S1 Project car - part 2 - the continuation

[Lotusfab]

Finally have put it all back together. Sounds simple taking the link off but like all things Lotus it's a pain and took all day. You need a good set of Spring compressors, it's a tight fit! Most of the bolts Havhe to be torqued up with the car underload which is also tricky as there's not much room under there. If you have a lift it would be so much easier. Have inspected the other side and the ball joint has to come out! What a pain in the a...Hopefully my new ball joint removing and installing kit will make life easier and I won't have to rebuild the other half of the front suspension. 

Have achieved a rough tracking alignment with a bit of string and some axle stands. Have to wait till the retest to try it all on the road, hopefully no wheels will fall off!

Only attempt 2 so far, hope they don't test the emissions again now the exhaust is fixed! What happened to the good ole days for mots? Don't remember it ever being so tricky!?????

[Lotusfab]

Having done nearly everything there are two niggles left which I will sort out today. 

Some of the MT90 gearbox oil leaked out! After careful examination it was leaking through the exhaust bracket lower bolt! This is an awful design flaw. I appear to have fixed it by making an intermediate flat nut. Sealed this with Locktite thread sealant and the end of the bolt still holds the exhaust bracket on.

Exhaust fitting

I have adjusted the exhaust silencer so many times I've lost count. Some of the paint has started to flake on the rear spoiler even with heat shielding because the silencer had slipped down. I have now achieved the best fit possible after a serious lot of effort. I had to redrill the exhaust bracket and move it upwards on the rear of the gearbox. Fit the silencer first with the two metal rings then put the spoiler on and off until the tailpieces are in the center f the spoiler cutout and there 10 MM clearance from the spoiler and the rear bumper. This is the best I could achieve, it's a very tight fit. Once the end silencer is correct connect the intermediate pipe onto it with exhaust sealant. This method worked well. 

Speedo Cable

I installed a new cable from S and J but have noticed the connection to gearbox drive is loose aven with th3 new done up. This will cause drive failure if left so will have to devise a solution.

[Lotusfab]

Could my gearbox problem be there should be a stud and not a bolt in the gearbox cover to hold the exhaust mounting plate?Then the first nut on would seal the gearbox and the second hold the plate?

[Paul Coleman]

Yeah pretty sure one of the bolts is actually a stud.

[Lotusfab]

That explains it! A bolt was fitted instead of a stud still I have fixed it now anyway. Have fixed the loose speedo cable by tightening the thread. Gearbox appears sorted. Have the second Ball joint but no fixing kit yet but it's nearly there!

[Lotusfab]

Nearly at the point of getting the wheels aligned. Used a piece of string and two axle stands to set the front wheels till I can get the car to a garage fit a proper wheel alignment. I noticed the rear wheel alignment seems poor. It can be adjusted with shims. Would this be beyond most garages and has anyone else shined the rear suspension?

[jonroberts]

That look amazing. I really hope you can get it to Brooklands next week!

[Lotusfab]

Thanks Jon, have tried but it's looking doubtful.

[Paul Coleman]

2 hours ago, Lotusfab said:

Thanks Jon, have tried but it's looking doubtful.

Yeah, of course you can! I'm bodging my windows back in the car this weekend so I can drive it on Sunday. I just hope it's not too hot as I may not be able to open them hahaha

[Lotusfab]

I havn't got a window to bodge in, they are all still with Pilkington and there's no MOT! Look carefully at the picture and you can see the tape.Theres  no quater window! 

[Paul Coleman]

So get it retested in the week and stick a bit of plastic over the quarter window - who cares!!

[Lotusfab]

Like on many Esprits the electric Windows on my car don't work to my satisfaction. I have fixed the headlight motors and the wiper motor all of which work really well. I am sure when Lotus made these cars the electric worked also worked well.  The passenger window on my car works but the glass movement is erratic as a result of the 4 wheel pulley guide being worn. It must be this because all the other parts are new and I have adjusted everything lots and lots of times. So I intend to rebuild the pulley guide. The drivers side is the same accept the electric motor has no torque, so the window is stuck. 

I have concluded most of these dc motors can be fixed with cleaning, brush replacement and oiling. The only thing that this won't cure is an overheated motor. Why? They are permanent magnet motors. Overheating causes the winding insulation to breakdown and the armature turns black. The insulation flakes off in tiny black pieces. If this happens no amount if cleaning will restore the torque. This is the problem I had with the wiper motor. The armature must be rewound or replaced. Also heating can demagnetise the fixed permanent magnets reducing torque. A rewind is £60 min. Some companies can restore the magnets but will it ever be as good as a new motor? I have ordered a new AC Delco corvette motor from the US. It's very similar and costs about £100 delivered. This should cure the torque problem if I can get all the gears to fit and will post the supplier etc if the fix works, fingers crossed. Will also post what effect rebuilding the pulley guides has.

[Lotusfab]

2nd time Lucky and the proud owner of a fresh Bell and Coville MOT.  Enjoyed an awesome drive to and from the testing station! Still no window and bits off inside so no stereo, but I'm over the difficult bit. Just the extinguishing system to fit before I venture too far. A slight oil leak from the oil filler cap so a new seal is on the way, apart from that fantastic! 

[ChrisJ]

Congratulations.

[Lotusfab]

Thanks!

[Paul Coleman]

Well done! That means you can drive to Brooklands on Sunday

[Jared_nomak]

Wow seriously wow it really makes me wonder if my red S1 Esprit will ever look half as good. White just really looks right colour for them!

Ross

[Lotusfab]

I have tried hard to get it ready. But sadly I'm away till late Saturday so won't have time to sort all the bits. Don't want it to go up in smoke by driving with the filler cap oil leak and no extinguisher system. So looks like next year! But should have it sorted in the next few months.

[Bibs]

Sensible choice, shame you won't be there though. Great effort, got in just before 1,500 posts too

[Lotusfab]

Thanks Bibs, without the forum I might never have got it back together! 

[Lotusfab]

All Esprit S1 owners, good news Pilkington have made me the quater window and it's a perfect copy of the original in clear glass and even has the triplex marking and code, after all Pilkington automotive are Triplex. They bought the company years ago and have been making the glass since the 50s. I have searched everywhere for this glass and there is none left! I am very impressed indeed with the results. Haven't had time to fit it but they made two so they have another passenger side glass to sell if anyone needs one? II have lent them tinted glass quater Windows which they have used to make the tooling to manufacture unlimited front quarter Windows in clear. They have thickened the glass slightly to add strength but it really. Is impressive! Will post some pictures soon. Nick Gardiner at Pilkington classics is the expert to speak to it you need glass. This is a big relief if you own an S1 you no longer need to worry about the glass breaking!

[Paul Coleman]

1 hour ago, Lotusfab said:

 This is a big relief if you own an S1 you no longer need to worry about the glass breaking!

Unless of course you smash the door drop glass or the rear quarter light!!

[Lotusfab]

I'm sure Pilkington can make those too, just a get a tinted one for a pattern.

Hope yours are still intact?

[Paul Coleman]

Yeah my glass is all good but it worries me what would happen if it was damaged in an accident for example. What does an insurance company do when something has been damaged which is unobtainable? I'm guessing there's a clause in the policy which says if something cannot be repaired they only have to pay you a tenner!!

[Lotusfab]

Well yes I am still building this car, or trying to - wallowing around in the dark pit of Esprit restoration! Good news my seats will be finished in about three weeks. Still havn't had time to install the magnificent Pilkington quater glass reproduction. That and the windows and it's done. 

Electric Windows

Technical assessment - they're crap!

However there's nothing else so will keep going till they work properly. You my remember my drivers side motor, had no torque as the armature was burnt out. The solution has arrived thanks to Uncle Sam, a brand new AC Delco motor! Delivered from Atlanta Georgia USA for £100, a bargain. Have to check the gears but looks really good. This will fix the torque problem. I have concluded the other reason the windows don't operate smoothly is the pulley guides. The pulley wheels have ceased over the last 40 years and have been sliding up and down whilst stationary causing flat spots on the circumference. Now they have been freed there is still too much play in the guide. 

My theory is when the electric motor operates the lift arm pushes on one end of the window. As it starts to move the play in the guides allows the window to pivot pressing one end of it into the felt and causing resistance. As the window raises the Lift arm moves changing the lift point causing further pivot problems. There needs to be minimal play in the pulley guides for it  to operate smoothly and efficiently. So I am about to rebuild both pulley plates. I have wheels from S and J and new pivots from Lotus. Will post if this all works!

 

The new quater glass with Triplex stamp in clear!