924Board.org

[Rich H]

...Lotus Esprits?

I'm looking at selling my Elise and going for a 1989 Esprit Turbo SE

Am I mental?
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1994 Lotus Esprit S4 - Work in progress...
1980 Porsche 924 S2 DITC Turbo - Original spec
1978 Homo-Sapiens - Tired spec
1953 Landrover S1 - Pensioner Spec

[CorsePerVita]

Those cars rock.
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- 1977 Porsche 924 2.0 N/A (Trackday Project)
- 1979 Porsche 924 2.0 N/A (The other daily)
- 1980 Porsche 931 (Daily)
- 1987 Lamborghini Jalpa
- 1999 Ducati 900SS

[BionicBalls]

I'm too big to fit into one. I drove one and my head was sticking above the windshield. They do look cool though.
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1980 924 NA
1982 931

[Slam]

Me too. I don't fit. But the cars are brutal fun (does that make sense?). Plus, I think they're downright gorgeous.
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'84 944 - kid blew motor
'83 944 - resting comfortably. For 12 years
'87 944 - sideswiped by trucker
'80 924 - gone
'78 924 - gone
'77 924 - rusting comfortably

[Khal]

[Rich H]

I prefer the look of the original 'G' car


But the Stephens remodel brought better reliability.


The earlier turbos have no charge cooling and make 216 0-60 in around 6 top end is 130 odd inboard rear discs and a citreon box running on twin Dellortos

The Esprit Turbo SE is a Stephens but they are 260 bhp and 0-60 in 4.9 top end is 150+, a renault gearbox, outboard rear discs with EFI with knock sensing, chargecooling and other improvements.

While I would love a Turbo Esprit (a G car) I will be hunting for a Esprit Turbo SE (a Stephens car)
_________________
1994 Lotus Esprit S4 - Work in progress...
1980 Porsche 924 S2 DITC Turbo - Original spec
1978 Homo-Sapiens - Tired spec
1953 Landrover S1 - Pensioner Spec

[smart931]

Not going to be popular here but:

I love lotus, always have. I've hankered after them all my life, however.
Having spent the last twenty years restoring all kinds of European cars including some Loti'. I wouldn't touch a Lotus with someone elses barge pole.

If you think a Porsche 931 can give trouble!

I hate to criticise an English car. Ill always be patriotic towards them, no matter how much people snigger about the electrics. The character always wins you over.
Unfortunately, all experiences with Lotus have been bad. Even with the coverted Elite and the Lotus 11.
The more modern cars are ok but the reliability is still shocking.

This is just my opinion. I wouldn't let anyone talk me out of buying my Porsche, and you should follow your heart.
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1982 Porsche 931 (Sold)
2000 Smart Fortwo (Waiting for import)
1972 Opel manta (Left in England)
1965 Chevrolet Corvair (Left in England)
2010 Mazda 3 (Ex got this in divorce)
1974 Triumph TR6 (sadly gone)
1968 Ford F250 Camper Special (Daily)

[Rich H]

No worries chap - I am fully aware of the potential for disaster
Us brits have produced some utterly sh!t cars over the years! As everyone likes to remind us Lotus owners:

Lots
Of
Trouble
Usually
Serious

But I'm hoping all the crap ones will have already exploded...

I am still going to have a go if I can sell the Elise!

It should be said my main reason for wanting an Esprit is to have something to properly fix, the Elise is too good, it's rarely got anything interesting wrong with it and the turbo seems to be working well too at the moment. (Apologies for all the guys struggling with broken cars!) I don't want a wreck but I want a rolling project!

That's done it now they will both implode overnight...

Rich
_________________
1994 Lotus Esprit S4 - Work in progress...
1980 Porsche 924 S2 DITC Turbo - Original spec
1978 Homo-Sapiens - Tired spec
1953 Landrover S1 - Pensioner Spec

[9XX Girl!]

Supper pics Rich. I remember the "G Car". A local garage to where i grew up in the late 70s and early 80s had a white one along with lots of BMW bikes and cars. I remember cupping my hands around my eyes and pushing my face up to the side drop glass to see the dash inside and,.. the garage owner shouting at me to "get off the car" I really like the white.

Rich? post some pics of your Elise. I would also love to see the series one landy too. Is it a 80 or a 86, full tilt or cab? original side valve P5 engine? Fairy OD, FW hubs, any PTO equipment? Blue or Green?
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924 (84) N/A 2 ltr - 5 Speed - BLACK - Project (looking for 200BHP, any ideas!)
924 (81) N/A 2 ltr - 3 Speed Auto - SURINAM RED (Metallic) - Near Original Spec (sticking with originality)
BOTH ON THE ROAD, BOTH USED EVERY-OTHER DAY

[fiat22turbo]

There is a gentleman in the UK that has an Audi V8 and 6-speed in the back of his S1.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=581rF3HhKAM

Build thread:

http://www.motorgeek.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=9648&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0

Otherwise, I don't know much about them outside of the literature available and watching one in Pretty Woman/James Bond/Top Gear.

There is a guy on the Grassroots Motorsports Magazine message board that has one that he's built a replacement exhaust manifold out of stainless steel to replace the cracked factory ones. Figures he spent the same money as a NOS unit, but his won't crack:

http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/reader-rides/2116/

http://www.drhess.net/crystal_princess.htm
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Stefan
1979 924 Carrera GTS (clone-ish)
1988 944 Turbo S (Silver Rose)

[Rocco R16V]

you beat me to posting hillys V8 Esprit

I think they look even better than the Elise.

the problem is they dont have the power to back up the looks, well other than reliability.

[joejax]

'72 Europa S2, Sweet!
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I got nothin'
Uhhh...you got any pics?

[ideola]

You only live once. If you're in a position to get one, do it. If it's a disaster, you can always dump it and move on to something else. Carpe diem!
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erstwhile owner of just about every 924 variant ever made

[931Owner]

Isn't this the car on the movie "Pretty Woman?"
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1980 Turbo
-too many cars and too many motobikes

[Rocco R16V]

Yes it is.