Esprit Turbo project car - part3 - the further continuation

[drdoom]

Word of caution, Fabian, the early mirrors' small base focusses load on a commensurately small area where it rests on the door and this creates stress cracks. That's been the case with my S2.

By the way, did you ascertain whether it was the new light source or the new F/O strands that was responsible for the improvement to switch lighting?

Cheers

[Lotusfab]

Thanks for the info. It was the new strands. They transmit much more light I think they have more useable cross section as they don't have a black plastic coating. 

[Andyww]

15 hours ago, drdoom said:

Word of caution, Fabian, the early mirrors' small base focusses load on a commensurately small area where it rests on the door and this creates stress cracks. That's been the case with my S2.

 

Not sure I understand this, the early mirrors have a larger base than the later. This can be seen in the diagram a few posts back, which shows both mirrors to the same scale.

[drdoom]

I figure my car, 7807/0100S, to be a fairly early example of the series. It came with mirrors that are depicted on the left of the posted diagram, though the actual base size is more slim than the drawing would suggest. I'll attach a fine promotional photo, possibly of ACBC's own S2, which would presumably be a rather early example. Some amongst us will know its serial number, perhaps? It shows the type of mirror I have, with a base of minimal area.

Cheers

[drdoom]

I have perhaps misread Fabian's request for wing mirrors. The early type I have been referencing may have already been superceded  by the point of Turbo introduction?

[v8vantage]

The chrome based mirrors on the S2 in the above picture are the same as Aston Martin used from 1978 to 1984. The later type that my Commemorative Edition are fitted with have a larger base that AM never used.

 

[Fridge]

@drdoom the mirrors depicted in the photo you posted are indeed very early S2 mirrors. And more than that, are very late S1.

Like many improvements considered to be associated with S2's, were in fact introduced towards the end of the S1 production run.

I'd be very surprised if the mirrors shown in your photograph ever found their way into an Esprit Turbo. Unless in prototype form from the bottom of the Lotus Cars parts bin.

Since way before the time the Turbo model was released the S2 had already been sporting a second revision of mirrors.

[Lotusfab]

Does anyone know what other cars the mirrors were used on?

[Andyww]

Early Turbos had the Koito mirrors operated by 4 clicky solenoids which are the ones Fabian is looking for. Later Turbos had a type with 2 motors which I believe had a smaller base.

No idea about S2s.

Here is one car with the early type

EDIT: Hmm maybe the Aston ones are not actually the same, as that base does look smaller than the Turbo ones. 

 

 

 

[Fridge]

The AMV8 above has the late S1/early S2 mirrors. They are particularly nasty. Their shell having the feel of a marginally stronger yoghurt carton.

I've two here. One is broken.

I would have been very pissed off if my new Aston was delivered with these sub-Airfix items screwed on.

[Andyww]

Early Turbo door mirrors which Fabian is lookign for are listed as A079U605xF and in the S2 parts list they are listed as for the JPS commemorative model only.

[Andyww]

Ahha look at the mirror on this. Another Leyland part!

 

[Lotusfab]

That's a Princess.I think it's an anomaly as I can't find any more of them with the mirrors. May have been a prototype? 

[red vtec]

This may help, my early Stevens has thefordmirrors fitted.

 

[v8vantage]

5 hours ago, Andyww said:

Early Turbos had the Koito mirrors operated by 4 clicky solenoids which are the ones Fabian is looking for. Later Turbos had a type with 2 motors which I believe had a smaller base.

No idea about S2s.

Here is one car with the early type

EDIT: Hmm maybe the Aston ones are not actually the same, as that base does look smaller than the Turbo ones. 

 

 

 

That's Blue, my old red V8 Vantage. Took it down to Australia from the UK and did over 5000 miles touring around the country with my family. I had 5 Vantages at the time, in various places around the world, 3 in the USA,  this one in OZ and the other in Germany. The mirrors are identical to the early S2, but not my JPS S2. Just checked in the garage to make sure and the ones on my other Vantage are not the same as the JPS.

 

[Lotusfab]

Well have been souring the internet no Luck yet! If anyone spots some wing mirrors please can you let me know? Cheers Fabian.

[Lotusfab]

Graphics Panel

Have done a lot more research on this. I find it frustrating that with our massive advances in computing and technology we can't even seem to replicate a panel from 1980, forget about going to Mars - we need to sort out some of this stuff first. I had a long chat with someone in the business. The problem is the font. The font Lotus used here was probably designed and registered. What font did they use, does anyone know? Apprarently the marketing company that produced their leaflets would have known. I'm not sure what marketing company they used or even if they are still around? . Each character will be defined by a set of rules. Once the font is known the panel can easily be replicated. Without knowing the font it will have to be drawn using vector graphics, which would be tricky and a long process. The accuracy would be dependant on the skill of the graphic designer. As this takes more time the costs would skyrocket. I can't  believe why, with modern computing a program isn't able to analyse and replicate the characters from a picture? 

May have to settle for the similar panel type above and get this thing back together. Anyone out there have any more info concerning this. In the 80 s they had a program that could analyse written text and convert it into characters. We don't seem to have progressed much! 

[Andyww]

10 hours ago, Lotusfab said:

That's a Princess.I think it's an anomaly as I can't find any more of them with the mirrors. May have been a prototype? 

Oops theres me thinking you could buy an Austin Princess and scrap the car and keep just the mirrors

7 hours ago, v8vantage said:

That's Blue, my old red V8 Vantage. Took it down to Australia from the UK and did over 5000 miles touring around the country with my family. I had 5 Vantages at the time, in various places around the world, 3 in the USA,  this one in OZ and the other in Germany. The mirrors are identical to the early S2, but not my JPS S2. Just checked in the garage to make sure and the ones on my other Vantage are not the same as the JPS.

 

Amazing!

But that seems to confirm the early Turbo mirrors were not the same as the Aston ones. The body might have been the same but not the base. There are sites listing the mirror switch and thats the same so they likely were the same solenoid mirrors but with smaller bases.

[Andyww]

1 hour ago, Lotusfab said:

In the 80 s they had a program that could analyse written text and convert it into characters. We don't seem to have progressed much! 

Well maybe we have, there are several font-recognition websites such as https://www.whatfontis.com/

 

Also someone identified the Elan font, I believe its the same:  http://www.lotuselan.net/forums/lotus-chassis-f36/dash-lettering-t18043.html

 

[Lotusfab]

Thanks Andy, that may help. 

Also thanks to Andy Who found some similar cigarette lighters on eBay I have restored them....

[sunste]

I used this pic and got this answers...

Maybe Nr 2 but not Italic...

[sunste]

Made the pic better and got this answer! ABAN BOLD or Eurostile Round!!??

 

Edited December 11, 2018 by sunste

[Lotusfab]

Thanks . Used Andys link and got Microgramma medium. It seems to be an exact match, except for the Turbo Esprit bit.

[Fridge]

Haven't you been here before @Lotusfab?

Not only when looking at this panel, but also the 'burglar protected' sticker.

You'll probably never replicate the font properley using these sites, and may as well buy a panel off the shelf.

You need to engage the correct team to remanufacture it. Starting with a graphics designer. See my previous post.

[Lotusfab]

Hi David, yep full circle. I believe I now have the correct font.