Esprit Turbo project car - part3 - the further continuation

[Lotusfab]

.?????

[Lotusfab]

Ok offside caliper done with shims on inside of disc, seems to work! Just need to move the shims on the near side. Decided to keep it stock and get PNM to make me some small copper hoses. About a day to get the brakes online now and the driveshafts in. Then torque it all up. I lost the Turbo boost pipe sleeve nut. Once I have that I can complete the Turbo install fit the new stainless exhaust and heat shielding. I'm expecting trouble with the exhaust fit so may have to have it adjusted. Then just the plenum, air intakes and top fuel hoses to bolt on! Soon, the engine start test with a fire extinguisher on hand, I will be installing a fire extinguishing system in the engine bay eventually - just in case! . 

[PhilW]

your spring is not sitting in the damper correctly Fabian

 

[Lotusfab]

Thanks Phil I'll take a look at that! 

[Lotusfab]

On 13/08/2019 at 04:37, PhilW said:

your spring is not sitting in the damper correctly Fabian

 

Did you resolve the gearbox issue? 

[Lotusfab]

http://turbo-specialist.co.uk/

Heres the people who sorted my Turbo, excellent prices. I know someone else who has used them. Their Renault Turbo had disintegrated. They did the whole job for 1/8 of the main dealer price. Car runs really well! Although a fairly new company they do very good work. If your in Surrey and need a good job at a reasonable price you could do far worse than use  these people. They are fair and do what they say.

[PhilW]

4 hours ago, Lotusfab said:

Did you resolve the gearbox issue? 

Unfortunately not.  Been putting other car back together and almost done.  Hopefully on road beginning of September.  Then the local agreement (With the wife) is some work on the house and then I can take on the gearbox challenge!!!!!

[Lotusfab]

 

Nuts! 

Changing the subject when your rebuilding the chasis and you find some bolts and hub threads arn't long enough to get the nylock nuts on past the thread the reason is the Lotus Nyloc nuts are reduced width! Fortunately you can buy new ones from S and J sports cars.

I should have the throttle connected and the brakes back online within the next few years days. (Oh and the bring back in- thanks Phil!). I fitted a new high torque starter motor. The problem is the brown alternator wire is no longer long enough to reach from the alternator tomthe starter connection! There's always something!

I bought a new ignition harness. It's for a later car and plugs into the main harness. Seems a shame to modify it as my car only use about two wires from it and the plug connector! Oh well, you have to brake eggs to make an omelette! 

Tantalisingly close to main engine start. I all goes to plan I should have this alll running with skis on buy the end of September! Can't wait to test it after three years of research and hard work. I may have to treat myself to a 1981 Casio watch AkA FYEO! I'd prefer a signature on the car from Carole Bouquet, if any of her mates are reading this! 

Just been reading Mr Bond was 54 when he got his hands on this, at 52 I think I've upstaged him!

Oh and note in the picture the skis do not have a metal support bracket at the lower ski mount. This was probably added after the lower mounts cracked! 

[silverfrost]

Chassis and engine bay look stunning Fabian,  will be a shame to get it dirty ! 

Do not worry you will soon be Mr Bond,    Will keep my fingers crossed for you it snows in the winter months in Blighty,  so you properly look the part lol.

Keep up the great work,  keeping my fingers and toes crossed for you also on the engine start chap.

[Lotusfab]

If it's does snow there are going to be some adverse comments when they see my Skis! The big question is did they cut the scene so Mr Bond could take those shoes off. Can't see how he could have driven the car with them on!

[Lotusfab]

Well this car won't give up easily! I refurbed both calipers. After three hours and about 10 removals and installations of the rear caliper trying to get the handbrake to work I took it apart. I tested the splines in the mechanism and discovered they are worn out! 😡😡😡

So what now? I need to source a new ratchet mechanism or new/ used caliper. Anyone got a rear Near side/ left one they want to sell?

Drive shafts

What an effort to get these installed. Only one in so far. Despite all new bolts and a total rebuild they won't slotbon very easily. You have to pivot both ends. I suggest bolting the hub end on first then lowering in the other side from above. My hands and fingers feel like they are falling off after hours of faffing with this. One more to😫😫😫😫😫 do! 

This side is complete now.

Oh apart from the brake hose! 

[Lotusfab]

Ok how do the rear calipers work? Ratchet does the handbrake. Rotate the piston 45 degrees from the install position to disengage ratchet and pull piston out. The slots in the piston align with the bulge on the pad back for the ratchet to engage. I have a new piston which the previous owner bought. Is it the correct one? The teeth don't look correct to me, but then I havn't seen a correct one! Either these teeth are worn or the ones in thevother end are worn out.

[Fridge]

Probably need better CU photos of the rachet parts to assess.

They do wear, especially if badly maintained or assembled.

Callipers are very hard to find.

Edited August 18, 2019 by Fridge

[Lotusfab]

The piston is probably correct. I would say the left partvis worn out. Bad news! 

[eeyoreish]

Have you considered the VW Passat rear caliper modification discussed elsewhere on the forum? Not strictly original but more obtainable and a better handbrake function I believe.

[Lotusfab]

Hi Neil,

yep Ive been looking at that. I have refurbed the old caliper just need the tiny ratchet bit and it will work. I should be able to get one somewhere I hope. As I last resort I'll switch them both. 

Drive shafts

I rebuilt both if them some time ago. I greased them and put them away for storage. When I went to fit the second one it had frozen on both ends, I ended up taking it apart again. I have put it back together and installed it. What a faf! 

So what's left?

the rear brake calliper and fluid. 

The top fuel lines, engine surround filter and plenum.

The Turbo, boost pipe and Exhaust.

Ignition coil and ignition harness.

Tailgate

Mot

plate change

Ski racks.

😫😫😫😫😫😫😫

Must keep going!

 

[Lotusfab]

Can't believe after more than three years I'm still working on it! 

[Lotusfab]

Anyone got a link to the calipers?  If so how is the handbrake cable modified?

[Lotusfab]

The Passat calipers?

[RichardJGC]

 

[Lotusfab]

Bolt by bolt! 😩😩😩😩Test fits! 

[Lotusfab]

The mystery of the Pink/White wire

Do you have a stray pink/white wire that exits the loom and heads outside of the loom to the Molex ignition harness connector? 

I believe early cars have it and later I was removed. I have measured its resistance against a pink resistive wire. It appears to be the same. It seems to fulfill the same purpose as a Ballast resistor reducing voltage atbthe coil for constant running. It's crap! I've cut it off and will emulate Andy with a modern Ballast resistor. I believe it was placed outside of the harness as it gets very hot! 

Well what do all the other wires do? Simple.yellow and white goes to the ignition solenoid. When the red white wire at the starter is energised the yellow white gets the full battery voltage and transfers it to the coil. So higher start voltage at coil when ignition key is in the start position. When the key is released the voltage on the yellow/ white wire drops to zero. You could not reliably run the coil with the full voltage, as it would get too hot and fail, so for constant running voltage to the coil is reduced by a resistor( potential divider circuit) for the electronic people out there. This is achieved by the pink /white wire or a Ballast resistor. Later cars it seems dont have the resistive wire. 

So the white wires are the ignition. I cut the pink wire out,as it's rubbish. I will now connect a Lucas Ballast resistor to the white wires then the coil. The screen red wire is the tacho wire. It wasn't working on this car as some idiot had not connected it! In fact they cut the pink wire and connected it directly to the ignition. Then made an awful earth connection to the gearbox. I wish people would leave things alone that they don't understand. Like Einstein said if you can't explain something simply you don't understand it! I interpret this as if you don't connect wires you don't understand what they do! 

[jonwat]

14 hours ago, Lotusfab said:

Bolt by bolt! 😩😩😩😩Test fits! 

Fabian, the braided fuel hoses to the pressure regulator. Are they secured with jubilee clips with the red, anodised cover just for show? If so, they were notorious for leaking & responsible for many fires.  

[Lotusfab]

Hi John, thanks for the info.  I got them in a kit from PNM. I was thinking of a switch to rubber might be better. Trouble is this is what they had originally.

I will be fitting an extensive fire extinguishing system as per my S1, just in case! 

[silverfrost]

Fabian,  engine bay looks stunning,  but as John said,   some decent aero quip connections would be better to stem the risk of a fire,  a fire system will not always put out the fire sadly from what i have heard ! 

  Not sure what the brass slip on connections are like on the FPR,  can they be removed and replaced with male to female unions to fit aero quip connections  ?