1978 Lotus Esprit Need more info plz

[Jayk]

I just bought a beautiful 1978 Lotus Esprit 

vin 78010608H

Can anyone tell me more about it? Not sure if it's a S1 or S2

[jtmco]

Are you sure it is a 1978?  It has 80's Turbo/S3 bumpers, side skirts, and tail lip (spoiler). The space behind the rear quarter window looks like a vent has been filled. 

[silverfrost]

Hi Jay,

And welcome to the forums,   Your car looks an S1 as just behind the rear quarter glass windows by the engine has no vent for the engine bay which was standard on the S1 i.e no inlet ears.  Not to say that it could not be an s2 and they had been filled, but if it was an S2 it would of had ears and they would of made it look more like a turbo in which case due to the body changes made on your car to make it look like a turbo would not explain why someone would of deleted them. 

So 99.9 percent certain an S1 

Jim,  Lots of S1 AND S2 early cars got restyled later on in their lives to look like the modern turbo esprits,  In the 80s when the esprit turbo came out, you even had a company/bodyshop stateside that specialized in making the old cars look like the new esprit turbo.   Because the actual lotus body shell had not changed much it was just a case of fitting a large turbo spoiler and blending it in to the body shell, fitting the black turbo louvres to the tailgate and pop riveting the turbo sills on !   Normally inlet ears would also be fitted but on jays cars maybe the customer did not want a hole cutting in the body,  And of course the wheels would be changed to get rid of the wolf race alloy wheels that had been such an icon part of the S1. 

Obviously now times times have changed and the value of the S1 is far greater than the turbo,  so most folks are returning their cars to as they have left the factory  

[Mark Blanchard]

From your VIN your car was made in January 1978.  So chances are it's one of the last S1's.  As Dan mentions there is no vent behind the rear quarter windows so it's an S1.

If the rear has the Fiat X-19 lights on the back then it's an S1, (see below).  Though looking at the higher rear wing, the rear may have been modifed to the later Turbo rear end with Rover SD1 lights.

 

[silverfrost]

First picture i have ever seen Mark of an early car with the turbo sill painted black and only that updated part fitted,  does not to bad actually, not sure if it is the angle of the photograph though 

[Mark Blanchard]

Yes looks ok.

Yes, this Esprit is an S1.  It's had the full Turbo Esprit treatment.  I'd be tempted to put it back to S1 spec if funds allow.  Would look great.

https://www.kijiji.ca/v-cars-trucks/calgary/1978-lotus-esprit-coupe/1293469754

[mowgli5555]

How can you tell an Esprit S1 vs S2??

I can imagine the mirrors could have been replaced, filled, and repainted, but they are placed closer to where the S2 would have been. Then again, the air intake pieces could have also been filled at some point.

I am voting for early S2. Josh

[G_Reaper]

Deffo late S1 as it has the Veglia instruments fitted not the individual Smiths gauges fitted to the S2 onwards.

 

Cheers MIke

Edited August 30, 2017 by G_Reaper2

[Fridge]

@mowgli5555 later S1s had door mirrors, though like you say, these seem a later style. Pity, the S1 & early S2 mirrors change hands for a lot of money. Even though the plastic is a bit feeble.

 

 

 

 

[mowgli5555]

Good to know. I read some literature a while back, and am still trying to understand the dates. My S1 was built in 11/77 and was sold as a 1978 Lotus Esprit. 

Possibly I just don't understand the system, because I thought that his serial number would have been in the S2 range. Thanks for the help. Josh

Edited August 30, 2017 by mowgli5555

[Mark Blanchard]

Here's another S2 (Federal) with a Turbo body kit.  Looks like that State side Company Dan mentioned had a go at this too.  Needs a small bit of TLC.  Barry?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/lotus-esprit-/182736795592?hash=item2a8bf637c8:g:zngAAOSwljZZpCTP

 

 

[Tony K]

That is one of the very last Federal S1s;  it just has been mocked up to look like a Turbo.  It probably has some "transitional" S2 features from the factory, such as battery at the rear of the boot instead of under the quarterlight, dual headlamp lift motors, and S2 style water drain tubes at the rear of the hatch.   Lack of ears + Veglia gauges are the dead giveaway, and the VIN agrees.

[williamtherebel]

On ‎30‎/‎08‎/‎2017 at 14:43, Mark Blanchard said:

From your VIN your car was made in January 1978.  So chances are it's one of the last S1's.  As Dan mentions there is no vent behind the rear quarter windows so it's an S1.

If the rear has the Fiat X-19 lights on the back then it's an S1, (see below).  Though looking at the higher rear wing, the rear may have been modifed to the later Turbo rear end with Rover SD1 lights.

 

Are the Fiat X-19 rear lights and the Rover SD1 lights interchangeable? . Also do you know if the front and rear bumpers off and S1 and S2 are interchangeable? Cheers.

[Fridge]

The bumpers are certainly the same across the S1 & S2.

However, the rear lights have totally different profiles, and therefore I suspect body shell apertures. Since the S1 rear light apertures mirror the profile of the Fiat X1/9 rear lights, and the Lotus surrounds. Which are totally different from the Rover SD1 rear light clusters.

 

Edited November 7, 2017 by Fridge