I must be crazy!

[Cos]

Came across another esprit S1 in Cyprus again. Some of you may have seen photos of a yellow 1976 esprit/F1 355 abomination with an opel astra engine i spotted in Agia Napa a few years back. That one was well beyond saving. Nothing, but nothing was unmolested on the car other than parts of the chassis. That one even had Nissan 300ZX / Diablo headlights.

 

Well this is another one. A Red 1976 car which again had been off the road for about 5 years. I had never seen or hear of this car on the island.

It was resting in side road of a small village near the deserted Nicosia Airport. Unfortunately, this one too had been in the hands of modders, with turbo look-a-like spoilers that had been styled from photos. 

I felt like I was looking at a stray dog that needed to be taken away from it place of suffering and saved from a certain death. I just couldn't make myself walk away from it. 

2 days later, its in my garage at home. God help me!

Spotted

Looked inside

Aircon anyone?

Aircon anyone?

Getting it delivered. seriously mixed emotions!

Get some rest now

Washed down with a pressure washer. Should dry in a couple of minutes. Its 34 degrees out here! 

Sprayed off all the dust!

[Cos]

Washed

Time to rip off that horrible homemade thing thats stuck to the car!

Great feeling!

[Cos]

More of the junk comes off

Looks like a lot of wasted time and effort was put into these spoilers. They had been carefully blended in

Time to attack the rear junk!

Better?

[Cos]

Coming soon!

The side skirts get the same treatment.

[mdw]

And it sort of look like its almost all there just with added bits  you can remove so not a bad basis to start from.

[Cos]

I've already done a full restoration on 127G including a Full Fulcher interior. And that's to a good friend, that car was used by Top Gear for the 50 year of Bond Cars special. Richard Hammond drove it in Monaco and was then used for some filming at Pinewood Studios.

Restoring an S1 is no easy task. Lots of expenses, time, searching for rare bits and labour.

I really don't know if I can go through with it all again. And it would be daft to have 2 cars that are the same.

Will probably ship this one over to UK sell it on to a good home.

[Vanya]

Wow! That's a good find! Love the "combo breaker" Gladiator pic hahahaha

[Bibs]

 

Well rescued Cos! 

[Cos]

You know me Bibs! Have a big soft spot for esprits. Especially S1s.

I don't fly to UK any more. Haven't been over since October. Trying to plan a visit at the same time as a good esprit meeting. When are the next few?

[Bibs]

Lotus Festival at Brands mate, 15th & 16th August

 

www.lotus-festival.com

[ramjet]

You have to wonder sometimes whether people know what they have? If you keep it up Cos, it'll look great!

[Barrykearley]

Looks a very solid find.......is the engine good??

Chassis???

[Jacques]

Very good to save the car. Not letting another Esprit bite the dust. Looking very much forward to seeing the restoration.

 

Cheersm

Jacques.

[slewthy]

It reminds me of heavy makeup being cleaned off the face of a girl who is a natural beauty underneath!

Great progress!

[Paul Coleman]

What's the chassis number Cos?

 

I'm with you, sell it and take a quick profit. I couldn't face doing another one!

Edited July 11, 2015 by Paul Coleman

[Cos]

76110231G

Has the correct engine fitted too. Can't make out the colour code, but I'm pretty sure it's an original red car.

Engine number

[Paul Coleman]

I'm guessing it would fetch somewhere around £10k over here if you just clean it up and make it look like an S1 again.

 

Have you got the original wheels for it?

Edited July 11, 2015 by Paul Coleman

[Cos]

Peeling off the weirdo side skirts was such fun! 

 

 

[Bibs]

A million times better already! 

[Cos]

Anyone know where I can find a pack of Wolfies for it?

That fibre sticking out it where the weirdo side skirt fibreglass was tucked into the bottom sill. They will have to come off so that it can also be peeled off!

 

Such a satisfying feeling! Well worth doing this just for the feeling!

A million times better already! 

Thanks Bibs! 

 

Wouldn't it be great if I found a blue one too! That would make a pretty lineup!

[Paul Coleman]

That fibre sticking out it where the weirdo side skirt fibreglass was tucked into the bottom sill. They will have to come off so that it can also be peeled off!

I would try and get that fibreglass out without taking the sills off. The sills are bonded and pop riveted on and some of those pop rivets are under the fuel tanks!!

 

Paul.

[Cos]

I would try and get that fibreglass out without taking the sills off. The sills are bonded and pop riveted on and some of those pop rivets are under the fuel tanks!!

 

Paul.

 

Hi Paul, thanks for that info. I was curious to how they are fitted! Lotus really didn't want them dropping off huh! 

 

 

Thing is, I think they must have already have been taken off then the weirdo spoiler was created! I think I'll just leave them where are for now!

[Loose Cannon]

Peeling off the weirdo side skirts was such fun! 

 

I wonder if someone will do all this to Karl's GT3 in the future? Hope I'm still around to see that thread!