USAndretti42 Posted April 12, 2009 Report Share Posted April 12, 2009 I think you've tricked us all and swapped cars somewhere along the line. Looking at that car being dragged out by a tractor and looking at the car parked outside that hotel I can't believe it's the same car. Fantastic work. You must be very satisfed with the work. Quote S4 Elan, Elan +2S, Federal-spec, World Championship Edition S2 Esprit #42, S1 Elise, Excel SE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeanvm Posted April 14, 2009 Report Share Posted April 14, 2009 Lovely and the mirror is fantastic. I would use 2 of it. Cheers, Jean Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt-watts Posted April 14, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 14, 2009 So many people are asking me to make more mirrors I think I will make a run of ten, Will do a post after I have had feedback from Donnington Matt Quote Please let me know If you have a S1 esprit for sale 🙂 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Coleman Posted April 14, 2009 Report Share Posted April 14, 2009 You're mad!! By the way Matt the bracket the mirror fixes to should be black. Mine is only silver becasue the paint has all flaked off Cheers, Paul. Quote Lotus Esprit [meaning] a 1:1 scale Airfix kit with a propensity to catch fire Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt-watts Posted April 14, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 14, 2009 Nar Paul they were chromed ...... yours must have been painted and then the paint flaked off ? All the others I have seen are chromed Matt Quote Please let me know If you have a S1 esprit for sale 🙂 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Coleman Posted April 15, 2009 Report Share Posted April 15, 2009 Hmmm... I'm not convinced. We shall have to ask Tony K what his orange car had as that was a bit of a time warp. It seems a bit odd to me to have a silver bracket for a black mirror fitted to a black panel? I reckon they should be black but I stand to be corrected!! I just think the paint never stayed on for very long because Lotus didn't use primer... on anything. Might have to get the Spy Who Loved Me DVD on freeze frame when he drives out of the hotel (on second thoughts no that really is too sad!). Cheers, Paul. Quote Lotus Esprit [meaning] a 1:1 scale Airfix kit with a propensity to catch fire Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt-watts Posted April 15, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 15, 2009 Paul Federal cars had totally different wing mirrors so Tonys K's orange car will not help I have a good few 1976 Lotus press pictures of the S1 Esprit and they show the mirror base as chromed looking I'm off to hang up the anorak now Matt Quote Please let me know If you have a S1 esprit for sale 🙂 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winners Posted April 15, 2009 Report Share Posted April 15, 2009 Mine's original and it's black. The answer here is that nothing is standard on any S1! Quote Look what Q's brought us. Isn't it nice! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt-watts Posted April 15, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 15, 2009 Hi Mark Your mirror is a 1977 mirror that is different (they are all black and a different shape) to the early shell shaped ones that I have made that have a chromed base. Cheers Matt Quote Please let me know If you have a S1 esprit for sale 🙂 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markjonesx Posted April 15, 2009 Report Share Posted April 15, 2009 Hmmm... I'm not convinced. We shall have to ask Tony K what his orange car had as that was a bit of a time warp. It seems a bit odd to me to have a silver bracket for a black mirror fitted to a black panel? I reckon they should be black but I stand to be corrected!! I just think the paint never stayed on for very long because Lotus didn't use primer... on anything. Might have to get the Spy Who Loved Me DVD on freeze frame when he drives out of the hotel (on second thoughts no that really is too sad!). Cheers, Paul. Looks black to me as he pulls out of the hotel...... Quote Esprit S1, 238G, Blog Online Photo's This car was most definately hand built, NOTHING FITS! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hemlock Posted April 15, 2009 Report Share Posted April 15, 2009 (edited) I did a quick photo montage of PPW306R, the original Bond car, that was at Goodwood festival of speed last year. I need to go check on mine as eyes and memory sometimes play tricks on me, but mine (1976) is black as well(errr I think ). ATB Edited April 15, 2009 by Hemlock Quote Hey whats wrong with this wreck? We`re getting gas back here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt-watts Posted April 15, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 15, 2009 Yes on the Bond car it was blacked as were the screen surrounds and door handles as they reflection problems, but the press pictures of S1's with the shell mirrors had chromed bases So maybe black or chrome is cool ? Matt Quote Please let me know If you have a S1 esprit for sale 🙂 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winners Posted April 15, 2009 Report Share Posted April 15, 2009 I am, like most of you, someone who would like original if at all possible, I certainly am not up for modifications or pimping S1's. But this has to be taking it to the extreme!!!!!!!! As long as the mirror is the right shape it's got to be good. Quote Look what Q's brought us. Isn't it nice! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Coleman Posted April 15, 2009 Report Share Posted April 15, 2009 For those of us who are restoring it's a very important thing (in a nerdy "I-can't-get-a-girlfriend" sort of way). I still say mine was originally painted black and has some of the wishy-washy crap black paint left on it. There is no other paint on either the mirror or panel so I don't believe it was an after thought. Paul. Quote Lotus Esprit [meaning] a 1:1 scale Airfix kit with a propensity to catch fire Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jetace25 Posted April 15, 2009 Report Share Posted April 15, 2009 Establishing a single original specification for a Lotus model is tricky. It would seem more elegant to keep the entire mirror assembly black than to use a chrome foot however the press photos I've seen tend to display this feature. Although I have no scans of these cuttings I do have a photo of ULO 658R, the meticulously restored yellow S1 taken at Hethel on September 23rd 2007 which shows the mounting to be chrome. Is it likely that having paid such attention to detail the restorers would have failed to research the originality of this component? Until someone posts pictures of the press cars it is still open to conjecture. Perhaps cars with both black and chrome shell mirror mounts rolled out of Hethel. What is important is that Matt's car is an utterly beautiful restoration and I know we're all looking forward to seeing it on the stand at Donington. Well done Matt, Si Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gold FFM scott Posted April 16, 2009 Gold FFM Report Share Posted April 16, 2009 0134G ( TNR149R)was black stem. This flaked off over the years, and has since been polished to chrome. It will be repainted black as that's how it left Hethel: I'd advise to peel the seal for confirmation. I don't think there's a right or a wrong, as long as it is finished now as it was when it left Hethel. Hence why mine will be painted. 0139G (ULO658R) was chrome. Again I peeled the seal back for confirmation, which is why it stayed Chrome. Although these VINs are close, I can only summise the probabilty that the supply bin online had mixed components, leading to some in Chrome, some in Black. LOTUS - "we need 200 mirror stems @ 50p each - all in Black, for our new Supercar" SUPPLIER - "sorry chap, can do 100 Black & 100 Chrome @ 50p" LOTUS - "OK, that'll confuse the life out of restorers and detailists in thirty years or so..." I've seen similar things happen on new model Lotus. ATB Scott. Forget to add.......Matt, your car is stunning. I take my hat off to you. Love especially the number plates - I'm doing a tax disc holder, a dealer window sticker and a number plate dealer font from the 70's for mine. If they are succesful, I'll run you out a second set as yours was a Bell & Colvill car. ATB Scott. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Coleman Posted April 16, 2009 Report Share Posted April 16, 2009 LOTUS - "we need 200 mirror stems @ 50p each - all in Black, for our new Supercar" SUPPLIER - "sorry chap, can do 100 Black & 100 Chrome @ 50p" LOTUS - "OK, that'll confuse the life out of restorers and detailists in thirty years or so..." Hahaha you've probably hit the nail on the head there Scott Paul. Quote Lotus Esprit [meaning] a 1:1 scale Airfix kit with a propensity to catch fire Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt-watts Posted April 22, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 22, 2009 Well my car is just about finished it Quote Please let me know If you have a S1 esprit for sale 🙂 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverfrost Posted April 22, 2009 Report Share Posted April 22, 2009 Matt, Job well done on the restoration and thankyou for all the great up dates and pictures that you have have documented along the way they have been a pleasure to read and an insperation to all esprit owners. Would of liked to see the car in the flesh but could not get to this years meet, hopefully will see the car at another meet. Regards Danny Quote A Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nfulcher Posted April 22, 2009 Report Share Posted April 22, 2009 It was nice to meet you Matt at last and your mum and dad. Steve and I think you have done a superb job on restoring your Esprit and considering you only spent Quote Mike Kimberley's 'Can Do' Trim Guru Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USAndretti42 Posted May 1, 2009 Report Share Posted May 1, 2009 Simply stunning! I think that 8500 pounds is not too much for such an excellent restoration. I only wish I had half your skill and patience. Quote S4 Elan, Elan +2S, Federal-spec, World Championship Edition S2 Esprit #42, S1 Elise, Excel SE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GavinT Posted May 1, 2009 Report Share Posted May 1, 2009 Matt You should be very proud of what you have done. Car looks wonderful. Gavin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt-watts Posted October 8, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 8, 2009 Well I've had an eventful few months since my last post! The first job on the car was to fit my remote fire extinguisher as I had seen or heard of, so many Esprits going up in smoke It seemed to fit really well, I fitted its pull handle in the drivers door shut just below the boot release so its nice and handy I was very pleased with that so I moved on to my next job: On hot days the heat build up under an S1's engine cover is extreme so I decided to fit a small blower that is hidden out of sight and switched on automatically as needed I got a small bilge blower and with a bit of pipe and a plastic part for an old dell computer a made this The fan is very powerful so does not stay on for long as it cools the engine bay down so fast The fan unit is tucked away and the pipe comes up behind the header tank There is a small thermal switch mounted out of sight behind the rear most carb thats does the switching on/off I was busy driving the car and really enjoying it but, the 2 Quote Please let me know If you have a S1 esprit for sale 🙂 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Coleman Posted October 8, 2009 Report Share Posted October 8, 2009 Wow you've been busy Matt - it looks good You filled me with enthusiasm to get out there and look at mine again but it only lasted a milli-second and now its gone Cheers, Paul. Quote Lotus Esprit [meaning] a 1:1 scale Airfix kit with a propensity to catch fire Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winners Posted October 8, 2009 Report Share Posted October 8, 2009 As usual perfection from Matt! Typical just as I "winter" my car yours is back on the road. Mark Quote Look what Q's brought us. Isn't it nice! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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