Esprit Turbo project car - part3 - the further continuation

[Lotusfab]

It's no good, I'm taking that Aerial out again and spraying it black!

[Lotusfab]

Anyone thinking of doing this my advice is don't. I'm well in excess of my S1 budget with all the labour done by me and the engine having been done already.It's hard to see where all the money goes but it just adds up. You could get one running for a lot less but it would always need bits replacing and be less than optimum.. My S1 which was done to a similar standard has been flawless since the rebuild apart from the standard two year cam cover gasket oil seepage which you always have to do.

The other big thing is the Turbo costs a lot of more to restore than an S1 or S2, as it really is a modern car and has so many more parts. The labour cost of a resto would be much higher for a nut and bolt full strip as this car is very time consuming due all the extra system refinements. 

I think my Turbo will have cost more than most due to the factory correct dry sump suspension and Compomotive wheels. This config is a money pit which is very very deep. Still it should be an awesome car and I hope the most accurate Copper Fire FYEO James Bond car to date. 

[TAR]

Luckily, I won't be taking your advice on this particular point. Despite the cost, my car will eventually (hopefully) be as well restored as yours. I admire your resolve and I know how, when things don't go well, it's easy to think about giving in. I've been falling in and out of love with my car for years. Seeing your car progress spurs me on.  

[stephenwhyte]

Tim, yours will be very special if you can get anywhere near close to Fabians standard, as the green colour used inside and out is simply brilliant. I just wish you could get started😎

[Lotusfab]

Yep Tim I do like the green, its got some real character.

[Lotusfab]

57 minutes ago, TAR said:

Luckily, I won't be taking your advice on this particular point. Despite the cost, my car will eventually (hopefully) be as well restored as yours. I admire your resolve and I know how, when things don't go well, it's easy to think about giving in. I've been falling in and out of love with my car for years. Seeing your car progress spurs me on.  

Tim, it's a bit like the Romans who burned all the bridges behind them. There is a point where you have invested so much there's no way back, you have to finish it!  There's something about these cars that is just iconic. Your green one will be absolutely stunning when fully restored. I really like the Copper Fire paint colour. Mr Chapman was certainly a genius. We just need the rest of the world to see this and I think having watched Harry's garage clip slowlybthe Esprit is coming if age and getting the attention it deserves. 

 

[Lotusfab]

Tim, forgot to say If I can  be of any assistance in your rebuild just pm me.

Ski Racks

heres the biggest secret of all and the reason why all the ski racks made so far that I have seen are wrong. The originals were not symmetrical! What do I mean by this? Well if you look closely at the Bond car from the rear you will notice the skis appear horizontal. If you look at all the other poor copies the skis follow the roof curvature. Who ever made them made the racks  shorter on the inside edges to compensate for the roof curve - hence the skis are horizontal and not lying at angles. Here's some pictures to illustrate. The first the well know Bond picture. A straight edge could lay across the skis. The second a poor attemp to replicate. The racks following the roof curve and the skis sloping to the edge.the lesson here don't make the racks the same height on the inner and outer edges. The inner edge must be shorter! It took me a while and two trips to see the car to figure it out! 

[Lotusfab]

[Lotusfab]

More parts plated. Fuel filler rebuilt internally and plated. Headlight rims chromed shame you won't see them again. Oil cooler on new Mocal. Fuel filler gasket and new screws. 

Clutch pipe on thanks to advice on here and correct fitting! It's getting there now! 

Use penny washersvto sorted the load on the fiberglass( bottom of oil cooler). 

[Lotusfab]

Real pretty, but will it work? I'm making a list of Lotus employees who should have been sacked. The next one on there is the guy who made cost savings by buying up UNF fittings and randomly fitting them all over the car😡😡😡😡The headlight mechanism a mixture of 6 mm and 1/4 UNF nuts and bolts!!

I like Mocal fittings. They are good quality and not rediculous prices. This oil cooler £73 delivered and for once exactly the correct sizes. Fit and forget shame I can't say that for all the other bits on here! 

[Fridge]

2 minutes ago, Lotusfab said:

Real pretty, but will it work? I'm making a list of Lotus employees who should have been sacked. The next one on there is the guy who made cost savings by buying up UNF fittings and randomly fitting them all over the car😡😡😡😡The headlight mechanism a mixture of 6 mm and 1/4 UNF nuts and bolts!!

I like Mocal fittings. They are good quality and not rediculous prices. This oil cooler £73 delivered and for once exactly the correct sizes. Fit and forget shame I can't say that for all the other bits on here! 

I found that the rose joints were worn on my S1, and I replaced them. Reducing the vertical movement within the joint, and hence perceived 'flicker' whilst driving.

[Andyww]

Also if there is play in those joints or the motor end float screw is not adjusted, the pods make loud clonks when going over bumps, even when down.

[Lotusfab]

Yep on my S1 most of it was worn out and had to be replaced. The Turbo seems to be far better quality and more robust. Mind you this had a full Lotus main dealer service history and was taken off road about 15 years ago.

[Fridge]

Just now, Lotusfab said:

Yep on my S1 most of it was worn out and had to be replaced. The Turbo seems to be far better quality and more robust. Mind you this had a full Lotus main dealer service history and was taken off road about 15 years ago.

The rose joint items and lift arms are identical to those used in the S1.

[Lotusfab]

Yep they are I'm talking In general.  The Turbo is very very different to the S1. It's a modern car which only appears similar. On the outside. A quick look at the parts manual and you will see how much more complex it is. The loom is about twice the size. 

I love my S1 but I think this will be far more refined and a real supercar!

[Andyww]

The thing about the arms is they used a standard thread on both ends which is crap. On later cars they realised this and used a right hand thread on one end and left hand on the other which is the way this kind of link should be done, so you can adjust the length infinitely by turning the shaft.

[Lotusfab]

Didn't  know that! 

[Andyww]

I think SJ sell the later easy-adjust version. On the early one you have to disconnect one end to adjust. Later can be adjusted in situ.

I think the metric/imperial thing is partly the long life of the model and also usage of parts from various donor cars. I tend not to blame them too much, the Lotus parts (eg engine) are all metric but some of the ex-Leyland and Lucas (eg headlamp motors) etc are imperial. Also the Triumph front suspension bits.

[Lotusfab]

keep it simple is the key to a good business.

[Lotusfab]

Here the original seal off the fuel neck which goes inside of the body and is attached with silicon and the four stainless screws.

It fits around the filler neck in the lower picture. 

My fuel vent system pipe was completely perished so I will be replacing all of the pipe. Fortunately the installation was factory correct and totally original. When I have repaired it all I will  post pictures so that it can be recreated.

[Lotusfab]

Pods

now let me come straight to the point these are a pain in the .....! So let me tell you what has taken me four years and save you a lot of hassle.

parts 12 and 13 are different. They are made at different angles. Get it wrong and the thing will not work.Above is the right pod. Part 12 the right hand inner is the same as the left hand outer. Part 13 is the same as left hand inner. They all look the same. The only way to tell the difference is to fit them and look at the pin angle. Identify the two pairs and where they fit by the pin angle.

get yourself a decent riveter and use washers on the rivets so they don't fall out! Oh dear that's not quite right!Ahh Eureka!

[Lotusfab]

This is with the bearing housing reversed through 180degrees. The bonnet bracket will not lay flat if you get them back to front! You must have the pin so the R clip(smaller hole) is behind the pod so the pin can be removed from underneath the bonnet.

If you loose one S and J sell them.

[Gotti]

Amazing job!I would build a glass cabinet around the car when its finished!

Very impressive 

[Lotusfab]

Thanks mate👍🏻👍🏻Pax pod in!

[stephenwhyte]

All these close up shots are killing me........I want to see her from a distance - all in good time I suppose 😆