The story of Little Red Riding Hood

[Jacques]

Hello John,

I've been out driving all week  And then the garden had to see some hours too.

What numbers?

Do you mean model numbers on calipers or piston size?

I have no idea of any of them. No markings anywhere, as it was a project from many years ago. As far as I was told, two sets were made ready for the Stevens Esprit, but then the V8 came along. Cannot help there.

I will need to Work on the Esprit soon, so might have a chance of taking the Wheels off, the parking brake cables off, the return springs off and then the calipers to try and measure pistons. Is that what you are asking about? Normally, realipers can be had in varying versions, like small, normal and big pistons. I am not talking about the two sizes in a caliper, but three types of calipers.

Speaking of Esprit, I am working hours after hours to try and find someone knowledgable here, who can undertake the job of evaluating if my my new carbon tailgate can be saved at all (not the condition, that is already established). It is misserably made to say the least, so not fit for purpose. Don't have much energy for much more than that, for the time being.

Cheers,

Jacques

[Jacques]

Carbon tailgate is now off to a carbon guy with some experience, locally to me (well, sort of), as what I received was a piece of junk Hope to have it propperly fixed of some sort, as it wasn't exactly cheap. 10500 dkr - 950 gnp to repair. Then paint etc. Let's see as he's real busy, so it will take a while, reading a few months. So that will end up as a Winter job.

Today I did a small service on Little Red Riding Hood.

Already just changed the coolant and gear oil earlier, so today I did the:

engine oil (Castrol Edge Ti Supercar 10W60)

engine oil filter (original of course)

spark plugs (NGK BPR6EKN)

fuel filter

air filter (original)

redid a lot of bolts, nuts and generally looking after it being in good shape.

Then cleaned it up insideout, wet cleaned carpets, did the leather, cleaned underneath the car and cleaned the engine compartment.

I may need to redo the gear box oil soon, as I have ever so slight leaking through one drive axle seal. But as i drive it regularely, it doesn't really drip. But if I leave the car for soem weeks, then some drops is leaking.

Only thing I found was a broken exhaust hanger, which I will have rewelded tomorrow, as I already drove to the welder and arranged for a time tomorrow 9 am, plus I found a bolt has been lost for the right side engine support, namely the upper one. Will replace that tomorrow as well.

Here's the spark plugs after 10.000 kms, now replaced. Looked exactlr the same.  Pic is a bit strage, but specs on electrodes are just dust from transport home. No oil or any other anormalies. Looked into the duel filter and it's completely clean. I only ever ran Shell Vpower 99 octane (which is 100 in reality, but is just not allowed to be called that here because of green environmentalists). Looked into oil filter, and that's clean as well. Car started and ran perfectly before, and after service. Little Red Riding Hood well chuffed.

Cheers,

Jacques

 

[Jacques]

Question:

Let's say all things being well, with no errors, how often do you have to (by Lotus standards) change the ignition leads?

Are the original red ones lotus branded and with numbers still available?

Kind regards,

jacques

[Clarky5150]

On ‎13‎/‎04‎/‎2018 at 01:26, Giniw said:

The S4, and V8 with the late wing were both able to lift their tailgate. I think the struts are not the same as the S4s/Sport 300/GT3/V8GT (at least SJS sells two different kind of struts)

S4 tailgate opening:

 

Hey, that's my car!!! (and I don't mean the van)

[Jacques]

[Clarky5150]

2 minutes ago, Jacques said:

I put new struts on mine about 6 months ago. on a warm day they lift the tailgate around 30cms. I have never seen an Esprit tailgate open so far as the video. I think an out of shot hand may have 'assisted'

[Jacques]

Mine opens much more than 30 cm. But it cannot lift itself as it have a heavy spoiler on it's back.

I hope to solve taht sometime in this autoum with a bit of carbon fiber etc.

Jacques

[Giniw]

Mine opens fully with no helping hand, but there is no spoiler on it. If I remember correctly there are two different struts references.

[Clarky5150]

1 hour ago, Jacques said:

Mine opens much more than 30 cm. But it cannot lift itself as it have a heavy spoiler on it's back.

I hope to solve taht sometime in this autoum with a bit of carbon fiber etc.

Jacques

I think we have crossed ideas here. Here is a photo of how high the tailgate lifts by itself. Maybe 60cms, not 30...

This is how high with a little human assistance...

The company who make the aftermarket struts is based in a town near to me. I intend to visit to see if they can make a set with extra pressure to do the full lift as in the video. Will post my results.

[Giniw]

Actually the force in newtons is usually written on the struts. What are yours rated? I am sure someone with appropriate struts for a tailgate with a wing attached can tell you what you need.

[Clarky5150]

Mine are the struts for the winged tailgate sourced from SJ but just not quite powerful enough to do the full lift.

[Barrykearley]

Hang on a minute @Clarky5150 - I recognise that number plate

[Clarky5150]

....The car that coined the phrase 'Lots Of Trouble Usually Serious', Top Gear circa 1993. Press car used in several articles...

http://www.lotusespritworld.com/ERoadtests/AutoExpress_Apr94.html

http://www.lotusespritworld.com/ERoadtests/PCOTY_Dec93.html

 

[Jacques]

I seriously dislike that phrase. It has no meaning in real life with regards to a Lotus Esprit, but on the contrary is highly relevant for a few other brands of sportscars.

Kind regards,

Jacques

[Jacques]

All right, so finally got my hands on these 4 new small babies are ready to be put in place. Now, I Wonder where the two washers and one bolt went? Little Red Riding Hood is on her tip toes looking forward to getting these installed.

Kind regards,

jacques

[silverfrost]

Are they for your Sport300 chassis brace Jacques ?  Good luck with the install if they are for the brace and make sure they/ you have a good few fire extinquishers to hand and put plenty of wet blankets everywhere surrounding the chassis.  

[Jacques]

Yes they are. Thanks for the advice.

Kind regards,

Jacques

[Jacques]

Meanwhile at the mancave:

Finally got these small parts and a box of more of the same. Going to have a good look at them, an dbefore inserting them into a new gearbox (027), as mine is an SE box, having a bigger bearing, I will look into cryo-treating them, if possible. More on that later.

In planning is also a slightly higher 5'th gear to lower the rpm's a bit when cruising on the motorway.

Really looking forward to having a slightly higher 1'st and 2'nd gear, in connection with 3'rd. Should make driving quick on some twisty narrow backroads better. Keeping the steam up in a higher second gear coming out of a Sharp turn, will be easier, I think. We'll see.

Little Red Riding Hood is really looking forward to getting her 1-2-3-4 dancesteps tightened up a bit.

Kind regards,

jacques

 

[Jacques]

To aid this improved gearbox, I've now accuired a 03 endcover and a 03 gearmasterunit. So  need bracketry and cables to optimise the gearshift itself.

I need to blast the cover and redo some brackets as well. More later on.

Kind regards,

jacques

 

[Jacques]

Had to take a Whole day off Work to drive Down to the Company who were supposed to repair and make better the very bad made carbon tailgate I bought long time ago. They couldn't manage the task despite having said so in the first place. So, hired a truck and drove all the way up to the other end of the Island and delivered tit to another Company, who say they want to take a good look at it. 120 gbp poorer, 4 hours later and parts were delivered to them. Well when they saw it, they stared at it, and honestly told me that they didn't know if they should laugh or cry...    How it will fare? No idea, but hopefully well. And hopefully soon. I'll believe it, when I see it.

Little Red Riding Hood is eager after loosing some weight and get a slimmer waist. We're talking pretty many kilos here.

I'll report back as I find out.

Kind regards,

jacques

 

[Jacques]

Meanwhile at the batmancave:

This package was dropped off. I Wonder what's in it? maybe some goodies?

Well, it turned out to be new outer lips.

Kind regards,

jacques

 

[Jacques]

For those who may have an interest in these to Work on the OZ Futura wplit Wheels, KS Tools make excellent special designed sockets, which are numbered:

KS 515.1033 8mm 10 star bolt socket.

KS 515.1034 10mm 10 star nut socket.

It's ½" sockets, but there is sufficient room to Work on the bolts. And one can always wrap a piece of electrical insulation tape around the sockets, to prevent scratching anything.

Kind regards,

Jacques

[drdoom]

Hello Jacques,

It appears that your wheel pictures did not load.

Cheers

[Jacques]

I am not sure what you mean. I did not upload pics of the Wheels, as I just received the new outer lips. But here's a Loose testfit to give an idea before reassembly, as I am waiting for the KS Tools sockets (10 star).

Kind regards,

jacques

 

[Giniw]

10 minutes ago, Jacques said:

I am not sure what you mean

He is referring to the pictures you mention in https://www.thelotusforums.com/forums/topic/67095-the-story-of-little-red-riding-hood/?page=17&tab=comments#comment-815314

I can't see them either (access denied)

 

Are those made in radinox or aluminium?

(BTW, if you sell your original outer lips I could be interested depending on price/condition/etc of course)