V8lightweight

I fitted a few bits of new carpet in the boot area this week, but also tidied up the peeling/ugly aluminium heat shielding in the engine bay, which was quite a lot more exciting than carpeting!

In a bit of a break from the engine work, the steering came back from Royal Steering Wheels, who did a brilliant job of recovering it. The new tanks also went back in, along with a new fuel pump. I also had an ebay accident with a fantastic retro Kenwood CD player and graphic equaliser (the same as the ones portrayed in the early 90's Lotus Turbo Challenge computer game! Some other odd bits : Cams look great and are now covered up again with the freshly paint rocker covers. Mixture of new and refreshed grilles going back onto the rear bumper.

New cam belt, water pump, chargecooler pump, oil filter etc etc fitted then I drove it over to SJ Sports cars where Steve and Ross gave it a thorough check over and double-checked the belt tension (SJ have been superb all the way through the restoration and have always gone over and above to help me along). I also had quite a few of the engine bits lightly shot blasted and repainted with VHT wrinkle red and high temp silver.

2 Years! I can't really believe it - where on earth has that gone? To be honest, most of the time has been has been taken up by work, lock down, home schooling and an extended period of the Esprit sat not gathering dust under a cover in the garage. The occasional shove out into the daylight saw the headlights finished and tested - seeing them pop up and light up was a real boost! Sometime in 2021, the car made it into work and with the bribe of bacon rolls a few of us managed to extract the engine Few shots of the tank void after the tanks were removed and the engine being cleaned up..

I've tried to get motivated over the last week and have started to pack away at a few more jobs. The wing mirrors have been rebuilt, side badges put back on and the lovely 1989 Alpine CD player and amp have been fitted. I also 'bit the bullet' and have stumped up for two new tanks, which I'm confident is the right way to go after checked the internals of the originals with an endoscope.

No problem - just speak to Laura, as she was brilliant and the price was reasonable. If you're passing junction 28 at any time, give me a shout and you'd be more than welcome to pop in for a brew and a look af the car.

Thanks Dave. A small company called Adjusted Customs in Devon did the seats for me.

After a job change and an appalling long time of no work on the Esprit, I sent the dash off to a truly lovely bloke for a refurb in November. I never thought that the light coloured veneer looked appropriate for the navy interior, so I asked for it to be darkened a little. It came back just before Christmas and WOW, what a fantastic job! I rebuilt the dash pod today and it looks amazing in the car - just the sort of incentive that I needed to get going again!

Still a fair way to go, but it did make it to its first show!

After a bit of an hiatus, there are a few bits going back on now (smallest always take the longest time). A few more photos of the progress.... Headlight backing plates and adjusters replaced/rebuilt...

Early start this morning - picking up a few bits from the powder-coaters.

Bolted a few bits back on this afternoon. Its squeezed in the garage, but I couldn't resist a few pictures of the finish.

I sincerely hope so, but I've organised an E30 M3 to be on standby just in case!

Thank you Filip - I think that I might well try that as a temporary solution, as I can always get it re-veneered at a later date. Its now home from the trimmers and on axle stands while the wheels are being powder coated. Just need to find some tyres next.....

Bit of tinkering before the car comes home tomorrow - scraping the old veneer from the dash (anyone just lacquered the bard masks?) and rebuilding the headlong mounting panels.

Quick visit to the trimmers today. Seats being tensioned and carpets nearly done.

It went straight from the paint shop to the trimmers, so hasn't been home yet! I'll get some pics as soon as I get it back 😁

Hi chaps, the respray was done by Clint Drake at Wild West Custom paint in Exeter. Absolutely lovely bloke, and the job is excellent. I stripped the car right down (especially enjoyed taking the bumpers off!) and paid 2.5k, plus a couple if extras (specialist glass removal etc) albeit that it was done as a 'hospital' job as and when he had a bit of free space. Would thoroughly recommend him to anyone in the area (he did work to my TVR and 944, both of which were every bit as good). Cheers, Steve

I purchased an '89 Turbo SE a short while ago, which was featured in the first issue of Absolute Lotus. It was more of a 'straw-filled' garage find, than a barn find, but through a very sad turn of events, had sat under a tarpaulin for 10 years or so. The car has been in the same family from new. The car had an engine rebuild before becoming tarpaulin-bound, but seems only to have done 5 miles or since (so the belt and hoses need doing). Whilst everything us there, including the original dealer plates, tool kit etc, the method of storage has meant it's in a sorry old state. In the last couple of months, I've part-stripped it, it's been to the paint shop and is having new carpets and seats. It should be coming home next week, then needs to be rebuilt (after a couple of little things, such as the removal of the engine and tanks!) By the end of next month for my God-Daughter's prom😯 Deep breath.....

Thank you guys. A friend of mine has a Cerbera and an Esprit Turbo - he says that the TVR is more potent, but that he prefers the lotus for its smoothness. He's confident that I'll agree!

Hi, I've posted a couple of times, but thought that it would be worth saying hello properly, because I've purchased myself a real predicament! Over the last couple of years, I've rebuilt my Chimaera 500 and, having work with TVRs some years ago, and it being my perfect combo of 5ltr engine, imperial blue with mag. hide, I thought that for sentimental reasons, I'd never sell it. Trouble is, a one-family-owner from new, genuine 'barn find' Turbo SE cropped up a couple of months ago - which is I've car that always loved and hankered after. The Lotus is in a bit of a state as it has been sat in a barn for 10/15 years and is being stripped down for a refurb, but I've managed to persuade my long suffering wife to let me keep both, until the Lotus is done, so that I can drive them back to back, to see which one will stay and which one will take a trip to Pistonheads! I'm really intrigued as to how the Turbo SE will drive, as the Chimaera is truly brutal and one hell of an adrenaline rush to drive, but is very (very) loose, especially on greasy days. Watch this space!