Help in finding Essex Turbo Esprit

[waynef]

Hi all I am trying to trace my fathers Essex Esprit. He had one of the first ones to ever be released however he did not like the interior red and had this changed to a pale blue.

The Car was registerd on the plates C96 XEX.

I have done searches on the DVLA system and it does not give me any clues as to if it was scrapped. All i do know is that it has not been taxed.

I was only a child when my father had this car and apparently the boys at Hethel in the 80's knew Ian Filby quite well.

He unfortunately passed away at a young 53 and seeing as this is the car that started it all off for me would like to trace it.

So if anyone has any ideas as to the history or whereabouts I would be very grateful.

Thanks

Waynef

[Simon350S]

Cant help you sorry......

Just wanted to say good luck with your search...... hope you get lucky...

Simon

[matk]

There's something not right about the reg no you listed. If it was a genuine Essex it's an approx 1980 car (W reg year letter at END of no). Putting a C reg plate (C at BEGINNING of no) indicates 1986 car. It is illegal to put a plate on a car that has the effect of making it look newer than it is. Either this wasn't the right reg you've quoted, or it wasn't an original Essex (plent of later cars in the same colour), or it wasn't legal!

I'm really not trying to have a go, just wanted to inform you so you could recheck your info for better success? Either way I really hope you track the car.

[cbclotus]

Hi Waynef ,sorry to hear of your loss ,good luck with the search ,i had one of the first dry sump turbos after the essex cars ,love eseex turbos if i could afford one it would be an essex car i can only dream hope you find the car ,cheers mike s 3

[mayevora]

Just looking at the plate. C96XEX

3 black and yellow screw head covers in the right places ie middle of C, 9, & 6 would look like ESSXEX. ie a private plate. Good luck with the hunt.

Edited February 26, 2007 by mayesprit

[dodgy]

wayne , i am also a little concerned, the reg you gave us does not match to an Essex car, it is not possible to put a later reg on a earlyer car.

the reg is indeed for a lotus, but first registered 01/08/85 and was blue.

mine is a 'w' reg 81 car, and was approximately no more than the 24th car after the Essex ended

[WayneB]

Wayne , do you have a record of the cars VIN ?

We could probably figure out what it was from that.

And also it would be cool to see any pics you might have of it.

[nello]

Wayne - we have the Essex chassis list from the factory so any more more details I'm sure we could track it if it was indeed an Essex? Having said that I'm sure such a major change to the Essex spec from Red to Blue leather would have been noted?

Edited February 27, 2007 by nello

[waynef]

Chaps is it possible that my father could have had a later esprit Built by Lotus that had the original Essex stickers e.g. red and chrome made to his specification.

My father used to be in the oil industry and as far as I know the Essex was something to do within the petrolium industry as a marketing ploy. (correct me if i'm wrong)

What I am hoping is that some one in here knows or is one of the sales people in and around the early 80's at Hethel. My father also owned at the same time a brandnew Lotus Excel in silver A60 JEX.

So not sure if either of these two reg's will jog someones memory.

Thanks for the comments so far

Waynef

[matk]

Wayne

I've got to say looking at the above posts that your Dad's car prob wasn't an original Essex. These cars all had dry sumps and a Panasonic stereo mounted in the roof. From the reg and Dodgy's post looks like a standard 1984 era S3 Turbo in Essex Blue.

YES it is poss that the Essex graphics were applied. I've seen pics of a white one that had had this done, and the recent parts sale showed the stickers as still available.

The Essex Turbo was produced in support of the (at that time) main sponsor of the F1 team Essex Petroleum. The cars were liveried to look like the F1 car of that year.

[Bibs]

There is lots of info and some more pics of the Essex on LEW here

[waynef]

Hi Chaps i'll try and get my brother to send over some pics from Spain of the actual car.

My fathers car was definately a dry sump as he always complained about oil checks this i do remember.

So I will endeavour to get his car pics online.

Thanks so far

Waynef

[cbclotus]

Hi Waynef ,ref the excell i think it might of been a lotus road test car ,just rember the reg ,cant find my Elite Eclat Excell road test book ,brooklands i think at the moment ,may be some one could check this out if they have the book ,might be wrong though ,good luck any way mike s 3

[waynef]

Well chaps thank you all for the useful feedback.

I spoke with my brother last night who lives in spain and he has confirmed that the Esprit is an Turbo Esprit and is made out in identical Essex Livery. The give away is the photo I have of it shows that it had a removable roof as per later Esprits.

I think this should make it easier for me to trace now as I now know it is an 85-86 model surely Lotus can't have made too many replica Essex Turbos at the factory. My brother is going to send the pics this week and hopefully the original reciept for the car from the Factory.

From asking around it appears the car was involved in a fatal accident not long after being sold, so I expect it is written off.

Thanks guys photos will follow shortly.

Thanks for mentioning the stereo in the roof as this was definately not present in this particular car.

Waynef

[Kato]

LEW's 84 Turbo is A65 JEX. Close buy no cigar!

[psteinb]

Wayne - we have the Essex chassis list from the factory so any more more details I'm sure we could track it if it was indeed an Essex? Having said that I'm sure such a major change to the Essex spec from Red to Blue leather would have been noted?

CAN YOU PLS POST THIS ESSEX CHASSIS LIST?

I have a 1980 Turbo Esprit chassis #...10939 (nov.1980) - i want to see where it fits in???