Esprit Turbo project car - part3 - the further continuation

[Andyww]

The term "rivnut" or "Pulsert" as Lotus call them, makes me have to go and lie down in a dark room somewhere!

[Lotusfab]

Compomotives

found this picture from an excellent article Jo Chan wrote on the wheels. Having looked into this in detail, asked several people and seen the measurements I believe the barrels and lips sizes should as below

front lip 15 x 1 (1.5 later car with cx500 on outside of Lip)

front barrel 5 inches

rear lip 4 inches

rear barrel 3.5 inches

simple you would think, but it's taken months to get to this! Basically exactly as Jo said.

Yep I know what you mean Andy , the stuff nightmares are made of!

I'm still hunting the wheel bits, together with a lot of other guys on here.

[PhilW]

Whats the big problem with these "rivnuts"?  I have replaced a lot during my works with S/S nuts and bolts but have considered replacing "rivnuts" with the same.  As long as the threads are nicely greased it shouldn't be a problem....should it?

Fabian

 

What about the ski length.  Do you know this?

 

[Lotusfab]

Can't see that? Is that the length 2 m on the side? Allegedly four pairs of skis were made bespoke and are 15 cms longer than the largest size?

Because of this I have gone for the longest length ones I could find.

Anyone know a good paint supplier who is able to match the paint in Surrey?

Ps the problem with Rivnuts is they're C...p.

????????

[PhilW]

I believe so.  Mine are 195 printed on the side.  The same physical measurement.

"the problem with Rivnuts is they're C...p. "......... Why?  They spin/rust/fallout????

[Lotusfab]

Yep always seized and won't release without wrecking the fiberglass! 

Apparently the Bond skis were 220cm. Mine are 205, I think.

When you watch the footage the ski scene Coordinator I think prefers Rossignol skis, as he's skiing them!

Learning from the Deezer Collection I may be able to lease the skis for a significant sum!

[PhilW]

Nut and bolts wherever possible!!

 

Are the original skis at the Deezer collection?  Pictures Ive seen show other types.  maybe we will need to take a tape measure to Miami!

[Lotusfab]

No but they are out there somewhere, not with the car. They have 007,written on them buy the guy who made them.

[Andyww]

4 hours ago, PhilW said:

I believe so.  Mine are 195 printed on the side.  The same physical measurement.

"the problem with Rivnuts is they're C...p. "......... Why?  They spin/rust/fallout????

2 days to remove 6 screws from engine bay surround. 

Rivnut turns in the hole when undoing the screw, Cant drill out the screw as the insert simply turns faster. Cant get a grinder in there as not enough clearance. The steel screw vs aluminium inserts always corrode and lock owing to the corrosion of the different metals. I never use them, always use nut plates.

[Lotusfab]

Yep, I have now fixed the bumper rivnuts and have to try and remove all the sheared off bolts in the rear upper spoiler, then all the sheared rivnuts in the engine bay and repair th broken fiberglass! Weeks of work if done properly!☹️☹️☹️☹️☹️

Apparently the Olin ski press only made up to 205, so they had to be custom made?

[Lotusfab]

Yep that's it, wonder who's got them now? 

Now who wants to hire my skis£££££££££££££££

[Lotusfab]

Hole repaired, can bolt bracket on when the resin has set.

This sort of construction wasn't made to last and takes a long time to fix. This was relatively easy compared to the other fiberglass parts that have been decimated by the rivnuts.

[silverfrost]

On 2017/2/13 at 20:36, Lotusfab said:

 

Well done Fabian,   The good thing about the repairs to the bumper is its hidden so you can go crazy with the glass work without having to worry about the visual repairs as its all tucked away, You could always key the surface up a little and paint some black flowcoat over it and the brackets themselves to keep future moisture ingress out 

[Lotusfab]

Hi Dan, yep you read my mind, this is a interim pic. Just waiting for resin to set then a tidy up. The edge fiberglass is original! Not very tidy!

[Lotusfab]

Bumper is half done, all brackets repaired. Now needs the other side prepping and painting. Someone asked why rivnuts are a problem. Here is the answer!nearly every piece of fiberglass is damaged, so a lot of work to do. You can put colouring in the resin which is useful where you have to repair these sort of parts. The rivnuts Lotus used were inserted through washers to give them extra strength. Great idea unless thirty years later they seize up! 

[Lotusfab]

I can't do too much on this as the wife has banned me from taking the body off till we move! So I'm doing all these boring niff naff bits in preparation for the big body off! I am thinking of casting the ski holders, but I need more detailed pictures. I have quite a few and will have to scale them to get the pattern. I have an idea in my mind for the top brackets. They will have to be lockable and more substancial in their construction than the originals - but as close as possible in exterior design. 

My thought for the upper ones is a removable bracket retained with a pin. I expect this is how the originals worked, but a key lock added that prevents the pin from being removed. Don't want the Olins to go walkies! Not quite sure what people will think seeing skis on a car in Surrey with no snow, but I can guess! ???????

[silverfrost]

Those that are in the" know" will admire it Fabian,  

[Andyww]

Body off is a bit drastic! Is there some problem with the chassis?

I am likely quite close to where you are so let me know if you need a helper for body off. I have taken the body off an Elan and Europa but not Esprit.

[Lotusfab]

No it's fine, but for body spraying and rebuilding everything would like to start from scratch. Thanks Andy, I want to rebuild it completely nut and bolt. But as I say the wife won't let me at the moment! 

[Lotusfab]

In no rush with this one am enjoying pottering! PNM have made me a stainless across flow pipe which arrived today, excellent quality. Just about everything on the fuel system will be new with the restored tanks. Can't wait to test it. Have decided this car must be at least as good as my S1 or better and the most accurate Bond repo possible. Five studs won't cut it! It may take a while but I'll get thee in the end. 

Skis 

hopefully two authentic pairs are at this very moment speeding their way across the known universe to my house thanks to V8vantage on here, great chap who kindly collected packaged and sent them! This is the stuff the Lotus Forums are made of, THANKS! 

When they arrive a binding refurb then ski bracket manufacture or purchase.  I have enough info to reproduce the originals but Deezer pictures would be nice!

As I said before will be adding some "Q" modifications such as locking upper brackets. Have sourced the lock type so will see how it goes. I hate to say it but rivnuts may feature in the design??????????

[Dan E]

@Lotusfab, not sure if this will help you but I just got back from GST (car is flying now) whilst I was up there speaking to Gerald he has a copper Esprit coming in soon complete with ski racks. Might be worth a call for some pictures they might not be correct but you never know 

[Lotusfab]

Thanks Dan. Have come to the conclusion I will have to make these from the pictures I have. They need to be spot on and capable of holding the two meter skis which are about 14 pounds each. Quite a lot of G force increasing the weight. I'm thinking steel with fiberglass over the top. The cars I have seen have racks that aren't close enough to the originals. I want them so I can't tell in a picture if it's the real thing of mine. There's quite a lot of detail in the originals. My skis are with DHL in Ohio hopefully crossing the pond as we speak. When they arrive I will have a better idea of size and will be making some racks to make a mould and cast. I don't think it will be possible to cast the racks in one go, so a lot of work. Still can't be any worse than making the gear tunnel mould on the S1! Gave it to Steve Fulcher in the end in case he needs to make a gear tunnel top. That took months of work! Here's a reminder of the S1 gear tunnel mould. I took a mould from someone else's and repaired my one in the first picture which someone had decimated to fit a larger stereo. When it was finished I had to look carefully so I didn't mix up the original and the copy!

[Lotusfab]

The bottom picture shows the mold I made from someone else's gear tunnel. I then cast another top and used it to repair mine in the middle picture. I even gave it a black gelcoat finish!  This was a great deal of work. I am sure the racks will be even more. I'm not prepared to pay a company to make them to the design or accuracy I want so no choice will just get on with it at some point.

[Lotusfab]

Motivation!

[Lotusfab]

Skis

My skis have finally made it to East Midlands!

There's quite a few people out there making these Bond replicas. Many will be looking for skis and the only realistic way to get them will be from abroad. To get skis from the USA to the uk is very expensive because these Slalom skis are 2 m long. I spent a while looking at the best way to get them here from Oregon. The cheapest way I have found to get them to the uk is with a company called sendmybag.com. It uses DHL but is much cheaper than using DHL directly or FedEx. It was a third of the FedEx price! The only snag is no company will collect as is from the seller and package them. I was helped by V8vantage. FedEx will package if they are dropped to a FedEx office but this will cost a small fortune. Bindings are easy through eBay using the eBay international postage system which is superb. Hope this saves people hours on the internet!