Stunning S2.2 for sale by auction

[Bibs]

https://www.berlinetta-auctions.co.uk/weekly/car-detail/lot-61-1981-lotus-esprit-series-2-2

[mdw]

Nice pictures but  I dont think I would show pics of the respray and then the state underside.  How hard is it to put the air box pipe onto the airbox then  sand and paint the metal switch panels on the dash!!

[Barrykearley]

Is this a no reserve auction ?

[march]

12 minutes ago, Barrykearley said:

Is this a no reserve auction ?

You said no more Esprits!

[Barrykearley]

Purely a simple question as it’s not clear on that site.

that car has clearly had the special esprit shine up the paint treatment.

[Steven162]

I couldn't be bothered to read all that

[Stuart Monument]

I’d buy it at the right money (I am tight), that would look awesome between in the Europa and active car. Black with gold stripe. 

[gvy]

It looks a nice car.

If I have  some comments :

•  They should have reinstalled the striping correct. This is not an S2 but an S2.2, so the esprit2.2 decals should not be beside the fuel cap, but should be incorporated in the double striping at the rear. 
• The underside looks a bit "raw". I guess some maintenance and running costs can be expected.
• I miss the "styled by Giugiaro" badges on the fender

But I guess I am really picking on details and this car should sell for a very healthy price. S2.2 are really rare and the best of the S2 range.

I love it and would buy it if I not already had an S2.2

[Jeanvm]

A lot of work has been don cosmetic but the mechanic can be costly. I would work the other way round.

[nello]

Interesting too to see the Reg. Essex No.100 (the Thatcher car that is currently for sale@Stocks) is UAH 271W.....................

[Chillidoggy]

Looks like it's been 'professionally stored' up to its axles in a lake to me.

And who writes all that nonsense?

[silverfrost]

Looks pretty smart,  not many around, hopefully it finds a good home 

[gvy]

2 hours ago, Chillidoggy said:

Looks like it's been 'professionally stored' up to its axles in a lake to me.

And who writes all that nonsense?

To be honest Ian,

It is a good story. Job well done. I am not the type of buyer, that would be influenced, because my approach is usually more technical, but still, they have done a good job in combining historics and technical description of the cars' condition in a "prozaic" manner. It reads like it is coming out of a magazine article about the lotus esprit S2.2.

question is...what would this car be worth to me....

To answer that I would wanna:

• hear the engine start,run,
• Visually Inspect the underside ( front suspension, rear suspension,state chassis, radiator, rubber tubes and other parts, clamps). I suspect a lot has to be done.
• inspect state of the dellortos
• do a compression leakdown test
• check all electrical things

 

 

 

[GTK]

It's a good looking car for sure, sitting beautifully. Will be very interesting to see what it goes for.

What I'd love to know is where they got 'new' BF Goodrich tyres in the right sizes. I might be wrong but I don't think those have been available for a long while.

[Bazza 907]

Has it got one of those awful cheap aftermarket sunroofs?

Looks to me as it it has and there has been some clever photography to almost hide it

[gvy]

Barrie,

Those "awful cheap aftermarket sunroofs" don't stand out so hard on a black or dark car, as they do on a white one, especially when the glass and surround is also blackenend/smoked

Furthermore, unlike the turbo esprits, an S1 or S2 never had a removable sunroof, so if you wanted one, this is what was installed (even at the dealer) those days.

I dont mind having an "awful cheap aftermarket sunroof" on my S2.2, because it gives me that extra headroom I need to sit really comfortable in it AND That sunroof is tilted at almost any ride, because it is not noisy and provides fresh air and an open feel (lots of glass) to an otherwise small cabin. Because all this  I would not change it on my esprit anyway.

Geert

Edited October 5, 2018 by gvy

[Bazza 907]

Hi Geert

Sorry I didn't mean to be offensive but in my personal opinion they have no place in an Esprit. The point I was making was that the seller seems to have been economical with the pictures so as to hide the existence of the sunroof. Having previously travelled long distances to see cars that are far from that described I find it annoying. If the car has a aftermarket sunroof why not show it as some people, like yourself may like it whereas others like me, might not.  

Again, personally the rust underneath would worry me as would a re spray without taking all the glass out - but hey that's just me. 

[gvy]

12 hours ago, GTK said:

 

What I'd love to know is where they got 'new' BF Goodrich tyres in the right sizes. I might be wrong but I don't think those have been available for a long while.

You are right George,

Still it is possible that the  BF Goodrich may be recent, but they are not in the right size on this car. BF Goodrich still has some sizes available in 14" :

205/70 , 215/60, 215/70 , 225/60 , 225/70 , 235/60 , 245/60 but all in S speedrate (180km/u)

I think I can read on one of the reartyres 235/60r14 ( not sure though)

In my opinion not the ideal choice of tyres.

Geert

 

Edited October 5, 2018 by gvy

[Thornts]

Evening all. Firstly thanks to Bibs for posting this and in answer to your question Chillidoggy, err, that would be me 😀.

Sorry, yes possibly well OTT. 'Nonsense', maybe but I hope/think factually it is correct even if many lost the will to live half way through (or earlier). We sort of figure if you are going to potentially spend a few grand on a car, you are probably going to be happy to invest ten minutes reading about it even if some of it is generic stuff about the model - not everyone is as knowledgeable as the guys here and you would be surprised how many people get tempted by something once they know a bit more about the model.

As for the sunroof, yes black on black is an issue but I think it is pretty obvious in the picture Bibs posted and we are certainly not trying to hide it - why would we, you'll notice it eventually and we don't want unhappy buyers. It's exactly why we show pictures of the underside - it is what it is, no point trying to hide it.

Good point about the airbox pipe but as it has to go through the engine cover, it wouldn't normally be attached until the cover was replaced. It does look untidy that way granted but it is how it is with the cover off.

Yes, there is a reserve.  

Lastly Geert, good point regarding what else you would need to know. Come and check all those things out in person and even drive the car - not something you can do in a conventional auction!

Thanks for all the comments, positive or otherwise.

Rob

 

[pete]

Wow a member for over 7years and a first post😯

[gvy]

Hi Rob,

Thanks for introducing yourself and the car on the forum in this topic.

I am a fan of this car, maybe not a buyer. The only reason being, I have almost a twin, although mine has the connolly leather interior. Since I am doing all the work myself, none of the mechanical questionmarks would scare me . The esprit S2.2 is not a complex car. I hope this car will fetch a healty price. An owner will have little chance in crossing another one,(unless he comes to Ghent Belgium 😁) it is rare, beautiful,exotic and out of my own experience a headturner

Geert

[1981esprit2.2]

On 04/10/2018 at 02:40, gvy said:

It looks a nice car.

If I have  some comments :

•  They should have reinstalled the striping correct. This is not an S2 but an S2.2, so the esprit2.2 decals should not be beside the fuel cap, but should be incorporated in the double striping at the rear. 
• The underside looks a bit "raw". I guess some maintenance and running costs can be expected.
• I miss the "styled by Giugiaro" badges on the fender

But I guess I am really picking on details and this car should sell for a very healthy price. S2.2 are really rare and the best of the S2 range.

I love it and would buy it if I not already had an S2.2

Nope. I have an s2.2 original from new, and that's *exactly* where the "esprit 2.2" decals are supposed to be located...

[giorgio67]

when I bought mine it still has the original paint and stripes and was the opposite, typical Lotus? 

[gvy]

Hi 1981esprit2.2,

3 years later....and this is an interesting discussion for me.

My s2.2 got a respray by a previous owner, but the decals were placed back , incorporated in the double striping.

To be honnest, I have searched the net for years and I have some books (fe LOTUS The Marque, by William Taylor ) and literally all pictures that I find of an esprit S2.2 have the decals in that place and in this the S2.2 differs optically from the S2.

If I understand it well, also Giorgio his S2.2 has the ESPRIT2.2 decals incorporated in the stripes and not beside the fuelcap?

Google esprit S2.2 for pictures and you get a bunch of S2.2 and all with the decals in the striping and also all of the S2 with the decals next to the fuelcap.

So how can it be explained that you have an S2.2 from new, with the ESPRIT 2.2 decals next to the fuelcap ? There were only 88 S2.2 made, could yours be an early one where LOTUS placed the decals as on the S2 ? Is there another explanation?

Another question. Is your nose decal "ESPRIT" or is it "ESPRIT2.2" ?

On the S2 it was just "ESPRIT" and the S2.2 got a nosedecal ESPRIT2.2

Some random pictures I picked from the internet, new and historical

 

 

 

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Edited September 14, 2021 by gvy