Esprit Turbo project car - part3 - the further continuation

[Lotusfab]

I think your correct. It is claimed the five stud cx500 were supplied buy Lotus on their cars. I not sure whether it is stated on the build cards, maybe Andy Graham will no. It's a far better solution engineering wise.

[RichardJGC]

I do have period photos of what look like pre production Essex cars and they do not have the rolled edges. Probably a case of using whatever Compomotive were making at the time.

[Bazza 907]

From everything I've ever been told they never fitted 5 stud Compomotives. Gerald from GST said that he was at the factory one day in the early 1980s and saw a skip full of brand new Compomotives ditched by the factory  - the reason was that so many of them leaked air from new.   

[Lotusfab]

Richard, please cause you take a snap of the photo and post it, then it's settled. Thanks. 

[RichardJGC]

Excuse the poor quality but the 'lips' on these wheels are certainly not as big as the ones we are most accustomed to. 

[PhilW]

Never seen it with my eyes but Andy Graham tells me Compomotives are on my order sheet..............5 stud!

[Bazza 907]

Sorry but what lips are you talking about?

[Lotusfab]

The bottom Thanks! That settles it in my view. The bottom picture looks like the rim style I have where it curves back on itself but isn't flat. The same as the rear on the most recent picture I posted. The top picture is a half fold that I have seen on some others. I think we can conclude lotus weren't very pedantic about what they used.  

[RichardJGC]

2 minutes ago, Lotusfab said:

The bottom Thanks! That settles it in my view. The bottom picture looks like the rim style I have where it curves back on itself but isn't flat. The same as the rear on the most recent picture I posted. The top picture is a half fold that I have seen on some others. I think we can conclude lotus weren't very pedantic about what they used.  

I think Steve T (Essex 004) can confirm that when the first owner had an issue with one of the Compomotives, it was replaced with a wheel that had the smaller folded edge, so did not match the others!

[Lotusfab]

That does it for me, Judging but the tool kit picture for  the S1 and the tool kits people have that are original - seems to me Lotus used anything they could get. 

[Lotusfab]

The lips above have wide flat  rolled edges on Richards picture and the Hethel car they don't.

[Andyww]

1 hour ago, Bazza 907 said:

From everything I've ever been told they never fitted 5 stud Compomotives. Gerald from GST said that he was at the factory one day in the early 1980s and saw a skip full of brand new Compomotives ditched by the factory  - the reason was that so many of them leaked air from new.   

I know thats the often quoted reason but it would seem strange for them to be skipped for this. Lotus never threw anything away unless there was a very good justification (eg possible product liability claim) and that does not sound like a good enough reason. They would either have sent them back under warranty or had someone re-seal them in house surely. On the other hand if they had any cracked they would have instantly dumped the lot. I read somethere that they retro-fitted some Comp cars with BBS also.

[Lotusfab]

Sounds to me the crack theory holds more water. Its flawed when you drill four studs on a five stud design and machine off the ribs that give the structure strength.

[PhilW]

I can measure mine Fabian if you like

[Lotusfab]

Hi Phil,

yes please. Just from the flat surface of the lip to the outer edge. With a straight edge across the diameter. If it's 3.5 inches I'm a genius if it's 4 inches and idiot, for the rear wheel. The front I'm guessing is more than 1.5 inches when measured in the same way. Will then have to measure the BBS wheels on my car.

[RichardJGC]

1 hour ago, Lotusfab said:

Hi Phil,

yes please. Just from the flat surface of the lip to the outer edge. With a straight edge across the diameter. If it's 3.5 inches I'm a genius if it's 4 inches and idiot, for the rear wheel. The front I'm guessing is more than 1.5 inches when measured in the same way. Will then have to measure the BBS wheels on my car.

Fabian

Dont forget that the Compomotives are deeper set than the BBS. The upper and lower links are much shorter on the Comp setup.

[Lotusfab]

I forgot to say in the measurement method above you have to subtract half an inch from the measurement for the bead. 

Here's what I know after a lot of research, still not confirmed. The manual is fact, the rest is what Inhave been told. If anyon could confirm the sizes that would help.

The manual says the wheel sizes on the front for comps are 7 inches and 8 inches on the rear. the NCT tyre sizes mean these are absolute maximum widths and the tyre will not function correctly if they are any wider, could lead to possible tyre failure.

I have been told the comp measurements are

front 

lip 1 inch barrel 5 inch. The cx500 centre is about 3/4 inch. So 1 + 5 + 3/4 =6 3/4 inch so these work.

rear

lip 4 inches, barrel 3 1/2 so 4 + 3 1/2 +3/4 = 8 1/4. . The width is too big for the tyre so these measurements are wrong, in my view for the rear. Either the barrel or lip is 1/4 inch smaller!

this would be easy if someone with original wheels would  measure them.

the BBS wheels sit further out so if comps are fitted the lip and barrel size should match the BBS wheels. I haven't measured them but am guessing looking at them the barrel sizes should be different. 

[Lotusfab]

Not sure which car this is, but look at the wheels. No flat rolled edges. The problem I have is I'm building an exact replica of the movie car, which I think may have  had flat rolled edges. Although in all the shots of the Copper Fire car it's very hard to tell.

[Lotusfab]

Just had another scan of my Blue Ray FYEO movie. It's very hard to tell what rims are fitted. In some shots they appear to be half a flat rolled edge and in others maybe a full flat rolled edge. You could argue if it's that hard to tell who cares. Will have to wait and see how it all turns out. I have been fooled buy the polished BBS wheels. To most people they would not notice they were not split rims. Here's a very nice example, looks very nice indeed.

[Lotusfab]

Spoke to Andy Graham at Lotus heritage. There's no build card for the Bond car or for development cars. What he could tell me was in 1981 there were only three trims "Gold leather" was the only one of the three it could be. I believe on here somewhere it was said that Connolly did the interior. So have contacted their heritage section to see if they can help. There may be a sample one of our members has from the colour swatch car, so fingers crossed. In the mean time another member is sending a sample of what may be a possible match. Thanks Lotus Forums!

[Choppa]

UK Hides have the Connolly leather distribution rights and from my research ( I spent an hour in their offices going through swatches) they only offer a limited range of Connolly colours and  that Lotus gold colour is not one of them. However Nick Fulcher told me that Lotus went over to using Muirhead to supply once Connolly closed the factory in Wandell Bank and the gold leather on the early Stevens cars would most likely come from them and is a very close match not only in colour but also in texture and finish.

Muirhead and UK Hides are both very good in sending out swatches but you'll be amazed at how different a sample can be to the colour you saw on the web page

[Lotusfab]

Just had a word with the sprayshop that did my S1. They did an outstanding job, so I would like them to spray the Turbo. They said they can match the paint colour from Matts fuel cap and store it, so if anyone else wishes to go Copper Fire the paint will be easily available without all the hassle. I will post details when I get around to the spraying. 

Has anyone got a picture of the interior of 1981 Gold leather Esprit?

[Lotusfab]

True. Here's a picture of the Bond car at Goodwood. Look at the wheels!

[Lotusfab]

Yep I agree. Shame the real one isn't the bottom pic. 

[stephenwhyte]

Look at the bonnet too on the one pictured at Goodwood - that ain't right is it......? which makes me think that cars clearly not in it's original paint. Nice wheels though Fabian

Why not buy the set Bauke has for sale - I'm sure he'd do you a deal - they look mint!