tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36941474609318403232024-03-17T20:03:27.805-07:00S1 Lotus Esprit RestorationThe full chronicle of my restoration of a 1977 Lotus Esprit Series 1Renn Ortenburgerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156669487722395199noreply@blogger.comBlogger57125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3694147460931840323.post-53921800819533158352013-04-14T20:34:00.000-07:002013-04-14T20:34:06.362-07:00Passed California SmogPassing California smog wasn’t easy. Even though the engine and Dellorto carbs were fully rebuilt, and even though I had a modern cat converter welded into the exhaust system, it still failed. In fact it failed so badly that my car was classified as a Gross Polluter. It’s the curse of death for any old car where the engine or emission systems aren’t working near perfectly, because now I needed to take the car to a certified referee. It turns out these guys go through your car with even more tediousness, as if their sole goal is to find something wrong and to send you home.<br><br>
Luckily I have some good friends at <a href="http://www.britishsportscars.com">British Sports Cars</a> in San Luis Obispo who helped me tune the Dellortos, which had a number of issues I wouldn’t be able to figure out on my own, and then I passed. I can’t thank them enough. Now the car is all but done. A few small jobs like a 4 wheel alignment and it’s on the road for good!<br><br>
<img src="http://imagehost.vendio.com/preview/re/rennvendio/lotus_esprit_smog.png"><br><br>Renn Ortenburgerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156669487722395199noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3694147460931840323.post-53783909354408586472013-03-11T00:48:00.001-07:002013-03-11T00:48:58.523-07:00Shaking Down the S1 Esprit, First Test DriveAfter getting a 30-day temporary permit from DMV it was time to start driving the car and iron out the problems and get the Esprit ready for California smog. So today was the day. It’s nerve racking to shake a car down for the first time after a frame-off restoration. A lot can go wrong. Goal #1 was to confirm oil pressure so I primed the system with the spark plugs out (essentially cranking the starter for several seconds each time for about 30-seconds total). With the plugs back in, the car fired up immediately and oil pressure was building on the gauge so that was a good feeling.<br><br>
Goal #2 was to then check for oil and water leaks, which there were several, although all easy to fix. Goal #3 was to select 1st gear, release the clutch, and pray that it engaged. It did, and with that I pulled the car out of the garage for the first time in 4-years under its own power. There were several stops along my 2-mile journey to check for leaks, smoke, steam, fire, anything potentially catastrophic. <br><br>
I had spent a lot of time preparing for this step, so I was lucky not to have a lot of drama. The next step is to get the exhaust system welded up with the cat-converter so I can pass smog, install the rear valance and passenger side door, and the project is done!<br><br>
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<img src="http://imagehost.vendio.com/preview/re/rennvendio/lotus_esprit_s1_interior.jpg"><br><br>Renn Ortenburgerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156669487722395199noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3694147460931840323.post-52551748410564007002013-02-19T00:10:00.000-08:002013-02-19T00:10:23.307-08:00Replacing the Wiper Switch, Indicator StalkFinding a replacement for the indicator stalk on my Esprit was not possible, so I found an aftermarket switch used on a similar year car, which ended up being a Land Rover Series 3. The switch is identical to the original except that the connector pins are different, meaning you can’t connect it to the existing Esprit wire harness. More importantly, the actual stalk (or turn indicator arm) is bent the wrong way so it’s right up against the steering wheel. Both are pretty easy to fix. I ordered a set of Delphi GM 6 pin connectors and then re-wired the wire harness and the turn indicator to accept the same connector. Then, using a vice, I simply bent the stalk arm in the direction away from the steering wheel (carefully though as it seems like you can probably snap it in half if you go too far).<br><br>
I picked up a new wiper arm switch, which is identical to a Triumph 2000, and then re-wired it using the same Delphi connectors I used for the turn indicator stalk.<br><br>
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Renn Ortenburgerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156669487722395199noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3694147460931840323.post-84011934422403386772013-02-18T23:52:00.000-08:002013-02-19T12:57:51.188-08:00S1 Lotus Esprit Dashboard Restoration, Interior ProgressWith the interior completely re-trimmed, I’m starting to put all the pieces back into the car. So far the hardest job was changing the structure of the dashboard to mirror the look of the European cars. As far as I can tell, the difference in a US car is a bulgy piece of trim that runs parallel to the length of the dashboard which limits the size of the glove box lid. I always liked the look of the European dashboards better, without the trim piece, and with the larger glove box lid. So I fabricated the fiberglass to be able to accept the larger glove lid and ordered the Euro spec part from SJ Sportscars, mocking it all up prior to being reupholstered. Luckily everything fit nicely after coming back from the trimmer and I could get the dash back into the car.<br><br>
All of the other pieces fit well so now the remaining job is to route the aluminum trim that surrounds the center of the dash and down the center console.<br><br>
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<img src="http://imagehost.vendio.com/preview/re/rennvendio/lotus_esprit_s1_interior_side_001.JPG">Renn Ortenburgerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156669487722395199noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3694147460931840323.post-56493489293690868422013-02-18T23:30:00.001-08:002013-02-18T23:30:56.670-08:00Installing the Rear Hatch Glass, Windshield on my S1 Lotus EspritThis was a hard job. If I could do it over again, I would probably just keep each section of glass bonded into the car and removed the trim pieces prior to sanding and painting the exterior. The biggest issue with replacing the glass is finding suitable spacers that go between the fiberglass frame recess and the glass itself. If the spacer is too low then the glass sits too low and the aluminum trim pieces don’t fit flush with the body. If the spacers are too high then you have the opposite problem. I ended up buying 7 mil thick ‘hard rubber’ matt on eBay an then cutting the spacers from that, which worked perfectly for both the windshield and rear hatch glass. The next step was to mask a roughly 1 inch border on the underside of the glass where I then applied the window sealing primer. I had to brush two coats of primer to completely eliminate the transparency of the glass.<br><br>
I had never bonded in a windshield so it was all new territory for me. It’s definitely an art. Once you start to apply the bead of sealant onto the window frame you quickly realize that you’re only going to have one go at it. And once the glass is put into the recess and on top of the sealant, it’s possible to move it once, maybe a few millimeters, but then that’s it. I imagine the factory probably had a special jig for this to get the fitment perfect, but none of that was available to me. So with the help of my wife and a little luck, we put the glass into place and as straight as possible. After a few days I drenched the window glass with water to find leaks, which there were many, and then filled them in using a ‘body filler’ squeegee. I just applied more of the sealant in the areas where there were leaks and then kept re-testing with water. It took a long time and you need to eliminate all the leaks prior to snapping in the aluminum trim pieces (where afterwards you can’t remove them without ruining). It was a lot of steps for what looked like a straightforward job!<br><br>
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Windshield masked and ready for the primer.<br><br>
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The spacers go at the very edge of the glass, not where you see them here.<br><br>
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I used 3M single stage primer and fast curing urethane adhesive.<br><br>
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The windshield bonded in and the marks all lined up.<br><br>
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Windshield sealed, trimmed and ready to go!
Renn Ortenburgerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156669487722395199noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3694147460931840323.post-8550833010968032612013-02-18T23:03:00.000-08:002013-02-18T23:03:18.193-08:00Re-Trimming the Center Console & Window Switch GearThe plastic window switch plate that fits into the center console of my car was warped beyond repair so I purchased a new one from SJ and then cut all the openings for the new window switches and the new choke warning switch. I stripped and re-painted the choke pull lever and mocked it all up in the car to make sure everything fit. Then the switch gear was sent to the re-trimmer to get covered and the gear shift gaiter fitted.<br><br>
I ended up modifying the center console to delete the radio as I didn’t want one in my car, so that section was covered by the re-trimmer and then we attached the chrome trip pieces that wrap around the center console and onto the dash. Overall an insane amount of work for just a few interior pieces!<br><br>
<img src="http://imagehost.vendio.com/preview/re/rennvendio/lotus_esprit_s1_window_switch_tray.JPG"><br><br>
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<img src="http://imagehost.vendio.com/preview/re/rennvendio/lotus_esprit_s1_center_console.JPG"><br><br>Renn Ortenburgerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156669487722395199noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3694147460931840323.post-74797722113507264602013-02-18T22:55:00.000-08:002013-02-18T22:55:10.824-08:00Replacing the S1 Lotus Esprit Oil Pressure SenderI accidentally threw away the oil pressure sender when I removed the engine. Wish I hadn’t done that as finding a genuine replacement would turn out to be impossible. Rumor had it that the oil pressure sender on the S1 Lotus Esprit was out of a Fiat X19 (same because both cars used Veglia gauges), so I picked one up on eBay. It wasn’t the same, so in order to mate the stainless steel oil pipe to the sender, I needed to organize a Frankenstein array of fitting adapters to connect that pipe to the actual sending unit. The adapters needed were a M14 1.5 Female to 6AN Male to a 6AN to 6AN Female Union to a 6AN Male to 1/8 BSP Male. With that everything fit, although I’m still yet to figure out if the sender will even work!<br><br>
<img src="http://imagehost.vendio.com/preview/re/rennvendio/lotus_esprit_s1_oil_pressure_sender.JPG">Renn Ortenburgerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156669487722395199noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3694147460931840323.post-23058650562684796122013-02-18T22:52:00.002-08:002013-02-18T22:52:48.074-08:00Upgrading the S1 Lotus Esprit Fan SwitchThe original S1 Esprit had a fan switch embedded into a long aluminum cooling pipe that runs from the top of the engine to the ‘chassis tunnel’ cooling pipes. By the look of my car and all the water damage around the pipe when I removed it, these switches were prone to leaking. So I cut that section out of a new aluminum pipe and replaced the fan switch with what should be a more reliable solution. I used a 32mm water temperature sender adapter and an aftermarket fan switch to fit the 1/8 npt recess.<br><br>
<img src="http://imagehost.vendio.com/preview/re/rennvendio/lotus_esprit_fan_switch.jpg">Renn Ortenburgerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156669487722395199noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3694147460931840323.post-82618425954614868082012-10-25T00:43:00.002-07:002012-10-25T00:43:47.653-07:00Finishing the S1 Lotus Esprit Front Boot AreaThe front ‘boot’ section of the S1 Lotus Esprit was never finished quite right from the factory. Even on the best of cars straight from the factory, the finish of the fiberglass was pretty rough looking. When the car was being prepared for paint, I spent some time evening out areas where there were major imperfections like air pockets, delaminated fiberglass, dry matte in areas, etc. After the car was painted, I re-masked the area and had it sprayed with the same ‘Line X’ type coating that I finished the wheel wells with.<br />
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From there everything started to go back in, starting with the brake and clutch cylinders and stainless steel lines to complete the hydraulic systems. Then I wired the cooling fans, turn indicator and fog lights, headlights and headlight motor, as well as secured the relays, wiring and grounds. I installed a new windshield washer bottle as well as the ‘hood release’ micro switch that sits just above it. The last step was to re-install the spare wheel and tire, where I fabricated a new mounting bracket that makes it easier to remove everything when I need to. It’s looking pretty good now! <br />
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<img src="http://imagehost.vendio.com/preview/re/rennvendio/lotus_esprit_s1_front_boot_area.jpg" /><br />
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<img src="http://imagehost.vendio.com/preview/re/rennvendio/lotus_esprit_front_boot.jpg" />Renn Ortenburgerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156669487722395199noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3694147460931840323.post-67623668681258986632012-10-25T00:37:00.003-07:002012-10-25T00:37:45.834-07:00Sourcing the Original Lotus Esprit S1 Door MirrorsThe Raydot mirrors used on the S1 Lotus Esprit are hard to come by, mostly because they were used on the S1 and a few other cars equally as rare. After a long search I was lucky to find a decent pair on eBay and grabbed them quickly. After a little work to bring them back to life, I installed them back on the car to complete the job.<br />
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<img src="http://imagehost.vendio.com/preview/re/rennvendio/lotus_esprit_s1_door_mirror.jpg" /><br />
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Renn Ortenburgerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156669487722395199noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3694147460931840323.post-5558256969828266132012-02-05T06:30:00.000-08:002012-02-05T06:31:52.040-08:00Restoring the S1 Lotus Esprit Steering Wheel<div>As my S1 Esprit originally had a brown marcasite interior, the steering wheel itself was wrapped in a brown material. I had the steering wheel re-covered in black leather to match originality (at least from the perspective of the S1 Esprits with green/tartan/orange). I am still hunting for the foam “Lotus” center button, but hopefully I’ll have some luck finding a replacement or I’ll simply fabricate it from the old one.<br /><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><img src="http://imagehost.vendio.com/preview/re/rennvendio/lotus_esprit_s1_steering_wheel_restored.jpg" /><br /></div><div><br /></div>Renn Ortenburgerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156669487722395199noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3694147460931840323.post-62005011268768917522012-02-05T06:29:00.000-08:002012-02-05T06:30:26.082-08:00Fabricating the S1 Lotus Esprit Headliner & A-Pillars<div>My Esprit didn’t have a headliner as the previous owner had removed it and glued in a new section of material directly to the roof. The material had expired over time, so I had to scrape and pry it away in order to have a clean surface to adhere the new section. Once removing the old material, I cut a template using contact paper and then sent it to a plastics fabricator that cut a section from 1/8 thick ABS. From there it was sent to the upholsterer and covered. We were careful to match the original stitch pattern, as well as use the correct color thread. The A-Pillars were also covered at this stage as well as the firewall trim behind the seats. Next up are the door cards, center console, and intermediate dashboard.<br /><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div><img src="http://imagehost.vendio.com/preview/re/rennvendio/lotus_esprit_s1_headliner.jpg" /><br /></div><div><img src="http://imagehost.vendio.com/preview/re/rennvendio/lotus_esprit_s1_firewall_trim.jpg" /><br /></div><div><img src="http://imagehost.vendio.com/preview/re/rennvendio/lotus_esprit_s1_apillars.jpg" /><br /></div></div><div> </div><div><br /></div>Renn Ortenburgerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156669487722395199noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3694147460931840323.post-62463023008964364832012-01-22T16:42:00.000-08:002012-01-22T16:48:48.309-08:00Starting to Re-trim the Interior PiecesI’m excited to be transitioning to the interior work. In my opinion, the original S1 Esprit interior (green/tartan/orange) was absolutely stunning and perfect for the time period in which the car was delivered. I’m looking forward to replicating originality as reasonably as possible having purchased “old stock” material from England and working with a local re-trimmer that is well skilled for the job.<br /><br />The first pieces to come back were the instrument binnacle and the steering column cover, which I had covered in light grey Alcantara. The pieces were originally painted grey (no fabric), so my approach is a small deviation from original but I think the result will look better and stand up better to the elements. So far so good!<br /><br /><img src="http://imagehost.vendio.com/preview/re/rennvendio/lotus_esprit_s1_instrument_binnacle.jpg" /><br /><br /><br /><img src="http://imagehost.vendio.com/preview/re/rennvendio/lotus_esprit_s1_steering_column_cover.jpg" />Renn Ortenburgerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156669487722395199noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3694147460931840323.post-59125931313456432372012-01-15T16:57:00.000-08:002012-01-15T16:59:19.745-08:00Restoring the Original S1 Lotus Esprit Jack & Tool SetEven though the original S1 Esprit tool set is completely useless if the car ever breaks down (just two wrenches and pliers!), it was still nice to have the original tool and jack set. After sending all the pieces out to get re-coated and plated, the end result came out as good as original. I’ll carry a full arsenal of tools with me when I finally get the car back on the road.<br><br><br /><br /><img src=" http://imagehost.vendio.com/preview/re/rennvendio/lotus_esprit_s1_jack.jpg" /><br><br> <br /><img src="http://imagehost.vendio.com/preview/re/rennvendio/lotus_esprit_s1_tool_kit.jpg " /><br><br>Renn Ortenburgerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156669487722395199noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3694147460931840323.post-12305291868559909662012-01-15T16:54:00.000-08:002012-01-15T16:57:06.126-08:00Starting the Monumental Task of Restoring the Lotus Esprit S1 InteriorThe original Esprit S1 interior was very fragile. Most of the pieces are held in with glue, clips or wood screws, meaning that most of the interior bits either work themselves free, break, or rattle themselves to death over time. Since I’m starting from a clean slate, I hope to fix or improve the majority of interior issues that plagued early S1 Esprits.
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<br />The first step was to cut patterns and install the heat shield and sound deadening material so the cockpit will be quiet and cool. From there I cut patterns for the carpet (14 pieces in total) from scratch. It was a long process!
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<br />I matched the original carpet color as best as possible - in the end bright orange trade show carpet was the best match and a 10 x 10 piece was enough for the job. Since trade show carpet is usually only used once before being thrown away, there are different grades available. Get the best you can as the cheap stuff is really bad.
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<br />After cutting the carpet patterns I searched for the binding material, then sent all the pieces out to be bound. The end result looks pretty good!
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<br />Lastly, I lined the top of the dashboard with grey Alcantara, which is a suede-like material resistant to UV and fading. I know the original S1 Esprits used grey paint on the dashboard and binnacle areas, but I am opting for the Alcantara as I think it will look better. Time will tell!
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<br /><img src="http://imagehost.vendio.com/preview/re/rennvendio/s1_lotus_esprit_carpet_set.jpg " /><br /><br /></div><div><img src="http://imagehost.vendio.com/preview/re/rennvendio/lotus_esprit_s1_carpet_with_binding.jpg " /><br /><br /> </div><div><img src="http://imagehost.vendio.com/preview/re/rennvendio/carpet_binding.jpg " /><br /><br /> </div><div><img src="http://imagehost.vendio.com/preview/re/rennvendio/lotus_esprit_s1_dashboard.jpg " /><br /><br /> </div><div><img src="http://imagehost.vendio.com/preview/re/rennvendio/lotus_esprit_s1_tub_interior.jpg " /> </div><div> </div><div>
<br /></div>Renn Ortenburgerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156669487722395199noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3694147460931840323.post-21513351367025701082011-12-29T22:40:00.000-08:002011-12-29T22:42:03.088-08:00Attaching the European Rear Valance and BumperThe S1 Lotus Esprit had two styles of rear bumper/rear valance depending on which region of the world the car was delivered. The USA cars had a less desirable style thanks to the Federal bumper regulations back in the day. The bumpers were enormous – so big that it makes the car look out of proportion. The EURO style is by far a better looking option in my opinion so I opted to replace all the old pieces with new bodywork sourced from England.<br /><br />This introduced several problems though as the EURO bumpers and valance were not designed to bolt directly up to the USA spec body. The solution was to re-work the rear bumper mounting points, fabricate additional support mounts for the rear valance and buy a EURO spec silencer mounting channel (yes, there was a different style for US cars!!) as it makes the exhaust sit higher and clear the opening for the exhaust pipes. At the end of the day, it was really expensive and time consuming to change a USA car over to EURO spec. Hopefully the end result will be worth it!<br /><br /><img src="http://imagehost.vendio.com/preview/re/rennvendio/lotus_esprit_s1_back.jpg" />Renn Ortenburgerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156669487722395199noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3694147460931840323.post-40863523618328611072011-12-29T22:38:00.000-08:002011-12-29T22:40:09.054-08:00Applying the Waistline TrimThe Lotus Esprit has a seam at its centerline where the two fiberglass halves were bonded and glassed together at the factory. A set of plastic trim covers the seam and surrounds the entire car. Having removed mine when I started the bodywork, it was time to re-apply the new trim sections. The material was easy enough to apply using a heat gun and the right compound of glue. In all it’s a full-day job to cut, align, and bond the trim. You can’t get it wrong because if you need to pull the waist trim off the car once the glue dries, it usually takes the paint with it. <br /><br /><br /><br /><img src="http://imagehost.vendio.com/preview/re/rennvendio/waist_line_trim.jpg" /><br /><br /><img src="http://imagehost.vendio.com/preview/re/rennvendio/wiast_line_trim_wheel_arch.jpg" /><br /><br /><img src="http://imagehost.vendio.com/preview/re/rennvendio/wiast_line_trim_back.jpg" />Renn Ortenburgerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156669487722395199noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3694147460931840323.post-85238730063565755612011-12-29T22:37:00.001-08:002011-12-29T22:38:22.741-08:00Restoring the Lotus Esprit Engine Bay CoverAlthough I’ve never been a big fan of the early Esprit engine cover (it looks a lot like Lotus ripped it off an old vintage boat!), it’s another piece that had to be restored. I sanded down the exterior, fixed some stress cracks, and painted it using standard Detroit automotive primer (the stuff they primer modern US cars with). It’s a semi-gloss black – the same color I used to spray both the front and rear bumpers. <br /><br />The back of the engine cover was cleaned and then I re-applied a layer of heat shielding material to replace the old. The new mounting fixtures were powder coated and re-applied. The edge seal was replaced with a 1991 BMW E30 trunklid seal. It had almost the same dimensions and fit perfectly, and a lot cheaper than sourcing it from England. <br /><br /><img src="http://imagehost.vendio.com/preview/re/rennvendio/lotus_esprit_engine_cover_top.jpg" /><br /><br /><img src="http://imagehost.vendio.com/preview/re/rennvendio/lotus_esprit_s1_engine_cover_back.jpg" />Renn Ortenburgerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156669487722395199noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3694147460931840323.post-50710003363016900482011-12-29T22:20:00.001-08:002011-12-29T22:36:48.016-08:00Finishing the Underside of Engine & Exhaust Area, Wheel Wells<p class="MsoNormal">After the body was painted, there was still a lot of work in finishing the wheel wells and the top side of the exhaust channel. I replaced all the old heat shield material with new and finished the wheel wells with a hardened textured liner. The backside of the rear valance was also completed with heat shield material, as well as extra mounting hardware to keep it fixed to the body.</p><br /><br /><img src="http://imagehost.vendio.com/preview/re/rennvendio/lotus_esprit_wheel_well.jpg" /><br /><br /><img src="http://imagehost.vendio.com/preview/re/rennvendio/lotus_esprit_underside.jpg" />Renn Ortenburgerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156669487722395199noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3694147460931840323.post-7505571839631797602011-09-10T13:30:00.000-07:002011-09-10T15:18:11.917-07:00Paintwork is Done – Lotus Esprit S1 in Monaco WhiteAfter several months and hundreds of hours, it was a great feeling to see the car painted, clear coated, and polished. Every visible inch of the car was wet sanded and polished, leaving no orange peel and an excellent finish. The wheel wells were re-undercoated as well as the front boot area with a heavy material resistant to vibration.<br /><br />My goal was to get the body in better condition than my S1 Esprit left the factory in 1977, and because I spent dozens of hours reinforcing areas that were previously prone to stress cracks and spider webbing, my hope is that it stays that way for a long time.<br /><br /><img src="http://imagehost.vendio.com/preview/re/rennvendio/lotus_esprit_s1_monaco_white.jpg" /><br />A pretty cool shot of the body shell and chassis. With the help of three guys<br />it was back onto the chassis.<br /><br /><img src="http://imagehost.vendio.com/preview/re/rennvendio/s1_lotus_esprit_front_bonnet.jpg" /><br />The front hood required a lot of work to ensure a completely flat surface. <br /><br /><img src="http://imagehost.vendio.com/preview/re/rennvendio/s1_lotus_esprit_light_pods.jpg" /><br />A finished set of S1 Lotus Esprit headlight pods.<br /><br /><img src="http://imagehost.vendio.com/preview/re/rennvendio/s1_lotus_esprit_rear_valance.jpg" /><br />The original rear valances were too thin and prone to being ripped apart<br />by the exhaust system behind it. My new rear valance was reinforced with<br />several layers of fiberglass to make it stronger.<br /><br /><img src="http://imagehost.vendio.com/preview/re/rennvendio/s1_lotus_esprit_fuel_tank_caps.jpg" /><br />Even my fuel caps needed repairs. There were hours in these alone.<br /><br /><img src="http://imagehost.vendio.com/preview/re/rennvendio/lotus_esprit_s1_rear_hatch.jpg" /><br />A nice shot of the S1 rear hatch, which is pretty light without the glass!<br /><br /><img src="http://imagehost.vendio.com/preview/re/rennvendio/lotus_esprit_door.jpg" /><br />One of the empty door shells. A lot of work ahead to get these back onto<br />the car with all the door internals.<br /><br /><img src="http://imagehost.vendio.com/preview/re/rennvendio/lotus_esprit_s1_rocker_panel.jpg" /><br />One of the rocker panels and door trim pieces, ready to rivet back onto<br />the body.Renn Ortenburgerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156669487722395199noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3694147460931840323.post-62383758070613839912011-09-10T13:29:00.000-07:002011-09-10T14:49:39.388-07:00Fabricating the Lotus Esprit S1 Engine Carpet BoardsThe S1 Esprit came from the factory with a set of plywood carpet boards to cover various areas of the engine bay. Since you can see the majority of the engine compartment through the rear hatch, the carpet boards keep everything tidy by covering items like the fuel tanks, electrical wiring, fuel pump, and some of the smog equipment. <br /><br />My carpet boards were in bad shape - completely delaminated after 30+ years of constant heat and moisture cycles. The carpet was past its lifespan too, so I would need to replace everything. If you do the job yourself as opposed to ordering new parts from England, it’s a very time consuming job as there are several steps.<br /><br />Fortunately for me, the wood was in good enough shape to take patterns from and that saved me a lot of time. I traced the pattern onto new boards, then cut them out with a jigsaw. Some of the boards had access holes for electrical wiring and fuel hoses, so I made sure to replicate those too. From there, I ordered a roll of black automotive carpet and then traced the patterns from my freshly cut boards, getting them bound around the edges with black leather trim.<br /><br />The next step was to spray the exterior of the boards with black paint as to blend with the color of the carpet. From there, I glued the carpet to the boards and then re-attached new “L” brackets to fasten the boards back into the car.<br /><br /><img src="http://imagehost.vendio.com/preview/re/rennvendio/s1_lotus_esprit_old_carpet_boards.jpg" /><br />Some of the old carpet boards. The de-lamination was bad and they<br />were falling apart. Time to replace.<br /><br /><img src="http://imagehost.vendio.com/preview/re/rennvendio/lotus_esprit_s1_caprte_board_cutouts.jpg" /><br />Two of the new carpet boards which cover each side fuel tank.<br /><br /><img src="http://imagehost.vendio.com/preview/re/rennvendio/lotus_esprit_carpet_board_pattern.jpg" /><br />The remaining carpet board pieces cutout and ready for carpet.<br /><br /><img src="http://imagehost.vendio.com/preview/re/rennvendio/lotus_esprit_s1_carpet_boards_fuel_tank.jpg" /><br />The side fuel tank boards after overlaying the new carpet sections.<br /><br /><img src="http://imagehost.vendio.com/preview/re/rennvendio/s1_lotus_esprit_assorted_carpet_boards.jpg" /><br />Getting closer at this point. I just needed to paint the boards black<br />and glue everything down.<br /><br /><img src="http://imagehost.vendio.com/preview/re/rennvendio/s1_lotus_esprit_rear_carpet_boards.jpg" /><br />There were a lot of pieces and a lot of steps. This took forever!Renn Ortenburgerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156669487722395199noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3694147460931840323.post-53633954456256163462011-09-10T12:18:00.000-07:002011-09-10T14:31:59.335-07:00S1 Lotus Esprit Rolling Chassis is CompleteAfter the body was sent out to be painted, I had a few weeks to complete the rolling chassis, spending time to ensure that everything was fastened correctly.<br /><br />After a thorough “nut and bolt” of the car, I took dozens of photographs to remember what it all looks like. Once the body is back on the car, it's a shame that 90% of the chassis will never be visible again. <br /><br /><img src="http://imagehost.vendio.com/preview/re/rennvendio/s1_lotus_esprit_rolling_chassis.jpg" /><br /><br /><img src="http://imagehost.vendio.com/preview/re/rennvendio/s1_lotus_esprit_chassis.jpg" /><br /><br /><img src="http://imagehost.vendio.com/preview/re/rennvendio/lotus_esprit_s1_crossgate_details.jpg" /><br /><br /><img src="http://imagehost.vendio.com/preview/re/rennvendio/lotus_esprit_s1_front_chassis_detail.jpg" /><br /><br /><img src="http://imagehost.vendio.com/preview/re/rennvendio/lotus_esprit_front_suspension.jpg" /><br /><br /><img src="http://imagehost.vendio.com/preview/re/rennvendio/lotus_esprit_s1_front_detail.jpg" /><br /><br /><img src="http://imagehost.vendio.com/preview/re/rennvendio/lotus_esprit_s1_rear_brake_assembly_detail.jpg" /><br /><br /><img src="http://imagehost.vendio.com/preview/re/rennvendio/lotus_907_engine_detail.jpg" /><br /><br /><img src="http://imagehost.vendio.com/preview/re/rennvendio/lotus_esprit_chassis_exhaust_detail.jpg" /><br /><br /><img src="http://imagehost.vendio.com/preview/re/rennvendio/s1_lotus_esprit_driveshaft.jpg" /><br /><br /><img src="http://imagehost.vendio.com/preview/re/rennvendio/lotus_esprit_s1_rear_hub_detail.jpg" />Renn Ortenburgerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156669487722395199noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3694147460931840323.post-12957612501928391792011-08-11T22:34:00.000-07:002011-08-11T22:50:10.262-07:00S1 Esprit in Primer and Ready for Paint<div>To those who have undertaken projects like this, the “primer” stage of the car represents a big win as the hard work in the body prep process is done and you can finally get on with painting the car. In all it took four months to fix the stress cracks and spider webbing, fill the pinholes and smooth out the areas of the gelcoat that were originally flawed.
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<br />Every inch of the car was looked after - even the wheel wells and chassis tunnel were stripped of the old undercoating, prepared and cleaned prior to this stage of the process.
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<br />The primer sealer was sprayed in multiple coats and a final guide coat revealed that all of the panels (especially those with large flat surfaces like the front hood and doors), were perfectly straight. The car will be painted in two stage paint (Glasurit), in Monaco White, then wet sanded and polished. There are still many days ahead of work ahead but the end is near!
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<br /> </div>Renn Ortenburgerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156669487722395199noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3694147460931840323.post-37831261372839018242011-05-22T23:03:00.000-07:002011-05-22T23:09:00.871-07:00Body Refinishing HellWith the body prep process well under way, I have already logged many hours sanding, scraping, prying, and cleaning various areas of the body. <br /><br />Overall this has been the most difficult, discouraging part of the restoration process. The body had many more stress cracks than I initially thought – most of them in really tough areas like the front and rear hatch drainage channels and the door sills. Essentially every area where something could be “slammed” closed (doors, rear hatch, front hood) had spider webbing everywhere and needed fiberglass repairs. Due to the contours of these areas, re-glassing and re-shaping took a long time. To fix the issue permanently, I added new layers of glass behind the visible surfaces to make them stronger. <br /><br />Another issue is that the soda blasting was harsh enough to expose a lot of the underlying defects in the gelcoat. This revealed hundreds of small pinholes or imperfections that needed to be re-filled. Lesson learned that it was probably a bad idea to have the body media blasted.<br /> <br />Focusing on the underside of the car and the wheel wells, it had a fine layer of undercoat which I’m halfway through removing (I’d like to have the underside refinished), and the chassis tunnel had thick foam bonded to it, which I’ve have the pleasure of scraping off, usually straight into my face and eyes as I work upside down!<br /><br />I opted to remove the rocker panels to make sure the underlying seat belt mounts weren’t rusted away (bad if I ever had an accident), but my panels were bonded which meant that I had to pry them away from the body. It wasn’t an easy job and I actually did more damage than good (my seatbelt mounts were perfect, no rust!!), so I ended up cracking the fiberglass in several areas of the rocker panels for no good reason. Both panels needed to be re-glassed in a few areas but that didn’t cost me too much time. <br /><br />At this point of the update, my doors are fully prepped along with the rear hatch, front hood, rear valance, rocker panels, and headlight pods. I still have a lot of work to do on the main body but most of the hard repairs are done. Now it’s just a matter of doing more block sanding and filling pinholes. I’m getting there, but I can’t wait until this stage is done – I’m over it!<br /><br /><img src="http://imagehost.vendio.com/preview/re/rennvendio/LotusEspritS1FrontProfile.JPG" /><br /><br /><br /><img src="http://imagehost.vendio.com/preview/re/rennvendio/S1LotusEspritBackProfile.JPG" /><br /><br /><br /><img src="http://imagehost.vendio.com/preview/re/rennvendio/LotusEspritRearQuarterGlassSill.JPG" /><br /><br /><br /><img src="http://imagehost.vendio.com/preview/re/rennvendio/LotusEspritRockerPanels.JPG" /><br /><br /><br /><img src="http://imagehost.vendio.com/preview/re/rennvendio/LotusEspritRearValance.JPG" />Renn Ortenburgerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156669487722395199noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3694147460931840323.post-27039384491926780262011-05-13T09:51:00.000-07:002011-05-13T09:57:54.356-07:00Rebuilding the Lotus Esprit S1 Radiator AssemblyThe S1 Lotus Esprit has a prominent radiator shroud (a huge piece of molded fiberglass which bolts underneath the front of the car and holds the radiator in place). Since the outer face is visible from underneath the car, it was important to get everything back to factory spec. Mine was in bad shape and broken in several places. Since the radiator was not properly secured (all of the fixing bolts had worked themselves free over time), the heavy radiator was jumping around inside the shroud which broke the fiberglass in several areas. I re-glassed the bits together and then added a few more layers to ensure the new assembly was stout. The process took a long time, mostly because the fiberglass cloth had to be cut in the right pattern in order to create a uniform pattern on the backside of the shroud assembly.<br /><br />From there, I sent out my radiator to get rebuilt and then welded a new metal radiator surround thanks to a kit supplied by SJ Sportscars. The old radiator fans (antiquated by today’s standards) were replaced with more reliable 7 x 2 inch fans. I needed to fabricate mounts for the fans to bolt directly to the radiator, but it was pretty easy to figure out. <br /><br />As the last step, I refinished the exterior of the fiberglass shroud assembly, fixing some curb rash and rock damage on the lower edges, as well as smoothing out the seams and pinholes that were left over by a shoddy build process at the Lotus factory. After fitting a new metal grille, mounting hardware and a strip of sealing foam, I bolted the radiator back in place. Now it's ready to mount back to the car.<br /><br /><img src="http://imagehost.vendio.com/preview/re/rennvendio/lotus_esprit_radiator_shroud.JPG" /><br />Working on the fiberglass radiator shroud after having<br />re-glassed the entire structure.<br /><br /><img src="http://imagehost.vendio.com/preview/re/rennvendio/lotus_esprit_s1_air_dam.JPG" /><br />The shroud after the color was applied.<br /><br /><img src="http://imagehost.vendio.com/preview/re/rennvendio/s1_lotus_esprit_cooling_fan_001.JPG" /><br />One of the aftermarket radiator fans.<br /><br /><img src="http://imagehost.vendio.com/preview/re/rennvendio/lotus_esprit_s1_ratiator_fans.JPG" /><br />The radiator fans attached to the radiator assembly.<br /><br /><img src="http://imagehost.vendio.com/preview/re/rennvendio/lotus_esprit_radiator_assembly_side.JPG" /><br />A side view of the radiator shroud, which was re-inforced<br />with three full layers of new fiberglass.<br /><br /><img src="http://imagehost.vendio.com/preview/re/rennvendio/lotus_esprit_radiator_grille.JPG" /><br />A new radiator shroud grille, which I had powder coated<br />in wrinkle black.<br /><br /><img src="http://imagehost.vendio.com/preview/re/rennvendio/lotus_esprit_s1_radiator_assembly.JPG" /><br />Job done!Renn Ortenburgerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156669487722395199noreply@blogger.com7