Esprit Turbo project car - part3 - the further continuation

[Lotusfab]

Header rail fiberglassed with clock removed. Leather cant  rails fixed in and trial fit complete. Started to fit windscreen tape. Had to remove it and order some more as I tore it when adjusting the fit! Always ups and downs on these projects, still it's progressing. The interior is nearly done, just the gear lever, Aircon panel, door cards and seats left. Steve Fulcher is completing the seat retrim and door cards so not much left for me. I can start on the engine, gearbox and carbs soon. 

The widow trims go on after the screen tape. I have adjusted the fit so quite easy to silicon them.

looking very James Bond inside!the screen tape is vinyl. You peel one side offf stick it and then peel the fron off! Quite pleased with the header. It's a near perfect fit. Just needs a trim.

[Fridge]

Well jel Fabian.

Far too cold up here to work in the garage.

[drdoom]

Hi Fabian,

All very nicely done! So the screen tape is applied to the windscreen exterior? I just assumed it would be on the inside so not suffering wear.

Cheers

[Lotusfab]

David,

. I have put some insulation in and it only needs a small heater to be warm enough to work.

Thanks Steve, yep tape goes on the outside. It needs to fit exactly to the edge or looks nasty as the glass shows. I messed it up and had a 2 mm gap on the drivers side, whilst trying to fix it I tore the decal, I should have prepped it better by cutting the decal back to the black area before applying. Here's a close up of the Bond tape. I won't be replicating its fit. Who ever did it will have to go, the glass is visible at the bottom - like my mess up!

[Lotusfab]

I'm getting more enthusiastic as it approaches the end. Nearly all the jobs now result in an appearance change which makes you feel like you are getting somewhere.

I now have all the materials to make the ski racks. My last attempt the styrofoam melted when I sprayed it in polyester filler! This time I have done more research. I have epoxy resin and glass fiber cloth to coat the styrofoam, it doesn't react. This can be used to make a plug and a glass fiber mold can be taken from it.

[Jeanvm]

12 hours ago, Lotusfab said:

My last attempt the styrofoam melted when I sprayed it in polyester filler! This time I have done more research. I have epoxy resin and glass fiber cloth to coat the styrofoam, it doesn't react. This can be used to make a plug and a glass fiber mold can be taken from it.

I had to warn you for that. I made the same mistake years ago at a project.

[Lotusfab]

Finally, brakes done and drivers side wheel on with some gold decals!

[PhilW]

Excellent!

 

[Fridge]

Unfortunately there's no room in my single garage for a heater. And it's too drafty. Moving south is not an option either, as I've just moved back up from the Midlands after 20 years.

Is that tape required on the S1 windscreen also?

[Lotusfab]

Yep, It's on my S1. 

[Lotusfab]

If anyone  is interested it takes about three leather hydes to trim the car.

[stephenwhyte]

Those wheels are mega!😎👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[silverfrost]

Wheels look outstanding Fabian,  a credit to your hard work,  The picture above shows the paintwork is floorless on that bonnet area 

3 cows are not happy, they must be freezing this time of year with no skins  , but  at least you will be snug the esprit oockpit area 

Keep up the great work car looks stunning 

[Lotusfab]

Thanks Dan,

they had to go for the greater good! I'm regretting matching the colour exactly. There's so much work involved to do it properly. I will never recolour another car again! Here's two seats worth of leather. There are so many stages to get a successful recolour. Each one must be done pedantically!😩😩😩😩😩Seems like I have been doing this leather forever. Once it's recoloured it's off to the trimmer. You can see how much work is required to do the whole car and it's very very time consuming. Of course you can cut corners but you will then be wasting your time and end up with something that bears no resemblance. For some that might be ok but I wouldn't be happy. So as others have done we press on!

[TAR]

How did you get the patterns for the leather, was it from dismantling the seats?

[Lotusfab]

Steve Fulcher, Marked it out from his original patterns, his dad passed them on to him,. I'm  just colouring them then it's all going back for the trim. There's a real art to all of this. Only someone like Steve(for those of you that don't know his dad was head of Lotus trimming ) can trim these in the way the factory did it . I have seen lots of attempts that look new but are completely wrong. As I have said before to most people they don't care they just want it to look new. Fair enough, but things like that annoy me - I want it as close as possible. 

The techniques and skills were passed on to him by his father. His dad designed and trimmed the Spy who loved me car and the delorean. Steve trimmed my S1 in the Bond scheme. When I had a look inside the original SWLM car at the museum in Miami I was shocked by how close Steve has replicated the trim. Every stick, pattern and material fold is spot on. My S1 is identical but new, Steve even supplied the original Tartan that his dad had bought and saved a roll of. It's almost impossible to achieve this without the original patterns.

Its like buying a fake bag. You can some copies that look ok until you see the real thing.if you want the real thing the only place is Fulcher  Coachworks. There's a real art to this and Steve has a talent. To trim this properly requires so much work that isn't apparent. The S1 trim is highly complex. To get the seat folds in the Tartan correct and matching the patterns requires calico cloth underneath that has to be marked from the original plans and pinned then stitched to the Tartan. It take hours and hours. You can always tell when the seats aren't correct because the ribbed Tartan doesn't sit correctly or the is a pattern mismatch. Then again mist retrims don't have the correct Tartan anyway so I suppose there's no option butbto make the best of what you have.

Steves also doing my door cards which Immreally looking forward to seeing and fitting. Just for yourself, hers my as1 interior. In its own way the aturbomwill be just as good. With leather in some ways better. With the Terracotta James Bond carpet equally stunning. Both very different cars. The Turbo is like an airfix kit that everybody wanted in the eighties!

[Lotusfab]

The good news is the seat leather is nearly ready. Each piece required the factory finish removing. Three layers of base coat colourant.Then several layers of spray coat colourant. Then six layers of finish that's also airbrushed on, very thinly and built up. It's easy to loose track of how many layers and what direction you sprayed. I have been using six screws I place them verticle or horizontal to aid counting as each layer is sprayed, there's a lot of pieces!  I also have a very good mask, nasty stuff! Judging by my mask filter which is now the same colour as the leather I'm happy I bought it! 

Only about six pieces left that all need six layers of finish. This is a real milestone, then it's onto the windscreen finish tape again, windscreen trim, Wastegate, driveshafts, cooling system, carbs, engine and gearbox. These jobs are easy when compared with the trim and body. Also they are much quicker. Happy days, nearly there. I will post all the info that ai think might help others. Ohhh forgot the ski racks and tailgate louvres! 

[skiing]

It really is going to look amazing this car. Having seen it in progress it will definitely be worth the effort you have put into this. I look forward to seeing the finished article - especially the ski racks...

[Lotusfab]

Thanks Henry.

[Lotusfab]

Steve V8 has correctly pointed out the foot mats are the wrong way around, so another job on the list! Nearly there with the gearstick though! 

Riight off to have attemp two at the screen tape. There leather is now done and ready for trimming!

[Lotusfab]

Screen tape. This method worked perfectly. Cut a small piece of tape off. Align the black edge at the base of the windscreen. Stick a guide tape so that when the edge of the transfer touches it the bottom of the black it exactly up against the screen edge. Make sure you have enough light and don't rub the transfer with the backing off. I cause a slight mark doing this!

Now justbhave to silicon the screennedge trim on!

I've left thectrim piece off inside so I can take the header out for trimming. The screen fixing method is dry, so you can move the tape very easily. Just have to take your time and mark it out properly. You can always tear it off and start again, like I did!

[Lotusfab]

Windscreen trims on. Fitted with silicon. Sealy clamps, dammed useful! 

I used the Lotus dimensions for the black. But I note the Bond car has a slightly thicker black band on the top. I think this is a good idea, as it hides the untidy trim. I may have to widen it in situ!😬😬😬😬

[drdoom]

Wow, gazing at this work in quiet state of awe! Utterly stellar results, Fabian, the plaid as much for its loony joie-de-vivre as for the incomparable workmanship.

[Lotusfab]

Thanks.👍🏻

[Lotusfab]

On the windscreen, be careful with the clamps. They put a lot of strain on the glass and could crack it if you tighten them too much. The trim shouldn't need that much pressure as it should rready be bent to shape. It's not  a quick job. You have to file the ends to fit and apply gentle pressure to the trim to bend it. Too much in the same place and it will distort and look horrid. If this happens buy another bit and start again! Expensive but worth it in the long run. I've had quite a bit of practice with all this and still make horredus mistakes. Hopefully nearly  all of them you can do again. If it's a one way job check and recheck before doing something that can't be reversed! 

My projects over the next few days are. Wastegate rebuild and driveshafts. Will post some pics when I get these sorted! 

Im looking forward to doing the engine. . 

When I bought the car I was told the engine had been rebuilt by an Historic F1 chap. I have ran it once and it sounded sweet. I have receipts, but no pictures. I am always sceptical about rebuilds that are not supported with pictures so I had a look in the head and took the sump off. It looks in pretty good shape. I have still been debating whether to remove the head completely and have a close up look. I'm thinking at the moment of leaving as is as it ran so well, no misfires and real smooth. Knowing what I know about these engines and bearing in mind it hasn't been on the road for 14 years with all the new parts on the engine I'm guessing the person who assembled it must have tuned it and knew what they were doing. So I probably will remove all the ancillaries, fit a new timing belt and bearing and detail the rest.

The gear box I plan to remove the cover, check all of the gear wheels for damage and rotate the shaft to check the bearings. If all seems ok it will be a refresh and new oil. If not off to the gearbox rebuilders! 

I shall be rebuilding the carbs and cleaning them in a sonic bath. Lots if pics to follow sometime next week! This is what I saw when I took the sump off, real clean with new sealant.

After studying all of the engine restoration processes I'm going with a good clean and paint. If it's good enough for those Ferrari Chaps it's good enough for Lotus! Must take the oil pump off and have a detailed look! Will be nice to get the engine back in. It should have been put back on the chassis first, but time constraints didn't allow it!