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wildcat45
2,540 posts
58 months
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Theres a nice black on in the ads section here. MKII front and badges but a MKI. Not too keen on the wheels he's fitted but he's got loads of spares to go with it. The seller sounds like a decent chap.
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Changedmyname
4,736 posts
50 months
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wildcat45 said: But that money saving glass hatch worked so well. Made the car look more modern and not as flabby looking as the younger Horizon.
IMO the Sunbeam, especially in Ti and Lotus guise was one of the best looking small hatches of it's time. Compare it with the Fiesta. On a par in looks terms with sporty Fiat 127s and Gordini R5s. Maybe, but for me it would be a Sunbeam Lotus in Black and silver. Yes agreed ^^^
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5 USA
4,452 posts
114 months
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Lord Flathead said: after a couple of violent prods on the accelerator, turned it over and it burst into life, snarling away. Yes, that's the way they started, using the accelerator pump on the carbs to prime the cylinders instead of the choke in most conditions. Hence easy to flood... Lord Flathead said: .. it was the 45's I could hear snarling away, so raspy as if it they were actually in the cabin with you. "It's virtually an Esprit engine" he said as I sat there feeling the car throb as the lumpy engine ran gasping for breath. He netiated it off the car lot with lots of revs.. Yes, the engine was lumpy from cold and low on torque so revs essential to get up and running. Lord Flathead said: oh that noise was so intoxicating. The car was (and still is in my memories) one of the most savage cars I had ever owned in its power delivery. You have to rev it to get it moving (I kept stalling it at first), but once past 4000, the power builds and the lightness of the car shows. When you get it spinning at above 5500, it begins to howl and revs right round to 7ish where the noise is trying to tell you you're going to die. It's not quiet, it's not refined, it's a fast revving engine which build power really fast and the noise adds to the excitement.  Absolutely yes! Pushing the throttle and feeling/hearing that engine howl was just fantastic! Razor sharp throttle response. Bear in mind this was an era where 16-valves and twin d'ellortos were exotic, the car didn't have much flywheel and the engine just loved to rev. 
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GC8
9,528 posts
59 months
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I read that in 'knowledgeable' article too, by a well known automotive author in the 1980s.
After some very brief Googling, at appears that whilst not right, Im possibly not as wrong as you thought though...
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aeropilot
7,002 posts
96 months
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5 USA said: Yes, the engine was lumpy from cold and low on torque so revs essential to get up and running. Whilst it could be a bit recalcitrant when cold (as most engines of that type of that era were) the type 911 definately wasn't low on torque, even low in the rev range (well not in standard unmodded spec it wasn't)
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darkcat
Original Poster
1,447 posts
39 months
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I have to agree, that same engine sits in my esprit, and its not happy when cold. It has no torque or power below 4k at all.
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Steve H
1,585 posts
64 months
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My first car was one of these in 1988, I could probably be tempted into another one if I tripped over one but condition is everything, the bills were eye-watering.
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morgrp
2,828 posts
67 months
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Weren't the blue ones a special model of some description ? I.e colour scheme of a race team bit like the lotus esprit turbo essex model? Or is this just a load of BS?
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aeropilot
7,002 posts
96 months
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morgrp said: Weren't the blue ones a special model of some description ? I.e colour scheme of a race team bit like the lotus esprit turbo essex model? Or is this just a load of BS? Not quite. One black/silver stripe S1 car was marked with 'Essex' markings within the side silver trim for a publicity shot with an Essex edition Espirt. The Moonstone Blue seen on the S2 cars had no connection with the Essex scheme.
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Steve H
1,585 posts
64 months
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They were generally valued higher but I think that was just a rarity thing, I guess they are are all pretty rare now!
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aeropilot
7,002 posts
96 months
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Steve H said: They were generally valued higher but I think that was just a rarity thing, I guess they are are all pretty rare now! Been hovering around the 100 or so number left in the UK during past decade or so. Probably less than that number in total in LHD form over in the rest of Europe.
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darkcat
Original Poster
1,447 posts
39 months
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wildcat45 said: Theres a nice black on in the ads section here. MKII front and badges but a MKI. Not too keen on the wheels he's fitted but he's got loads of spares to go with it. The seller sounds like a decent chap. Yes thats the one i was (am still) considering im a bit worried about the originality of it though, however im going to have a talk with the owner as soon as i can. had a breif email exchange so far. the question is: In the long run, which is going to hold its value? my Esprit, or the Talbot? For pure rarity, im going to assume the Talbot.
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rubystone
7,052 posts
128 months
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Dave Mountain always referred to them as sheds....he had a fair few on his rollers in his time. He maintained that he was referring to their handling rsther than build quality  I always like them but couldn't afford the insurance. Bought a Ti - very much the poor man's Lotus - which handled dreadfully...understeer city and just not enough power from what always seemed to be an over-carbureted engine to get the tail out to neutralise the understeer. Woeful build quality and rotted out with just a sniff of rain. But it didn't 'arf look cool with that paint scheme
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aeropilot
7,002 posts
96 months
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darkcat said: wildcat45 said: Theres a nice black on in the ads section here. MKII front and badges but a MKI. Not too keen on the wheels he's fitted but he's got loads of spares to go with it. The seller sounds like a decent chap. Yes thats the one i was (am still) considering im a bit worried about the originality of it though, however im going to have a talk with the owner as soon as i can. had a breif email exchange so far. the question is: In the long run, which is going to hold its value? my Esprit, or the Talbot? For pure rarity, im going to assume the Talbot. Difficult one to judge tbh. TBH only a pure factory stock (or correct period mods) specification will hold (or increase) value over time. That one you are looking at will require lots of work and money to return to that sort of level. I'm not convinced that they will ever go ballistic like the Mk1/II RS Escorts, as part of the problem is there just not enough cars to justify the cost of tooling up for certain parts. The owners club do a good job with what hey can, but, they require dedicated (almost anal) ownership. If you think you are in that category of ownership requirement for a car that you essentially won't be able to use that much, then go for it. I still miss mine, but after 16 years ownership, the time was right to sell mine, as I no longer had the time to look after it in the way it needed. Fortunately, the guy who bought it was the dedicated 'anorak' that it needed, and it certainley went to a good home.
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s m
8,101 posts
72 months
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morgrp said: Weren't the blue ones a special model of some description ? I.e colour scheme of a race team bit like the lotus esprit turbo essex model? Or is this just a load of BS? You thinking of the Avon trim ones?
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grumpy
608 posts
110 months
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I owned a 1.6 way back. It was about three years old when I bought.
I have never seen a car rust so badly, the thing fell to bits within the three years of my owner-ship. Wings, sills, doors, you name it, it rusted. I was lucky to to get anything for it when I sold it.
I'm suprised there are any left that aren't just piles of brown dust.
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darkcat
Original Poster
1,447 posts
39 months
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grumpy said: I owned a 1.6 way back. It was about three years old when I bought.
I have never seen a car rust so badly, the thing fell to bits within the three years of my owner-ship. Wings, sills, doors, you name it, it rusted. I was lucky to to get anything for it when I sold it.
I'm suprised there are any left that aren't just piles of brown dust. Do you live in a water-fall?
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grumpy
608 posts
110 months
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darkcat said: Do you live in a water-fall? A case of TADTS with that particular car I'm afraid.
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rallycross
4,660 posts
106 months
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The avon was the special edition in light blue almost moonstone blue colour.
These cars were one of the quickest things in their day if you look back to road saloon racing and rallying in the early 80's the Sunbeam Lotus was thing to have, but that was before the rust set in.
I had a couple of Ti's one of which was Orange and was completely rotten under neath at only 8 yrs olds - so badly it couldnt even be welded up. The other Ti had been built up for road saloon racing and I bought it as an unfinnished project, but it was so slow it couldnt even keep up with my mothers road car Alfa Sud 1.5 (another 80's hot hatch with twin carbs).
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cptsideways
9,868 posts
121 months
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A friend of mine has a standard'ish shelled car with lots of skip brown goodies & a built engine etc is/was a pretty well sorted car. Think it needs some bodywork attention but a great project for someone. Its currently at a friends lock up (who used to own a Loutus one) as she lost here storage for her car, its due to be up for sale as far as I know.
Feel free to pm me for a contact
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