Dry Sump Register

[Lex Templar]

I’m sure you will all find this interesting. This is a link to an Australian auction house that sold the very early chassis #939 in 2016. This was built in the middle of the Essex cars. I drove this car back in 2010 when Paul Steinberg owned it. It was the first one I saw in the flesh that looked like the autoart model and it was something else from the outside. Note the federal style reflectors that I never understood. These were on the car since new. 

You can see inside the red leather has been taken out and re-trimmed in black, ash trays are missing and handbrake re-done incorrectly along with quite a few other things. Still has its Panasonic roof stereo. Engine is now an HC engine. It had a roll cage at some point as it competed in the Targa Tasmania tarmac rally in the 2000s. Would have been a good buy nonetheless in 2016 for £15,000. A very important car - just needed a few things rectified, mainly the interior.

https://www.shannons.com.au/auctions/2016-shannons-melbourne-late-summer-classic-auction/GAF18LIKC08RB5L3/

[Lex Templar]

Nice early picture of #1108 with its customer specced Essex stripes 

@The Pits

 

[The Pits]

And again 33 years later in 2017. Just a bit further up the track this time.

[Lex Templar]

That is perfection @The Pits

[The Pits]

[LJR]

On ‎22‎/‎01‎/‎2020 at 01:19, Lex Templar said:

@LJR see above, just seeing if you have any input. As far as I'm aware tobacco and brown are the same thing and Lotus only refer to it as 'Brown' leather in history.

The Bond car according to Andy Graham is 'Brown Leather'

 

I think any variation is down to fading. To me this looks the same as the other images we have seen of other brown leather Esprits. Maybe it's a brighter photo here.

Yes I've only ever seen it referred to as brown by Lotus. Their interior colour names have never been that adventurous so Tobacco would be an anomaly. I wonder if it has been confused by the very rare exterior paint colour Tabac

[The Pits]

 

2 hours ago, Lex Templar said:

 

 

I believe this was taken at the 1984 British Grand Prix going by the advertising hoardings, the '84 race was sponsored by JPS unlike the '82 and '86 races. I would have been 15 years old then and one of the world's biggest Turbo Esprit fans at the time!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1984_British_Grand_Prix

 

[Lex Templar]

pehaps it was @The Pits, it also mentions Lotus World Magazine 1986...it would be worthwhile tracking down which one..!

 

[The Pits]

33 years later.

[RichardJGC]

6 minutes ago, The Pits said:

 

I believe this was taken from the 1984 British Grand Prix going by the advertising hoardings the '84 race was sponsored by JPS unlike the '82 and '86 races. I would have been 15 years old then and one of the world's biggest Turbo Esprit fans at the time!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1984_British_Grand_Prix

 

I was there all weekend as a 17 yr old and I too was desperate to own one! I don't remember seeing it but it could well have been there and I missed it!

That was back in the day when you could stay in the circuit until very late and watch Ferrari working on their cars in the garages . Unheard of now.

I did get Nigel’s autograph but Elio eluded me. Good times.....still got the t-shirt with the names on the back. Ayrton Senna driving for Toleman.

[dr_jayhart]

Put the new ref on the car today. 

[dr_jayhart]

Put the new ref on the car today. 

[Lex Templar]

2 hours ago, dr_jayhart said:

Put the new ref on the car today. 

Looks great and would look great paired with Fabian’s car

[Lex Templar]

Just looking at the picture above, it would be interesting to know which cars have single support rear louvres and when the change happened. This being a late dry sump has 2 supports. 
 

let me know!

[RichardJGC]

1 hour ago, Lex Templar said:

Just looking at the picture above, it would be interesting to know which cars have single support rear louvres and when the change happened. This being a late dry sump has 2 supports. 
 

let me know!

.....and also the switch to round inner vents on the facia, which also appears to have happened during the dry sump run.

[G_Reaper]

Hi Guys 

Its been a while since I was last on here and I cannot seem to log in?? G_Reaper

Anyway just a couple of things to think about.

Does anyone know anything about Essex 027? 

I noticed on Stuart Monument's posts he states the black active suspension car was the first Essex pre-production prototype? Surely the first Essex pre-production car was the bond car 10858 (Essex No1) REG NCL458V. I was taken to understand the first 3 including my ex car MPW71V 10860 were the first 3 and utilised chassis numbers that fell between the end of the S2 production and the start of S2.2 production.

The distinction over the years as not counting the pre-production cars as as part of the Essex cars seems to have been now blurred by the fact 10858 was clearly photographed wearing the Essex wreath with No1 in it while doing its prototype work.

All very interesting.

Cheers Mike

[G_Reaper]

Another bit of info about the early pre production cars. I have a letter from Patrick Peal from back in 1991 where he stated MPW79V and MPW80V were also used as V8 development cars does anyone know the chassis numbers or have photos of these cars?

Cheers Mike

[LOTUSMAN33]

MPW80V was 10790 Mike

[G_Reaper]

Thanks for the info.

 

Where can I find the Essex list? I want to find out about Essex No 27?

Cheers Mike

[Bazza 907]

Mike

Do you mean a UK No. 27?

I think UK Essex 26 was rebadged 100 so there was no UK Essex No. 27. Essex 26 is/was up for sale at Stocks. 

[lotuseaters]

Mike

Essex RHD numbered cars ran up to 25, number 24 was renumbered 100 so there was no 27.

[G_Reaper]

Well interesting stuff as I have been told (unconfirmed) where another Essex is currently and a ltd edition number was mentioned. 

Cheers Mike

[v8vantage]

3 hours ago, G_Reaper said:

Well interesting stuff as I have been told (unconfirmed) where another Essex is currently and a ltd edition number was mentioned. 

Cheers Mike

Mike it may be 1 of the 3 that were painted in Essex colours with red interiors. Chassis numbers were 925, 926 and 927. 925 was meant to go to the USA through Loose Imports but they never took up the order.

Roo

[Lex Templar]

4 hours ago, v8vantage said:

Mike it may be 1 of the 3 that were painted in Essex colours with red interiors. Chassis numbers were 925, 926 and 927. 925 was meant to go to the USA through Loose Imports but they never took up the order.

Roo

Here's what the database says about these Loose cars, a bit different to above.

Can we confirm what is correct?

[v8vantage]

G'day Lex I had this note on the Loose cars from the US importers.

In 1981 there were a lot of politics involved involving Rolls Royce, Lotus's official importer at the time.  They blocked an American Lotus Dealer from importing automobiles directly from Lotus , all cars had to come through their operation.  With a warehouse full of unsold Esprits and Elites, they were not interested in certifying the turbo car, let alone the Essex. This took a huge amount of time, trying to get their higher-ups to allow this purchase to proceed. Also Lotus was beginning to have problems with their Formula 1 sponsor, so as the story goes, the Chairman decided to cease Essex Lotus production.  Some Essex blue Esprits were built ,but were to be sold undecaled. With Rolls Royce stopping the importation, it was decided to purchase the cars through a European Dealer.  Also Lotus sales at the time were not robust if ever they were, but the delay on our end allowed Lotus to sell the blue Esprit (#325) they were holding for us . That was when the infamous "white" Essex entered the scene. I had several conversations with Roger Becker at Lotus about the car, making sure that all the official equipment would be included with the car .Lotus even had an update on the scavenge pumps for the dry sump oiling systems. Lotus even suggested that they respray the car at the factory, but because of the certification process to be legal for US roads, it was decided to import the car white, send it through the certification process, bumpers, lights, exhaust, etc and with that completed, paint and decal the car. Three cars were imported at this time, the US dealer saying if he has go through this trouble for one ,he might as well make it worthwhile for his efforts.  Of the 3 cars, only one was an Essex car.  the other 2 were a black one and a red one.  Serial number wise the Essex car was #337 with Compomotve wheels, the red one was #338 with the 5 lug silver cast wheel,  the black one had the Compomotive wheels. The other 2 cars did not have the full leather interior.