You just came up as a recomended video and I am glad you did. subscribed and very keen to see how this car gets rebuilt. I actually live just down the road from the lotus factory and my father worked for the GT race team in the 1990s. so Lotus is a big part of my life and upbringing.
I like that you seem to be doing a complete video series from start to finish. Unlike some,…ie Tavarish. He was going to restomod a Lotus TE,…then I see he is now selling it,..without doing much to it. 😡
Thinking it would take some work to brace the chassis for racing with a backbone rather than the perimeter frame in Corvettes. The Viper is similar. The Corvette has a problem that the occupants are sitting on composite rather than steel, though.
I'm nearly certain it will be yellow but an electric blue similar to the new emira would be nice as well. a ways to go before I have to worry about that thought
Brake lines aren't worth even trying to save; just cut them wherever there's a problem. Then it's £25 worth of cunifer pipe and a flaring tool to make new ones that you can fit easily.
Believe it or not, for the year, the Esprit fared better than many other cars because its monocoque chassis did quite well in impact tests. Also, what you don’t see that’s been removed is a heavy steel cross member support that runs from the driver’s side door, across the underside of the dashboard and bolts to the passenger side door. Where it ties to the door jambs is another steel pillar running vertically. Combine that with the beams inside the doors and it’s not as unprotected as the pics of it stripped body conveys. But yes, a rollbar would bring added safety but also weight.
Interesting... I owned a Europa (that things' Father basically) Esprit was a much prettier body shape though. Still the same car ..except for using Opel suspension bits rather than Triumph. I had the body Off the backbone frame TWICE during my 12 years of ownership. All in attempts to preclude the constant mechanical failures. These cars feature Many serious design Effups... virtually in Every area from top to bottom. Even in the seat structures !. Clear example on Yours ... being the water hose posing as a Universal joint on the steering shaft /pinion. Appalling actually ..Seriously puting the Lie to Lotus engineering prowess. Do replace any and ALL oem Suspension bolts . One Real problem was that Bolt and rubber bung holding the rear triangular trailing arms to the chassis. They have tendancy to Fail in use ! I had one of the Europas wheels / suspension Collapse.. TWICE. Trully exciting events. Avoid that scenario at all costs. Eventually... I realised there was NO possibilty of 'fixin' this thing to a reasonable standard
Wow! Thanks for the heads up. Better than 90% of the nuts and bolts on this car will get replaced because they’re corroded beyond the point of wise usability. But yes, all critical structural bolts are getting replaced regardless. Thanks.
Just love your commitment, keep up the good work.
You just came up as a recomended video and I am glad you did. subscribed and very keen to see how this car gets rebuilt. I actually live just down the road from the lotus factory and my father worked for the GT race team in the 1990s. so Lotus is a big part of my life and upbringing.
Awesome!
Progress indeed! Thanks for posting.
I like that you seem to be doing a complete video series from start to finish. Unlike some,…ie Tavarish. He was going to restomod a Lotus TE,…then I see he is now selling it,..without doing much to it. 😡
chassis looks great!
I think so too but once I power wash it I’ll get a better idea of it’s true condition
Well that looks familiar. Congratulations on getting the body off. I commend you in doing it all yourself too. Well done!
Thank you.
if you watch the old videos of factory they lower the body onto frame nose first
Looking Tat the timeline this might turn out to be a 25 year job finished in 2050 and I hope we all will last that long to experience it!
Thinking it would take some work to brace the chassis for racing with a backbone rather than the perimeter frame in Corvettes. The Viper is similar. The Corvette has a problem that the occupants are sitting on composite rather than steel, though.
I didn’t realize until now that they have a fiberglass tub.
Oof.
Yeah. Heavy and thick stuff.
Change the body color. Azure blue? 🎉
I'm nearly certain it will be yellow but an electric blue similar to the new emira would be nice as well. a ways to go before I have to worry about that thought
Hopefully once the grommets are out from around the brakes lines, the brake lines should have to space to pop out
They fit through with the grommets in place so that should give you an idea the condition of the grommets
@@Rick_D , eeek!
You are making good progress
Brake lines aren't worth even trying to save; just cut them wherever there's a problem. Then it's £25 worth of cunifer pipe and a flaring tool to make new ones that you can fit easily.
That car has zero side impact protection. Its just the fiberglass body! You should add a rollcage...
Believe it or not, for the year, the Esprit fared better than many other cars because its monocoque chassis did quite well in impact tests. Also, what you don’t see that’s been removed is a heavy steel cross member support that runs from the driver’s side door, across the underside of the dashboard and bolts to the passenger side door. Where it ties to the door jambs is another steel pillar running vertically. Combine that with the beams inside the doors and it’s not as unprotected as the pics of it stripped body conveys. But yes, a rollbar would bring added safety but also weight.
Esprit isint monocoque is it if it's separate from body
@@paulhunter123 I may have been thinking about the Evora and Elise.
Interesting... I owned a Europa (that things' Father basically) Esprit was a much prettier body shape though.
Still the same car ..except for using Opel suspension bits rather than Triumph.
I had the body Off the backbone frame TWICE during my 12 years of ownership.
All in attempts to preclude the constant mechanical failures.
These cars feature Many serious design Effups... virtually in Every area from top to bottom. Even in the seat structures !.
Clear example on Yours ... being the water hose posing as a Universal joint on the steering shaft /pinion.
Appalling actually ..Seriously puting the Lie to Lotus engineering prowess. Do replace any and ALL oem Suspension bolts .
One Real problem was that Bolt and rubber bung holding the rear triangular trailing arms to the chassis.
They have tendancy to Fail in use ! I had one of the Europas wheels / suspension Collapse.. TWICE.
Trully exciting events. Avoid that scenario at all costs.
Eventually... I realised there was NO possibilty of 'fixin' this thing to a reasonable standard
Wow! Thanks for the heads up. Better than 90% of the nuts and bolts on this car will get replaced because they’re corroded beyond the point of wise usability. But yes, all critical structural bolts are getting replaced regardless. Thanks.