickup my windscreen a few years ago as Plkingtons wouldn't post it.

[Lotusfab]

Anyone suffered wiper problems before and if so what was the fix?

[jonroberts]

The wiper on my car that has always worked reliably. It passes across the screen when dry and moves faster when raining. There may be a cutoff microswitch in the motor gearbox but I've never disassembled it to find out. To set the position on mine was easy - remove blade and operate the wiper motor, turn off and let it stop, then refit the blade in its parked position. You need a bit of foam damping material on the wiper stop plate under the windscreen otherwise the arm hits it noisily when operating.  Measure the voltage across the wiper motor when running - maybe you have a voltage-drop or bad ground which will affect it. Remember, the wiper motor runs through the stalk with no relay, so any high resistance will affect efficiency (and be a hotspot/potential fire hazard).  Are you saying yours doesn't always return to the same 'park' position ? 

[Lotusfab]

Hi John, thanks. I have already used that method but the stop point seems to vary when underload. My wiper will only move if the screen is wet. There seems to be too much resistance from the wiper being pressed hard onto the screen. Have already cleaned the motor and contacts and the drive. Works great at both speeds without the wiper! What's your voltage across the motor and does it work under just battery power?

[jonroberts]

I'll check motor voltage for you over the weekend. Yes, it operates fine just under battery power (ie engine not running). 

[Lotusfab]

Thanks Jon!

[Lotusfab]

Slowly approaching the finish line. Didn't realise how much work was involved with the govebox lid, metal and wood frame, Steve rebuilt it! Finally on. I have had to rebuild everything on this car and it still continues! 

I used the period connectors from the Stereo to connect to the harness. It has already been tested, but need the door cards back for the speakers. Had to fibreglass the speaker positions back to where they were originally in the doors cards and source metal grills to protect the cones.  Will pick up the tunnel soon  and can then finish the interior enough for an MOT attempt! Also need Pilkington to make me the quater window so a delay. They are very busy so could be June before the glass comes back. No point in rushing now. Seems to me the Esprit has a mind of its own and it's finished when it's finished!

[jonroberts]

Actually, the stop point does vary a little. My wiper does not park itself exactly on the stop - tends to be an inch up, and I 'adjust' by pushing the arm down onto the stop when I park. Is this what you mean?

[Paul Coleman]

Mine's the same as Jon's and the 'park' position does move a bit. However, the Lamborghini Countach is just as bad

 

[jonroberts]

Fabian - off topic, but you MUST have your car on the road for TLF meet at Brooklands on 8th May.  No excuses - make it happen ! Who needs a quarterlight and wipers anyway - thats why god invented Rain-Ex and cling film..

[Lotusfab]

Yep that's exactly it. It starts on the bracket and when you switch off it stops slightly up the screen. I'm not used to this level of engineering! I hope it's done for then, it's a never ending story!

[jonroberts]

Ah yes. This is 1970's British precision engineering at its finest.  

[Lotusfab]

Paul, have you been to the London classic car show recently? There are some very nice cars there! 

[jonroberts]

I'm off there tomorrow - anybody know whose car that is ?

[Advantage]

  Clicky

[Lotusfab]

Guess its not Pauls then? Saw two recently that were restored and sold, maybe one of those?

[Rolls]

"have got it all back together but the wiper will not move against a dry screen. The arm I have doesn't look original and the spring seems too strong. It forces it so hard against the screen that the motor cannot move it? Any ideas? So far have only ried it with battery power."

- obvious one but it's not running backwards? Or is the link back the front. Does the motor feel warm? I've had this experience with another resto.

[Paul Coleman]

13 hours ago, Lotusfab said:

Guess its not Pauls then? Saw two recently that were restored and sold, maybe one of those?

No it's not mine. Mine's up on ramps in the garage having had the third water pump fitted and now waiting for the alloy pipe which holds the otter switch to arrive from SJ. Currently trying to re-trim the door cards and make them look respectable - not an easy task! Let me reiterate how horrible that green material is to work with It's very easy to see why Lotus moved away from that interior.

Jobs left to do after that include... finish re-trimming both door cards, polish both back wheels, sort out sagging doors, repair cracked window frame on passenger side, get both electric windows to actually work properly, do a bit of paintwork on the body. I'm not going to tax it until they're all done... famous last words...

 

 

 

[Lotusfab]

This cars been sent to test us! 

Hi Roland, thanks. Think I need to take the motor to pieces and check, after I have checked the voltage.