Esprit Turbo project car - part3 - the further continuation

[Lotusfab]

Hi Thomas. Is that a panel the same as the broken one in the picture?  I have this one above. The right corner has a slight chip. I'm using this to copy and remake the Dry sump panel, so it could be available in a few months. Otherwise I could source another or get you a new one as below?

[Lotusfab]

19 minutes ago, snowrx said:

The pleas are starting to get to me-  Would you have a tall (~85mm) HVAC panel to trade for the knobs off my 85TE? I could make new ones later from powder coated aluminium. You can't have my mirrors, they now have motors in them rather than the clicky solenoids..... 

 

They look real pretty! 

😀😀😀😀

[Lotusfab]

Or how about a set if these very shiney knobs?

Or

If I wasn't making a Bond car I put them on!

[snowrx]

"They look real pretty!"    Well I suppose I should of shined them up and set them on velvet for sales appeal 💎

I was just thinking you might have ended up with an extra panel as you were searching for just the right one. I don't have the LED to put in the panel hole, and I seem to recall yours were 75-77mm ,which would likely expose untrimmed areas on my console, so I'd have to get a taller one. Seems a bit much to buy another panel to trade, but if you're so inclined I could post these over the pond to you if you don't find another knob somewhere.

The broken panel has been a low priority as I work on engine projects, and I've been too cheap to source one from SJ or JAE yet.  

[Lotusfab]

Hi Thomas, let me see what I can do. I will try and find one the correct height with no LED. Believe me compared with some of the other costs another panel is not a consideration. Mightake a week or two, will be in touch. Thanks! 

[fjmuurling]

Just an idea.

 

[Andyww]

That would definitely work. Silicone molding is the right way to do this kind of part, not 3D printing.

[silverfrost]

very cool and much cheaper than 3d printing also,  You just have to make sure that the products you purchase air designed for use without a vaccum chamber,  as most of the new descent resins will not get air bubbles in, so dont need a vaccum chamber anymore  

[Lotusfab]

I was looking at this. The problem is time. Thanks to Thomas I don't need to go down this route. 

[Paul Coleman]

I'm going on a company visit to Marshall's a week on Monday taking some of our students on a jolly. I'll see if there are any old cardboard boxes on the shelf covered in dust hahaha

[Lotusfab]

There's probably a JjTM45 amp there with a couple of knobs missing! 😀😀😀

[Lotusfab]

Carbs

Finally hi around to dismantling the second carb. Good. Job I did. I found a lot of damage and a very poor repair to the float holder. Also the bearings are shot. A lot more expense and work! 

The bits are in the sonic bath, before the aquablast. This carb has not been cleaned for some time.

[Lotusfab]

Graphics panel

Is anyone interested in getting an exact copy of the James Bond graphic panel. I have found a company that can make it. I would have to pay a substantial cost to make one but subsequent ones would be much cheaper. If there is enough interest I could sell on the other panels to bring to costs down. If you interested please pm me. 

 

[Lotusfab]

Carbs

ok, well the tops are not available, even from Euro carb. So the only way to go is a specialist repair. I'm trusting this to Eurocarb as they are the foremost Dellorto specialists in the UK. You definitely don't want a float problem with a Turbo Esprit! The other problem is the bearings they feel rough so I'm getting Eurocarb to replace them. They might as well do the aqua blasting also. The bearings have a rubber seal on the Turbo Esprit. Eurocarb can supply it! Slowly getting there!

I could do the bearings but with time being limited I might as well just hand it over! They will also be supplying a new emulsion tube. Why people put back broken parts I'll never know!

[Lotusfab]

Went to see the Chaps at Eurocarb. They know the carbs inside out. They matched the emulsion tube. The carbs will be blasted, broken tops repaired professionally and bearings replaced including the pressure seals on the inner sides. They also pointed out that all parts of the casting where is a possiblity of it leaks were originally sealed with resin. Has anyone come across this and what resin was used to resell them?

[Lotusfab]

Graphics Panel

Got a quote for an exact replica. It was £500 plus vat for 10 panels. So to recoup the expenditure I would have to sell nine for about £70 each. I don't think there would be nine sales at that price. The good news is Andy on here found a panel which he said I could have, thanks Andy! 

More carb cleaning today. 3-4 weeks for Euro carb to finish the carbs.

in the meantime I have detailed instructions from Pete at PNM for the engine reassembly. The biggest job will be cleaning all of the parts. I have engineering oil stones to prepare of of the mating surfaces. I'm in no rush so will pedantically prep everything.

The wheel lips will be going for a polish today. Then I will have to take the front wheels apart, split them and reassemble. Shame as they have perfect seals! I will be selling the 1.5x15 lips which are the later Esprit type if anyone is interested pm me.

[Lotusfab]

So to recap the front wheel lips on the abond car are1 x 15 inch. These are so rare most people use 1.5 x 15 inch which are much easier to find. I've only ever seen 1x15 on Essex cars. We'll get ready, because this Bond car is about to get the correct front lips!above picture 1.5 x 15 inch

below 1 x 15 inch.

 

[silverfrost]

Great news Fabian ,   but your OCD will still continue lol 

[Lotusfab]

Wheel lips now at the polishers, can't wait to see the results! 

Had to post this pic Andy sent me, I really like the white! 

[Lotusfab]

One carb brass bits all cleaned up, you need compressed air and some very thin soft brass wire for cleaning. A sonic bath helps. Overall the sonic bath is a bit disappointing. The best result I got was soaking the parts in Cilet Bang for five minutes then rinsing after the sonic bath, they came up really well! Obviously the jets must be clean and clear. Only way is to used compressed air. Took quite a while to clean the parts to the required standard. Now the other carb to do! Top bag is done, bottom to do!

[Lotusfab]

Thanks to our American connections and Thomas, the two aircon knobs are on their way! Rapidly traveling in the opposite direction is the graphic panel below, happy days!so due to secondary dealings with Andy, who will be in possession of one of the knobs I have the correct and original graphic panel for my Bond car. 

I have managed to obtain the correct switches for the mirrors. Got one from Southwest Lotus centre and the aerial L/R  one from S and J, except its blank and listed for a later Esprit! . So I will use the blank for the aerial and the L/R for the mirror change over. My car should of had the earlier mirrors, don't know why it didn't. Maybe someone switched it out? Anyone a simple matter to upgrade the loom to click click mirror Ops. 

😀😀😀😀Thanks Thomas for getting fed up with my pleading! 

 

[Lotusfab]

[Lotusfab]

So I'm converting the mirror circuit from motor to solenoid. Here's the wiring diagrams.

Simple matter to convert , but will have to change the colour coding.

[Lotusfab]

Carbs

really the best place is Eurocarb. They now have an interactive diagram. You can pick the part, click on it and it will take you to the part. Quick and easy!

[Paul Coleman]

On 13/02/2019 at 18:14, Lotusfab said:

Had to post this pic Andy sent me, I really like the white! 

Yeah I think you should do a white one next