My Esprit S1 import finally arrives!

[williamtherebel]

So rather longer than I had thought (of course!), Im finally back on the road. I took the Esprit off the road in October to  "just tart the interior up"! So dismantled the dash, got rid of the horrible aftermarket heater blower, renovated the original heater motors. (all working), Renovated the instrument binnacle with new 'signs' - FUEL, INT, REAR DEFROST etc and some pinstriping, filled the aftermarket holes that had been drilled in it to accommodate switches and  an S2 warning light, Got my partner to reupholster the dash, and repaired the bonnet release cross shaft which had broken. Whilst it was off the road, I also installed an oil catch can, because the oil vapour from the breather on the engine had been left to vent to atmosphere so was coating everything underneath at the back with oil. 

Still plenty to do ( engine carpets, map pocket etc) but can do that at my leisure over the summer. Let the fun begin!!

 

So rather longer than I had thought (of course!), Im finally back on the road. I took the Esprit off the road in October to  "just tart the interior up"! So dismantled the dash, got rid of the horrible aftermarket heater blower, renovated the original heater motors. (all working), Renovated the instrument binnacle with new 'signs' - FUEL, INT, REAR DEFROST etc and some pinstriping, filled the aftermarket holes that had been drilled in it to accommodate switches and  an S2 warning light, Got my partner to reupholster the dash, and repaired the bonnet release cross shaft which had broken. Whilst it was off the road, I also installed an oil catch can, because the oil vapour from the breather on the engine had been left to vent to atmosphere so was coating everything underneath at the back with oil. 

Still plenty to do ( engine carpets, map pocket etc) but can do that at my leisure over the summer. Let the fun begin!!

 

[Fridge]

SHAG PILE.

Funky.

[Paul Coleman]

I wonder why the US cars had two switches for the door light?

[williamtherebel]

3 hours ago, Fridge said:

SHAG PILE.

Funky.

Not my first choice I must say! It will be changed at some point. 

9 minutes ago, Paul Coleman said:

I wonder why the US cars had two switches for the door light?

I have wondered that myself. I must try and see the colours of the wires and follow the wiring diagram. I thought at first that 1 had stopped working and instead of fixing the fault a PO had just installed another one. But as you say, I have seen a few pictures with 2 switches in the door. Further investigation is required.! Unless someone on here knows???

[Fridge]

Carpet looks original. Mine had a similar pile. Totally rotten though.

[ChrisJ]

Looks the same type of carpet as in my 82 Turbo Esprit as well.

I like the seats, not seen this sort of cloth seats in an S1 before.

[Lex Templar]

On 10/07/2020 at 16:29, ChrisJ said:

Looks the same type of carpet as in my 82 Turbo Esprit as well.

I like the seats, not seen this sort of cloth seats in an S1 before.

The early Turbo’s had the long pile carpet Too. As Steve at SJ Sportscars says, keep it original if you can as you can’t get it anymore.

[williamtherebel]

I havent posted anything on here since July, so here's an update. 

Car is running well and sounds really strong. Lots of positive comments and thumbs up.

However I have a horrendous oil leak, that I just cannot track down. Driving sedately around town and short non motorway journeys seems fine.

However as soon as you put your foot down and travel at a constant 70 or above,( for even short distances) afterwards, underneath at the rear, it looks Iike I have gone through a oil puddle!

I have K & N filters on the carbs that came with the car so there is no pipework from the top of the cam cover, exactly like on my Eclat (that also has the same K & N chrome filters). On the Eclat the breather pipe just vents to atmosphere under the car which of course isnt very good for the environment although it does the job.

To overcome this I have fitted an oil catch can to the Esprit, but it makes no difference. NO oil is coming out of the catch can.

I have also temporarily fitted a pipe from the catch can to a plastic bottle to see if any oil is coming out. Nothing!

Oil mist appears all over the rear of the car - rear bumper, brakes, springs, valance, exhaust etc. its a real mess. It has even sprayed upwards to coat the inside of the rear window!

I just cannot find where it is coming from.

I have cleaned the underneath of the car twice which took ages as you can imagine, to see if I can track the leak down. But just got a big zero. Very frustrating. Any ideas??

[drdoom]

Hi Lez,

Good to hear news on the car, if not altogether happy. I'm afraid you may have an issue with the condition of cylinder liners and/or piston rings here. A good mate who'd built up his 907 having failed to spot the aftermarket piston sets provided by the most respected specialist in western U.S. had been supplied with wrong oil control rings, resulting in rather much the same outcome as you have described. Accordingly, it was going through oil at a prodigious rate. Hope this does not turn out to be the case here.

[LOTUSMAN33]

Let’s hope not Steve as that would be horrendous news, Lez how is your oil cooler as mine was covered in oil when it arrived and I have found a split in the oil cooler, I’m hoping that’s the main issue so renewing that and the hoses along with any other gaskets and seals which appear suspect. My oil cooler adaptor seal behind the oil filter was also totally flat and had been misting.

Good luck and hope it’s something simple.

I had an oil mist inside my cabin which was the oil pressure pipe where the gasket to the gauge had failed, you wouldn’t believe the residue it left on everything and it’s taken ages to clean everything, I had to use engine degreaser on the glass as windowlene just smeared it.

Dave  

[williamtherebel]

1 hour ago, drdoom said:

Hi Lez,

Good to hear news on the car, if not altogether happy. I'm afraid you may have an issue with the condition of cylinder liners and/or piston rings here. A good mate who'd built up his 907 having failed to spot the aftermarket piston sets provided by the most respected specialist in western U.S. had been supplied with wrong oil control rings, resulting in rather much the same outcome as you have described. Accordingly, it was going through oil at a prodigious rate. Hope this does not turn out to be the case here.

Hi Steve, Thanks for the kind words. (and the scary ones!)Fingers crossed its something simple.

1 hour ago, LOTUSMAN33 said:

Let’s hope not Steve as that would be horrendous news, Lez how is your oil cooler as mine was covered in oil when it arrived and I have found a split in the oil cooler, I’m hoping that’s the main issue so renewing that and the hoses along with any other gaskets and seals which appear suspect. My oil cooler adaptor seal behind the oil filter was also totally flat and had been misting.

Good luck and hope it’s something simple.

I had an oil mist inside my cabin which was the oil pressure pipe where the gasket to the gauge had failed, you wouldn’t believe the residue it left on everything and it’s taken ages to clean everything, I had to use engine degreaser on the glass as windowlene just smeared it.

Dave  

Hi Dave, My oil cooler, adapter seal etc are brand new along with the hoses. Oil pressure pipe seems ok. I'll just have to keep checking and hope that I catch the culprit responsible!

[Fridge]

Probably something simple Lez.

Clean it all up, give it a blast, then crawl all over it looking for drips and seepage. You'll find it.

[williamtherebel]

Had to put the oil leak search on hold for a bit. MOT is due on the Eclat (I know it doesnt have to have one but prefer to have one). Exhaust manifold is blowing like mad. Luckily I have a spare so its a case of engine out - manifold on, new cam belt and V belt while Im at it.

OUT - FIX - IN- SORTED!!

[williamtherebel]

We are in Tier 3, so took my own shopping trolley to the supermarket today!

[21gg]

🤣 Ive been doing the same in my GTE! 

[williamtherebel]

I cant believe its been nearly 2 years since I last posted anything!

Its like covid took over and everything was put on hold.

Anyway, as I mentioned a couple of years ago I had to move out of the farm where I had been allowed to work on the cars. My mate had actually sold the farm to a developer, but the guy was very nice and allowed me to stay until my own garage was built.

That was a bit of an adventure in itself, with my lovely (new) next door neighbour complaining to the council, planning office, building inspector etc in an effort to get the build halted. She reported that there toads in the garden, bats in the trees and I would destroy her trees etc.  All laughable really but it did the job of holding the build up. Anyway all is now well and I now have the garage I want which is high enough(after I modify the roof 'A' frame) to get one car on top of the other using the parking hoist.

 

[Fridge]

I note similar, albeit single garage in an adjacent property. Having had to complain about a large, incongruous and a genuinely wildlife threatening commercial development I understand what the planning departments, and also the national Planning Inspectorate take into account. It seems your neighbour attempted to throw the book at your planning application.

Looks great, and hardly a problem.

I hope the Esprit goes on top!

My only complaint is that you didn't include any photos of your Esprit 😉

Edited May 27, 2022 by Fridge

[drdoom]

New neighbour is a twat.

[Fridge]

5 minutes ago, drdoom said:

New neighbour is a twat.

Wait until @williamtherebelfires up the Esprit to get to a Sunday morning cars and coffee meet....

[williamtherebel]

To really p*^s me off they had the clever idea of parking their 4x4 in front of their house and parking another car in front of my house. (it had tax and MOT)so that when the lorries came to take away the soil, rubble etc and dropped off the cement, bricks etc the lorries had to go in at an angle blocking part of the road. Police didn't want to know when I reported it of course.

 

The day after the drive was finished they moved the small red car. Petty.

All the other neighbours (like me that have lived there for a long time) were constantly complaining about the little red car because I live on a bend and it was difficult sometimes to get out. However, my nice new neighbour couldnt give a stuff. 

I am thinking of holding a 'garage opening party'. (for my other neighbours) with extra loud music of course.!!

My mate who has a nice noisy motorbike has promised to come round with a few of his mates!

[williamtherebel]

I haven't put many photos of the Esprit on here for some time so here are a couple to be going on with. The second was when I took one of my granddaughter's to school. She loved being on the offside and was pretending to drive the car! Ive promised to supply her with a real steering wheel next time.

Please note, - in the first photo, it isnt crap parking, There was a car parked in the next bay when I arrived and was nearly over their white line (Honest!) It had left when I took the photo.

I will post some photos of the cars in the garage when I have modified the 'A' frames.

5 hours ago, drdoom said:

New neighbour is a twat.

 

Edited May 27, 2022 by williamtherebel
was in the wrong section.

[Fridge]

Do your neighbours realise you work for MI5?

[ChrisJ]

You need to have an S1 meet up and invite @grayp77. The neighbours would be really please with this 

 

 

[williamtherebel]

Shouldn't have tempted fate by showing her (The Esprit) off.

Went for a run and got caught in a traffic jam. No problem I thought, we've been here before with no problems. However with the temperature gauge rising at an alarming rate, Marie suggested we turn off quick and let her cool down (the car I mean!).

We chose the first available turnoff, which took us into a cul de sac with some new build houses. 

I parked up, and couldn't believe what I was parked opposite. 

 

I knocked on the door and ask the guy (who was called Jack) if I could have a kettle of boiling water.

We then spent a pleasant few minutes talking Lotus. What a slice of luck.

[williamtherebel]

Ive since called round after another run out (in the Eclat this time) and took an opportunity for a couple of red photos.