Right then better start my '77 S1 project...

[esprit s2]

Looks good! What are your plans for the interior?

[CharlieCroker]

Looks good! What are your plans for the interior?

 

That hideous interior is coming out! I will either find a good original complete interior or have this one recovered properly. Must have been the most ham fisted upholsterer ever who originally attempted this! 

[Dunc]

The interior might not be the most pert re-trim I have ever seen, but as elite S1 interiors go, it's not bad. I reckon you could find a buyer for it.

 

Is that shock in spax yellow?

 

I reckon a trip to halfrauds, some cutting compounds and a 240V polisher, and some autosol will have your little project looking much much sweeter!

:-)

NB, I could do with a sporty wheel for my race car project. unfortunately I don't have the standard one to offer as a swap. Once you've replaced it, we could maybe do a deal?

Edited February 24, 2014 by Dunc

[Dunc]

oh, and while your at halfords, the bumpers should be satin black. I used rattle cans from Halfords on my first eclat and did the sill covers while I was at it, and they looked brilliant. I filled and repaired all the cracks, repaired the bobbins and shored up the insides of the sill covers with P40, then about 40 mins with some sandpaper to key the surface and they sprayed up beautifully.

 

Probably the single best result per pound of expenditure I have ever had. Nice freshly sprayed bumpers in the correct colour look ace!

 

One thing to look at is the front seatbelt mount down on the sill. They are invisible until the sill covers are off, so the MOT man never really sees them, but they are made from mild steel and just dissolve. Lotus bits do replacements in stainless. If your taking the sill covers off to respray, then buy the mounts in advance! I didn't have to remove my mounts after taking off the sill cover - I swept them up....

[CharlieCroker]

Haha, all good advice. You can have the steering wheel for a £10 if you like, I've already found an original one in good order. Detailing is my speciality, by the time I've finished with this car the previous owner won't even belive it is the same car, I know a few tricks of the trade! Should hear her run tomorrow, new battery on the way and brakes are free, can't wait :-D

[CharlieCroker]

Look what came in the post this morning :-D 

 

[esprit s2]

A thing of beauty!

[CharlieCroker]

Thanks, quick question, put a new battery in today and to my surprise she started up straight off the bat. However I tried to find reverse and no matter what I tried she only goes forward! Is there a special technique to gain reverse? Cheers, Charlie :-)

[esprit s2]

Push down and right and back I think.

[CharlieCroker]

Thanks, managed to find it, not easy though considering how sloppy the lever is. So tonight was my first taste of the car running. Have to say, there's a fair bit if work ahead, clutch is screaming and will need to be changed. Rear left drum is binding, not all the electrics are working (no surprise) and the gear lever is very sloppy. So the engine will have to come out. But the engine sounds sweet, ticked over beautifully and purred nicely. Got a lot of potential this car, just need to eek it out of it.

Edited February 25, 2014 by CharlieCroker

[CharlieCroker]

Gear lever, before...

 

 

Middle...

 

 

After, locking ring nice and flat, as it should be. 

 

Just found out I have front adjustable coil overs 

 

Original sterring wheel in place.

 

 

Rear interior stripped out.

 

[vintaylor]

Wow that's quick progress right there!  Looking forward to seeing the replacement interior in place! 

 

What are the planned changes to the interior?

[CharlieCroker]

Hehe, I don't mess about! As far as the interior goes I'm hoping to find a either an original leather interior or get this one recovered professionally, will have to wait and see. I had to remove it on two counts, one it looks horrible and two it stinks! 

[vintaylor]

haha fair enough .. have you managed to get hold of a replacement gear knob?  It seems like your leather on your interior was simply placed over everything else ..

 

Do you think you could keep the dashboard in place?  That would make life much easier!

 

Have you driven the elite?  

[Mark Blanchard]

That coil and damper looks good. Normally they're rusty as hell and flaking.

[CharlieCroker]

haha fair enough .. have you managed to get hold of a replacement gear knob?  It seems like your leather on your interior was simply placed over everything else ..

 

Do you think you could keep the dashboard in place?  That would make life much easier!

 

Have you driven the elite?  

 

It's all coming out over time and replaced, a plan is developing in my head about what I want to do with the car, should be awesome if I pull it off, but we'll all have to be patient as time and money are always the sticking points. However I have a clear plan of action and little by little should come together nicely. Next on the list is get the lump out and change the clutch, so to answer your question no I haven't driven it other than around the drive. Doesn't need much to get going, the engine sounds sweeeet. 

[vintaylor]

haha .. well that's still more then I've driving the esprit !

[mat grant]

Thanks, quick question, put a new battery in today and to my surprise she started up straight off the bat. However I tried to find reverse and no matter what I tried she only goes forward! Is there a special technique to gain reverse? Cheers, Charlie :-)

 

Hi, I had the same issue with the beans gearbox in my eclat. Reverse was hard to get in, took a lot of lever travel, and jumped out loads under load. Second gear did the same. When I took the lever out, there was a small nylon piece that fitted where the end of the gear lever, it was broken, worryingly half of it was in the bottom of the gearbox somewhere(!). I trial fitted a new one of these pieces, but didn't run the car like this as the engine was coming out for a swap.

 

my memory is vague on this - it was a long time ago, and my car now has a different gearbox. It wasn't the only problem on my gearbox, it got noisier and noiser and had the feel of a part that was about to fall to pieces! But changing the nylon part did improve the location of the gear lever and selection seemed to be improved.

 

Cheers, Mat.

Edited March 4, 2014 by mat grant

[Herc]

The usual reason the Beans gearbox jumps out of reverse is that the reversing light switch is screwed too far into the rear of the gearbox.  If you get that problem, try slackening it off, put into reverse, then screw in until the light comes on.

 

Herc

[CharlieCroker]

Well that went well, no really well. Started the process of removing the engine and had almost no hassle what so ever. The previous owner did tell me that he had removed it before and as such not one bolt was hard to release, not even the exhaust nuts where they meet the manifold. So practically every ancillary is removed except for the water hoses and if a I had a crane the lump would now be out! I have a local garage who have said I can borrow theirs so hopefully if I get a new clutch kit by next week I can change it. I have noticed that the steering rack is leaking red oil so may have to change that unless someone knows otherwise? All good then, Charlie be very happy with progress and not only that the car is clean underneath, just need to remove surface rust and repaint.

One thing I wanted to ask, the starter motor comes out if I remove the last two bell housing nuts, is that correct? :-)

[esprit s2]

That is correct sir!

[CharlieCroker]

In for surgery.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bit of a mess...

 

 

Ready for daffodils...

 

 

Shite removed and cleaned.

 

[CharlieCroker]

Get in, the lump is out! Not as difficult as I thought, did have to take off the front bumper to gain another inch or two reach with the crane, but came out without extending the rig. There were a few precarious moments especially when the engine was hanging over the front, anyway its out and I can now replace the clutch which is down to metal! Photos Monday...

[mikeeech]

Great job Charlie.

[Herc]

Charlie

 

I've been meaning to mention to you,  if you are keen on a nice looking engine then it is worth considering the stainless nut / bolt set from Kemp High Performance on eBay:

 

 http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Lotus-Esprit-Stainless-Steel-engine-fastener-kit-907-engine-Jensen-Healey-/271163567931?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item3f229baf3b

 

Sure it's 100 quid, but I've been using for my engine rebuild and I can vouch that it is a pretty comprehensive set of nut, bolts, and studs.  There's no inlet manifold studs, but nor manifold to exhaust studs, but otherwise it is pretty much all there.  

 

Cheers

Herc

Edited March 16, 2014 by Herc