Esprit Turbo project car - part3 - the further continuation

[Lotusfab]

Once again Steve Fulcher Has worked his magic on my seats! New Hyde and the James Bond colour matched by myself to a sample from Connolly Leather, who trimmed the car for the movie.

[Andyww]

Looks great!

Steve seems to be the only person who can do the ruched stitching exactly like the original.

 

[silverfrost]

Looks Fantastic Fabian,  lots of work and research by yourself,  but it is all coming together very nicely,  Will be a very unique car when done ,   So well worth the effort you have put in .  

[Lotusfab]

Thanks Dan.

[Lotusfab]

Of all the trims I have seen, Steve seems to get things looking factory correct. When I saw the real S1 interior in Miami I was astounded, it was freeky?  The interior Steve did on my S1, which I know very very well, was stich perfect to the original. The way the material was folded and joined and the way the tartan sits it was identical. Still a surprise, despite the fact his father was head of Lotus trimming and designed the Delorean interior! Talented chap!

[Lotusfab]

PpLots of work has gone into this, it's still way off being finished. Back box has to go, reinforcement on back of panel, then filler and spray.was unable to locate the ABS part so had to make one! 

[canamfan]

Wow, that seat looks perfect, still loving the tucked/rush leather look personally! Great job.

[Lotusfab]

1 hour ago, Lotusfab said:

PpLots of work has gone into this, it's still way off being finished. Back box has to go, reinforcement on back of panel, then filler and spray.was unable to locate the ABS part so had to make one! 

There's no consistency to these cars. The Essex picture centre console has the bottom of the graphic panel cut. The Bond car the top. So I have trimmed the panel to Bond spec. It hasn't been done yet in the above picture. The panel is then surrounded in cloth tape to stop light escaping. I have reinforced the panel now with plywood. Justvthe back box toy sort. Still need to cut the bulkhead holes, but am waiting for S and J to fibreglass the speaker surrounds. 

[Lotusfab]

Finally, I have got around to looking into the mirrors. You may recall I had the better,  later, motor driven wing mirrors on this car. As they arn't Bond they had to go! Now I have the earlier Bond correct ones. The issue is the circuitry. The early ones use solenoids. Happily four wires run across the car for the motor driven mirrors. Unhappily the solenoids use five! You've guessed it I will have to undo a lot of the work to install the extra wire. A bit gutting when I had already tested all of the electrics! The drivers door area is a nightmare due to the enclosed space and aerial. It's like brain surgery trying to get wires through there!  Never mind it's all part of the rich tapestry of Lotus restoration! 😀😀😀

[Andyww]

To quote Edd China, master of understatement that is a bit of a faff!

Tip, spray wire with silicone spray before poking through the tubing makes easy to go through. 

Or you could cheat and connect that 5th wire to earth in the passenger door, then the direction switch would only ever control the passenger mirror. The drivers can be prodded through window.

[Lotusfab]

Very tempting! These solenoids arn't much cop anyway! I think I will start off with the passenger door and see how awkward it becomes! 

Think the tubing may have to come out to getvthe wire through. Will try it though! 

[Lotusfab]

Well good news Lotus used five wires including an earth wire. So I can use the earth to get the mirrors working! One now back on!

[Lotusfab]

top picture is an original.

This clock housing is finished and ready to go back on.

Old Style Door Mirrors

To dismantle, carefully prise off the mirror which is glued onto its thin housing. Then there are two holes with screws in that hold the mechanism. Remove them slidecthe mechanism slightly to its side and pull out. There are four solenoids. As each one is energised it moves the mirror in each direction. The mirror click click switch  connects positive power to each solenoid. The left/right connects the earth to the left or right mirror. All simple stuff. Here's the original door harness which I am modifying for solenoid use. Fortunately Lotus used an earth wire in the main motor driven mirror harness. I'm using this as the fifth wire in the circuit below. I have come to discover electrics is my favourite job! 

This harness is now in pieces and being modified. The two circuits diagrams. Seems quite easy to switch over. Only problem do it before the dash goes in! I couldn't because I didn't realise I had the wrong mirrors until Andy noticed it! I have expended more time on this project sorting the mirrors and gearstick than anything else! 

[Lotusfab]

New loom almost done run out of connectors! Second mirror wired in. Lotus kindly installed an extra black wire that runs across the car, a very easy conversion. They must have known what I would be doing 38 years later! New loom is so much simpler than the motor one. Easy to make, but then I have had a lot of practice!

[stephenwhyte]

Quite amazed at what you’ve managed to achieve given the restricted space in the garage - impressive!👏🏻

[Lotusfab]

Yep it's tricky. All down to the planners who would let me build a decent sized garage! 

[Gis]

Fabian, before you put the engine back in, check if the gearshift pivot pin sits tight without too much play. Most of them are awfully wobbly and that contributes a lot to gearstick rattle. You might want to change the pressed in bush (part 40). It’s easy to do while the engine is out. On your car the pivot mount is either like on the diagram below or it might be part of the engine mount casting like on mine. 

[Lotusfab]

Hi Gis, thanks for the advice. I copied Andys solution and have replaced the pivot with a sealed bearing. Hopefully it will improve the gearshift. Mirror wiring conversion all done. Now justbthe abulkhead speakers, seats and centre consul and door cards. Interior only days away from the finish! 😀😀😀.

[TAR]

did you get the third gear?

[Lotusfab]

Hi Tim, yes thanks for the tip. Will be installed in gearbox soon!

[Lotusfab]

Trial fit centre consol

[Lotusfab]

Would you believe after all this and refurbing the motors  the drivers door window motor has failed.! From experience only one way ahead get a new one. Where from USA. The best thing is the magnets are new so the new motors have so much more torque. Kiss goodbye to the Lotus window problems! 

Clock test.If only the engine was in!

[Lotusfab]

Ready for main engine start, well almost if the engine was in! 

[drdoom]

Fabian, have you got a source for the window lift motors?

[Lotusfab]

Hi Steve, I bought some from Atlanta. They were fitted to the Corvette 1976. I bought one and put it on my S1. Brand new works perfectly. . They are on eBay. I also think they were on the 1976 Chevy, but check this or wait till my new one arrives and I can confirm.