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Lotus Turbo Esprit Retro
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scott_budds



Joined: 20 Nov 2008
Posts: 175
Location: Norwich

PostPosted: Thu Nov 20, 2008 11:49 pm    Post subject: Lotus Turbo Esprit Retro Reply with quote

Hi all

Im new here so I thought I would tell you a little bit about my project I have been working on for just over the last year. Ok I know some of you will think its a little too young but I think these cars have always been classics in a way. I am a regular on an Esprit forum but I find myself missing the other makes and periods. I love all cars from very early to ohhh up to the 80s don’t think there’s much from the 90s that inspires me yet!!! On the Esprit forum there are many who are into the cars from a sport car outlook where I would describe myself as a classic enthusiast. I am trying to restore my car to original spec. Its very brash very very 80s but that was 23 years ago now!!! I have managed to get an original radio cassette player from ebay that was an option in 85 that would have set you back £595.00!!! For a tape player imagine that lol!!

Ok so here is how I found the car when I bought her












She had been standing in a barn since 1994. I bought her with no head or cams as the previous owner had bought her intending to do what so many people want to do...replace the lotus engine with a v8!!!
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47p2



Joined: 24 Nov 2007
Posts: 2009
Location: Glasgow

PostPosted: Thu Nov 20, 2008 11:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Nice project, I like the Esprit
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scott_budds



Joined: 20 Nov 2008
Posts: 175
Location: Norwich

PostPosted: Fri Nov 21, 2008 12:07 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks 47p2 Im not sure what the P2 is...yet but I was trying to talk one of the guys who works with me into buying a P6. Then I fell in love with the P5. I would love that level of comfort but would need a chaufer to drive me around! Laughing
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peter scott



Joined: 18 Dec 2007
Posts: 7113
Location: Edinburgh

PostPosted: Fri Nov 21, 2008 12:11 am    Post subject: Re: Lotus Turbo Esprit Retro Reply with quote

scott_budds wrote:
I am trying to restore my car to original spec.


Good man! Welcome to the forum Scott.

Peter.
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47p2



Joined: 24 Nov 2007
Posts: 2009
Location: Glasgow

PostPosted: Fri Nov 21, 2008 12:26 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

scott_budds wrote:
.......Im not sure what the P2 is...



Here you go Scott, all the info you need about the P2
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buzzy bee



Joined: 23 Nov 2007
Posts: 3382
Location: South Cheshire

PostPosted: Fri Nov 21, 2008 12:51 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi

We all like reading about any restos, so you are in good company here. So where have you got up to with it?

Cheers

Dave
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Jason



Joined: 12 Nov 2008
Posts: 623
Location: Todmorden, Lancs.

PostPosted: Fri Nov 21, 2008 12:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

hi scott and welcome to the forum, I'm a newbie myself (about a week)

good look with the restoration and as buzzy bee says we all like reading about resto's!

jason
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scott_budds



Joined: 20 Nov 2008
Posts: 175
Location: Norwich

PostPosted: Fri Nov 21, 2008 1:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi guys thanks for the warm welcome and the positive comments!

Well you know how most of the time when you buy something and get it come you think "what the hell have I bought"? Well when I did get her home I gave her a quick wash and I will admit I was very pleased she didn’t look too bad!!





The inside was a bit tired but all there. I don’t know what it is about Lotus cars from the 70s and 80s but the headlining always seems to break down and come away. Mine was too.

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bob2



Joined: 06 Dec 2007
Posts: 1727
Location: Malta

PostPosted: Fri Nov 21, 2008 2:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

nice interior for a car that has been standing 13 years!!

some hide food will have them like new!!! Smile
Nice project!!
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scott_budds



Joined: 20 Nov 2008
Posts: 175
Location: Norwich

PostPosted: Fri Nov 21, 2008 2:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

So on with the resto, my first area to tackle was to remove and rebuild the engine. With this out I would be able to replace the suspension and work on the car. My plan is to put the engine back when most of the other jobs have all been done. As of today I have just about finished working on rebuilding the engine, working on the carbs and turbo at the moment. I am hoping to be able to save up and buy the new suspension parts in the New Year.










I was able to buy a secondhand head and the cams. Since I had never had the engine running I wasn’t sure what state the engine was in. I was told when I bought the car a PO had sent the head away to be skimmed and never got it back. To me this sounded very fishy. I did find lots of rust in the water pump and as the cooling is important on an ally engine I think maybe the water pump may have failed and warped the head? I had decided I was going to completely rebuild the engine any way with all new bearings and piston rings.
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dalbuie



Joined: 24 Dec 2007
Posts: 408
Location: Gullane

PostPosted: Fri Nov 21, 2008 4:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi Scott, welcome to the forum.

These pictures take me back to 1983 when I worked in Livingston for a company called GL Electronics.

As an incentive for the salesmen the top man each month got the Esprit Turbo for a month to play in Smile

I was an engineer in the same office and the salesman needed an estate for a personal chore and offered me a swap for a day. Now I was 20 and the choice was a 2 year old 1.6 cavalier estate or an almost new Esprit Turbo for the day - you can guess what I chose.

I still remember the feeling of flooring it on the far side of West Calder to overtake a lorry, nothing much seemed to happen for a second and then it felt as though someone had ignited a rocket behind me. By the time I came to my senses and looked at the speedo I was doing 120 and the lorry was almost invisible behind me. I think the speed burned a smile on my face for weeks.

Cornering was also a dream, Livingston is a town filled with roundabouts and the Lotus loved them all.

Hope you get it on the road ASAP and it's as enjoyable to own as it was to play in for one day 25 years ago.

D
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Rick
Site Admin


Joined: 27 Apr 2005
Posts: 22429
Location: UK

PostPosted: Fri Nov 21, 2008 6:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Your photos remind me of when I helped an oppo of mine collect a part-dismantled Excel from South Wales, we stopped off at the owner's pub to collect him en route. He came out with a tray of oily engine bits, he said "you'll be needing these" .. and he was right Smile

Interesting to read about your car!! Smile

Rick
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Scotty



Joined: 23 Nov 2007
Posts: 883

PostPosted: Fri Nov 21, 2008 6:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Welcome Scott. Wink

Scotty.
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scott_budds



Joined: 20 Nov 2008
Posts: 175
Location: Norwich

PostPosted: Sun Nov 23, 2008 1:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks Guys, nice story Dalbuie. They are still a quick car today...when you put your foot down they do kind of appear to bend space and time slightly!! lol

Here are a few pics from the engine rebuild. Some people rebuild using a later forged piston but mine were in good order so I kept them. I also really liked the fact they were etched inside "red 1" "red 2" etc. I have read that Lotus knew right from the start of each car how it was going to be specked, and these pistons were marked up at the start of my car build. They knew the turbo pistons were needed. I took the engine apart and cleaned all parts. The steel liners were worn down one side so I replaced them with new items.



Liners and liners in the block



Crank in sitting on new bearings





Pistons in with clamps retaining the new liners.



I cleaned my new head and polished the rough ports. I replaced the springs with new items.



Finally I was able to torque the head onto the new gasket on the block



Next I fitted the water pump, A/C pump, cams and cam tubes and the timed up the cam belt




At the moment I am working on the carbs and am hoping to get them back on before xmas. The started motor I am cleaning up too.
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wrinx



Joined: 22 Jun 2008
Posts: 142
Location: Derbyshire

PostPosted: Sun Nov 23, 2008 1:49 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Cool Cool Cool

Nearly bought a Lotus a few years ago...very nice resto Very Happy

wrinx
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