Tocus 179 1 Vehicles Report post Posted February 9, 2015 I also Bought a new dry sump esprit, its not in essex colours but its a early car with all the good things on it, = wheels, = panasonic roof panel = a good colour interior, Let me know what you think of this guys the chassis number is: AHD10951 does somebody has more info about this car? its In side the Netherlands Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stephenwhyte 1,233 Report post Posted February 9, 2015 That car was for sale at Uksportscars maybe 5 or so years ago - pretty sure the reg number is MPH**W........would that be right? Always thought the tobacco interior should have been in more Turbo interiors as it looks fab!!!' Great buy - nice work 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bazza 907 654 Report post Posted February 9, 2015 Looking at the Essex database it looks like the last Domestic market Essex was AHD 10950 so possibly the first non Essex Turbo Esprit?? Either way looks fantastic, especially the tobacco interior and Compomotive wheels. A real find, well done. 2 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Pits 3,730 1 Vehicles Report post Posted February 9, 2015 Congrats Bauke, I think this car deserves it's own thread. A super-rare car, be sure to keep us posted with your plans for it. I think black stripes and early Turbo graphics would finish it off very nicely. I believe you are a Lotus parts dealer so the ideal man to bring it back to its best. Everyone loves the tobacco brown leather, a real show stopper! If the car's ready in time it be fantastic to see it at the TLF event on May 10th. It looks like an original Bell and Colvill sticker in the rear 3/4 window, perhaps they might have something on record about the car? Lotus should also be able to come up with some useful info here: http://www.lotuscars.com/ownership/certificate-provenance You have to pay for it but I did it and consider it well worth it, particularly for such a rare car. Amazing also if it turns out to be the first Essex-spec car. As I mentioned on Facebook already, my dry sump was the last of only 3 cars to leave the factory in 1981 in white with full Essex spec interior. So our cars might even be the first and last 'Essex Spec' cars! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hopo 146 2 Vehicles Report post Posted February 9, 2015 Looks geat, them wheels look fantastic. That interior is also devine! is it for sale? what are they asking?always thought they look great in silver Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cbclotus 494 Report post Posted February 9, 2015 yes great looking car .very very rare.Love it.Mike Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tocus 179 1 Vehicles Report post Posted February 9, 2015 the car has the certificate allready when i collect the car i will have it.. so then i can tell you, but the owner told me its a essex car, but the buyer how bought it dont want the essex colours on it, so thats why its silver... (pssst...the car comes for sale soon.. info please PM) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tocus 179 1 Vehicles Report post Posted February 9, 2015 and where could i find the essex database berrie? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cbclotus 494 Report post Posted February 9, 2015 my old dry sump car was 10 chassis numbers after your car.My car was opw679w.may of been one of the first cars to have had bbs wheels fitted.But had full black leather air con roof consul .I think your car was like mine some of the first cars to be sold in non Essex colours.Maybe using up the Essex spec parts .With not as many Essex cars deliverd .Great car to own .looks fantastic enjoy .Mike Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Pits 3,730 1 Vehicles Report post Posted February 9, 2015 If it was an Essex it would have full red leather, plus 'essex' on the engine etc. Maybe it was ordered at the time of the Essex cars but the original buyer didn't like the Essex colour scheme? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tocus 179 1 Vehicles Report post Posted February 9, 2015 Yess i thought that was the hole point Johny, but i will get soon the certificate from lotus so i know then, or they dont made any more cars into this colour, so they sell only other colours like monaco, white copper-red, and this silver and so on.. the 3th no Essex car had a white body colour, Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Pits 3,730 1 Vehicles Report post Posted February 9, 2015 very cool if yours was the first customer Essex spec car. Presumably though, the first non-essex turbos made by the factory were the For Your Eyes Only cars? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bazza 907 654 Report post Posted February 9, 2015 and where could i find the essex database berrie? I think that it is one of the old Essex threads. If you struggle PM me your email address and I'll send it to you. Just for clarification, not all Essex cars had the "Essex" cam covers. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stephenwhyte 1,233 Report post Posted February 9, 2015 (edited) These are from when the car was for sale at UKSportscars as mentioned above. I assume it's the same one. Here's the link to the list of early Esprit Turbos...... http://www.thelotusforums.com/forums/topic/14614-calling-all-early-g-turbo-esprits/?hl=%20early%20%20esprit%20%20turbo Edited February 9, 2015 by stephenwhyte Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Pits 3,730 1 Vehicles Report post Posted February 9, 2015 Must be the same car. Good spot. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ramjet 818 Report post Posted February 9, 2015 Bottom of post #7. I don't think Tocus is going to have it for long? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stephenwhyte 1,233 Report post Posted February 9, 2015 (edited) Must be the same car. Good spot. The strange thing is Jonny I can't find anything about this car on the Internet, no photos no adverts nothing. I've looked before and had the same problem. I'm glad I kept the photos Edited February 9, 2015 by stephenwhyte Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tocus 179 1 Vehicles Report post Posted February 10, 2015 Great find Stephen! thanks for the post, i must be the car, i think there is only one built with essex specs and a silver with tabacco interior, and yess, this car comes for sale when the engine overhaul is done, if there are people interested into the car, send me a PM. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Loose Cannon 540 1 Vehicles Report post Posted February 10, 2015 I have the rest of the pictures saved from the UK sportscars advert if anyone wants them. Surely the point of an Essex is the interior/exterior colours & stripes and numbered authenticity.Without these it's a dry sump with a roof stereo isn't it? Rare, but not an Essex. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Pits 3,730 1 Vehicles Report post Posted February 10, 2015 Equally, someone could also argue that an Essex is just a blue high spec dry sump Turbo with some decals! I don't subscribe to that view but I could see how someone could. In terms of rarity, there are fewer cars in this spec in silver than Essex cars! A perfect copper bronze dry sump with a roof stereo would surely make something close to Essex money too? The roof stereo makes it very special and is one of the things I like most about the Essex too. Aside from being ultra cool it also tidies up the centre console and stays true to Chapman's audacious original vision for the Turbo. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tocus 179 1 Vehicles Report post Posted February 10, 2015 Yes Mark ( Loose cannon) please send me the H.Q pictures on a PM or my mail, i think you still have my mail inside the mail box somewhere, where are both also many times on the elite/eclat/excel forum... my car is just not bleu with the silver stripe, i could respray it so it brings 10.000 more ? i think its a rare orginal FIRST car, and this owner just dont want essex colours, so he had a rare car, all the ones before where bleu, he had a silver car! hahah LOL Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bibs 8,103 4 Vehicles Report post Posted February 10, 2015 Unless it's Essex Blue, has the whole Essex package and is recognised by Lotus as an Essex and on the list, it's not an Essex. While Lotus were building the Essex cars there were other dry sump turbos on the line which received many of the same parts, even the roof stereo and Essex cam covers but that doesn't make it an Essex. Painting it blue and selling it as a genuine Essex would be akin to fraud imo. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PhilW 274 Report post Posted February 10, 2015 Tocus Leave it alone. It is perfect as it is. However back in the early 80's when I could never decide whether to m........e in front of my picture of Kim Wilde on my bedroom wall or of my picture of an Essex Esprit I would never have imagined and still cant why on earth anyone would want a car in "normal" colours rather than in Essex livery. Absolutely beyond me!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Pits 3,730 1 Vehicles Report post Posted February 10, 2015 Will you have a word with those V6 S with the 'Cup look' decals I don't think an Essex recreation would fool anyone. Bit pointless though, it's rarer and more interesting than a fake Essex as it is. Nothing wrong with a good honest Turbo in Essex blue though, there are a couple on here! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bibs 8,103 4 Vehicles Report post Posted February 10, 2015 I owned one briefly! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites