Esprit Comes Home To Norfolk!

[OwenGT3]

Hi Everyone,

Just joined the Lotus Esprit Forum now I have a reason. I've owned my Esprit GT3 since last Bank Holiday Monday, and I've loved driving it since owning it. Bought it from a guy who has looked after it resonably well, but since owning it I've fixed a lot of the annoying little problems.

This is my first Lotus and I've brought it back home to Norfolk from the Midlands. Although this is my first Lotus I am not unfamiliar to Lotus cars generally. I am a multimedia designer now, but before this career I use to be an automotive engineer for 17 years, and have worked on many prestige cars - Ferrari, Aston Martin, Jaguar and Lotus included in this list.

Going back to when I first fell for the lines of the Esprit, some 30 years ago (41 now!) I have always wanted one, my only other dream car is an Aston Martin, but they are out of my price range, perhaps some day!

I've also worked on the Lotus formula one cars when they were around as a team. Could have worked at Lotus Engineering, but didn't want to do the shifts and I've visited the factory many times. Met the man himself Colin Chapman and have his autograph a couple of times, one addressed to me personally. Had a ride in the James Bond Lotus Esprit in 1979 around the Lotus test track, which when you are 14 is a day never to be forgotten!

Auto-torque is my website that is still in the stage of construction, but hopefully should be up and running before the end of the summer. It's a website for enthusiasts of any motor car, but the main reason for the site is to sell my own motoring DVD's through it. I will keep you posted!

Owen.

Edited May 25, 2007 by OwenGT3

[cbclotus]

Welcome Owen Fantastic story it will be a bit quiet today as castle coombe lotus day is on ,Great looking car you have there ,they are a good bunch on here also. great to have met Colin Chapman cheers mike s3

[andydclements]

And another owner dispells that mith about not having many Esprits or other lOtus models in general around Norfolk.

Now just remember, to keep Kimbers wound up, you need to drive past, or better still park in Halfords, and not pop into a certain Honda dealership in Norwich.

ONLY JOKING KIMBERS. I'm just waiting for my little list of bits from Steve @ SJ, then the old car will be back on the road (it's difficult at best with the steering rack not attached, no track rod end etc) then I can pop in and see you.

Owen , I look forward to seeing yours around the "fine city"

Andy

[OwenGT3]

Hi Everyone,

Thanks for the compliments regarding my car. I've also joined over on the SELOC forum, but I think most of them are Elise, Exige owners, but its good to chat to fellow Lotus owners, but this forum is perhaps going to suit me more.

One question I would like to ask members is, I got the freescan lead with my car, but having a new laptop it's not serial, so I've got to buy an adaptor to USB. I purchased one from Maplins electronic store but it doesn't work, apparently the data rate is too low. I've talked to Dermot O'Hare who has helped and suggested I buy the one from the LEW site. I may have to, but I do think it's a tad pricey for a converter, so I'm looking on the web. Does anyone know where to get a converter suitable?

Anyway, I haven't been anywhere this Bank Holiday in the car, what with the weather being so crap! I have fixed the temperature gauge reading by fitting a new sender unit, also I've fitted a new TPS sensor, and this is why I need to check the car systems. It does run alright, but just want to make sure for certain.

Here's pics of me back when it all started, my passion for an Esprit. This is me at Lotus on a Saturday morning in July 1979 getting a ride around the test track in the James Bond Esprit. my Dad filmed it as well with his 8mm cine camera (YES! before video was invented!). Oh, and the last one you may recognise this chap, designed cars I think! This was taken on the first Lotus open day, back in 1978 I think. Colin Chapman was walking around in the crowds and no one noticed him, but my Dad said this man looked like Chapman, then I said it was him. A few minutes later the loud speaker guy said he was 'mingling', then suddenly there where hundreds trying to get near him and his autograph. I was lucky, signed the back of a photograph we had of him.

Owen

Edited May 28, 2007 by OwenGT3

[Kimbers]

Actually Andy, it might have been Owen at Halfords. no other bugger has admitted to not popping in to see me.

Welcome Owen, You must know my old man having been around the factory, he was Colins Right hand man at that time. I have identical shots of me with the 007 car.

Ignore SELOC, they're all Elise owners and not particularly nice ones at that! this is the real place to be. Check out the shots of our meet from this weekend, it'll help you put faces to names (except the 2 above who couldn't make it this time.....shame on you Mike and Andy....still, Andy can't make it 2 miles down the road to visit!!). Piccies are under "The handover" in Bigsi area.

Welcome.

[Kato]

Welcome to the forum.

As for the USB Adaptor! It may be expensive, but it's guaranteed to work with FreeScan and 99% of them don't. Why waste more money trying to find one that does to save a couple of quid! We don't make much profit from them and the profit that's made goes back into Lotus Esprit World, which is a resource to help you run your Esprit and save time and money!

The Esprit community is a very friendly and close community you won't find in other car groups. We're not here to rip you off, we're here to support and help each other. Some parts you'll find expensive, as you can't order them in high numbers, as there's so few cars, which is part of the attraction!

Anyway, great GT3 and love the pictures of the Bond Car. You'll enjoy Esprit ownership and the people involved not to want to leave for the Aston boys! You can't beat an Esprit!

[arbell9]

Hi Owen,

welcome to esprit mad house, its great to have another GT3 in the house. Read the Plan BigSi threads and associted ones as they really do explain what we are all about.

Esprits, Friends, Family and hooning.

Alex

[esprit350]

welcome to the forum, sure you will like it here

[Bibs]

Welcome to LEF dude, nice car

[OwenGT3]

Hi Everyone,

Thanks for all the welcomes to the forum. I'm not new to forums, I use to post a lot on one of the threads on the Force.net forum, the big Stat Wars one. Yes I'm a bit of a Star Wars nut as well, and when I have an interest I usually do it passionately! I don't post as much now, but I do still read the thread, also I admin a Star Wars forum I set up, here's a pic for that reason, I did costume appearances! That's me in the Darth Vader costume! And yes that is a Knight Rider replica car, even did the voice! I've sort of hung up my Vadering boots as it is hard work wearing the costume for several hours at a time doing charity events. But I am now building an full size radio controlled R2 D2 astromech, don't have to wear that! I think it's the age I'm at, anything to do with my childhood years! Blame the seventies!

Thanks for the info about the lead, I will more than likely get the LEW lead adaptor. What I would like to know is if there is a local Esprit meeting point in the Norwich or surrounding area? Would be great to meet up with local Esprit owners.

Here's some more shots of the car that I took the day after giving it the major T-cut treatment!

Also this may be of interest to some, nothing to do with Lotus or Esprits, but its mechanical! This is sort of what I do sometimes for a living, create items in 3D software. This is a bike I designed for a project I was working on based on American Chopper, OCC. It's a Vader bike! Also as I mentioned in an earlier post I make professional videos, so I hope to be making one on the Esprit soon!

Regards,

Owen.

[t70]

Fascinating Lotus Background!! Additionally -- wonderful Jobs to have... I would prefer to be a designer, but selling cars is just about as fun. Would love to have had those experiences... very jealous! hehe..... Welcome to the best group of motorheads I've ever seen... You'll love it here...

[Artie]

Fascinating Lotus Background!! Additionally -- wonderful Jobs to have... I would prefer to be a designer, but selling cars is just about as fun. Would love to have had those experiences... very jealous! hehe..... Welcome to the best group of motorheads I've ever seen... You'll love it here...

Owen,

Nice, car, welcome to the community...Check on your exhaust cam cover as it's on reversed(Lotus should face the engine side wall.) Also, love the Yellow!

Artie

[OwenGT3]

Yeah I know it's on wrong, but I haven't worked on that bit of the engine, it was like it when I got the car. I will change it when it needs some work, but I'm not going to break the seal just now.

Owen

[Bibs]

Supercars and Star Wars mix well

[Jonathan]

Mr Mckenna's old car by all accounts....a legendry Esprit !

Does the passenger side interior door handle still have my white knuckle grip marks on it

I like the body coloured rear spoiler (not sure about the sharks fin hehe) - wing mirrors look different as well.

Welcome to the board - look forward to seeing you both at a meet again !

[OwenGT3]

Hi Everyone,

I took my car for a spin last night as it had been sitting for a few days, but it is right what they say about these car. Because it hadn't been used the handbrake light has developed a staying on problem, yeah it's not much, hopefully just a squirt of WD will sort it. It was alright on my journey home and is now going off when the handbrake is released, but it does show these cars need using otherwise problems develop from long periods of no use.

Also my anti-lock light came on last night for some of the journey, but has now gone off. Again I'm putting this down to not being used. I know my diagnostic lead works with a laptop now, tried it with one from work that has a serial port, it read straight away as soon as the ignition went on.

Should be good weather tomorrow, so going to the coast to take some video and pics of the car.

Owen.

Edited June 1, 2007 by OwenGT3

[Tentenths]

Used to have the same problem with the handbrake sticking (or more specifically the switch) after being parked for more than a day or two. Now, when parking at home tend to just leave in gear with handbrake off. Problem solved

[OwenGT3]

Hi,

Here's some more pics that might interest you. First are ones taken at the 50th Team Lotus celebrations, just one of the many cars parked around in the pits.

The next is one of the item I made for my pen friend who worked at Lotus. She liked it so much that she got it photographed and got Colin to sign it. The person name I use to write to was Cindy Curl, I must have wrote to her for about 4-5 years, she worked in the marketing section of the company. If anyone know of this person please PM me any information, she was very young back in 1979, only 21, so she late 40's now.

Owen

Edited June 1, 2007 by OwenGT3

[chats371l]

Hi Owen and welcome

You may on occasion see my 1999 Azures Blue GT3 driving around the Norfolk area particularly in and around Norwich as my family home is in Wroxham. Don't get to drive it as much as I would like as I am working in Glasgow and can not always get back at weekends.

If you see it you won't miss it as the number plate is C11ATS.

Have fun and very nice car.

Regards

Chats

[Tentenths]

...as my family home is in Wroxham.

Small world... so's mine!

[chats371l]

Small world... so's mine!

It could have even been you that I drove past sat outside the pine shop next to the small classic car place way back a while ago. It was a red stevens and I am sure it had a spoiler on the back.

Can not remember when it was though? Maybe March/April time at a guess?

Chats

[Tentenths]

Just before the bridge? Could have been (usually stop there for a quick nose) but haven't been up in the Esprit since June/July last year.

[OwenGT3]

Hi,

Hope I've fixed the boot water leak today. Think it was coming in under the tailgate drain tube fixings, so I drilled the rivets out and cleaned the old sealant off and refitted them. The pain was that the tops are glued to the tubes underneath, so I couldn't take them out unless I want to seriously rip them to bits. I cleaned them and applied silicone to them before reseating. I've screwed them this time and added some more screws. I think I will buy some new ones sometime, but hopefully the problem has been cured for now.

Cleaned it early this morning and have been driving arround in it today. Took it round a few friends to show, my nephew had his photograph in it, think he's gonna tell his mates it's his new car! Hes only 17, imagine the insurance!

Owen.

[dazmans3]

Hi Owen

Wecolme to the site.

As I was reading your first entry, for a moment, I thought you might have been the boy who got a drive in the S1 James Bond car via 'Jim'll Fix it'. I think he had a Helicopter chasing him as well if I recall.

I wonder what ever happend to him & if he drives an esprit today.

& to meet Mr Chapman himself.......

How lucky are you.

Daz

[Loose Cannon]

Also my anti-lock light came on last night for some of the journey, but has now gone off. Again I'm putting this down to not being used. I know my diagnostic lead works with a laptop now, tried it with one from work that has a serial port, it read straight away as soon as the ignition went on.

Owen

Problems with the ABS will not show up on Freescan, if you have a dicky sensor or something it will only show up on the factory Tech1 scanner that the dealers have.