My Esprit S1 import finally arrives!

[williamtherebel]

Continuing prepping the UK rear bumper and valance. Just given the bumper a fine coat of topcoat before the proper coats.Removed the USA bumper. Bloody hell but its heavy!! It weighs 14 kilos as opposed to only 4 kilo's for the UK one. Talk about adding lightness. Mr Chapman would be proud of me!

[williamtherebel]

After filling in all the old holes where the USA bumper was fixed and rubbing down, masking up etc etc, came to put the first coat of primer on it, only to find that I had used it all on the valance!! . Oh well,  early finish today!!

[williamtherebel]

On 31/07/2019 at 11:22, Fridge said:

I can't remember, has yours been converted to Del'lorto carbs? May be worth considering obtaining an upper air box and connecting it up. I bought some ducting from SJ. Though available elsewhere if you know the size required. Original upper air boxes are quite rare apparently, but SJ sell a reproduction one. There's an early S1 version for sale on eBay, but that just hangs out of the back like a temporary tumble dryer outlet!

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F272799794459

BTW I have the original .pdf sales documentation from when you car was advertised in the US a few years back. I could email it to you if you want it.

If the Accuspark distributor worked on the Eclat it should be fine on the Esprit.

Your engine mountings seem to be of the earlier variety oddly. These S1s were an odd bunch.

When you have time I would love to have the PDF that you mentioned. Cheers.

[Fridge]

If you send me your email address I'll get it over to you.

I can't post images etc on here.

[williamtherebel]

I sent you a PM. Did you get it? Cheers.

Been so busy with everything else on my Esprit S1, haven't noticed this before, but I haven't got any demisters!! 

It looks as if a PO has had the interior reupholstered and someone has forgotten to install the demisters. Coming from the States perhaps they thought it didn't need them?

On the passenger side underneath the footwell it feels as if there is a long hole where a demister could be located. Just above the heater vent.  (although on looking at some photos of S1's and S2's the S2's have a long thin demister and the S1 has a more short rectangular one?

I cannot feel anything underneath the drivers side. However there seems to be a long slot on top of the binnacle. Please see my photos. Is this where the demister sits? Any help would be appreciated. Any idea where can I get them. Are they off anything else?

[drdoom]

Les,

Demister vents are a necessity in any locale other than desert, perhaps. You are correct in that long slot atop the binnacle being for the driver's side demist, there should be another on passenger side very near base of screen as well. SJ have the metal vent listed, you might try Lotusbits if in need of the moulded plastic hose connector/adaptors. The attached photo is of my AC equipped S2 during teardown and is representative of the passenger side vent which seems common to most all G cars. Cannot state with certainty that the earliest S1 were so equipped but suspect they were.

Cheers

[williamtherebel]

Hi Steve, Great photo. Shows just what I need to know. Many thanks.

[williamtherebel]

On 23/08/2019 at 19:55, williamtherebel said:

After filling in all the old holes where the USA bumper was fixed and rubbing down, masking up etc etc, came to put the first coat of primer on it, only to find that I had used it all on the valance!! . Oh well,  early finish today!!

Just finished the rear valance and rear bumper. Very happy with the outcome. Reducing the weight by 10 kilos was a bonus!

First 2 photos are the 'before' photos. Last 2 are the 'after'. Just in case you didn't know!

[Fridge]

Hi @drdoombis partly correct. Your car appears to be missing the long vent above the adjustable rectangular type.

Early S1s had two more centrally located vents sourced from Ford, but no binnacle demister vent, and no long passenger side vent.

Good work on the rear modifications. Did you not fancy fitting a euro style valance instead of the pregnant Federal version?

I received your DM, but I'm still trying to locate the .pdf file mentioned. 

[williamtherebel]

Thanks for the confirmation. 

Steve at SJ told me I had to purchase and fit this valance when I purchased the rear bumper. Im pretty sure he said that was the only one that would fit.(for whatever reason). I didn't question it. Just trusted he know what he was talking about. I certainly would have preferred  the less 'pregnant'  looking one.

[Fridge]

I'm sure Markus' white Federal S1 was recently fitted with the Euro rear valance and bumper by SJ. He's just sold his car to someone I put him in touch with.

[williamtherebel]

On 05/09/2019 at 20:37, williamtherebel said:

Hi Steve, Great photo. Shows just what I need to know. Many thanks.

Ok, so dismantled the binnacle as a prelude to getting the demister bits that are missing. As I thought absolutely nothing in the binnacle so am hoping that Lotusbits can come up with the goods. Ive managed to source a demister vent for the passenger side. So just in the process of cleaning that up. I need to source the 2 1/4" diam ducting that is missing as well.

Whilst I have the instrument panel out, I checked all the bulbs and their all working!  Anybody know the significance of the " dots" that surround the speedo and rev counter dials? (see photo) I thought at first they were bits of dirt but then realised they are in pairs and evenly spaced. More on the rev counter than the speedo. Im sure someone on here must know! Anything else I should be checking whilst the binnacle is dismantled? Cheers.

 

[Fridge]

Looks in very good condition, but be very careful not to flex that 'flexible' circuit board at the back.

Has your cluster got the wired amendment to the warning lights?

[williamtherebel]

Yes, Im trating it with kid gloves. Do you mean the 2 wires on the rear? I wondered why they had been wired like that. What the meaning of it?

[williamtherebel]

I forgo that the speedo doesn't go past 60 mph! When I first drove the car, I though it felt fast for 60 when I was whizzing past all and sundry on the motorway! Looking at it its quite distorted and bends upwards thus fouling on the glass front. (quite a common problem it appears)

Ive now coaxed the arm to return to something like straight again by using a hair dryer and being VERY careful! I protected the dial by some strategically place cardboard.

[Fridge]

Amazingly those wires are factory correct, and mentioned in the WSM.

[williamtherebel]

Wow!! Something correct on my car!

[williamtherebel]

The tailgate  that came with the car from the U.S.A.had 'polycarbonate glass' (posh name for plastic!). It wasn't heated and had loads of fine scratches all over it.  A few weeks ago I managed to source a genuine heated tailgate glass. Seeing as I'm at a standstill regarding my demister problem, I though I would get on with swopping the glass in the tailgate.

I took the surround off and found that 3 sides were plastic and the other was aluminium! They didn't fit particularly well and were painted black. I got them off ok and then started on the plastic. I found that besides loads of black gunge which was still pliable, the plastic had been screwed into the recess. After removing the screws I then spent hours scraping off the black gunge and trying to remove the 'glass' .

[Fridge]

I've sent you an email with 2 photos of the binnacle demister moulding.

[williamtherebel]

15 minutes ago, williamtherebel said:

The tailgate  that came with the car from the U.S.A.had 'polycarbonate glass' (posh name for plastic!). It wasn't heated and had loads of fine scratches all over it.  A few weeks ago I managed to source a genuine heated tailgate glass. Seeing as I'm at a standstill regarding my demister problem, I though I would get on with swopping the glass in the tailgate.

I took the surround off and found that 3 sides were plastic and the other was aluminium! They didn't fit particularly well and were painted black. I got them off ok and then started on the plastic. I found that besides loads of black gunge which was still pliable, the plastic had been screwed into the recess. After removing the screws I then spent hours scraping off the black gunge and trying to remove the 'glass' .

 

16 minutes ago, williamtherebel said:

The tailgate  that came with the car from the U.S.A.had 'polycarbonate glass' (posh name for plastic!). It wasn't heated and had loads of fine scratches all over it.  A few weeks ago I managed to source a genuine heated tailgate glass. Seeing as I'm at a standstill regarding my demister problem, I though I would get on with swopping the glass in the tailgate.

I took the surround off and found that 3 sides were plastic and the other was aluminium! They didn't fit particularly well and were painted black. I got them off ok and then started on the plastic. I found that besides loads of black gunge which was still pliable, the plastic had been screwed into the recess. After removing the screws I then spent hours scraping off the black gunge and trying to remove the 'glass' .

 

34 minutes ago, williamtherebel said:

The tailgate  that came with the car from the U.S.A.had 'polycarbonate glass' (posh name for plastic!). It wasn't heated and had loads of fine scratches all over it.  A few weeks ago I managed to source a genuine heated tailgate glass. Seeing as I'm at a standstill regarding my demister problem, I though I would get on with swopping the glass in the tailgate.

I took the surround off and found that 3 sides were plastic and the other was aluminium! They didn't fit particularly well and were painted black. I got them off ok and then started on the plastic. I found that besides loads of black gunge which was still pliable, the plastic had been screwed into the recess. After removing the screws I then spent hours scraping off the black gunge and trying to remove the 'glass' .

After removing the gunge and cleaning the channels, I got a couple of guys from National Windscreen to come and fit it. I didn't feel confident in handling  and fitting it myself. They were very good. The prepped the glass, primed it, and carefully fitted it. I had manufactured the trim surround with anodised aluminium, which I was going to fit after they left. However they offered to fit it for me and I accepted. I'm very happy with the result.

[giorgio67]

Seems to me that the glass is sitting to low on the tailgate as the crome trims needs to be at the same level of body once fitted, did you put the rubber blocks under glass as for LOTUS manual?

[drdoom]

4 minutes ago, giorgio67 said:

Seems to me that the glass is sitting to low on the tailgate as the crome trims needs to be at the same level of body once fitted, did you put the rubber blocks under glass as for LOTUS manual?

Well that may be however it would not be a problem comparable to setting the windscreen low as the tailgate is non-structural so very unlikely to crack the glass via flexing.  

[williamtherebel]

Well spotted! Because I manufactured the trim before actually fitting the glass I made the trim slightly smaller than it should have been. I forgot to take into account the depth of sealer as well as the blocks. So when the guys came to fit the glass I realised that unless I took the blocks out and let the glass recess, the trim wouldn't fit. I agonised (for all of 2 minutes!) whilst the guys asked me what I wanted to do. I couldn't really face remanufacturing the trim again. (it had taken me ages to get the fit right), so I told them to go ahead and fit it without the blocks. Hence the glass is not level but at least the trim fits. In hindsight I should have let them go ahead and fit the glass and remade the trim and fitted it later. However, I will just have to live with it now. 

[Fridge]

Yes, I have to agree with @giorgio67 the trim should be flush with the rear hatch.

I never rush stuff, and when I came to the glass I test fitted the chrome trim from SJ Sportscars many times, together with adjusting the stainless steel corner tabs that are used. Ahead of getting the windscreen fitter scheduled.

When we came to bonding the glass we cut our own solid rubber spacers to make sure the windscreen and rear hatch glass fitted correctly and in line with the body shell and hatch.

I've sent you photos of mine done in June, as I am unable to post on here.

[williamtherebel]

I have now decided to bite the bullet and find out why the heater/demister on my car has been so bodged up. I have already had some brilliant imput on other threads (Esprit S2 heater and Demister what demister??) from people cleverer than me!

I had already removed the binnacle and the trunking from the aftermarket blower so im already on my way.

So Ive removed the aftermarket blower, drained the coolant, disconnected everything! - pipework, rest of the trunking etc disconnected and removed the front dash, bagged everything and taken plenty of photos to aid it going back smoothly. (well that's the plan anyway!)