Esprit Turbo project car - part3 - the further continuation

[Rolls]

I would recommend a block and tackle hanging from the ceiling instead of a hoist. You can use it for other things + it's out of the way when not in use....

[Lotusfab]

Thanks Roland. I would go down that route except the shed won't support the weight.

[Lotusfab]

The biggest problem with restoring these cars is pictures so here's the start of a full photo log of the Esprit Turbo.this is the rear of the glove box. I have now dismantled and removed it. All though it's pretty good, I  plan to strengthen the fuse mount area with fiberglass and repaint, as I did on the S1. The passenger door beam will get Matt's bronze bush treatment and a window motor rebuild. In fact I will rebuild all of the electric motors, clean and service them. The drivers window motor has already been done. The. Passenger door is in very good condition and still has the plastic intact.these ashtrays are the same as MGB ones.

It's best to still,with the original door seals if you possibly can. Otherwise the door setup will be effected and it will take a lot of effort to get the door flush. My drivers side is beyond saving so I bought a new one.

4 minutes ago, Lotusfab said:

The biggest problem with restoring these cars is pictures so here's the start of a full photo log of the Esprit Turbo.this is the rear of the glove box. I have now dismantled and removed it. All though it's pretty good, I  plan to strengthen the fuse mount area with fiberglass and repaint, as I did on the S1. The passenger door beam will get Matt's bronze bush treatment and a window motor rebuild. In fact I will rebuild all of the electric motors, clean and service them. The drivers window motor has already been done. The. Passenger door is in very good condition and still has the plastic intact.these ashtrays are the same as MGB ones.

It's best to stick with the original door seals if you possibly can. Otherwise the door setup will be effected and it will take a lot of effort to get the door flush. My drivers side is beyond saving so I bought a new one.

 

All the carpets are coming out and I'm going totally Bond, brown with Lotus Gold edges!

The relays just screw on to the rear of the glovebox.

[Lotusfab]

Well just as I got into removing bits it started to rain so  I'm off to the garage for Compomotive cleaning and polishing! I bought a polishing kit off eBay. Plan to make a polishing wheel. 

[Choppa]

if you are thinking of taking the engine and gearbox out of it indoors while leaving the body on, remember they come out at an angle so you'll need to make sure you  have enough  headroom. Just about managed it with the 2.4m in my garage.

[Andyww]

1 hour ago, Lotusfab said:

Well just as I got into removing bits it started to rain so  I'm off to the garage for Compomotive cleaning and polishing! I bought a polishing kit off eBay. Plan to make a polishing wheel. 

I know! I just went out with the back cover of the Panasonic roof stereo I am restoring to sand it down and spray and that rain started the minute i opened the back door after being sunny all day!

[Steve4012]

Fabian, you may already have a plan with refurbing your comps but apart from a final polishing I've just completed the first wheel refurb/ rebuild and went through a fair few methods until I found the right one. Wheel lips: angle grinder and flap disc followed by wet and dry and polishing. Face: palm sander then wet and dry and polish. Inside front lip: dremmel with mini flap wheel then wet and dry and polish. Mine were kurbed quite badly and were pitted and the above methods achieved the best results. See before and after pics of same wheel (which was clearly leaking!)

Cheers, Steve. 

[Lotusfab]

Wow, that wheel Iooks fantastic! I've been using wet and dry and a polishing pad. Still on the same wheel after some hours! 

[Lotusfab]

4 hours ago, Choppa said:

if you are thinking of taking the engine and gearbox out of it indoors while leaving the body on, remember they come out at an angle so you'll need to make sure you  have enough  headroom. Just about managed it with the 2.4m in my garage.

Hi Colin. Have just ordered a long reach crane, leveller and an engine stand. I havn't got enough headroom inside. I have thought about taking the body off. I can't  see a major advantage to this  with a galvanised chassis, apart from the engine will come out easily. I was thinking of splitting the gearbox off and taking it out, then removing the engine? 

[Andyww]

29 minutes ago, Lotusfab said:

I was thinking of splitting the gearbox off and taking it out, then removing the engine? 

Last time I did this I took it out as one lump but I was planning to do it as separate gearbox and engine next time, for a bit of variety although people dont seem to recommend this method.

Let me know if you need any help with lifting. 

[Steve4012]

Thanks I'm really pleased with how they're coming out. You'll probably need 240 grit or even more coarse to start with depending on what state your wheels are in and work your way finer from there before polishing.

[Sweatow]

Does any one know how many of the original copper Esprit Turbos  were ever made?, I thought it was around 20 and made obsolete in 1982

[Lotusfab]

Thanks Andy.

Not sure how many Copper Fire Esprits, but they havnt stopped making them!

Steve, have you got the original wheel centres if so what it the centre diameter? Thanks.

[Lotusfab]

This has nothing to do with this thread, but I like it!

[Fridge]

When I stripped the S1 of its engine and gearbox we removed the rear suspension and lowered the subframe with the engine and gearbox to the floor. Lifting the back of the chassis up and over on its two front wheels. Thereby not requiring a hoist etc.

After an extensive rebuilt we installed the engine and gearbox today as a complete unit with a hoist with no problem.

The Esprit unit isn't huge and easily managed.

[Lotusfab]

That's looks really good. The Turbo engine has to come out the top because the chassis has an extra crossmember underneath the gearbox. I have just bought a very similar crane to your one, glad to hear it works ok. The gearboxend engine is quite light I believe about 190Kgs so should be too difficult.

Did you blast or paint the cooling pipes, they look good!

[Fridge]

Yes the crane was great. Just fouling the bottom of the suspension slightly. 2 ton capacity was ideal, as more reach could be used.

I wouldn't be keen putting and engine in with the body on. Unless it was better aligned, which delayed us mostly. Since the bare chassis wasn't too easy to manoeuvre.

Removal should be easy enough though. Pity about that 'U' shaped cross member.

I would take the S1 engine and gearbox out the bottom in future.

Edited May 29, 2017 by Fridge

[Lotusfab]

Ive bought an engine leveler which also can be used to tilt the engine. Seems to me removing the gearbox first will be easier as more room to work. Risk of bending something when removing? Its really very light compared with old cast iron 2 litre engines. I have devised a plan to remove the body buy may leave it on as the interior insulation is perfect and it would be a shame to disturb it.

Wont get much done today due rain and the comulsory horse show to apease the wife!?????

[Fridge]

An engine leveller would be ideal, but we couldn't find ours. In the end we didn't need it, and I think removing the engine with the body on will mean that it needs to brought up at an angle anyway.I doubt you would bend anything if the engine and gearbox are still attached with all bolts in place. We didn't lift the engine via the inlet manifold as recommended by some, since I've not fitted them, and they have the carbs already installed after a full refurb. Balance wasn't an issue, just alignment of the rear gearbox mounting bolts.

We made the use of the weekend's fine weather, as raining up here in North Yorkshire today also. Back to sunshine tomorrow, and the fitting of all the other stuff. SJ's rear heater rubber pipes are a bit odd, and foul the engine quite a lot. They'll need trimming quite a bit.

There's another Copper Fire ET just about to launch. I understand that the colour is tricky to get right. I assume due to it's duo-tone pearlescent finish? The S1 will be painted in 2-pack, and is in the paint shop now. I didn't fancy a water-based paint with clear coat. All too eco-warrior for me. I'm after longevity. The chassis and running gear was painted in 2-pack 'Raptor' too. It's very strong and can be touched-up, unlike powder coating.

Edited May 29, 2017 by Fridge

[Lotusfab]

My S1 was two pack also. Will look great. The Turbo I hoping will be a good colour match, as close to the original as possible, but it will be difficult to match. I'm off to the Roger Moore charity movie show on Wed. Spookily it's a double bill, The Spy Who Loved Me and For Your Eyes Only. Will have a close look at the Turbo!

[Fridge]

Yes, saw that event. Don't get your hopes up. Colours will depend upon the age and quality of the film print. You'd be best to check it against a remastered Blu-ray DVD and a properly adjusted TV. Pity you can't obtain a very high quality publicity still image. Far more reliable.

Edited May 29, 2017 by Fridge

[Fridge]

Changing the subject @Lotusfab did you fit 2 hardened washers, one either side of the rear leg of the alloy rear suspension hub carrier?

This image taken from Lotus Esprit - The Complete History shows one, but the Workshop Manual doesn't. I was wondering if there was a service update suggesting that a second hardened washer should be placed between the suspension arm bush and the rear leg?

@Paul Coleman any thoughts on the matter?

[Lotusfab]

Yes, without those there will be damage to the hub carrier.

[Fridge]

4 minutes ago, Lotusfab said:

Yes, without those there will be damage to the hub carrier.

So, each side has TWO hardened washers?

One outside of the hub carrier, between the shock absorber and alloy leg. The other on the inside between the suspension arm bush and the alloy leg? (shown in the red circle)

(Workshop manual only shows the former).

Edited May 30, 2017 by Fridge

[Lotusfab]

Talking of hubs, just ordered the front four stud hubs specially made to convert the BBS to compomotive wheels. I have one full set if four stud hubs but am missing the rear rolled edge Lips.

I also have 3 x 5 stud cx500 hubs and the rear Lips for a five stud Compomotive conversion. It was very expensive to buy the wheel parts so will be selling all the bits I don't need to recoup some of the cost.

I have done a lot of research. If you wish to fit Compomotives to a BBS car and not modify the suspension you need to match the BBS wheels in depth. I have two rear Lips with a half rolled edge that are the correct size for this. They will be for sale in the near future. I am modifying my car back to dry sump spec, so I need deeper rear Lips.

7 minutes ago, Fridge said:

So, each side has TWO hardened washers?

One outside of the hub carrier, between the shock absorber and alloy leg. The other on the inside between the suspension arm bush and the alloy leg? (shown in the red circle)

(Workshop manual only shows the former).

Mine has one washer each side of the hub carrier leg. The suspension arm twists and without the washer will contact the hub carrier and wear it away as the suspension flexes.