Esprit Turbo project car - part3 - the further continuation

[v8vantage]

Fab seems to be a lot of pitting on the chassis and suspension components. Did they sandblast everything before it was coated?

[Lotusfab]

Yep, that part could be better though!

Didn't blast the chassis, just cleaned and POR 15.

[Lotusfab]

Mmmmm, that parts now starting to annoy me, think I'll take it back to them for a remedial powder coating!! 

This may end up like my S1 project, which starts being taken apart again!

[Andyww]

I also have those purple ones. very sceptical about these. I am not sure if these are factory approved, they seem to be very hard compared to the original rubber. Thats likely the problem with the nut being very hard to fully tighten.

I have a feeling someone has made these with no regard to shore rating. They really need to be correct as Lotus designed them. When I take mine apart again I am going to get some genuine ones.

[Lotusfab]

Mmm, that's a good idea- but are they still available? 

[Andyww]

SJ is listing them but £23 each !

[Lotusfab]

Incidentally, the trunnion bushes are the best value on the car, get them from S and J quick before they are all gone! When you've look them up you will see what I mean, you can't afford not to replace them!

Andy,  I think that's less than the ones I bought which are supposed to be better?

[Andyww]

These parts on Ferrari 328 are only £4.45 each from Ferrari! Wonder if they would fit!

[Lotusfab]

If they do please let me know!

[Lotusfab]

My solution to the damper problem a rubber washer and knob removed. It's a tight fit so the adjuster won't slip. The adjuster shouldn't move anyway as it has quite a lot of restistance, but belt and braces!

[silverfrost]

God call Fabian,   Looks like a decent mod and as long as it keeps the crud out that is all that matters 

[Lotusfab]

Hi Dan, thanks. Just been over to Lotusbits and picked up some adjustable upper links. Almost ready to fit the parts you kindly swapped. Mike has almost finished the front hubs and am waiting for the rears.. He's done a great job. It's been a lot of effort to put the suspension back to the dry sump config. As with all these things you learn as you go along. The easiest way to put split rims on a wet sump is just to reduce the depth of the rear lip to match the BBS wheel. It's about a 3.5 inch lip for the wet sump and 4.5 for the dry sump.

There are quite a few wet sumps that have the slightly shallower rear lip and they look awesome. I believe these Lips were fitted by Lotus when the cars were bought. So to summarise , unless you want to spend thousands on converting, just polish the BBS wheels - they will look very similar but without bolts or use shallower Lips. Image wheels can make  the lips for £100 each. They are slightly different to the originals but no one, except a select few, will know. As I have learned trying to get the original rear Lips  is almost impossible unless you have a spare £4K! 

So the cost of converting to Split rims with deep rear Lips and the original suspension I would out at about £4-6K. Not really economical or a good investment, but very Bond, my advice in hindsight don't do it - just polish the BBS wheels! 

[silverfrost]

 Yes the front hubs take a little longer to make,  but they are worth it.  Yes the conversion is expensive but at the end of the day,  bespoke parts are always going to be,  But the way i look at it is,  Mr Chapman himself would be proud with the massive reduction of un sprung weight saved by fitting these lovely alloy hubs to the front and rear   But  sadly the wallet does take a beating at the same time lol    

Glad to see your suspension will be getting bolted back together soon,  Economical and investment can easily be thrown out of the window by one simple word....Passion , and that is all that matters at the end of the day mate, 

Looking forward to some pics when it all gets bolted back on,  are you going fully adjustable protechs on the rear end ?

[Lotusfab]

I was lucky and managed to get some new original rear shocks from S and J so will be fitting these.

[Lotusfab]

Engine mounts in position. There are two rubber washers. It's very important to get them the correct way around. The upper washer has a cut out! Upper washer is on the left!

Havn't put the mounts on yet!

[Andyww]

On 06/08/2017 at 12:37, Lotusfab said:

Thanks Andy, you have the later design with what appears a different roll bar? Here's the aerial type I was considering. I have a new electric aerial the same as the original. The design is flawed so think I will fit it but use this new design bonded to the fiberglass in the rear quarter or the front wing   

I fitted an active aerial similar to that just now, on the underside of the roof behind the bulkhead trim panel. Seems to work but will need to road-test at the weekend.

[Lotusfab]

Good location, must be a tight fit?I look forward to he road test, before fitting mine! Here's what we all were wanting to know about the Compomotive upper links!Middle is the Compomotive upper link, Left a Lotusbits adjustable link made to Compomotive range spec with the superior BBS bushes, right the BBS upper link, longer! This all caused by a change in the wheel offset. The upper link must be adjustable if you wish to achieve the correct suspension setup. 

[Lotusfab]

Which aerial did you pick?

Just now, Lotusfab said:

Which aerial did you pick?

 

56 minutes ago, Andyww said:

I fitted an active aerial similar to that just now, on the underside of the roof behind the bulkhead trim panel. Seems to work but will need to road-test at the weekend.

 

[Andyww]

This one. No particular reason why:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Electronic-Stereo-Radio-AM-FM-Hidden-Antenna-Aerial-Universal-For-Car-Vehicle/252608472464?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

[Lotusfab]

Thanks Andy. 

Lower link

The Compomotive lower link is also shorter than the BBS version. For this I will be using the original, which Dann kindly swapped. The bushes are still available from S and J and they are smaller, as per the upper link in the picture. Each end has a different style of bush. 

The radius arms are also different and once again I shall be using the originals. 

Thant about does it for the rear suspension, now just need to get the wheels sorted! 

Currently rebuilding the pedal box which has been powder coated and plated.

These are the before pictures. The Nylon bushes for the throttle peal linkage can be removed, but only by twisting. They have a square end which is placed through the pedal box, then twist to lock them in.

The clutch and brake pedals are slightly different but in the parts manual they are listed as the same part.

[Lotusfab]

Pedalbox rebuilt! Also just fitted half of the front suspension. Wider springs on the front!

Now have to take the wishbone off again, as I forgot the washers are still on order!??????? Never mind I'm getting better at this having taken it apart so many times!

[Lotusfab]

Paint 

Something very exciting has happened. I stumbled across a very nice chap who has one litre of Lotus A19 paint. Why is that interesting? Well it's 18 years old, he is in the business and used it to spray his Copper Fire Turbo eighteen years ago. He said at the time it was a perfect match so he didn't spray the engine bay. He did a test card when I met him recently and compared it with A19, that was supplied buy his supplier. Guess what they were different! Not really a surprise to me. He said he would send me the test card so I can compare it with Matts Cap. Will be interesting to see how different they are!

[Dan E]

Fabian you really need to spend a bit more time looking at the detail of this rebuild. This slap dash, anything will do attitude is not good enough. 

I bet your cd collection is in alphabetical order isn't it ?

[Lotusfab]

Hi Dan, of course your right! The problem with these restos is the intermittent nature. Just as you get into it something happens then a few days later your trying to figure out what you were doing. What also doesn't help is incorrect assembly from previous owners or the wrong parts! No my music collection is totally random. I subscribe to Chaos Theory. Somewhere a butterfly flaps it's wings and causes me to leave washers out! . Fortunately I have a robust checking procedure, laborious but effective!

[Lotusfab]

Rear upper links are in, with the new bushes, it's a very tight fit! nothing to do with the Links themselves. They are BBS copies on the ends, but have a length adjustment. The new bushes compress allowing the washers to squeez in. Getting them in without scraping the chassis is a pain! I've had to blast the hubs and put them on to get this thing rolling. Will have to take them to pieces at a later date and before fitting the Compomotive wheels. I've nearly got a rolling chassis just the lower links and radius arms on the rear and one hub on the front. May have to take the body off again as I'm not sure I have time to clean, fit and replace the oil cooler stuff, we'll see! ?????