Esprit Turbo project car - part3 - the further continuation

[Lotusfab]

Perfect, thanks Steve.

[stephenwhyte]

Not the best photos Fabian as light was compromised but you’ll get the idea. Now safely tucked up under it’s tailor fitted cover

If you need any more, let me know

[Lotusfab]

Thanks! Much appreciated.

[Lotusfab]

Well lads, slowly, very slowly I'm going to rebuild this sucker! As it's going to be slow I have more time to include spoddy info. The first system I intend to bring back online is the fuel system. Short cuts here are a big no no! You either risk leaks or an engine that cuts out due blockage. Here's the system.I spent weeks sorting the fuel tanks out. They are now epoxy coated and spotless. All of the parts 47, 49, 32,33 were beyond repair and have been replaced with new. 33, 34 are screws and washers. To be exact the are No6 pan posi, 1/2 inch screws I have used A2 grade. The washers 3/16 half inch A2. PMN made me 47, 32,31 - thanks Chaps! The tank foam 36 is being replaced with closed cell foam to prevent water ingress. 35 I am going to use the original foam as it's in excellent condition. You must put it in to reduce noise(drumming effects). All new seals and a total rebuild of the fuel ventilation system. All brackets have been powder coated. 57 - the boards are also in excellent condition and will be painted and reused. Once I have installed it all I will post some pics, as I say due work this will be a long project!

[Lotusfab]

Forgot to say, part 049 is not a standard fuel hose. Fuel pools in it and it has to be totally resistant, else it will disintegrate and block the fuel system. It's very expensive but you must get the correct part.

[Lotusfab]

I'm hoping to restart this project with a vengeance over the next few months. Top of the list is a trip to photograph the original car. I hope to get that sorted soon!

Compomotives

will have to assemble them shortly. It has been a very long and frustrating period to try and assemble wheels at a reasonable cost. I think I'm nearly there!

[Lotusfab]

Compomotives

This goes on and on!  I have seen in pictures and on cars there are many different centre caps in use for these wheels. The early type of CX500 centres with a large bore, as fitted to the FYEO Turbo, were rumoured to have been skipped due to cracks where the centre hole and the four bolt holes were too close. I am interested in copying the Bond car exactly, but will not bore out the centres of my cx500 wheels, as I believe the originals were flawed. The centre bore on my wheels is 61 mm. I believe the originals were 70 mm diameter? Perhaps someone could please confirm this with measurements? There is a grove cut into the centre of the 61 mm CX500 wheel. This locates a lip on the Compomotive plastic centre which presses in. I am planning having exact centres made which press in from the front and are identical to the originals. I am hoping to convert pictures from the original Bond car into cad files to ensure my replica is as good as possible. There is software now that can convert pictures into 3D models which can be printed. Seems like the way ahead to me! 

Above is a picture of the movie car. You can see the centre cap is almost touching the bolt holes.you can see here the centre bore is smaller. The bolt holes have inserts and a central groove to take the plastic Compomotive centre. 

If anyone is thinking of replicating this project my advice is don't, financially it's a money pit. To fully restore this car to Compomotive spec, even with me doing all the work is not economically viable! But then again we don't always do things for money. This will be an awesome car when completed and if I ever sell it how in earth will it be valued? If you want to emulate James Bond this will be the next best thing to the original FYEO Copper Fire Turbo.

[TAR]

Have you considered making centre caps with a lip which fits the smaller hole but with the diameter of the main cap set to the larger size?

 

[Steve4012]

Mine are as you mentioned Fabian, 61mm (give or take) for use with the plastic caps. Pic attached from before I refurbed them. I preferred the metal caps so fitted from the back.

[Lotusfab]

Thanks Steve, still can't get over how good your refurb is, must have taken hours of polishing and cleaning! It's interesting how some centres have a lip and others don't.

17 minutes ago, TAR said:

Have you considered making centre caps with a lip which fits the smaller hole but with the diameter of the main cap set to the larger size?

 

Hi Tim, Yep here's one a company made that gave me an idea. I can't help thinking a better solution would be a plastic Compomotive style lip inside the metal outer, that presses and locks into the groove. Seems to me there's not much give in the metal and it will either fall out or get rigidly fixed. The profile would have to be made to match the original, but that's not a problem.

I have also been researching Anodising. I am considering Anodising the Lips in silver to match the originals. At the moment they are polished. I have heard this is nit possible, but my research suggests it can be done?

[Fridge]

Unless you begin with very high resolution images your CAD transform will be very inaccurate.

But I only work in the imaging industry, so what do I know.....

[Lotusfab]

I was considering an isense optical scanner?

The shapes are quite simple but who knows how they will come out?

[Fridge]

We have a saying in data analysis (digital images being binary data).

Rubbish in equals rubbish out.

You'd need a very high resolution image to start with.

[Steve4012]

1 hour ago, Lotusfab said:

Thanks Steve, still can't get over how good your refurb is, must have taken hours of polishing and cleaning!

Thanks. They did take a long time and it got seriously tedious at the end!

[Lotusfab]

This is what it's all about!d

[Lotusfab]

Look what Santa has brought, the correct rear Lips!

[PhilW]

Very nice Fabian! Can you send a close up of the internal side of the central wheel cap hole please. Thanks Phil

[Lotusfab]

Hi Phil,

Thanks. The cx500 centres in the picture are 5/130 Porsche fitment. I have another set of 4/100 cx500 centres I will be using. The ones in the picture will be for sale shortly. The 4/100 set have a groove where the plastic centre clips in. They are 61 mm app hole diameter. 

What sealant are you going to be using?

[PhilW]

Not sure on the sealant. Got the tyres removed yesterday and the bolts are out of 1 wheel. Want to split one wheel first to see what I find. Then will order Oring and sealant but need advice on that first. 

[Lotusfab]

Where did you get the bolts and washers?

[Lotusfab]

I'm hoping to get to see the Bond car in January. Of course I will share if they let me take pictures. I also will be taking the Ear from my car to ensure I got  the paint correct! 

[Lotusfab]

It's  confirmed I will be at the Deezer museum next month! Will take pics of the FYEO Turbos and the S1 which I also think is there and post them all on here. It will be interesting to see what the original wheels and centre caps look like. What ever they are I intend to copy them! I hope the museum allows close up pictures! 

[Bibs]

[G_Reaper]

Thats dedication for you. Look for any chips on the paint of the Copper Fire car to see the previous white colour underneath. You could see the Essex blue on NCL & MPW.

Regards Mike

[PhilW]

I believe it should have an N/A engine.  That would be interesting to confirm.