Ian's S4s refurb

[pete]

Looks good

[xmission]

Wow. What a difference. That looks fantastic.

[tomcattom]

That looks like a great result.

I hate doing paintwork, especially where it's visible, I always get frustrated by it and end up making a mess of things.

Got to do some painting on my headlamp pods imminently follow some repairs the to pivot points.

[Chillidoggy]

Another thing that’s been niggling me for years. Considering the S4s cost £52K when it was new, you’d have thought Lotus might have put a bit of carpet up front at the time. Well, at least I did.

Unable to put up with it any longer, I made up a pattern and sent it off to Steve Margary. The original Esprit colour carpet is NLA, so wouldn’t quite match the boot, but it’s as close as possible. In any case, you can’t really see the two areas at the same time.

Steve did a really nice job on the horizontal bit and vertical bit at the front, Shan and I cut patterns then fitted the spare carpet around the sides, which was not too bad a job.

I’m pleased with the result, maybe a couple of areas that I could have done better but without removing half the mechanical bits and bobs, that’s as good as it gets.

My thanks to @Steve V8and his boss, Sharon, for another quality job at a great price.

[Giniw]

Nice job but as for the original lack of carpet I guess it makes sense since it's supposed to be the place of the spare wheel?

[Chillidoggy]

1 hour ago, Giniw said:

Nice job but as for the original lack of carpet I guess it makes sense since it's supposed to be the place of the spare wheel?

To me, it was penny-pinching given the cost of the car.

My carpet is easily removable, and the spare wheel still fits in there, with or without it. 

I stand corrected, but I believe Lotus subsequently put carpet in there for the V8 cars and also the GT3’s. 

[Sparky]

Yes, even the added-lightness GT3.

[Giniw]

Yes I was aware of the carpet in the GT3 but I thought it was precisely because it had no spare wheel, but in the V8 I don't know?

[Chillidoggy]

Thread resurrection time.

Early in August, with the knowledge that the epic Esprit d'Aventure trip was coming up, I ordered a cruise control kit from the US to save my right leg/knee/hip and make the long runs much more pleasant. Unfortunately, the kit arrived without the required control stalk. The supplier then sent a replacement switch, but due to incorrect scanning by the USPS, it didn't arrive in time for me to fit it before the event.

So, the driver's seat and steering wheel are now removed, and the battle of getting a portly pensioner into tight spaces/Lotus position will soon commence. Of course with the seat removed, the wife spotted a golden opportunity to clean in areas not usually accessible, and the driver's seat itself. I've also been instructed to remove the passenger seat for cleaning, all of which means that this could be a longer job than I anticipated.......

 

[xmission]

I've been debating the power steering upgrade. This would be a great time for that if you've ever thought about doing it.

[Chillidoggy]

1 hour ago, xmission said:

I've been debating the power steering upgrade. This would be a great time for that if you've ever thought about doing it.

The S4s already has power steering.

[xmission]

20 minutes ago, Chillidoggy said:

The S4s already has power steering.

Ah. Thanks. Didn't realize that.

 

I may try it over the winter.

[Chillidoggy]

Progress so far is best described as glacial. I must have spent hours just looking, measuring where possible, and checking, to work out the correct cable position to get the right amount of cable travel. I did however manage to drill a hole in the right place in the bulkhead with a long-series drill bit, and jiggle the cable in. I eventually decided to fabricate a bracket for the cruise cable next to the pedal box, the first of which, due to the limited access for measuring, turned out to be incorrect, and so I had to make another one. This one looks more promising, but sadly progress was halted by the supplied 10mm throttle pedal shaft clamp being too small, the Lotus pedal shaft is 12mm diameter.

I have now decided to fit a clutch switch, which will disengage the system when the clutch is depressed. I have a new brake switch so I'll use that. Just needs a bracket fabricating, and I reckon I can fit it to the inboard side of the pedal box.

No photos at this stage, 'cos there's not much to show for days of standing around, bent over, Lotus position, and pointing at things.

[snowrx]

Curious to see how you make out, cruise is some where on my to-do list. I have an old '80's aftermarket kit and a OEM Mazda RX-7 unit in the attic, but I'm assuming the electronics have gotten better over time with stepper motors vs. these old vacuum systems. Which kit did you select?

[Chillidoggy]

I’m using the Rostra Universal, with a left hand stalk.

[MrDangerUS]

Is it  Rostra model 250-1223 Universal ?  http://www.rostra.com/rostra-250-1223-universal-cruise-control.php

[Chillidoggy]

36 minutes ago, MrDangerUS said:

Is it  Rostra model 250-1223 Universal ?  http://www.rostra.com/rostra-250-1223-universal-cruise-control.php

 

It's the Universal kit.

Have you done this conversion, then? If so, I'd be pleased to receive any tips or advice on the subject.

[MrDangerUS]

No, I did not (yet), but I was looking at adapting Porsche 944 cruise configuration. However, I don't know if it is a "stand alone" system.

Here, I found video for Rostra:  

 

[Chillidoggy]

When the Rostra kit first arrived I originally had some misgivings. It's generic and although there are specific add-ons available for specific cars, of course the Esprit isn't one of them. So, there was a bit of working out the best way to do it. I did have some help from Jim Knowles, who provided me with his switch settings my thanks to him for that short cut.

I was first concerned (wrongly it now seems) about throttle cable travel. Throttle pedal bracket fabrication was required, and I had to work out my own wiring diagram incorporating a relay and the aforementioned switches as I have LED brake lights. This I got wrong the first time around and had to assume the Lotus position once more to correct my mistake. The instructions supplied weren't the best and the after-sales technical customer service was at best patchy, at worst, non-existent.

Selecting a position on the steering column shroud for the control stalk was tricky, although the stalk is supplied with two spacers cut at an angle so there's a lot of leeway. The idea is to get it accessible without removing the hand from the steering wheel, which I just about managed. It was awkward getting some of the wiring threaded through the bulkhead, and getting the loom secured so it didn't chafe, though.

I finally had the first test drive earlier today. I confess to being apprehensive  - what would happen when I pressed that button? Would I disappear off up the road into the sunset at a great rate of knots? Would anything happen at all?

Waiting until I'd cleared any traffic on the dual carriageway, at about 65mph I pressed the on button and 'set', then took my foot off the throttle. The system held that speed. I tried out the coast, resume, accel functions, they all did what they should. I'd already decided to incorporate a clutch switch as well as the brake switch, and both disengaged the system when either pedal was pressed, or it could be disengaged by using the on/off button on the control stalk. It works almost as well as the cruise control on my Focus, which I think is better at holding set speeds up and down hills.

At around 40 mph on A-roads, the Rostra varied a couple more mph than the Ford would have on steeper inclines, but I was in 5th gear though, and possibly should have been in fourth. On the flat and at 60 - 70 mph though, it was spot on, didn't seem to wander at all, varying as far as /I could tell by about 1 or 2 mph only on longer inclines.

I'm very pleased with this result, it will save the leg pain which has plagued me, and make the whole experience a much better one, even on shorter journeys. On longer ones, such as the 'Esprit d'Aventure' French trip, it would have been heaven!
 

 

Cruise control module

 

Control stalk.

[Gjk]

Top job that Ian, you must be impressed now it’s all complete.

I’ll have to pop down and see your S4s again now it’s all back together….

[Chillidoggy]

16 hours ago, Gjk said:

Top job that Ian, you must be impressed now it’s all complete.

I’ll have to pop down and see your S4s again now it’s all back together….

 

'Relieved' is probably a better description!

Not quite all together though, as I'm waiting for new LED gauge bulbs to arrive from classiccarleds which have been delayed due to the chip shortage. Only then can I get the binnacle cover back on.

[stephenwhyte]

Just as an aside Ian - if you ever think that you’d like your steering wheel to be less shiny, and look as spanking new as the rest of your interior…..use a “magic sponge” on it. They work wonders at taking the shine out of leather whilst leaving an as new (matt) appearance👍

[Chillidoggy]

34 minutes ago, stephenwhyte said:

Just as an aside Ian - if you ever think that you’d like your steering wheel to be less shiny, and look as spanking new as the rest of your interior…..use a “magic sponge” on it. They work wonders at taking the shine out of leather whilst leaving an as new (matt) appearance👍

Thank you for the tip. I shall consult the interior refurbishment and cleaning department for her views on the matter.

[Bibs]

Buy them from Amazon too. You get enough to last years for pennies rather than JML's £8 each ones! 

eg - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cleaning-Melamine-Multi-Functional-Cleaner-Accessories/dp/B07K8MSR3J?th=1

[Chillidoggy]

Unsurprisingly, the Margate Exotics cleaning department already has no fewer than 3 of them in stock!