bigsi Posted August 21, 2008 Report Share Posted August 21, 2008 just a thought matt as i only just saw it, prehaps chaning the red hose to braided to avoid the usual red hose problems on the clutch? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt-watts Posted August 21, 2008 Author Report Share Posted August 21, 2008 bet if you factored in your time at £x/hour it would be megabucks God yeah I think I must spend 16-20 hours a week in the garage and that time over the year ...well it's just to scary to post up. I'm luck I only need to work 9:30-3:30 5 days a week so I get alot of free time and my 5 year old loves helping me in the garage Si the red cluch hose is new and steel braided it just looks original Not sure what to do with the interior I would like get it retrimed how it left the factory in black marquset? fabric. But may end up going for black leather as the trimmer I want to use has some bently hide at a good price Matt Quote Please let me know If you have a S1 esprit for sale 🙂 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markt Posted August 21, 2008 Report Share Posted August 21, 2008 Looks Bloody Marvelous Well done Matt - Gives us all a bit of hope and a bit of confidence to do something like this. Are you sure you did your sums right? Stunned on what you've achieved on a budget. Cheers - Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bibs Posted August 21, 2008 Report Share Posted August 21, 2008 Looking at the pics in the first post on this thread, which in truth aren't that long ago, you've done an amazing job so far! Well done Matt Quote 88 Esprit NA, 89 Esprit Turbo SE, Evora, Evora S, Evora IPS, Evora S IPS, Evora S IPS SR, Evora 400, Elise S1, Elise S1 111s, Evora GT410 Sport Evora NA For forum issues, please contact the Moderators. I will aim to respond to emails/PM's Mon-Fri 9-6 GMT. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gtookey@hotmail.com_ Posted September 26, 2008 Report Share Posted September 26, 2008 Matt absolutely outstanding !!! congrats on a superb rebuild, all in such a short period of time too. you've also given us some great reference photos. top man. Gav Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt-watts Posted December 16, 2008 Author Report Share Posted December 16, 2008 I've been busy working on my car since my last post so I have done an update Bibs has said my Esprit can be on the LEF stand at Donnington in april so I have a deadline to keep to and still alot of work to do ! My interior is back from the trimmers and is all done in black leather, only the headlining is light grey My polished wheels have new tyres I have bled the brakes and clutch, got all the electrics working on the car,I have now got relays on the H4 headlamps and on the paset cooling fans I have had to weld my door frames as there were badly broken, they are now ready for painting and fitting to the doors Over the next couple of weeks im going to fit the front and rear windows and the interior I got the engine running last weekend and have posted a short video of it running on you tube, it needs alot of tuning but it seems to run ok so far YouTube link Matt Quote Please let me know If you have a S1 esprit for sale 🙂 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kimbers Posted December 16, 2008 Report Share Posted December 16, 2008 Matt. You are an inspiration to anyone who wants to restore a Lotus but is scared to. Not only have you saved a classic but she can only appreciate! Worth more than you've spent so good move. Quote Possibly save your life. Check out this website.http://everyman-campaign.org/ Distributor for 'Every Male' grooming products. (Discounts for any TLF members hairier than I am!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lotusross Posted December 16, 2008 Report Share Posted December 16, 2008 Seeing it there in that beautiful white makes me want to repaint my car - stunning job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bibs Posted December 16, 2008 Report Share Posted December 16, 2008 Lovely work, that's going to look a real treat on the stand! Quote 88 Esprit NA, 89 Esprit Turbo SE, Evora, Evora S, Evora IPS, Evora S IPS, Evora S IPS SR, Evora 400, Elise S1, Elise S1 111s, Evora GT410 Sport Evora NA For forum issues, please contact the Moderators. I will aim to respond to emails/PM's Mon-Fri 9-6 GMT. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeanvm Posted December 16, 2008 Report Share Posted December 16, 2008 Its looking good, are the tires V - rated? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
talon Posted December 16, 2008 Report Share Posted December 16, 2008 spectacular! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winners Posted December 16, 2008 Report Share Posted December 16, 2008 Matt I am green with jealousy. It looks soooo good. Mark Quote Look what Q's brought us. Isn't it nice! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bzguy Posted December 16, 2008 Report Share Posted December 16, 2008 great work ! Nice to see it being restored, that's one more saved Quote - Nulla tenaci invia est via - Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony K Posted December 17, 2008 Report Share Posted December 17, 2008 Gorgeous indeed! Nice work! Quote Tony K. Esprit S1s #355H & 454H Esprit S2.2 #324J 1991 Esprit SE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Crooks Posted December 17, 2008 Report Share Posted December 17, 2008 Matt As a recent newcomer to Esprit ownership and this forum, I'd just like to add that this is a truly inspirational story. You should be enormously proud of what you are achieving. I would just love to have 10% of the skill, patience and attention to detail that you clearly possess in abundance. I would also add that Matt's is just one great example of countless inspirational stories and conversations that take place in this forum. As a newcomer, it is quite overwheling to be able to read all this stuff and begin to feel a part of it. Thanks to all. Robert Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon350S Posted December 17, 2008 Report Share Posted December 17, 2008 Just reread the entire thread again, it really is a stunning job mate. And to think in the same period of time all I've managed to do is paint 2 light pods... I'm a real looser of late! Can't wait to see it in the flesh...! Quote Chunky Lover Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIG7 007 Posted December 17, 2008 Report Share Posted December 17, 2008 Another barn find.... another amazing project... one question.... my S3 project has the same ty sunroof fitted (see left) how easy or hard was it to repair (is that the word ) the missing part of glass fibre.. i was going to have a bigger squared edged sunroof fitted but am having 2nd thoughts.. great job on the car she is a stunner Alan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GavinT Posted December 19, 2008 Report Share Posted December 19, 2008 just gets better & better....well done Gav Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobsilk Posted December 20, 2008 Report Share Posted December 20, 2008 Who retrimmed the interior and how much did they charge? ... I'm looking to get mine done the the New Year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pyropolymer Posted December 21, 2008 Report Share Posted December 21, 2008 fantastic looking resto job... thanks for saving another S1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
punky Posted December 21, 2008 Report Share Posted December 21, 2008 Yup! Just read the whole post and have to agree with all the comments made so far. Absolutely stunning. Quote http://www.thelotusforums.com/forums/topic/8126-30-v6-conversion/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt-watts Posted December 30, 2008 Author Report Share Posted December 30, 2008 Another barn find.... another amazing project... one question.... my S3 project has the same ty sunroof fitted (see left) how easy or hard was it to repair (is that the word ) the missing part of glass fibre.. i was going to have a bigger squared edged sunroof fitted but am having 2nd thoughts.. great job on the car she is a stunner Alan Alan I only have to think of my old sunroof and I get a headache ! I had lots of problems and its still not right. It's my opinion that the best way to remove a sunroof in an Esprit is to change the whole roof, you may think it sounds rather drastic but fitting a roof in an esprit is not that hard and is easyer than just glassing in the hole. Message me if you need more Info/help Who retrimmed the interior and how much did they charge? ... I'm looking to get mine done the the New Year. Hi Bob I called a local car timmers company who sent round one of their trimmers to quote me, after a long chat he ended up doing it from home nothing to do with the local company, and for cash. I Photographed all the interior and then removed all my old coverings and baged them up for him, so all he had to do was to copy my old coverings and re-trim he collected everything and deliverd it all back to me, he charged me Quote Please let me know If you have a S1 esprit for sale 🙂 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt-watts Posted January 10, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 10, 2009 Just a quick update on my progress I fitted the rear screen before christmas they are a bugger to fit, getting the alloy trim to fit well takes alot of time, then my old gass struts where to weak to lift the hatch so I fitted the RS adjustable ones that Hilly has recomended and they work great (thanks Hilly!) I've also started to fit the interior It's been so cold over the last two weeks I have not been able to fit the windscreen as the adhesive would not set, so I have built up both the doors in my lounge and I fitted both of them today The car seems to be going together well at the moment, I can't wait to get the windscreen in ! ....keep your fingers crossed for warm weather for me Matt Quote Please let me know If you have a S1 esprit for sale 🙂 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kyliesmith.com Posted January 10, 2009 Report Share Posted January 10, 2009 wow beautiful work, id love to see this car in the flesh when its done, I love what you have done to the interior real nice Credit to you ! Quote No.23 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mangel Posted January 11, 2009 Report Share Posted January 11, 2009 Other option for heat is to buy/hire a space heater for a couple of days like http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/product/...d-space-heaters I used to heat up my garage in the winter before spraying cars (obviously you can't have a burner like this on whilst your spraying or you'll blow up) Also it makes the winters not seem so long as you can work in the garage longer into the evening!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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