My Esprit S1 import finally arrives!

[Fridge]

Nice wheels.

Where did you get them done, and how much?

Can't post on here, but there's an overhead shot of mine here.

Like I said before, 60 hours of work. The insides are etch primed and painted alloy grey.

The throttle cable comes up between the carbs. Works well.

 

[Paul Coleman]

9 hours ago, williamtherebel said:

Both the throttle and the choke cables are in a ridiculous position dangerously chaffing on the fan belt where they come into the engine bay. The choke cable looks an easy fix just by re-routing it. However the throttle cable looks too short where it is. It has the same set up as my Eclat in that it come round the top of the engine and DOWN onto the linkage. However in photos of Esprit engines Ive seen, the cable seems to come UP from between the carbs and ends on the cam cover. This might account for it looking too short. Is this correct?  

Fan belt? You're showing your age now! There is no fan belt but I know what you mean

The accelerator cable should come up from below between the carbs. That was the original routing and method of operation. However, if you think about how it works you'll realise it's backwards to the normal was a cable like that works. The inner end of the cable is fixed to the cam cover and doesn't pull on the carbs. So when you stomp on the gas what actually happens is that the inner cable pushes the outer part of the cable and the outer part of the cable pushes the carb linkage. So the inner part of the cable gets more force than a normal cable setup and mine broke within 18 months. I now carry a spare cable in the glove box ready for when it happens again.

By re-routing it over the top of the engine you can create a situation similar to a 'normal' cable action where the inner part of the cable pulls on the carb linkage. This has the benefit that the cable will last a lot longer. The downside is that most cables are not really long enough to allow you to route it in this way and it doesn't look original (if you're into that sort of thing).

[williamtherebel]

OK, at 65 I admit to being an old git -  but young at heart!.Keeping my Lotii on the road keeps the body supply with all that contortion! I always thought my Eclat engine bay looks a bit 'off' with the throttle cable floating around on top of the cam covers. I'll go with the Esprit as it was intended and see how it goes. (however I will take Paul advice and be purchasing a spare!).

Regarding the wheels, you are not going to believe me when I tell you the cost. ------- They cost £30.00 per wheel. Im not going to tell you where I got them done.. 

Ohh,  ok then, I got them done at a company called E.A.E. Polishing Service. They are based in Oldham, Lancs. Talk to Rick or Matt. Both nice blokes.

Davids wheels looks great. However I like the stark contrast so just gave the inners a first coat of Matt Black after priming them yesterday. Will post a pic when their finished.

[jtmco]

I just learned that my throttle cable is installed backwards!  Yet another thing that the previous owner (or his hired hand) did incorrectly. 

I will probably leave it since it works but should it fail, I may change it around. 

[Fridge]

Amazing.

I think a few more of us S1'rs will be heading to Oldham in the near future!

Black will define the wheels more. Though unpainted originally. Hence my choosing alloy grey to protect them from brake dust etc.

Original cable routing works well oddly, very responsive in mine.

 

 

 

[williamtherebel]

So here they are finished at last. Im very happy with the way they have turned out.

[Fridge]

They look fantastic.

I can see me getting mine polished there at some point in the future.

[williamtherebel]

I haven't posted anything for a while so here's a quick update on the work so far. To say I purchased this in June I cannot believe I've still haven't driven it yet! As I keep saying -- so much for the 'small' resto!

Front indicators and side lights now wired up and working.

New engine bushes fitted and hopefully protected by Titanium heat wrap tape plus fabricated aluminium guard.

 

Just now, williamtherebel said:

I haven't posted anything for a while so here's a quick update on the work so far. To say I purchased this in June I cannot believe I've still haven't driven it yet! As I keep saying -- so much for the 'small' resto!

Front indicators and side lights now wired up and working.

New engine bushes fitted and hopefully protected by Titanium heat wrap tape plus fabricated aluminium guard.

 

Gearbox bushes replaced.

I was told front shocks were roadworthy! Yeah right! So had to replace them. 

[williamtherebel]

Recently found out the wiper motor want to park on the wrong side.?? Seeing as I have a Federal LHD car it looks as if its got a RHD motor for some reason. I cannot see a way of changing it. Any ideas? If I can't change it, I'll have to source a LHD wiper motor.

Re-routed the throttle cable so its in the correct position now. As is the choke cable. 

[Fridge]

8 minutes ago, williamtherebel said:

Recently found out the wiper motor want to park on the wrong side.?? Seeing as I have a Federal LHD car it looks as if its got a RHD motor for some reason. I cannot see a way of changing it. Any ideas? If I can't change it, I'll have to source a LHD wiper motor.

Re-routed the throttle cable so its in the correct position now. As is the choke cable. 

Think yourself lucky. I've owned mine 27 months and have been restoring  it 24 months, and I still haven't driven it.

Looks like you'll need all of that heat sheilding by the sounds of things.

Did you route the throttle cable through the underside of the carbs? Works well I have found. My choke comes in on RHS of engine and loops around the back. Can't post photos on here unfortunately.

[williamtherebel]

Yes Im going to keep my fingers crossed (and everything else!) regarding the heat shield. Time will tell. Yes I routed the throttle cable between the carbs and the choke from RHS of engine. 

[Fridge]

3 minutes ago, williamtherebel said:

Yes Im going to keep my fingers crossed (and everything else!) regarding the heat shield. Time will tell. Yes I routed the throttle cable between the carbs and the choke from RHS of engine. 

Good lad!

None of that over the top nonsense.

[GTK]

2 hours ago, Fridge said:

Think yourself lucky. I've owned mine 27 months and have been restoring  it 24 months, and I still haven't driven it.

You count yourself lucky, I've had mine 39 months, never driven. Winner! 😄

[Fridge]

25 minutes ago, GTK said:

You count yourself lucky, I've had mine 39 months, never driven. Winner! 😄

And don't I know it @GTK !

Get a move on, there's nothing on tele. And I want to see how you get these bloody carbs working to make my life a bit easier. You're daft lights work better than mine too. They're next on my hit list...

[GTK]

@williamtherebel not sure I’ve understood about the wiper but I’d guess the motor is the motor regardless of market and perhaps you only need change the wiper spigot gear, or maybe the worm drive or both. The whole setup is from a Mini so should be easy to find, just make sure the ratios are the same. The early classic Range Rover uses a very similar looking setup for its rear wiper so that could be another avenue for sourcing. Hope that helps.

[williamtherebel]

Yes the motor is the motor! However the gearing varies enormously. Hadnt realised Lucas made so many different motors. Looks as if they made one for each make of car! Looks the same but each one slightly different. Downloaded lots of info from Lotus Marques so ive got some reading material for bedtime!

[TAR]

 Had my car since 1995 and only driven it for 5 minutes.

I win.  

[ChrisJ]

There was a chap who came to the Herts Club Lotus meet who bought his accident damaged Elan off the estate of a friend in the late 60s. Started to restore it in the 70s, but life got in the way. Started again in the mid 2000s - having to re-do all the 70s work. When he came to the monthly meet he had never driven his car, but had owned it for 40+ years. He wins

 

[GTK]

I've a pal down the road with an Elan +2S 130 he bought just before his son was born. He stripped the car for full restoration and that's how it has stayed ever since. The son turned 30 this year. I've been hounding him for years to just start doing a little bit here and there but he's adamant that the stars have to align perfectly before he'll move on it. He's almost singlehandedly the inspiration for most of the motivational plugs I make in my videos. 

Wtfudge though Tim? Why so long?

[williamtherebel]

After my bedtime reading last night, regarding the wiper motor, it looks as if I can remove the final gear ( the big cog) by drilling out the (after market) pop rivets and turning it round 180 degrees. This should then make it park on the opposite side. (passenger side). I'll let you know it the theory is sound!!

 

[GTK]

Can't remember how the final drive is held in but it should be easier to release that by it's shaft, turn it 180˚ like you say and refit. They definitely come out, see how it's marked 170˚, they come with different angles for different windscreens. 

[TAR]

22 hours ago, GTK said:

Wtfudge though Tim? Why so long?

bought a car I couldn't afford, it broke, I got angry, it got neglected, I finally fell in love again.  

 

Sorry for the thread hijack.

[williamtherebel]

2 hours ago, GTK said:

Can't remember how the final drive is held in but it should be easier to release that by it's shaft, turn it 180˚ like you say and refit. They definitely come out, see how it's marked 170˚, they come with different angles for different windscreens. 

Yes 170 seems a big sweep compared to others ive seen, so Im presuming it is the original from the Esprit. Im just confused as to why someone would change the final drive to RHD from LHD for a federal car?? (which is why the non original pop rivet have been used I am presuming)! The car is a late 1977 so would seem to correspond with the motor --

 

 

[GTK]

A previous owner of my car told me he had to replace the motor a number of times because they're prone to stripping the gears. In some cases the replacement gear can be gotten but without any of the other hardware so that might explain your rivets.

[GTK]

Hiya Lez,

Know there's a large element of teaching grandmother to suck eggs but my own wiper motor came into my path today so I took a snap of the backside of it, out of interest for how the final drive gear is held in... releasing this saves having to drill out the neat rivets.